Leave it to Cleaver

We were inextricably bound, 

but Time is a careless cleaver. 

Hope left pieces of you in me, 

and I have never been alone.

Speech

I 

will never 

have the words 

that are read 

so easily 

in your mouth. 

My poems are tin, 

and you 

have always been 

a silver-tongued 

storyteller. 

Your best work is 

programmed, 

and mine is always 

extemporaneous. 

It's no longer a 

discussion, love, 

for you have 

woven a world 

of prose 

and then blocked me 

out of it. 

This isn't 

original information, 

so I'm done being 

dramatic. 

I will speak 

no more 

of this. 

I Drink Good Coffee

Another few trips 'round the sun have since found me, 
a few thousand pulls of the moon, 
seasons have fallen then risen to greet me, 
my footsteps have covered this room. 
A few dozen flips of the calendar later, 
a few hundred alarms hit for snooze, 
coffee is still consumed every morning, 
I still feel like talking to you. 

Second Draft Poem: Surrender

I'm tired of hearing the sound of my thoughts,

exhausted by ink and the lies I've been taught.

I need a break from just doing it all,

duty is calling, but I'll skip the call.

I could collapse with the weight of my waits

but I'd rather stop spinning, this room and these plates.

I think I'd prefer to sit silent this time,

and relinquish control that has never been mine. 

Me to We

If ever two were meant to be, then we; 

if ever girl has loved a boy, then me. 

No longer two but one now we shall be. 

All the Words We Do Not Say

Love is not 

red roses or caviar, 

the Eiffel Tower or movie credit kisses. 

Love is not chocolate, or candy, 

red hearts or even deep brown eyes. 

Love is not poetry or ballads, 

it is not books and 

it has never been a movie. 

Love is 

a raspberry bush, 

green and armored 

thick with thorns. 

Love is 

the right amount of cream 

in the coffee, 

and all the words 

we do not have to say. 

Second Draft Poem: Let's Go

Dearest love, let's drift away, to where we can't be found.
We'll find a place where there's no trace of all these city sounds.
We will walk together until no steps are left to take;
each time you sleep, I'll hold you 'til the moment that you wake.
Let us drift away right now, not wait one minute more;
I already packed your bags, my love, why don't you get the door?
Get in, I'll go to sleep, my love, and when my rest is through,
we will be so far from here, someplace, just me and you.

Musings

I write for you, faceless reader-

I leave this mark on the earth:

Muses grow pregnant with motive,

art is the way to give birth.

Half of my life I have loved you,

the other half found me alone,

I write so that I can find you,

(Darling, oh my how we've grown). 

I sing this song that you taught me,

I paint the pictures you show,

I write for you, faceless reader,

I follow you where you go. 

Dear Phil

You will find shadows 

when you look hard enough, 

like you'll always find kindness 

and always find love. 

You will find darkness- 

it shows best in light, 

no need to go searching,

it's there, (day and night). 

You can find happiness,

warm days or snow-

Spring always comes,
despite your shadow. 

Second Draft #3: Fool's Gold

Am I a fool? 

I'm a pulpitless preacher, 

a dry, dusty ocean, 

a motionless creature. 

Am I a fool? 

Just a refugee, longing, 

an unwanted guest 

with no chance of belonging. 

Am I a fool? 

A mistake in the making, 

a heart that's so grieved 

it believes that it's breaking.