pleasant lies

sent me to sleep

blissfully unaware

as it should be

you saw the signs

they were not read 

but all the same 

you know what they meant

we remain who we have always been

rearranged by time

written but unseen

the map exists

the journey is meant to be stout

stay safe from the third rail

tickets were not free

your soul paid the fee

even while it rages

a pulse is feeling faint

strangled by yesterday’s desire

vision marred

from wandering lost among too many tomorrows

it’s supposed to hurt

pick up the pieces

they lie all around

as rubble

from cities of love

it burns

in an instant

upside down

twisted and turned

the calendar date

on paper will pass

memories remain

outlasting fate

peace by your side

love in your heart

nothing for granted

we are along for the ride

rivers run under the fragile ice

escorting nature’s heartbeat 

the early winter darkness 

has me anxious for spring to start anew

greeting the sunrise will be enough

today will not suffer in wishes too grand

I will not search

to align the stars 

accepting what is given

and breathing it in  – deeply

the sun shines brightly

even across the frozen ground

if love is strong

is it also heavy?

does love float around us

or are we carried upon it?

what color is your love 

is it the same as mine?

when love is scared

where does it hide?

where you once bled

has love healed a wound?

how is love best carried

as it overflows your heart?

many questions

infinite power

ask away

hunting down all I can’t recall

far beyond the haze

I will never clearly see

as the sadness 

has emptied me 

in space unfamiliar

blind I am not

just lost 

in all I do not know

and then

she was gone

my senses alive

with what is left with me

difficult to not always want more

empty space holds desire

I find your heart

water in the desert

I hold your hand

I pull it close

we walk together

down a road

without direction

making our own map

as we go

you’ve lifted my heart

my hand rests upon your hip

almost inside your skin

I cannot see the path

my feet keep pulling me ahead

I move forward because

I believe in us

it may be unknown

but we can make it

what we want it to be

I know this in my heart

your hand in mine

what lies ahead

is shielded

by the beams

of beauty

that is here today

and the beauty of what is

now

in these moments

is all that matters

the future will unfold as it will

words (2015), photos (2019)

your first pass was unknowing

brave and reckless

knowledge and experience are not the same

time assails all hearts

scars scatter behind

foundations form from laughter and pain

sing the songs to the tune behind your eyes

seeking to unlock freedom born with you

that has been covered in the sands of time

this cold bright morning

has me following a lone leaf

with crisped edges 

scratching the pavement

as it tumbles down the street

has it lost its way 

as autumn is chased away

by winter’s winds

I hope it finds a settling place

and warmth in togetherness

all the leaves have turned and fallen

winds have shifted

spring’s rebirth feels distant

love is woven in the heart

rooted in the past

growing from the present

as aromas waft through the home 

keep it close

those near and far, here and gone

a reminder from Thanksgiving 2012 – It is easy to get trapped in our ordinary routines and the countless small frustrations we face each day. In doing this we often keep ourselves from appreciating all we have and overlook where we should really be spending our energy. I am a consistent offender of allowing myself to  be bogged down by the “small stuff” and forgetting the big picture. I work on this everyday and with Thanksgiving arriving it serves as a reminder to take some extra time – enjoy what we have and be thankful.