To Thine Own Self Be True

To Thine Own Self Be True

“I choose life!” will be my cry
For now and ever more!
For if I live your way today,
I’ll be knocking at Death’s door.

No matter what my passions are,
I will not live a lie.
Rather, I’ll suffer your discontent
Than live every day to die.

I will know joy and freedom
As most men never do,
For I will chase my every dream
Until they all come true.

My caution yields in wild abandon
To my heart’s fervent aspirations.
And to the world to witness my glory
I will hand out invitations.

Though you’ll be most unhappy,
I will mourn that loss for you.
For on me, you’ve wasted so much time.
Thus, your own desires never grew.

So do not place the blame on me
That you know not the pleasure
Of a life so free, true, and divine,
That joy cannot be measured.

The Brush of an Artist

The Brush of an Artist

Before I drag the brush
Routinely and unenthusiastically
Through my hair,
Something catches my eye;
A single strand of raven hair
Divine in its existence.
I marvel at this glorious sight
And fear how easily
I might have missed it.
Here, in this brush, is
The symbol of my happiness;
The thread of her existence
So delicately and intricately
Woven through mine.
As I stare
In awe of this miracle,
I find the supplies to create
The only art I can;
Words carefully printed onto paper.

Life Sustaining Happiness

Life Sustaining Happiness

This woman was so full of life
I could see it in her smile
Her beauty of life compelled me
To take her in my arms
And when we kissed
I drank from her lips
The joy and pleasure of living
Her eyes lit up
As her voice danced around
And asked if I wanted a grape
I smiled and kissed her with all of my love
Wondering if she knew
How she nourished my soul
With her loving spirit
As well as she nourished my body
With her fruit

Utopia Has No Sound

Utopia Has No Sound

When the noise grows
louder
louder
louder
and thoughts twist inside my head
It’s the piercing burn
That sounds the alarm
To evacuate the cacophony
And center my mind

The pain is sweet and comforting
the
warm
ache
calms
I am sanely paralyzed
It stings me
ironically
numb
Until the storm clouds pass
And I can breathe for a while

I know it will come again
This cycle
A perfect circle
Perhaps it is a gift
That inspires the disturbed poet
Who will share profound depth
And I’ll be a rat in a maze
Watch me run

Mirror of My Nightmares

Mirror of My Nightmares

There’s a woman in my bedroom.
She laughs inside my head.
I’m the only one that hears her.
Supposedly, she’s dead.

She tells me that I’m losing
And I never will be free,
I’ll die an insane woman,
And she knows because she’s me.

For Nature is Wise

For Nature is Wise

As I gazed out on the autumn landscape, it occurred to me that there are lessons to guide us through all things if we are only open to receive them.

See how the leaves create a beautiful, vibrant show for the world.
Even in their time of death, they display a colorful glory that stills the soul.

It is by this exquisite example that I hope to move through the loss of our love.
In times of grief, especially, one must open their whole being to all living things, and view life in all its splendor.

I shall listen with a quiet heart, and observe with undiscriminating, insatiable curiosity.
Teach me how to live, oh, Life.

Catwalk

Catwalk

Deep in the garden of your thirst
Is the place where I rehearse
All the acts of love and passion
Like it’s the brand new fall hit fashion

The delicate lace of your hair
Compliments me here and there
You hands fit me like a glove
While I gaze at you from above

The silky skin that drapes upon me
Has no need for accessory
Moisture glazes my skin with a finish
So the value does not diminish

The designer’s name
Is of divine fame
Only God could create the perfection
That has shown me such affection

Threads of love and buttons of gold
For a garment that never grows old
Only you could surely flatter
A model that doesn’t seem to matter

Just Once More

Just Once More

Let me kiss you, just once more.
Let my tongue travel across your skin.
Let our bodies tangle together
In a heated mass of passionate love.
Let me worship and adore you.
Let me feel you in and out.
Let me discover and renew you.
Let me make you writhe and tremble.
Let me cradle you to me after.
Fall asleep inside my arms.
Let us mingle unaware.
We can leave the world behind once more.
Escape with me, and never return.
Bathe in the beads of love on our skin.
I beg, and yet I know you cannot allow it ever again.
For one more night of adoration
Would not quench my soul of insatiable thirst.
Dream with me of a place where we can love,
And love on for all eternity.

One Special Night

One Special Night

Your lips stole my breath away.
Your kiss made my soul cry with joy.
The touch of your skin against mine made me tremble.
The passion and love in your spirit made my heart dance.
The warmth of your arms brought me comfort.
Your trust made me love myself.
And now, with a vacancy where that spark would glow in your eyes,
My soul wilts.
The distance of a few feet is marked by a new wall between us,
The longing to bring it down again makes my body writhe.
But I cannot make your heart love as mine does.
We smile. We embrace. We blink.
We go on.
Somehow, we go on, and I know my heart will never change.
My soul lies in wait for you, alone;
Alone, but cherishing and always reliving one special night.
For one night, I was loved.

Inspiration

Inspiration

This is why the artist struggles;
To make every unsuccessful attempt into artistic triumph.
This is how we turn this life around.
This is how we rock the world.
Give me some lemons,
I’ll make the best lemonade to ever quench your mouth of lies.

Look at us with doubt and shame
So we can turn it into fame.
Give us a love that’s unrequited
So I can write a poem just to spite it.

I can make rhymes about a life filled with woe.
I can play a melody that thunders to drown out the anger.
Give us all that we deserve.
We’ll put the credit where it’s due.

All you dream haters and hope shooters bread another Shakespeare
To make a theatre out of your multi-million dollar establishment.
You wanna take away a neighborhood?
We’ll give it back with a house of catharsis.

We’re not down and out, we are in a world of muses.
You’re just too blind to see how incredible our world is.
We are united. We understand.
We sweat and bleed to tell the truth.

You can’t stand us, but you love us too.
You want to be us, brave and fighting for the dream.
In the meantime, keep up the good work.
I’d like to thank you again for your generous contributions.
Sincerely, the artist you dismissed.

Senses

Senses

Sight - the beauty of your face
Sound - my heart pounds
Taste - the memory of a perfect kiss
Hear - the sweetest whisper of love in my ear
Smell - the perfume of your hair
Touch - that soft skin I love so much

Win or lose
This is what I choose
My sixth sense
The essence of you

Enslaved

Enslaved

At night, I see you in my dreams
And dream while I’m awake.
You’re the thought that captures me
And puts that distant look upon my face.
There is no other place so dear,
No place that warms my heart;
It’s being in the presence of you
That makes the world so right.
When the tears form in my eyes
For the love that you pass by,
I’ll smile at the joy we share.
I know somehow I’ll make it through,
Because I still have you in my life.
It’s worth everything.
Who cares if they say that I’m a fool?
I’ll stay the fool that waits in love with you.
Even if I wait forever,
I never want to love another
The way that I love you.
Is there any other way?
A thousand loves could pass me by,
But they’ll never give me this feeling.
It’s everything worth dying for,
Living for, Killing for.
I’m killing myself, dying for you,
By living for loving you.

Gravitational Pull

Gravitational Pull

The crisp, cool air in the room would have set in a chill on my skin at any other time, but you were lying next to me.
Everything was so still and quiet that my voice seemed foreign as I read to you.
When the story ended, we laid in the silence.
Never was there a moment when I felt more at peace.
I wondered at your presence close to me and found myself curious to know what you were thinking.
Happy contentment washed over me like a blanket.
Soon, I found myself slipping into a restful sleep.
The world itself and time felt as if it had stopped in its tracks.
When I woke up, I reached out for you and found that you were no longer with me.
In an instant, my world was spinning once again.

Strength

Strength

See how the small boy treads courageously into the ocean.
He stands firm, letting the waves wash over him.
He does not falter.
The innocent adventurous wonder that comes with being a child gives him power.
It is before we learn of all the things that can bring us pain.
I wish I could face the crashing waves and welcome the shells they wash in;
Some jagged, some beautiful.
But, no. I bury my feet in the sand.

To Love At Last

To Love At Last

I do not need one candle lit to see your face tonight;
For I have gazed on you a thousand times,
And memorized each line and curve of your delicate frame
In the nights I spent in solitude.
Our bodies presses so close, though it be the very first,
Is like returning home;
For I have loved every sensation in my dearest dreams.
Now let our lips embrace as our breasts press close at last.
Let our hearts beat together in a loving pace to lead us through tonight.
Even when this heart has forever ceased to keep the time of passion,
My soul will play it on throughout eternity.

How He Knew

How He Knew

He knew he loved her by the way her smile lit up his world.
He knew by the way her voice stirred his soul.
He knew by the way he lost himself, searching her eyes like a mystery.
He knew by the way he missed her after parting for a moment.
He knew by the way he talked to her whether she was there or not.
He knew by the way he began to live for her.
He knew by the way his heart fluttered when he thought of her, catching his breath in his chest.
He knew by the way he wanted to kiss her and hold her close.
He knew by the way he desperately needed to learn everything about her.
He knew by the way the world seemed so perfect after they met…
How his life revolves completely around her…
How her happiness is the only thing that really matters…
How her tears rip his spirit into pieces…
How her dreams are the goals to his life’s work…
How she taught him more about himself than he had ever known before…
But the clue that gave it all away, was how his heart ached to see her go, but smiled for her as she loved another…
And he keeps on loving her.

Night of Love

Night of Love

Make love to me just one more time
Before the night is through,
And I will be your love divine;
Forever pure and true.

Let your lips dance over mine
As ballet dancers do.
Then lace me with a love so fine,
As only you could do.

Let our spirits drink the wine
Desire misconstrues.
Forever, then, our hearts will shine
Just like the morning dew.

In Dreams

In Dreams

If only I could fall asleep,
I could look upon your face.
If only I could fall asleep,
You could hold me in my place.

If only I could fall asleep,
I would lay safe in your arms.
If only I could fall asleep,
I’d be lost to all your charms.

If only I could fall asleep,
I could taste the sweetest kiss.
If only I could fall asleep,
I’d be in total bliss.

If only I could fall asleep,
I’d feel your heart beat next to mine.
If only I could fall asleep,
All that’s wrong with the world would be fine.

If only I could fall asleep,
We two would be in love.
If only I could fall asleep,
Perhaps they’d answer my prayers above.

Night Vision

Night Vision

Make love to me just one last time,
Before this dream must end.
Make love to me just one last time.
Give my heart the chance to mend.

Kiss my lips before I wake.
Let me hear your gentle sighs.
Kiss my lips before I wake.
The sunrise is drawing nigh.

Let fingertips dance over my skin,
Before I must open my eyes.
Let fingertips dance over my skin,
Before I realize it is only lies.

Move with me in each caress,
Before I learn of this illusion.
Move with me in each caress,
And forgive my mind’s intrusion.

Let me make just one more wish.
From this dream I must depart.
Let me make just one more wish,
That, at least in sleep, we shall never be apart.

When Dreaming Ends

When Dreaming Ends

I woke up with a smile on my face.
I woke up feeling warm and whole.
I woke up and the sunlight illuminated my vision.
I woke up and found a pillow in your place.

I woke up and you were gone.
I woke up and remembered the dream.
I woke up feeling hollow and alone.
I woke up and my heart ached.

I woke up and tears hit my pillow.
I woke up willing myself back to sleep.
I woke up missing your embrace.
I woke up needing you desperately.

I woke up wishing you were there.
I woke up wanting to see your face.
I woke up angry and cold.
I woke up disappointed .

I woke up.