Not limited to relationships of any particular kind. If the poem fits, wear it.
Once upon the midday sun of summer day
or of lean times come and gone like rains
We lived believing love enough— just love,
with arms linked, like sunbeams under newly
opened summer skies splashing laughter like water.
An earlier edit was published July 2021, Spillwords Press.
.
Holding, come what may, each other
until unseen time folds us under.
And if, and though by plan or chance, we pass
from out this life into another, yet another—
Two parts within this Great Adventure,
For us, for now, an hour more, a day, a breath,
no matter, come what may.
This poem is set to music by British singer/songwriter Nic Evennett whose musical, magical artistry can also be found HERE.
Published in: “Poems for Relationships” 2017: “3201 e’s” 2018
A gentle scent surrounds me. It eddies,
flows, reminds me. I dream, look long
and away until just so and seeing you
and having only to say—I seize upon
some flower, something I love, you see,
and say—This is where I begin. This is
where I am. This is where I am re-awoken.
And in that span you hold me with interest,
with affinity. You who can never end,
whose beginning is before time—
From non-existence you rekindle me.
Published in: “Letter to the White Imbongi” 2013: “Poems for Relationships” 2017
pine is for leaving
oak is for time
willow, for grieving
loves left behind
This verse lies in the grave of an Englishman who left for home from a borrowed land.
Published in: “souls arriving” 2006 as “Goodbye, I said”: “Letter to the White Imbongi” 2013: “Poems for Relationships” 2017: “3201 e’s” 2018
You were sixteen and sweeter than a mountain spring when I met you. I was young and handsome then and love was bright and new. We were not old but old enough and richer more than all the worlds combined.
Published in: “Poems for Relationships” 2017: “3201 e’s” 2018
Hold me, fold me
Like a dove
Kiss me now
Before I go
Here I am
Once more, My Love
My Love, before I go
Gently, softly
Like a prayer
Lay beside me
Hold me still
Defend me
When I fall, My Love
My Love, I fear to go
On the day I came back from the hospital after my heart had acted up.
Published in: “souls arriving” 2006: “Between Music and Dance” 2013: “Poems for Relationships” 2017”: “3201 e’s” 2018.
Friends, do not hold me,
Toss me high!
Free to rise
Above the winds,
Above the darkness
Sadness brings.
Friends, do not hold me,
Toss me high!
Sing your Hellos!
And if we must,
A kiss goodbye.
Sing your Hellos!
And if we must,
For just a little while,
Goodbye.
For Joan, Shauna, Tom, Lorraine, Irene, Nick, Richard
Published in: “3201 e’s” 2018
Sunflowers! Crowns golden!
Violets! Sweet petals, blue!
Carnations! Pinks! Whites!
—And my Love for You!
Dahlias! Such beauty!
Tulips! Who knew!
Orchids! Red roses!
—And my Love for You!
Published in: “Poems for Relationships” 2017
Let us say that we have loved
and though good women,
though good men,
admit the hatreds too.
And looking, just by looking,
find that love may be
the greater of the pair
and love, the bed upon which
hate must heal.
Let us say that we have loved.
Published in: “Poems for Relationships” 2017 (earlier version): “3201 e’s” 2018
A sonnet is a dandy thing all dressed
In pomp and form and run-on lines and things—
Enough to make the weary take up wings.
Though this is but my third, I must confess,
Lifetimes ago I wrote with zing and zest
And sonnets then were little songs to sing
To fluttering breasts and nightingales— or slings
Against misfortune, kings, and other pests.
No poet’s court has ever sat assize
Sans sonnets quick and cleverly contrived.
Fair queen or country maid, though each its prize—
The sonnet’s virtue rests in parted thighs.
Finer roe has never graced a sturgeon
Nor caveat much mattered to a virgin.
Caveat is a warning or caution. Assize is a court or can be a judgement. Sans is a word stolen from the French about 700 years ago. Means “without.”
Published in: “souls arriving” 2006 as “Sonnet 003”
My feet sing
My heart sings
My body sings along
I’m already in love
Just gotta find me a girl
This is what a guy feels like at a certain point in his life. Not sure if all guys do. Well, me anyway.
Published in: “Poems for Relationships” 2017: “3201 e’s” 2018
I wake up to my darling
My darling wakes with me
Out, in and on white sheets we slip
For breakfast, lunch and tea
On a blanket on a wooden floor
Abandoned articles of war
Lie between us
And that future left behind
Love early, long and more than any human heart can hold—
Full souled! First, last and freshly found, Love in All.
Love All in All. By these words, if Love exists, Love All.
Published in: “Poems for Relationships” 2017: “3201 e’s” 2018
Enjoy the sunshine when she comes
Enjoy the blue skies cleared of grey
And with a glad song in your heart
Enjoy the sunshine when she comes
Enjoy the sun through dancing leaves
Enjoy her warmth against your skin
Enjoy the flowers and the greens
Whatever else your day may bring
Enjoy the sunshine when she comes
It’s been a while my dear old friend
Since we have walked and talked and laughed
Something we should do again
Enjoy the sunshine when she comes—
Until then
Published in: “Poems for Relationships” 2017: “3201 e’s” 2018
Her bags are packed, left by the door. She looks away waiting for her ride to come. Just waiting.
You met her on a holiday. You can’t recall who else was there. She’s moved along and left you holding empty air. Empty rooms and empty halls fill the days you’ve lost count of and left an empty bed alone beside you.
You met her one late-summer day, or was it autumn, who can say? Like falling leaves you fell one for the other. The mornings were the best of all. The evenings melted into dawn and dawn again.
And then one day she said goodbye. Without a word, she said goodbye. Her eyes had someone else inside. You asked yourself when this all started.
Now every girl you see instead and every time you turn your head and all the names on every street, the colors of the sky at night, your bed at dawn—days pass you by, whatever tells you you’re alive tells you that you’re dead inside.
You keep her pillow by your own, wake up late each afternoon but still you wake up as alone. And then one day you’ve cleared your mind, you bring her back and let her slide away again.
Now mornings fade from grey to green and somewhere in the days between you catch an eye, she catches you and spends a night or maybe two. The hallway and the living room, the shower and the kitchen floor—what else had they existed for?
Now every smell of every flower, every early morning shower and all the songs on every street, the colors of the sky at night, her kiss at dawn, the rising light, whatever tells you you’re a man tells you you’re alive again. Yet stories like this never end like fairy tales.
With every smell of every flower, every early morning shower and all the songs on every street, the colors of the sky at night, her kiss at dawn, the rising light, whatever tells you you’re a man tells you you’re alive again at least until this fairy tale is over.
Published in: “souls arriving”: 2006 as “His story”: “Between Music and Dance” 2013 as “Beside You” : “Poems for Relationships” 2017: “3201 e’s” 2018
I don’t care who your god is
It’s alright who your god is
I don’t care how you pray
It’s alright
All I care is where my heart is
Here. Here my heart is
What I do with it today
Published in: “3201 e’s” 2018
“Don’t be silly, Dad, I’m your only daughter.”
“Yes. But you’d still be my favorite even if you had a dozen sisters and as many brothers.”
“And your mother is my favorite wife.”
“Oh Dad, you only have one.”
“… At a time. And anyway, she would still be my favorite even if those other wives were favorites too, if I loved them all as much as you.”
You’ve seen me slip beyond our door
To whisper home again from wars
I’ve fought within, to you again—
And pillow, table, field, plow—
I pray, these too, that you’ll allow.
Published May 2020, SpillWords Press.
I remember the moment you first saw the light
The moment you reached up and held my hand tight
The moment you took your first steps in the world
Each moment, each step— Now no longer a girl
I remember these moments, each one of them bright
Like the moment I held you that very first night
“First night” celebrates the birth of my daughter.
I love my wife—
O lucky man’s task
That love for love
Is all she asks
And love for love—
All that she gives—
O lucky man, I
My Mrs. is!
Published in: “souls arriving” 2006: “Between Music and Dance” 2013
My self, that is, that part, the part you say is me;
Your part, that part, that self I sense in verse
And without whom, that self, your self,
My self is lost for words
Published in: “Poems for Relationships” 2017 as “Lost for words”
There are two versions of this verse. Which do you prefer?
/
When I am done with being right
And you are done with being wronged
Perhaps then we can speak of something small and bright
That we can both agree upon.
This lovely piece of calligraphy is from the hand of Catharine Hoffmaster. Its full size is about 20 inches by 8 inches. It hangs in my kitchen.
…………………………………………
When I am (or you are or we are) done with being right
And you are (or we are or I am) done with being wronged
Perhaps then we can speak of something small and bright
That we can all agree upon.
First version published in: “Letter to the White Imbongi” 2013 as “Two Beats of Silence” : “Poems for Relationships” 2017: “3201 e’s” 2018.
The following calligraphy was done by curry72501 at fiverr.com
