Stayed Away Too Long

A year is way too long a time,
To not have written you a rhyme,
I had no clue it's been so long,
But knowing now, it just seems wrong
That in this year of stress at home,
I didn't even write one poem.

But as bad as that does make me feel,
I blame it on this world that's real.
The one with cars and trees and people and stuff,
Where no matter what you do it's never enough,
And there's always shit that doesn't get done,
And there's hardly ever time for fun.

I miss that world where we once did play,
And though I know that we couldn't stay,
In a fairy tale in a world of dreams,
I can't help but feel that still it seems
Like I alone have failed to bring to life
A real world where we've much less strife.

So here I am, once more rhyming away
My failures with hopes for a much better day,
As if writing a poem will right my mistakes,
And parsing it well is all that it takes
To undo all my faults and make things seem all right,
And bring back the dreams that kept us up all night.
 

For My Valentine

Twas more or less four years ago,
When Cupid raised his trusty bow,
And shot an arrow in the air
(That brought you to my northern lair.)

Since then we've had our ups and downs,
We've had our in-betweens,
Our home is filled with smiles and frowns
(And all those pesky teens.)

This verse will not go rambling on,
The way I sometimes do,
A few more lines and I'll be done
(And later, so will you.)

It's not one of my deeper rhymes,
With words of hope in darker times,
It's just a thing I wrote to say
I love you (and Happy Valentine's Day.)
    

Leaving Chaos

We arrived  here in chaos, and left here in kind,
And though we seemed to be flying blind,
We've landed there safely, if somewhat confused,
Running on adrenaline (caffeine infused).

So I sit here alone, at this grey folding table,
Writing this verse, because I'm not able,
To leave here without a few words of adieu,
Now it's time to pack up and get home to you.
   

Diamonds and Emeralds

Three years and a few months ago, my life began anew,
When in its way as it will do, the World led me to you,
And we embarked upon a road, you and I together,
That's had its share of twists and turns and good and stormy weather.

This year we set out on a quest, in which we sure did roam
Up and down so many streets, until we found our home ,
And as we settle in that place, and into our new life,
We ought to live in sin no more, and be husband and wife.

So I ask you Stephanie,
Will you marry me?
   

Segue

I've not much to write now, and not much to say,
But it seems that that last was quite full of dismay,
Which hardly seems fitting to lead to the next,
So here a short bridge of these few lines of text.

They serve no real purpose, except to provide,
A few rhyming stanzas that create a divide,
'Tween winter's lament, in its depth of despair,
And the spring on its way, with its breath of fresh air.

For here comes the sun, and with it the light,
That will glisten like diamonds and emeralds so bright.
And that is quite all that I've got now to say,
Until the next verse comes along on this way.
  

Deja Vu

No matter what I do, it's wrong,
The more I try, the more I fail,
I'd not felt that way for so long;
Is it really time to bail?

I never thought I'd wonder that,
Could I have been so wrong again?
When every effort just falls flat,
It might be time to accept the end.

I wrote the words above night last,
When you said flat out, "no matter what",
Which means, to me, the die is cast,
No hidden "ifs" nor "ands" nor "buts".

Now you say you said it merely,
To "get a reaction". Really, dear?
How am I to react sincerely,
To being told we're finished here?

I've been down that road before,
I'll not walk there another day,
Those kinds of head games close the door;
They're not the kinds I want to play.

So there's my reaction to what you said,
You let me know if it's what you meant,
If not, I'll clear it from my head,
To make room for your true intent.
   

The Last Cut (Closing Time)

The first cut was easy; he'd been asking for it for years.
The second cut was disappointing, but better than nothing.
The third cut was a little messy until a pro cleaned it up.
The fourth cut took a lot of work, just about worth it in the end.
The fifth cut was the quickest and most direct of all.
The sixth cut came much sooner than had been expected.
The seventh cut hit a snag, but made it through okay.
The last cut was the deepest, bringing it all to an end.

Looks like freedom but it feels like death
It's something in between, I guess
It's closing time
   

Detour

Driving through the rain in the middle of the night,
Do we take the highway to the left or to the right?
Our journey interrupted, detours all about,
I wait here in the car while you get things sorted out.

I look around the parking lot and mostly I see red,
You've gone off to the other side you say in words unsaid,
"Peek-a-boo" I answer you in words that go unheard,
Though our plans have changed they haven't been deterred.

How much longer left to wait I do not even know,
Until you are beside me and then off again we go,
'Til that time I'll toss and turn and wait here in the car;
There's nowhere else I'd rather be than wherever you are.
   

Poof!

A million tales, a thousand yarns, one giant ball of thread,
The greatest pantry ever built, each morsel ever fed,
Preserved for all eternity, the living and the dead,
The stars that help to mark the way, the posts read and unread.

We thought forever it would stand, for all time it would last,
Bringing forth to future eyes, these views into the past,
Until one day the note appeared, into the void they'd blast,
All that had been ever there, and readers were aghast.

"How could they do this?" many asked, the answer never came,
Just vague remarks on focusing, and cop-outs just as lame,
And in the end a lesson learned, a new rule to the game:
Don't trust the plex with anything, 'tis all prone to the flame.
 

Soundtrack

I think of childhood friends and the dreams we had,
We lived happily forever, so the story goes,
But somehow we missed out on the pot of gold...

I was going to do this, I was going to be that,
I even made a bet that I would eat my hat,
If I didn't achieve a particular goal,
For which I am probably now too old. 

Life is what happens to you, while you're busy making other plans...

How profound, I thought, when I first heard those words,
Way back when, when my path had just started to stray,
From the dreams I had held, and the plans I planned to make,
That gave way to the struggles of living from day to day.

The thousand dreams I dreamed, the splendid things I planned
I always built, alas, on weak and shifting sand...

Every now and then, something would seem to inspire,
I'd step up to the plate, and work hard enough to perspire,
But sooner or later, I'd run right out of steam,
And in the end, there'd be just another failed dream.

Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were...

Of all the wrong turns I've made through the years,
I knew exactly which one was the worst,
Of all the things I left back in that place,
The one I left with's been my curse.

It's hard to hold the hand of anyone
who is reaching for the sky just to surrender...

Once I looked up where an eagle soared,
With shining eyes and wings of gold,
But that eagle's long gone, and with it my will,
So I empty another box of red swill.

You could've done anything, if you'd wanted.
And all your friends and family think that you're lucky.
But the side of you they'll never see
Is when you're left alone with the memories
That hold your life together like glue...

Every failed endeavour, each abandoned dream,
Got easier to swallow, than the one before,
It seems once you get used to things,
They don't matter any more.

This is the day your life will surely change.
This is the day when things fall into place.

I sang that song a thousand times,
And each one I knew for sure,
That this time was that special one,
Whose power would endure. 

Till he stands one day, with a hope that's dead,
In the glare of the truth at last...

So here I am, at last to face,
The real truth of it all,
That over and over and over again,
What I'm best at is dropping the ball.

He has failed, he has failed; he has missed his chance;
He has just done things by half...

And suddenly it occurs to me,
That if I'm in my middle ages,
I'm only halfway to the end,
And I've still to write half the pages.

Look
A new day has begun

And so this ends on a positive note,
Despite the despair and dismay,
For it's just the way I've always wrote,
I don't know any other way.

All is lost
If one abandons Hope
 ---------------------
With a little help from my friends: Dennis, John, Roy, Neil, Leonard, The, Robert, Andrew, and Klaatu.
    

Fitch The Homeless: Old Fart Limericks

There once was an old fart named Jeffries,
Who said, "We will not sell to hefties,"
So folks bought his old clothes,
To hand them out on skid rows,
Thus expanding his image so deftly.

There once was an old fart from Fitch,
Who had an unusual pitch:
"If you're not cute and thin,
Then for us you're not 'in',
And for you we just don't give a stitch."

There once was an old fart named Mike,
Who said "Uncool kids I don't like,"
Sounding quite like a snob,
He made it his job,
To tell buyers to go take a hike.

An old fart who looked like old Biff,
Thought he was all full of spiff,
But his clothes were too small,
To be welcomed by all,
Now his sales have jumped off of a cliff.

Silly Poems I Posted On Facebook For Her Birthday (II)

00:15
Now you've reached that special age,
The one where time stands still,
When birthdays do not add a year,
But stay under the hill.

A woman, it is said in truth,
Ages like fine wine,
Except that wine does not remain,
Forever thirty-nine.

10:35
Some gals are so afraid to age,
That overnight their hair turns blonde,
As if they could just stop the clock,
With the wave of a magic colour wand.

Grey hairs may sprout, skin may sag,
A wrinkle or two may appear,
But you're only as old as you feel,
And you feel pretty young from here. 

36:01
I'd hoped to post some more in rhyme,
But just didn't have the time,
So all that I have now to say,
Is "Hope you did enjoy your day."
  

Gateway

I sit at the same laptop that I sat at on that night,
(Although two keyboards later) and I think that I should write,
A poem, a song, or summat™ , to mark the great event:
The beginning of the ending of existence so misspent .

Yet if I could write a note to me and send it to the past,
(Three years to the hour) I think that I would pass;
What could I say that possibly might could make any sense,
To me that eve without a clue of things that would come hence?

And so I sit here, writer's block to save me from myself,
(The former me from me of now) and leave upon the shelf,
Any words that might go back and change what time would bring,
For through it all, the good and bad, I wouldn't change a thing.
 

Insomnia

Head hits the pillow, peace is not found,
Mind full of chaos, thoughts spinning round.

Not moving forward, no going back,
Look for the light switch, all looks so black.

Floor turns to eggshells, walls closing in,
Deafening silence, beyond the din.

Struggle to let go, words don't go free,
Choking my heartbeat, can't let them be.

Questioning things that, I thought I knew,
Can't tell delusion, from what is true.

Confusion abounds, so long ago,
Since last I've felt that, now where to go?

Head hits the pillow, tired as I seem,
I hope now to sleep, perchance to dream. 

...faded like the Beatles on Hey Jude...
  

Two

To the ancient Romans, I + I = II,
And "II" is just  
Two "I"s stuck together. 

But we are not ancient Romans,
And "2" is not just
Two "1"s stuck together.

And though both "1"s be odd,
They balance the "2"
To make it even. 

Thus "2" is more
Than just two "I"s;  
It is "We".  
   

Winter in Canada

It's winter here in Canada, four feet of effing snow,
Way too much to plow, and way too much to blow,
Equipment's acting wonky; fix one thing, another breaks,
And as soon as all the snow is cleared, behold, here come more flakes.

Of course I do love Canada, eight months of the year,
But those four months of winter, I could stand not being here.
I could see the snow in pictures, and say "It looks quite grand,"
From a sandy beach down south, with a glass of rum in hand.
  

Once Upon A Time...

It started as a fairy tale, told all in the 'verse;
Where dreams come true and words go free,
And two hearts beat in harmony,
With no need to rehearse.

Fairy tales have given way to cars and trees and things,
Like kids and chores and bills and stuff,
And clearly love is not enough,
And words begin to sting.

And just a little more each day, love gives way to fear,
As we begin to ask ourselves, what are we doing here?
   

Waiting...

Waiting for the phone call that I know is bound to come,
Waiting for the day it will have all been said and done,
Waiting for that moment of relief filled with regret,
Waiting for for that phone call every day it's not come yet.

Waiting for the phone call that I know is on it's way,
Waiting for the sadness of a burden gone away,
Waiting for the moment that is but a matter of time,
Waiting for the guilt that I know's not rightly mine.

Waiting for the phone call that I know I cannot stop,
Waiting for the sombre voice of a doctor or a cop,
Waiting for the moment I will not know what to say,
To my two most precious reasons to be strong upon that day.
 

Almost There

Those lazy days of yesteryear,
The weeks we spent in bed,
Have since then passed into the realm,
Of memories in our heads.

The fairy tale did run its course,
Real life has long set in,
And sometimes we can't even hear,
Our hearts above the din.

The daily struggles that we face,
So often wear us down,
And it's not quite as funny now,
When I do play the clown.

It's not that I don't realize,
How stressed that you can be,
It's just that frowns upon your face,
Are hard for me to see.

And yes, I know, that's no excuse,
When you need me to care,
Not by trying to change your mood,
But just by being there.

It seems so long we've waited for,
The moment now at hand,
(And yeah, it sucks when trucks break down,
And things don't go as planned.)

Now as we take this giant step,
I'm scared, just as are you,
It won't be easy, that I know,
But we will make it through.

And though tomorrow will be long,
With way too much to do,
At last, exhausted, we will sleep,
In our bed built for two.
  

Silly Poems I Posted On Facebook For Her Birthday

10:06
A brown-eyed girl did just turn thirty-nine,
Better with age, like a teaspoon of wine,
So a Happy Birthday to you,
For to my old eyes of blue,
You'll always be that hot young chick of mine.

12:13
'Y a un fille de la rive sud,
Je l'ai vu et j'ai dit «hé, c'est good».
Aujourd'hui pour sa fête,
'Y a des poèmes dans ma tête,
Au sujet d'la beauté qu'elle exsude

17:02
No Byron, nor Whitman, nor Wordsworth am I,
I'll never win a Pulitzer, no matter how I try,
But still I'll put to verse what I have now to say,
I wish you all the best and more on this, your special day.  

17:15
If to say this I might be so bold,
Thirty-nine is not really that old,
When you're still young at heart
(And my motor you start),
So, what you've already been told.
(Happy Birthday) 

18:42
Of all the presents you might get,
I've still got the best one yet,
For though the birthday may be thine,
The birthday girl is mine. 

21:50 
I wrote a bunch of poems today,
For this, your day of birth,
With hope that in their silly way,`
They'd bring a bit of mirth.

They might not be be Shakespearean,
Or quite as good as Wilde,
And some of them look like they can
Be written by a child.

But it's the thought that counts, my love,
And that is my defence,
For the fine style they're lacking of
(Of which there's no pretense).

Besides, this ain't the best of it,
For some of them, I fear,
Are just a bit too explicit
To post them over here.
  

Words On A Screen

Words on a screen are what brought us together,
Words on a screen that we said to each other.

Words on a screen, though not what we are made of,
Words on a screen wove the first threads of our love.

Words on a screen that marked each new event,
Words on a screen that to our walls we sent.

Words on a screen, words of yours and mine,
Words on a screen, upon the line of time.

Words on a screen, without thought I did erase,
Words on a screen, gone from the book of face.

Words on a screen, though I took them all apart,
Words on a screen, stay forever in my heart.
 
Words on a screen, though it was wrong of me,
Words on a screen, I hope that you still see:

Words on a screen, here poetry and prose,
Words on a screen, the best of mine are yours.
 

A Quattuordecimensiversary Poem

It's our quattuordecimensiversary,
A word I just invented;
I looked it up on Wiki,
And though it sounds demented,
To come together in that way,
The root words all consented.

It times like these, when stress is high,
Sometimes it does some good,
To make up shit that sounds quite odd,
And so I thought I would,
In the hope that for a moment,
It just might help your mood.

It won't do much to deal with things,
It won't relieve your stress,
But if just only for a moment
(A minute, more or less),
It puts a smile on your face,
It will have passed the test.
 

Castles Of Silt And Sand

They hid all of Main Street away in a parking lot,
Then built a new mall where the coffee goes stale in the pot,
The rent-a-cops say, "You can't do this, don't do that;"
The old folks don't stay long enough there to take off their hats.

The spin doctor says, "It's not us, it's the way it was built,
It's ornate and it's pretty, but the castle is built upon silt,
That's why there's no running, or jumping, or just having fun,
You'll have to play quietly until the repairs are all done."

So folks wander off in a void of recalling what was,
The few that remain, in perpetual fear of the fuzz.
Just then a friend from back in the day happens by,
Who says, "There's a place; the folks might could give it a try."

It's just down the street -  the air there is not quite as stuffy,
The powers that be are not quite so huffy and puffy,
It's ornate and it's pretty, and the castle is built upon sand,
But the coffee is fresh; the barristas do not like it bland.
 

Only You

Tzvetanka, Tatyana - these might be hot names,
Shakylialbadoig might have fanned fantasy's flames,
Betty Boop just might have a great pair of legs,
And the googleverse might have its own share of begs.

But all the world over, to the pyramids and back,
Whatever those chicks have, there's one thing they lack,
They'll never have me, for one thing that's true:
Whoever they are, who they're not, is you.
 

Last Call

The chairs were stacked, the tables all clean,
The jukebox at last unplugged,
The floor was swept, the counter wiped down,
The stains removed from the rug.

The room was still, the crowd all gone home,
The posters still hung on the wall,
The door was locked for the very last time,
At last, the very last call.
 

The Notice (Stranger In A Strange Town)

 

Je t'aime encore...

Quand les ados font des choses très mauvaises,
Quand tu prends le chocolat pour mes fraises,
Quand ton p'tit chien fait pipi au tapis,
Quand tu préfère q'mes cheveux deviens gris,

Je t'aime encore...

Quand t'as pas le temps de raser tes jambes,
Quand tu concentre sur tes cartes et tes bombes,
Quand tu m'permet pas dès que j'veux te parler,
Quand t'es fatigué à la fin du journée,

Je t'aime encore...

Quand c'est le temps que t'as mauvais humeur,
Quand tu me dit q'tu deviendrai chômeur,
Quand nous ne voyons pas 'vec la même œil,
Quand pour ton enfance t'es pris dans le deuil,

Je t'aime encore...

Quand ça nous semble que nos rêves sont trop loin,
Quand nous sommes séparés par l'boulevard Gouin,
Quand j'dois rester ici et t'devrai être là-bas,
C'est le temps que j'rêve d’être toujours dans tes bras,

Et je t'aime encore plus...
 

For My Valentine

Our first Valentine's together would have been last year,
But you thought that as a second date it seemed a little queer,
And I agreed it might be awkward (though I'd still have gone),
Especially since you knew not yet if we'd be off or on.

I bought a sly card just the same, and though it was in jest,
If you'd thought to take it seriously, I'd have said, "Please, be my guest."
In any case, it all worked out, and this Cupid's Day we'll share,
For as you said, 'twas meant to be, ere I fell off my chair.
 

My Favourite Strings

Red swill and roses and pictures of lolcats
Dim rent-a-cop chicks and poor little rich brats
Necro-scat mentions and other gross things
These are a few of my favourite strings

M&M subtext and raw cookie dough fiends
Big tubs of Cheetos and coffee and French beans
Sauteed young wenches that the lunch bell brings 
These are a few of my favourite strings

Girls with brown eyes and some dudes in blue dresses
Grown men in diapers and shit he confesses
Robochrist preachers and monsters with wings
These are a few of my favourite strings

When the wolf bites
When the lad stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favourite strings
And then I don't feel so bad
  

If Only I Could

If only I could make your days not so long,
If only I could stop the things that go wrong,
If only I could make your job less of a grind,
If only I could ease your fatigue and your mind.

If only I could wave a wand that cleans messes,
If only I could zap away all of your stresses,
If only I could make things always run smooth,
If only I could be there now for you to soothe.

If only I could wash all your worries away,
If only I could fill you with joy every day.
If only I could wipe of your frown every trace,
If only I could put a big smile on your face,

If only I could do this and more just for you,
You know that I would, as you know I love you.
 

'Twas The Night Before 2K (v2.1)

'Twas sometime way back in two-thousand and nine,
I finally ceded that it's about time,
To upgrade my desktop to Windows 2K,
And then write this verse to honour the day:

'Twas the night before 2K, and all through the net,
The chat rooms were buzzing as the nerds placed their bets.
The odds were against him, the system too old,
When he said "I can do this", they thought him too bold.

Then from across the web, he found the right page on google,
With just the right hotfix for the latest bondoogle.
He shouted "Up yours Bill, up Office, up XP, up Vista!"
And pounded the keys 'til his fingas got blistas.

With his good buddy Maxwell he worked through the night,
"Known issue" by issue, he made it all right..
He recovered his FrontPage and made WebPost work
And brought back IE6, while he called Bill a jerk.

He kept all his settings while he did the update,
(With a full system backup, lest he fall prey to fate.)
From dusk until dawn until dusk and again,
He toiled away 'til that great moment when
He looked up at the screen with delight as he said,
"Happy 2K to all, now I'm going to bed."
  

All Those Years Ago

I can say I was lonely and craved human touch,
I can say I was youthful and selfish and such.
I can justify all that I want, looking back,
But I cannot escape undeniable fact,
That even back then, I knew it ain't right,
To go out and look for the weakest each night,
To glance round the bar judging which would be you,
The most vulnerable chick I could have for some brew.

If you slurred your words and could not stand up straight,
You were well in the lead to be that night's mate.
We'd go back to my place, I'd get you undressed,
For a drink and a toke you'd give me your best.
You gladly accepted your payment in beer,
But the price that I paid was so much more dear.
You gave me your body - drowned in booze was your mind,
But in that exchange was my soul left behind.

You gave me your body, you gave me your trust,
I gave you my unbridled animal lust.
Now all these years later when that's asked of me,
My guilt over you will not let it be.
I'm chained by the memory of how I used you,
Like a live blow-up doll who was there just to screw,
And that you consented did not make it right,
When all you did want was a bed for the night.

You did what you had to for shelter and food;
That I was kinder than most did not make it good.
I preyed upon you, who were weak and alone,
And I carry that cross, having never atoned;
Though for each of you, there were many of me,
Twas my choice to be one, my darkness I see.
And though I had thought that I'd left you behind,
When alone once again, I had you, in my mind.

Now it is time that I move on for real,
Time to let go of the guilt that I feel,
To set myself free from the conquests of youth,
And finally face what I know to be truth:
To give all I have, I have to let go,
Of the chains on my soul that have held me back so;
I must now cast them off for my lust to fly free,

And say "I'm sorry" to you, "I forgive you" to me.

* * * * *

Prologue (written in the early 1990's):

An Ode to Kitty (and Friends)

I had a little Eskimo who really liked to fuck,

She was a horny little slut, and she knew how to suck.

Sometimes she'd let me tie her down with handcuffs and some rope,

She'd say "Do with me what you will, just give me beer and dope."

Her pussy was so warm and tight,

Her morals were quite loose,

We fucked until the day my dick

Fell off from overuse.

   

Lazarus

The Stranger awoke but could not see a thing,

He wondered what evil the nighttime did bring,

For there was no light; he was but a ghost,

No more than a shadow of his former host.

He tried every door and found each one locked;

Through the walls he heard voices, some of them shocked

At his absence mysterious, for he'd been there so long,

That many did wonder what could have gone wrong.

"A bug must have bitten" was the common refrain,

Conjecture abounded, no real insight gained.

He listened intently, his ear to the track,

While he did what he could to get his self back.

He called to an angel, a god was invoked,

Acquittal was granted, the sentence revoked.

It seemed that it all had been a mistake,

And with little time lost, he was able to wake.

His world was set right, his light shone again,

And his only reply, when asked now and then,

What had caused this seemingly random attack,

"I can't really say, I'm just glad to be back."

  

The Calm Before The Storm

The silence roared, 

The darkness shone,

The stillness rumbled on,

The absent here,

The sharpness dull,

The emptiness was full.

The mute did speak,

The deaf did hear,

The courage full of fear,

The blind did see,

The hid were seen,

The ends were in between.

The silence roared,

The terror calmed

The darkness of the morn,

The end begins,

Beginnings end,

The calm before the storm,

  

Just Another Girl

Once there was a just-a-girl,

Who wasn't really real,..

But in her virtuality,

She'd make the real folks feel.

They loved her or they hated her,

There was no in between,

But one and all did come to see,

That there she was the queen.

Then one dark day she went too far,

In talking without fear;

When she was warned but didn't heed,

Her throne did disappear.

She came back briefly as a ghost,

A shadow of herself,

She shared a few words with old friends,

Then took them off the shelf.

Then for reasons quite unknown,

She came back not much later,

Or did she? Some folks thought it might

Be just an imitator.

But if one could be so like her,

With every little tweak,

It makes one think she never was,

Quite all that unique.

    

The Mountain

"We'll figure it out" isn't much of a plan,

Towards our new life together,

And little help is "We'll do what we can"

To see us through stormy weather.

(In my defence)

I spent many years with my head in the sand,

Not wanting to deal with things,

Now I walk around saying "Isn't life grand,

Whatever the future brings."

But bringing the future we want will take work,

And I must now step up to the plate,

Or I'll look at myself and say "Man, what a jerk,"

If I start when it's way too late.

So I plow through this mountain of papers so old,

Stuck here when I'd rather be there,

But once it is done and the numbers are told,

My heart will be lighter than air.

 
And I know if I'll only be true, to this glorious quest,
That my heart will lie will lie peaceful and calm...
    

Because

Because a chance conversation with an Old Friend led me to you,

Because I did get it right, and you said you can try it,

Because your invite really did make me fall off my chair,

Because you had problems with blue-eyed men,

Because I had a problem with a brown-eyed girl,

Because our daughters were planning our wedding within a week,

Because the first time I looked into your eyes for real my heart smiled,

Because you weren't sure if I was a "yes" or a "no", and I liked that,

Because things went wrong on our third date, and it didn't matter,

Because my daughter asked if I was talking to my girlfriend,

Because things went right on our "fourth date", and it did matter,

Because we discovered that my Old Friend was your old neighbour,

Because you know who I am and do read it,

Because I am a goofy man, and you are a crazy lady,

Because I make up words like "quinquemensiversary",

Because the entire universe conspired to help me find you,

Because all of this is part of our story,

Because none of this is why I love you,

Because I love you

Because you are you,

And I am me,

And we are us.

Love is old, love is new
Love is all, love is you
 

Running

She ran with passion, she ran with fire,
She climbed til she could get no higher,
And then, as happens with things like this,
She fell right into real life's abyss.

He said to her, "I'm going home now, bye,"
And left her there alone to cry.
She sat in shock, too numb to feel,
She wouldn't accept it hadn't been real.

She ran away to a virtual world,
And played there while her life unfurled,
And not quite ready for someone else,
She slowly started to find herself.

As time went by, she realized,
She'd seen real love in the one pair of eyes,
That had always seen the beauty in her,
Even when the mirror left her not quite sure.
(Especially then.)

And so she began the journey back home,
Not knowing if he could forgive that she'd roamed,
But knowing that if what she felt now was real,
And he felt the same, in time all would heal.

And they'd watch, hand in hand, as their sons became men,
And she knew what her greatest hope would be then:
That through all the good and through all the bad,
That life can bring on, they'd turn out like their dad.

For though he's not perfect, and sure has his faults,
He's worth more than what's in any bank vaults;
To the pyramids and back she went for to see,
The real treasure 'neath her sycamore tree.
    

Need You Tonight

"Don't worry, everything will work itself out."
These are the words that I say,
When you're tired and stressed and not feeling great,
After you've had a hard day.

Because I'm the calm one, rolling along,
Taking things just as they come,
Knowing that somehow it will all be alright.
So why am I now feeling numb?

Is it because it seems so far away
Until we can all live together?
Is that why tonight I feel so insecure?
Or is it just only the weather?

Whatever it is, I know it will pass;
Tomorrow I'll wake up just fine,
And I'll get back on track to do what must get done,
Before I can ask you, "be mine."

And yes love, I know, you already are,
Just as you know I am yours,
But sometimes my fears get the better of me,
And old doubts sneak up from before.

But those too shall pass, and it will be okay,
And things will fit right into place;
It's just one of those nights that I really need to
Look into your eyes, touch your face.
    

Eyes Wide Open

She walked into the bar;
(He'd always been right there.)
Their eyes met from afar,
And they became aware.

They talked, and laughed and sang,
And found their heart's content,
In secret chats, and dang,
The time just came and went.

They'd known right from the the start,
That it might never be,
Which did not stop their hearts,
From longing to be free.

And though it often seemed,
There was no point in hoping,
Each night they would dream
With their eyes wide open.
  

A Day

(Written in the early 1990's as Rhysling)

A day is as a passing light,
For it will fade and turn to night.
Fill it up with what is right,
And it will shine so very bright.

A day's a treasure to behold,
To make your many dreams unfold,
To put to action plans so bold,
To live each minute, young or old.

A day will come and it will go,
But it will not come back you know;
You have it once, and then no more,
Waste it not, for this is so:

A broken day you cannot mend,
It gives you back just what you send.
So don't delay until the end,
Tomorrow never comes my friend.

So treasure each and every day,
Use it well and come what may,
As travel on your way,
CARPE DIEM, SEIZE THE DAY!
  

When Words Go Free

Your words did leave me speechless,
When I read them on your screen;
The way you wrote them was quite clear,
There was no "in-between".

There are those I've loved before,
(Just as you have too)
But no-one ever shared themselves,
Quite fully as have you.

When I said those little words,
I knew they might scare you,
But what I didn't tell you then,
Is that they scared me too.

I didn't know how you'd react,
I was scared you'd run away,
But the way you held me then,
Said more than words could say.

All these words of mine you read,
Should come as no surprise,
For they reflect what I see when,
I look into your eyes.
   

Emerald Dream

I wake up alone, in this big empty bed,
Remnants of dreams fade in my head.
I look next to me and you are not there;
To wake up with you, I would go anywhere.

It's happened so fast (though we'd waited so long),
This craziness that weakens, and makes us strong.
And if they are tough, these days we're apart,
It's only because we beat with one heart.

We know in that heart that the day will be here,
Perhaps in some months, at most in a year,
That we'll wake up together each day with a gleam,
'Til then I'll take comfort in my emerald dream.
 

Days Like These

On days like these, when things go wrong,
And cars break down, and it's been too long
Since we last held each other tight,
I know in my heart it'll all be alright.

So let the Universe have its PMS,
Let it pile on the things that stress;
For those shall pass,  while this stays true:
Whatever may come won't keep me from you.

On another, but somewhat related note,

That has nothing to do with cars or a boat,

I thought that place was magic, and I still do

Though I never knew magic until I met you.

   

Theories And Other Things

If we are crazy, so be it.
What does it matter,
when everything fits?

I'm mad as you, you're mad as me;
As long as we're both mad, I don't see
Any problem with that.
So tell me, do you?
(What we need most is a bed built for two.)

In saying this here, in this bad free form verse,
I could well be making our condition worse,
Which is fine by me, and if you don't mind,
I won't be deterred by the wikis you find.

But for you I'll keep reading them
'Til I go blind.
 

In Your Eyes

I travelled the world, alone and afraid,
I wandered my whole life through.
I travelled the world, with nowhere to go,
Until the world brought me to you.

I knew right away, although it seemed weird,
That you were the one I had sought.
I knew right away, when I first saw your eyes,
That my travels had not been for naught.

Our story is new, we've only begun,
We know not what the future may hold.
Our story is new, and we may be afraid,
That our heat may one day become cold.

But I'm not afraid when I look in your eyes,
For the universe speaks to me there.
No I'm not afraid, for I know it somehow,
That a lifetime we are meant to share.

So let us go forth, one step at a time,
And enjoy each new turn on the way,
And let us go forth, as we go hand in hand,
Together to face each new day.

In your eyes
The resolution
of all the fruitless searches
  

Hold That Thought

The miles between us are always too much,
The time spent apart way too long,
The nights all alone without that soft touch,
Are more than is soothed by that song.

Yet we are still young, we both, as is us,
Though it often feels we've always been;
It's because of that bond (not just unfulfilled lust),
Seems so long since each other we've seen.

It's that very same bond that will help us get through,
These times, when I'm here and you're there,
For what's a few days, even one week or two?
We are young; we've a lifetime to share.

Now hold that thought
'cause girl i'm almost home
 

Two Precious Reasons

Good, bad and worse times, we had them all,
We went on for years, ignoring the call,
We knew it was over when we tried again,
But we had to be sure before it could end.

Again it was you with the courage to leave,
While, head in the sand, I could not yet grieve,
For the dreams and the plans that would never come true;
Even when you moved on, I waited for you.

It seemed like forever before I could see,
That us was not good, for you or for me,
That not to each other did we try to hold on,
But to an illusion whose time now is done.

It's time for us each to get on with our life,
Let's do it without all this anger and strife;
If fighting for every small thing's what we choose,
And bitterness guides us, then all of us lose.

Let us end the blame game, let our pain find release,
Let us deal with the now, let the past rest in peace.
Let us remember, before the next bout,
We share two precious reasons to get this worked out. 

There ain't no good guy, there ain't no bad guy,
There's only you and me and we just disagree.
  

Ode To A Tree

May you reach for the sky as you grow your rings,
May each day be filled with wonderful things,
May you marvel in all of the joy that life brings,
May the songbird enrich you with all that he sings.

May the heart of the earth nourish your trunk,
May your bark insulate you from poisonous junk,
May you frolick in fun as a tot playing KerPlunk, 
May you stand with the calm of a Tibetan monk.

May laughing children climb on your branches,
May the breeze rustle them in fanciful dances.
May you be the object of adoring glances,
May you succeed in all of your chances.

May the bright sun shine upon your leaves,
May they float on the air and land on the eaves,
May they look down in wonder on all you conceive,
May their warmth give you faith in all you believe.

May your strength shield you from all of your fears,
May the rain gently wash away all of your tears,
May all those around you bring smiles and cheers,
May your rings grow longer in all of your years.
   

Prologue

I travelled that other world far and wide,
Looking for what must be found inside.
I travelled that other world high and low,
Hoping to learn what I needed to know.

I travelled that other world night and day,
It took me a while to find my way.
I travelled that other world for a whole year,
Until of this one I was free of my fear.

I travelled that other world here and there,
And during my travels I became aware.
I travelled that other world hoping to see,
The love of my life; instead I found me.

I travelled that other world until I found,
My own special someone on real solid ground.
I travelled that other world having much fun,
Then made my way home; those travels are done.