The Long Way Up

O, elusive words return Let my passion for locutions come back Creativity: let it brightly burn And flaming flamboyance at once attack To string them yet again like pearls Inside my head a steady, spinning pool O, eloquence speak through me as an earl May my words adorn me like a jewel In time, perhaps, the torrent will Be ushered in; in future tense And anxious pen no longer still But mind and heart gain calming sense

Set Gather Talk Ponder Sturdy and dependable Making people understandable Eat Pray Chat And play Level-headed; plain Uncomplicated brain Draw Write Greet Fight No sides ever taken Ears ever awakened Scratches Spills Homework And bills Wisdom clearly unspoken Not a trivial token Biscuits Tea Bibles Congee Every consumption noted Though never getting bloated Movies Songs And some Sing-alongs Heard every word Cool kids and nerds Diapers Milk Pillows In silk Held up the sleeping Carried the weeping Letters Tears Blessings And fears Witness to lives lived out That's what it's about Solace Solitude Attributes Attitude Long-standing, standing strong Steady amidst the throng Constant, ever-silent still Force of nature; iron will Inclusive; no exceptions Straightforward; no pretensions Affording all equality Embracing anonymity Set Gather Talk Ponder . . . . . . . . . .

First would be your friendship true That saw my changes through and through Never holding back concern Cordial gestures, every turn Secondly, your deference Sincerely shown, though only friends Respected me for me; that's fresh The pious never could access Third would be your radiant smile To notice it, took quite a while But once I did, I could not cease Imagining your face with ease Fourthly, your benevolence In gracious gifts and opulence Dispensing blessings left and right You're shining forth the Father's light Fifth would be your love for words Your own or someone else's, heard With them you craft your special tales With theirs, your mind breathes in, exhales Sixthly, your desire for God He's seen along the path your trod His mercy, goodness forming you And from the old unveiling new Seventh, your simplicity Avoidance of complexity To make you laugh is such a breeze As are the tricks to get you pleased Eighth in line would be your charm You have a way; leaves ...

Even after realizing lies Analyzing rude, loquacious eyes Risking life, embracing aftermaths Leaving every artificial rath Easing, and releasing lethargy  Also reeling, lacking empathy Running low, espoused antitheses Learning endings are resyntheses Every afternoon resetting light And requited ladylove elide Rambling, languishing, eating, aching Losses earned adding, ricocheting  Elected at reordered limits  Affected, reading lasting edits Romance, like electorates, adjure Livid, each anathema recur  Essex adjusts, rousing lawlessness Apathy rusts, liquid earnestness Righteousness leaving every abode Living entreaties already rode  Escape, a recourse laborious  Anon, reprobates left egregious Routing lust, evading atrophy Leches exposed, agile rectory Embers arise, rekindling lovers  Amplified, radiant laurels enter Rectify lucid errors appealed Lyrical emotions are revealed Endings are restarts legitimized Ardor refreshed, lenses energized Roads lead...

Zeus indeed commanded it Compelling all to bow A deafening sound, a rumble What do we do right now? Olympus dwellers exclaim And mortals choose parlay The father of the deities  Had something else to say Elsewhere, far, however The Son of Asgard tries Without a heavy hammer Who knows how he will fly Preceding or proceeding It ever will be heard When Odinson approaches The skies produce one word Perhaps another wielder Of wind and rain and hale Can aptly demonstrate here Where others ably fail Demanding eyes to witness And ears to hear the peals Let Miss Ororo Munroe Show you the real deal But really, as it turns out The noise, the boisterous din Brought stormy clouds and rainfall And joys come from within 'Cause Willy's favorite product Got soaked and melted, flowed Into a chocolate river Confectioners explode

tones of grief, epitome of shame half-wrought  notes : apology or blame throw the stone — regret — into the deep on the edge, the onset very steep share the baggage, every single weight but unload and shear before too late silent burden hears a lot and more scurrying like hares upon the floor steal the thunder and obscure the light slip them tales of fake and frigid might wipe the board clean; write it on a slate stale or recent; do not hesitate smile , go on like everything’s afloat keep it neat; there’s slime under the moat don’t be dour, sour from these limes   miles to go; there will be sleeping time

Don’t think about it too much Just write your thoughts on the page as they come You know they’ve been piled up, scattered all over, and cooped up in your brain Let them out; let your mind breathe; give your thoughts more space Acknowledge everything that has been and release them Give your emotions exposure to the light of day Who knows what might come your way once you do You’ve thought about how much you’ve missed going to movies With friends like Archie, Mike, or one of the men you’ve mentored You’ve pondered about life perhaps not ever going back to what it used to be Certain that you do not want to revert to some of the old things Unsure of letting the others go You’ve thought about the utmost importance of times of solitude Especially when spent in the presence of God You’ve realized even more how valuable face-to-face interactions with people are The priceless moments you’ve invested into the lives of others way before all this happened And the future times you’ve yet to spend o...

It's been a while since I said it last I'll make it quick and I'll make it fast I've seen in you the very best I choose you still; my heart invests A year and more, and more revealed Emotions, actions, words to wield Our love's become an open field I choose you still; to you I yield The little things and nuances They all add up to try and bless They're part of you, but I confess: I choose you still; I won't digress Becoming one with me you are You're getting closer though you're far No stranger to my battle scars I choose you still; thus says my heart Our journey's slow but getting there Has been assured by One Who cares With you around, my burdens share I choose you still, with simple flair

Nerves ball up, entangled into knots Grateful, blessed for what it is I've got How on earth did all these things line up Kind of scared I might not be enough You, so gracious, careful with my heart Think so oft of how you could impart Aide in word and deed and all that's good Back me up in every way you could I'm excited: what the future holds Still expecting ways it could unfold Places, paces, movements in the world Falling deeper as it all unfurls You, so soft and gentle to the touch Here with you, I feel it's all too much So much more of you yet to explore There's eight more to pass and not before That December day is far behind Stowed away inside my heart and mind One fine day cascades into a life Twelve months later: soon be man and wife

The seeping, the draining of every shade Turned lifeless and dull as these memories fade Opaqueness invading what once was so clear Come, tell me again what I'm longing to hear Remind me what red is and what it foretells "It indicates danger and anger as well. Red runs through our veins; it's the color that bleeds. It colors our hearts and our passionate deeds." And what about blue? What does that color mean? "It's loyalty, honesty, calmness; serene. It colors the sky, the sea, and one's trust. And sometimes it paints sadness, too: it's a must." I'm feeling elated with all that you say So, tell me some more; I think we've got all day I'm curious of yellow and what it might spell Enlighten me further; you're doing so well "The yellows are cheerful and bring such delight; They introduce happiness, joy, and insights. These hues spell out sunshine, and laughter, and mirth But also...

One man debate An argument defined Hashing out the issue With me, myself and I One desires loneness The other, company Conflict now arising The third one, symmetry One man debate An argument prolonged Escalating problems In speech, in prose, in song One highlighting drama The other, tragedy Channeling the Greeks now The third sees comedy One man debate An argument to cease Locked within his own self And his soliloquies One solution: counsel Another: time and space The other: flip a new page And run at his own pace

You go nowhere but move fast Spinning mildly you won't last Though attractive, quite a bore Round and round and nothing more You don't back down, not a chance Overcoming circumstance Quite aggressive and intense Often making not much sense You concur with all that's said Always nodding with your head One for all, for unity But then think of where you'll be You are languid now and then Eager for the where and when You're the bedrock for this thirst And at other times the worst You're the limit they can't pass You're a boundary that lasts Separating time from tide Marking where all should abide You are signal to a change Dropping old things isn't strange Little cooler but still warm Letting go has been your norm You're commanding to the eye All, it seems, intensifies Insulating, tough, and cool You're a fighter, not a fool You are random, you're aligned Each a trait...

It's cold and dim and no one really sees All that transpires inside this sphere Just a little patience and mercy, please While one deals with these anxious fears Some things flicker here and there But none too bright to rouse satiation These eyes have looked almost everywhere But none yet meets expectation Perpetually embracing an elusive muse Entangled in pursuit of distant dreams Hope fatigued but still in use Pushing forth through turgid streams Swirls of postulations hardly condense Indefinitely paused but intentionally ceased Someday when comes the recompense All tensions will be calmed, all fussing eased Peaks and valleys, highs and lows Nothing is stagnant, as everything moves Forward and onward: that's always the flow Survive then thrive, as all this will prove For now belief and stand reiterate Let seeing eye not be the only guide On truth and good and love meditate Stay on...

There is a need to state a few things more For a host of feelings and musings sore I'll say them soberly though not quite covertly I'm glad that we met until you tried to subvert me Ms. Understand, we couldn't see eye to eye My hands extended kindness but you went for a lie Not all affinities are subterfuge for some huge thing Now all's been drowned by a deluge of fawning Ms. Communicate, please think before you speak Your voice is too loud but your argument is weak The goodwill you've painstakingly tried to convey Came off rather sour as with all else you say Ms. Guided, you should have really thought first Look before you leap, or else get into more hurt No one made you a promise or gave you their heart You rolled the dice, missed a ladder, slid back to the start Ms. Interpret, you read me all wrong I had no secret agenda, but your game was strong Insisted there was something in my actions and words...

On the bus In my brain When the sun's out When it rains In the dark In the light Whether near or Out of sight On my desk In my phone At the outdoors All alone At the park By the sea On my mind still Do you see? On two feet With such fun It's the same thought Overrun Sitting down Standing up Sipping coffee Off a cup Walking fast Walking slow You in my head Overflow Whether full Whether free You on my mind Do you see? Elevate Or descend Round and round now There's no end Write with pen Type online All your stories Merge with mine Just a thought Makes me smile Keeps me going Makes my while Mountain high Valley deep Overcoming Do you see? On my bed On my back No clue just how To react Your visage Or your voice Makes me simply Lose my poise Every word Nuances Every faux pas Interests Permeate All of me That's what you do Do you see?

If you're eagle-eyed you're sure to notice From miles away with certainty There's no way that you'd be fooled by all this You've unwrapped all the mystery You see a player on top of his game Go scoff at all the fun he's had His method besmirches every man's name You just want to bury this cad Perhaps he's one who's nestled in her arms Feigning much sensitivity She is obviously smitten by his charms So sly, smooth, so velvety You say, "Hey, pal! I know what you're doing! Heartbreaker's what you really are! To you she's just fiery pleasure brewing To her she's a fragile, bright star!" Another one on the horizon far Looks like he's running, on the take Maybe he left a trail of lover scars You should tell him to have a break Tell this dude to quit while he is ahead Before the bitter overflows Or the dark comes and chokes the sweet instead What that looks like, only...

T-3 hours and counting Body fully parallel to the ground Almost eerily quiet; no sound Thoughts come flooding in; they're profound Of how I'd oft be lost and oft be found Recollections of cords that had me bound There was plenty of that to go around Errors were hammers; my soul to pound Their residue to this day still hounds For now allay them on this mound The others have in teardrops drowned Where once my smile was I have frowned But hope and promise now abound T-20 minutes and holding Eager to leave the world behind; this earthly blue The solid sphere of life that we all made of you A mix of good and bad and false and true Needing to live and breathe and thrive anew My mind meanders on someone that I formerly knew On things that we'd say and things that we'd do On how it all started and how it was all misconstrued On where it all led to and how we bid adieu Emotio...

Sit and listen, then listen and wait Two years ago you were only eight Back then just colors, so little care Your life so simple, from here to there Opened to music both of your ears Heart full of wonder, mind filled with fears Hindsight would say you were wide-eyed still Decades from now you will have your fill Five years on down you will be fifteen Taking the path of somebody's dream Not yet prepared for choosing a path Never prepared for Science and Math In over your head, drowning at best Trying to swim, yearning to find rest Be not afraid when failures betide They soon will to your own dreams be guide Eleven more years ahead in time You first heartbreak will not be sublime Gave all your heart, you were quite naive Emotions misled, feelings deceived Teardrops you shed will teach what you need Relationships hurt, bring pain indeed Yet you become wise from here on in Every end is a chance to begin And furt...

Scrape the bottom of the barrel and run Look at the stars but don't stare at the sun Feel the gravel and the stones underfoot  Gaze at the planets and where they've been put Wade in the currents, in ripples, and silt Ponder the clouds and then how they were built Sink in the moment of silicone sand Fly through the sky, to the things that are grand Walk on the dust under heat, in the cold Under the light of the pulsars of old Travel across on terrain unexplored Wonder about all the quasars adored Stand on a hill, then look out up above Nebulae, black holes: space dust, they're made of Lowered you are, but their greatness looks down You are more majestic; you are the crown

I don't have tricks and Valentine surprise But what I have for you I'll publicize These ten and four are things I love in you Here's hoping you'll appreciate them, too 1 You have a way with words that's so unique I hear it in your voice each time you speak From random daily things to grandest schemes To talking about God and online memes 2 And then you have a way with written words You put a heart to nouns and chosen verbs The way you paint scenarios in prose The style you use in every one of those 3 I love how you adjust to what may come You flex and shift to people, and then some Adapting to what's needed at the time But still yourself enough to call you mine 4 And then, there's you who overcame the mess The one who grew resilient through stress The challenges you faced emboldened you Renewed your mind, and made you stronger, too 5 I am a fan of your persistent dreams Of conquering the worl...