The Forest and the Rain

Walking
through the forest
in the rain
waiting
for the next moment
of who we are
a sliver of light
in the midst of shadows
or simply . . .

Walking
through the forest
in the rain
drowning
in the life time of memories
we shared
from not wanting to breathe
without love's shelter
to the leaves falling
littering our path
with puddles
of missteps

Listening
to each drop
strike our souls
as if they were thunderous words
that were no longer words
but the sound
of uncertainty
as time
renders us quiet
as there is nothing else to say

Walking
through the forest
in the rain
cold
soaked
and so full of doubt
I don’t want to keep moving
but stopping
ends any hope
of tomorrow's chance
to never cry again

Lost

I pour a dram
of exquisite elegance
12 year
amber hued
single malt
sherry cask finished
with hints
of orange
spices
and just enough smoke
to enhance
the torpedo cut
tightly wrapped
cigar
life's accoutrements

And as
the night falls
the smokey haze rises
while
Gillespie
Monk
Coltrane
and Shorter
infuse the evening's warmth
with cool

One inch of ash
lingers
as if it was sighing
in relief
to time finally standing still
I pour another dram
and smile
as I find myself
lost
in this moment

The Blues

Loving you
is like
loving a whisper
faint
soft
barely heard
always with me
though
you're barely here

Loving you
is like
loving a conversation
one that I have
when I'm alone
thinking
about you
missing
you
it is all that I have
of you

Loving you
is like
loving a song
that's played
every now and then
beautiful
when you hear
but you're left
only with thinking about it
I guess
that's why
they call it the blues

Wanting to be Heard

The deafening sound
of silence
rips apart my soul
like an angry lover
wanting to be heard

Loud
without so much of a whisper
torturous
as if it were begging me
to listen
so I abide by its thunderous demands
and allow the pen to fall
and I notice
that as it lands
it begins to grasp each word
spoken

And with the rage
of poetic rhythm
my hands devour my thoughts
as each stroke
defines
my soul's vision

I write
and write
until the canvass
upon which the words reside
is no longer silent
and the shimmering lights of heaven
shine
as bright
against midnight's hue
as hope
against the world's chaotic darkness

Nine Pills

Nine months
still
pain so unreal
yet
it is all
I feel
as I count
nine pills
one for each month
I loved you

Nine months
waiting
each day
anticipating
when I
would hear you cry
and now
I
wish I could die
to be with you

Nine months
preparing
for morning
not for mourning
it's tearing me
apart
the absence of your heart’s beat
my heart’s beat
our family
drifted away with you

Nine months
still
pain so unreal
yet
it is all
I feel
as I count
nine pills
one for each month
I loved you

Lasting Words

Left our last breath
somewhere within the night before
so good morning heartache
I welcome you

Finding myself alone
in the midst of the world's ado
somehow
the sounds are as strange as missing you

I wish my words
were simply silent thoughts
kept angrily on my lips
but I allowed bourbon
to speak my mind
though my heart begged what was left of my sober thoughts
to not act so rash

And now I wonder
if
and if so
when
will we ever talk again

I love this!!!

People Watching In The City

Listening
to the city's ambiance
while my eyes subtly stare
at its fluidity
beckons the pen and pad of my imagination
to create a storyline
of its heartbeat

Each face
that comes and goes
wear unspoken words filled emotions
sadness
and laughter
love
and bitterness
amazement
and confusion
each one significant
yet none more important
than the phantom footprints
they leave behind

It is within
this noise and rhythm
of people places and things
that the monotone fusion
of poetry paintings and sounds
become the artistry of an indelible moment
called life
and where I find
solace

My wife once asked me who my favorite poet was. And I told her I had few who inspired me. They were Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, James Emanuel, and you. I truly love your work. Thank you for inspiring me!!!

From Winter to Spring

Winter's cold
spilled the milk
yet
I'm not allowed
to cry
so I wear heartache
while cleaning the mess
that was made

Come each new morning
I close my eyes
while opening the curtains
praying
spring brings a warmth
that paints a smile
for me to wear each day
to mask what I feel
because
every home deserves light

Yet
it is not quite
day light savings time
so darkness still lurks
around the corner
like a bitter memory
but the children need to know
that I'm ok
so I smile
to hide everything about us

Winter's cold
spilled the milk
yet
I'm not allowed
to cry
because a home
should be where the heart is
so I wait
patiently
for my heart
to let go of him

Hmmm, you know catinidaho I'm not sure why . . . and thanks

Thank you!!!!!

Tomorrow Morning

Tonight
can we chill
take this moment
as slow as necessary
so that we are no longer
misunderstood
let's talk
about the past
to heal
so that we don't have to continue
to relive our hurt

Tonight
can we rediscover
intimacy
through a conversation
meant to heal old wounds
let me tell you
all the ways I want to say
I'm sorry
and that I didn't mean to hurt you so

Tonight
feel free
to express
your heart's deepest pain
let me take that hurt
and bandage it with as much love
as my soul can give you

I know
we've journeyed so far
at yet we still have
so far to go
to reach our destiny
but if you will
tonight
let me hold your hand
so that we can see
the sunrise
tomorrow morning
together

The River

The river
often times
rushes
through the course
of life
carrying a rage
that only heartache
could know

And then
there are those times
when
the river
is still
as if it were pondering
what it was
that it was
chasing

The river
sustains life
quenches thirst
and
leads the way of the lost
yet
most times
it's taken for granted

The river
the woman
the mother
the wife
the backbone
of the beautiful life
called love

Yes you should publish your work!!!!! You are an amazing poet who reaches both males and females!

When We

Under
the starlit
night sky
a gentle breeze
chills
our nakedness

Slowly
we interrupt
midnight's silence
with the sounds
of love whispers

As the
spotlight
of the full moon's
kiss
guides us
towards
that moment
when we . . .

Ugly

Before
when there was a reason
to believe
within each beat
there was
hope
life
love
and beauty

But the words
the hurt
left it motionless
broken
took from it
life and left scars
pain
torment
and now I am
ugly

I try
not to remember
I try
not to forget
I am
lost
unable to escape
who we were
unable
to find me
and so I wonder
are you
you
because I am
no longer me
I am ugly

Wow Ladywind you continue to amaze me!

Roses


The clock's hands
toil
minute after minute
until the hours pass gently away
soon
tomorrow's promise
will stretch
far and wide
celebrating time's patience
with an elegance
that awakens hope

Lingering
ever so warmly
like a whisper on the horizon
the slow rising brilliance
paints shadows
across the land
and within each ocean wave
until beauty
has burdened the night
with the majestic colors
of life

The air
still chilled from previous hour
begins its sojourn
to the warmth
of a new day
as life mingles
with the scent of roses
leaving yesterday
breathless

Soul Exploration

Would you
please
spend
just this one night
with me

We could
awaken
to the sunrise
glistening
within each drop
of the morning dew
as the new day
painted a picture of possibilities
for us to explore

Imagine
feeling the sensual warmth
of the sun
teasing
our souls
with a never ending
rest of the day
to indulge in nothing but
the purest form of enticement
love

We could
forget
that there was a yesterday
or
that tomorrow
was waiting patiently
to be discovered
there would only be
the now
for our hearts to ever know
and all
they needed to remember