Wise by Mistake

Had I thought for just a moment,

I would not have been so bold,

reckless, thoughtless, childish -

all truth for comfort sold.

Had I more than fleeting moments,

seen beyond that rosy haze,

I would have reconsidered -

not gotten lost inside the maze.

Had I not become complacent,

yes, not reverted back to form,

then I would not be dwelling

on the dangers of the storm.

Alas, these sharpened glasses

only work to see the past,

my wisdom is but fleeting,

but mistakes - they seem to last.

Amazing people + Hungry poetry

I still get hits every day even when I haven't updated in forever. You have faith guys, I love you.
Oh, and I'm back. Here's some more poetry.

Hunger

Some say petals

taste sweet with sugar.

I carry roses in my arms.

Beneath my skin

that silky feeling

of love that lingers

pricks my charms.

Some say the hunger

will be satiated

once the petals

are on the ground.

I carry thorns

of love and loving,

braiding sugar

for my crown.

Summer Requiem

For the end of summer. Fall comes swiftly.

He found a passage

behind the lilies

to a world

so far from ours.

There he sits

and guards the flowers

as summer's lost

and turns to fall.

Of Parting Ways

To the friends we leave and those who leave us. To the people we find and those who find us.

Meeting is the sweetest sorrow,

for what we have we may lose tomorrow.

Humans have such complicated hearts -

our love is fondest when we part.

Still as this parting's drawing near

I ask you that you do not fear.

If quick we grow to be the fastest friends

it will not matter if it ends.

We'll always have the memories -

the anecdotes and stories.

Come, hurry now so we can start

our journey to the day we part.

Solemn Evening Poem

This poem was inspired by a trip to the Mediterranean I took a few years ago. 'Vincero' comes from the opera song Nessun Dorma. Sometimes I ponder on war and victory, struggle and grace, and that otherwise elusive calm that comes the moments before sleep whisks you away. Goodnight everyone, sweet dreams.

I play opera

when the sun

is about to set outside.

Vincero it sings

and I think

of victory.

The last rays

give in to the night

like a sovereign

bows to another.

Gracefully.

Do we bow with grace

as we fall

from the same?

Are we with grace

as we stand

victors before the fallen?

Are we vindicated

as victors

or did the winning

make a mockery

of all?

My, but the thoughts

do take twisting turns

as darkness falls

and twilight comes

on dancing feet

that trip with gladness,

float with sadness

that invites

to sing the blues.

Lament of the Wizened Child

A poem on war.

Who will care for the children

when your war, when the fighting -is done?

Who will protect and deliver

when the mothers and fathers are gone?

Who ever cares about the children

when there’s call for blood in the air?

What good god would ever consider

a sacrificed child as a prayer?

Can you say that you care about innocence

while laughing at forgive and forget?

Is there not enough pity in those souls

to neglect the price of old dept?

Is there not enough room here for all of us?

Do we need so much power and space?

If you trust in your faith, let it be -warrior,

for your enemy mirrors your face.

Who will care for the children

when the last loving person is gone?

Then there will be no more children;

even your petty wars will be done.

Short Poem of the Night

Bedtime for weary souls I think. Been a hard day.
Enjoy and goodnight...

Too tired to sleep

and the fire burns.

In days to pass

much will happen, still

I wonder -

will it be worth the while?

My eyes see roads expand

and burn.

Too tired to compute.

this is heaven -

a comfy bed and a cover

for my weariness.

A Short Poem for Graduation

Well, not my graduation obviously, but while I was working the shouts from the trucks full of happy students lured me away from analysis and numbers. Here's a poem on time. Bittersweetness and all.

Time trickles like rain behind the pane.

Bleary eyes measure each gain

and each loss on a rusty scale.

Cheery voices fill the distance

with memories of youth.

Old eyes wither, but first they glitter

with a smile for summer.

Late Evening Poem

Of grace, love and goodbyes.

Today the sun set beautifully.

Bright colors of pink

and hues of calm purple

painted my world serene.

There isn’t much I can say anymore;

no words left, no need.

The way the light

reflects in my memories

that is all I need to know.

Tells me everything

in its utter simplicity.

You’ve earned your rest,

like the sun earns the night.

Do you see?

You have nothing to prove to me,

no obligations left to the world.

When it’s time to leave,

just leave.

As I said –it’s what you’ve earned.

Happy New Year!

I hope it's a good one for you all. I have just returned from this year's New Year's Eve party and am feeling decidedly mellow and content. I thought I'd share a New Year's poem, but I'm not sure if it's any good because I haven't written it yet.

So, here we go. Enjoy, and absolutely do have a good one!

For the longest time,

we thought we were alone.

The moon spent its hours

away from the light.

Then there was hope,

something went right.

We were happy,

as only the oblivious

can truly be.

Between these times,

were the mellows,

the half-struggles,

and the bored-now-routines.

Looking back, was it worth it?

Of course it was.

So, go on now to the future!

With brave steps

make the change

from year to golden year

and life, to charmed existence.

After Midnight Ramblings

Well sometimes poets write stuff they just gotta get out even though it's probably shite. This is one of those times. It itches inside if I don't publish my scribblings somewhere and this time the blog gets to bear the brunt of that onslaught.

If the rain falls hard

and the demons cry,

let the wolves be there

and run with winter.

If the thunder of

the dangers of youth's inclined

to remind us yet again -

then hold your ground.

Can tomorrow be salvation?

Doesn't matter -life is now

and all you have to do

to soar this time,

is to let yourself fly.

Leaving, parting ways, saying goodbye

I have a flair for the dramatic and my poems often reflect that. Poetry lends itself well to sad and serious subjects and who am I to defy the muses? Many of my poems are about parting ways. Either bittersweet goodbyes or spiteful divorces seem to be par for the course. It's not the only stuff I write about, but it does seem to get more than its fair share of attention. Might have something to do with my reading material...

Anyway, here's another old poem for your perusal. Think I wrote it in '05, if I'm not mistaken and I can't for the life of me remember the title, but here it is anyway. Enjoy!

The times of gold and light
when we were of one mind -
I treasure them darling,
believe nothing else,
but we need to leave them behind.

The nights we spent just talking
and the days in excited bliss -
I remember them clearly,
believe nothing else,
they are something I will miss.

But nothing can last forever
and I have a drifter’s soul -
the winds in my heart are shifting,
I can do nothing else,
but leave to make me whole.

Maybe tomorrow will be
a different story for you and me,
but today is the day
when I’ll start to drift away.

In a year you won’t know my touch
like you used to know it.
In a day I won’t speak as I once spoke.
But when you think I’ve abandoned you,
believe nothing else -
I love you and I’ve loved you
and I will love you constantly,
even when we’re drifting apart.

Ad Astra Per Aspera

Ad Astra Per Aspera

Don't go crying all your sorrows

in the arms of dungeons deep.

Empty walls will fall asunder,

but shredded souls are naught to keep.

Fighting stone will blooden you.

Blood will wash you, clean you, heal you.

Blood is flowing, life -renewing.

Soul be fighting, walls are falling.

Time for tears when all is done.

Time for rest -when life is gone.

Göteborg Streets

On the streets,
people are all equals.
Feet are placed
one at a time
on the ground.
Breaths are taken,
looks avoided
or exchanged.
They may wear
expensive
or tread bare cloth.
But what they've got
is no reflection
upon their souls.
On the street
everyone shows everything
in the corner of their eyes.
Don't need to trade lives
or see smiles.
It's all about the feet
pounding the pavement
every day.
Here we are equal
and everyone
goes on their way.

Keeping It Together

 
~*~

I think the gods
made a little,
small mistake.
But that's ok -
human imagination
will always be
our saving grace.

~*~

Wanderer

When the memories of dewdrops

are so short as to be overlooked

between a fallen tear

and an autumn leaf,

how do we judge time?

My old ways have changed,

but the new still go as newly born

and gentle fairies,

striking gold in the oddest

of circumstance and time.

Happy to be here though the Mara

still and always laughs joyfully

in offering reprieves.

It is the nature of night to be contrary.

It is the blessing of life and of time.

When the dark droplets fall unguarded

the ways of thunder feel more like home

again, I am leaving with the shifting tide.

Again I am tickled with the promise

of time.

Troubled Dreams, Love -poem

A poem of regret, bittersweet peace, and the haunting memories of war.

Troubled Dreams, Love

I'm falling much too deep my love.
Can see no end, no morrow.
Everything I live for love,
is turned to sweetest sorrow.

When all you have and all you hold
is turned to dust for dead men's gold,
the truth is furthest from your mind.
You try to leave all things behind.

Been falling for a while my love.
Can't seem to get to flying.
They say the light is there my love,
but still -it feels like dying.

When all you have and all you hold
's been twisted, warped, and then resold,
the lies they tell are laying bare,
but you don't mind, no you don't care.

Can see this journey's end my love.
I've kept my coin for paying.
They don't deal in faith my love.
There is no use in praying.

But pray you may and pray you might
and maybe things can be made right,
and I'll open weary eyes once more
to even out the players' score.

There you are my life, my love.
Please go back to sleep.
There are no demons here my love.
If you don't look, too deep.

So Many Ways to Say It - poem

Old poem, but dear. A poem about love and eternal loving.

Beloved, did you know 

that you’re my beloved?

The sun and moon may shine 

or be hidden in darkness,

but as long as there is you; 

the light will always be near.

To chase away the shadows,

to block the way for monsters.

How very strange really, 

don’t you think?

-That life can be dependent 

on such a small thing,

like the smile of a friend…

a word or two

about the love and joy you 

find in each other.

The wisdom that your soul carries, 

it amazes me constantly.

And if I travel the world 

or to the other side of the universe,

or if I stay right here

 -it’s all the same.

Because you’re with me 

in every move I make,

are there in every breath I take,

like a guardian angel.

And no matter what happens, 

I know

that you are here 

and you are mine.

As surely as I am yours,

now and forever.

Masquerade

Play the show to its end,

it’s all we have to do.

Keep the masks on to hide

what we’re feeling inside.

It’s not me that is playing, it’s not you.

The audience is waiting

for another drama play.

They like the blood to flow

and teary eyes to glow.

It’s their world my love, it’s their way.

So play for me a murderer

and I will be your fool.

Let’s show them how it’s done

until their need is gone.

To gain we must suffer, it’s the rule.

For they live through the theatre

and need to know it’s real,

so play this well and get a boon.

Oh, hush love, it’s over soon.

Death’s our final pay, that’s the deal.

Weightless -poem

While we’re falling there is peace,

that utter rapture of knowing

that nothing can hurt you,

until you land.

When you leap, you’re safe.

There’s nothing to understand;

you know everything.

The air is like the breath of gods,

loving your fortitude.

You know it’s not the time

for anything but dreaming.

The dreams are real;

it’s all the same.

Your name a whisper

on the lips of the weaver.

You spread your arms

and you soar on time.