This is a collection of extremely flowery and sappy, sometimes funny, words penned in the emotional and untempered flush of my youth. Finding these is the digital equivalent of rediscovering an old shoe box of memories under the bed, dusting them off, and stepping back in time. And then your eyes going wide, your face turning red with embarrassment and exclaiming, “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe I wrote this!”
I wrote most of these within the space of about three or four years in high school and university. Some are inspiredy real life, friends and people. Some are just figments of creative imagination.
Why Publish This?
It’s a window in time, a chance to experience the emotional turbulence of one’s first forays into the real world. Perhaps some of the things I have written will tug a heartstring. Maybe one will make you think. Maybe a couple will make you chuckle, if not by intention at least when you think WTF and leave you laughing. Don’t worry, no need to take it seriously. I don’t claim any great skill or design.
Also on that note, I tend not to follow rules of poetry very well. Because I hate rules. Silly things that get in the way when I don’t want them too. Also, I never trained in writing poetry, so I don’t know the rules. Perhaps it’s something I should look into.
A crystal ball with a star inside A million unique snowflakes sparkling within the jewel The light now white, now red, now blue So mesmerizing, so captivating, so beautiful
A Path Through Flowers
Tread softly amongst the lilies We begin anew Soft tender petals encased in ice A rose in the snow blooms cold and bright
Dear Fire
Flame so bright and hot, Tell me a story, happy or not. Of love of hope, sorrow or pain. The sight of you is never the same. With each little flicker and wave, Memories ignite, these I crave. You hold me, captured by a single eye. Tell me a story and let my heart fly.
Dear Rain
Wash the world free Caress ever so gently Pitter patter and play Dance, with me stay Eclipse the tears on my face I take comfort in your cool embrace
It Takes Only A Second To Say Goodbye…
It takes only a second to say goodbye. A word, a wave, maybe a last glance back, Then that’s all there is, the end of the song. A courageous friend, a lifetime lover, A younger brother, an older sister, Wise parents grudgingly loved, grandparents that spoiled you. Tears may fall, hugs may ensue. As you walk off alone, Memories will come flooding back. A good feeling, a warm light in the back of your mind. Laughter and love, good times but never the bad, A smile. The day you first met, meeting them anew every day. Learning from them and teaching them too. Exploring their minds and hearts, Tentatively at first, but interest growing until You have an appetite for it that can’t be satiated. Each new experience is a learning one. People change constantly so there is always something new, Something fresh to share, so you can never wait to tell, But not before you have asked about them. Your new ideas and old ones, your respect for theirs, Your experiences and memories, your love and support, These are the currencies of friendship. Sunset walks through orange wheat fields, shared jokes, Late night conversations about everything, shared secrets. A thrilling escapade, The terror of a scary moment enhanced By grateful relief finding yourself safe in their protection. Recall faint brushes of their finger tips as you drifted asleep. That look of understanding lighting their eyes When you are surrounded by doubters and those that don’t, An ally in hostile or unfamiliar territory. As your footsteps lead away you remember. How your footsteps once climbed the road of life together. Loyalty never mistaken, hands taken, The strength of your grasp of each other. Remember the school-yard bully bearing down on them, Or how you were there when disaster struck, And how you said ‘together we stand and together we fall’, And stood there ready to fight by their side. But most of all you remember how you could sit next to each other On that worn wooden bench on the porch, On the warm grass under the summer sun while buzzing bees alighted the flowers, On the couch in absolute darkness when the conversation lulled Dark because the sun has set since you started and You were too comfortable to rise and turn on a light, On the sidelines after the game finished, win or loss You didn’t have to say a word, Neither did they. There you sat, accompanied only by the sounds of nature, Together, and you shared The enjoyment of simply being there with them. You remember that wonderful feeling Because as you walk on and, Even when you can no longer perfectly recall the details, In your heart, They are still walking along beside you.
It takes only a second to say goodbye, But it takes a lifetime to say hello.
Bonds in Time
Sunny skies come and go Seasons blend and pass Yet still our bond does last
The Lights
The stars humble us. Without them, we cannot Feel that we are a part Of a greater universe. With our lights, our street lamps Our giant skyscrapers, Spears of brightness Driving into the night sky, Our universe shrinks, Our ego expands unreasonably, Arrogance breeds selfishness. Without the stars, we cannot see, The Earth we poison beneath our feet The lights of Advancement Blind us all.
A Gift of Flowers
On a wooden windowsill cracked and worn and blanketed with dust They rest elegantly in a used wine bottle. The Toscano Bianco label bears a yellow vineyard, The glass top shattered, sharp edges remain. Careful, don’t cut yourself. Morning light cascades through the emerald glass, Stems now immersed in an Amazonian feel.
The leaves are all alike with diversity and distinctiveness. Some pale, some dark, some with yellowish undersides, Some are long and narrow, others short and round, Some just in-between but all are hues of green, All with exquisitely minuscule veins flowing Like eight million tiny rivers Filled with water, sunlight, and life.
Petals like undulating silk dyed snowy white, Rich and brilliant pink next to a lighter one of the same. The inside of each decorated with a spattering Of speckles of red and dapples of maroon. Motes the shades of blood, earth, and lemon sherbet Float atop streaks of white, As if living fireworks had exploded From the center of each and is now held In a magical stillness.
Some are bound tightly and hard in their sticky shells, Others have begun to split and taste the moist breeze. Many have burst out in a dazzling display That astounds with wonder and excitement, And we are washed over with a feeling of enchantment, Of vibrant life in a scene of such magnificence That the human imagination and manmade creation Could never do it justice. We marvel at how nature has graced the world With these flowers of beauty.
Each day when the curtains open to the morning rays, And the melody of bubbling laughter Plucks a tune on the strings of the fresh wind, These flowers will perk with a renewed energy. The classic happiness that is dear _____ , The radiant smile on _________ ’s ruby lips, The welcome hospitality friends find in their home, Their love and beauty, all will sustain these spring blossoms That we have picked in appreciation Of their friendship.
Candy Cane
In a swirl of candy shaped like a cane, Red follows white follows red in a train. Have Christmas without it you couldn’t feign, For your life would become immensely plain. Deprived we go depraved, simply go insane. One taste and it goes straight to my brain, I feel energized like the great Tamerlaine. My thirst for that sweet twist shall never wane, It is also a favorite of my great dane. This poem is really quite inane.
PART 2
Her Bead Craft
Mesmeric scene.
A dozen candles burn Fiery ring Emits warm scents Each sentinel casting it’s eye On the artist Despite clear morning light Beaming through the window Refreshing dark green ivy and Lush African Violets A tired little teddy bear Peers out the aperture At the ladybugs at play on the sill
Bent in determination Devouring her own concentration At a worn wooden table With a miniature loom An indented painter’s pallet Each depression brimming With beads
Countless colours displayed Representing Every flavour, every feeling Morning sky and night Everything in between and below them No larger than the head of a pin Ninety six would fit on a rose’s soft petal
Blond tresses hanging Around her elegant expression She threads each bead Stabbing it with a shiny needle Collecting ten in a row Sewing them To the previous ten The ten before that And the tens before that Onwards she stabs Onwards she sews While the sun performs Numerous revolutions Hundreds of rows form a strip Fifteen strips form a masterpiece
So many tints and shades Requires and so receives Strategic precision Meticulous calculation Loving care
When done, she finally sits back The muscles grudgingly relax Brow like a tulip unfurls She realizes just how tired She really is
The fruit of her labour now lies Atop her oak mantle Above a roaring fireplace The face of a Siberian Tiger Watches protectively over the house
The tiger a guardian For the woman who gave him life Who gave him love and attention As one would a lover Who was there every day Rain or shine, ill or in good health
Time, the most precious of commodities Because mortality limits it dearly She spent it en mass on him He may return that love In silence But his beaded gaze never wavers He is always as strong As the passion that made him He will never leave Never betray Incapable of negative emotion He was only born with good
The fires of an imagination Burning with passion Fuelled with dedication Let something wonderful Flow through her clever fingers
To destroy is human, but To create such beauty is divine
Proposal In The Magical Forest
Small boulders carpeted with soft moss, Shaded under ancient trees that reach the sky. Song birds sing sporadically in the boughs. Blue appears amongst broken white high above. In the center of that heavenly ocean the yellow sun doth lie. An opening in the deep forest reveals a treasure, A jewel of nature herself. Diamond drops cascade down a waterfall, Coalescing in a brilliant crystal pool. In the pool’s center a stone rests cool and grey. On a cushion of acorns and leaves stands a creature, An otter, red brown fur and shining playful eyes. A bobbing head and outstretched tiny paws, Hold out a glittering object, A gold ring with an enormous heart red ruby. Behind the waterfall on the side of the hill, There rests a once magnificent set of stairs. Ancient and crumbling they permeate eternity itself. When the stairs finally fall away, The path steps into a garden of colors. The bubbling brook that becomes the waterfall, Follows the path into a maze of perfect hedges, Each engulfed in fully blooming roses of a rainbow’s colors. All around are animals at play. Each kind in a pair, frolicking together. Squirrels dance within the branches and Sleepy raccoons wait for the moon. Chatty bears make merry at the river’s edge while Foxes tumble in a hollow trunk. Cautious wild cats creep through fallen leaves, Bearing white fur dappled in places with black and Gleaming brown eyes with hints of smiles. A small dog barks energetically and leads Down the path it bounds, disappearing suddenly, Startlingly birds into flight. They flock and swirl around before heading for a cloud. A clearing has found it’s way into the garden Where two oaks grow magesticly. They start as two then entwine and become one. At their base bides a pond in which dwell many gurgling fish Swimming under a canopy of radiant green lilies and Two snowy swans drifting with heads together Watching quietly is a noble buck with a grand set of antlers. And a doe, her auburn fur rare. In the middle of the clearing stands a man, Dressed in white and kneeling. His shirt is half open to expose the nakedness. Of his heart and soul. The ruby catches the noon rays glowing within it. He rises and with pure joy playing upon his face, He knows that with her presence here she has accepted, His proposal.
My Funeral
I am dead. The last breath has escaped from these tired lips. These eyes that have seen so much, See no more. Their vigil has ended.
My bones became stiff with the years,
Worked by muscles that faded alongside them, Worn from the long journey that was life, Walking, waltzing, running, climbing, falling, flying, Always going forward. Only the mind was able to travel backwards, Where time had no meaning. Knees were no longer able to bounce children upon them, A back that bent with decades of wonderful memories, Now rests straight on an elegant bed of oak. Calloused hands traced with wrinkles, Once strong enough to hold a grandchild high, To spin and twirl the lady to whom I gave my heart, To build a home to hold our treasures, Once strong enough to hold you tight, To sweep you away from danger and fright, And carry you to safety, Now lie powerless.
This body lies without life. This heavy heart no longer beats with desire and love. I can no longer kiss your lips, And stroke your silky hair, As we lie together in our bed, Under the brilliance of the morning sun and our passion. Your laughter can never again make me smile, On those long winter nights and longer summer days, Where we played and the children learned to live. I infused my strength into your limbs, I bestowed my humor into your laugh. I gave light where before you saw only darkness. Recall fondly my mischievous grin, And the light that shone from the recesses of my eyes, And how my head perked up, When loved ones entered the room.
My life was my people. The love of my children and their energy, The passion of my wife in her embrace, The strength of my brothers, The wisdom in the hearts of my parents, The fondness of friends in their companionship, The adoration of my pets I was complete because of your trust and faith.
Celebrate this day, for part of me remains. From the earth we have come, And to the earth I return. The insects and animals, Shall feast upon my flesh, So that they might give birth to fresh generations. My bones will turn to stone, So that creatures will make of them a home. The air I exhaled the trees breathed in, As their roots now find prosperous purchase in my grave.
Even in death I am a provider. My death gives rise to life. I have spent my life in creation. Creation of art and of thought, Creation of life from my blood, I now give rise to life that shall find nourishment in my remains.
I wish I could continue this grand adventure, I can think of no more dignified a roles to play. If I yet had a heart to break, it would break, Knowing death will keep me, From being with you.
With the valor I gave myself, I was a champion in the trials of life. I am a hero in the arms of death. I am with you. Always.
Creation
The element of liquid life. Fire from above Collected in emerald veins. Silken rubies bloom.
Sleeping with the Snake
Curled coiled Wrapped in fuzzy warmth She lies amid pillows and Cushions plush and plump But flannel and down Are nothing to the worn blue ribbon ‘round his neck The silky hair on his sides And the velvety touch of his old skin
He twists and turns Loops and convolutes In comfort and dignity A soft escarpment shields This precious treasure From the cold hard world His felt tongue always hissing And painted eyes staring Keeping ghosts at bay And the monsters under the bed
He is the keeper of her affection And the keeper of her dreams As she drifts into the night On the threads of her imagination Over fields of fragrant flowers By the light of a silvery moon On a midnight mare
Her skin soft in the candle light She surrenders to the embrace Peace arrives at the door Befalls her face in this enchanted place Greeted with pleasant memories Alights the fallen lids of her blue eyes Sweet delicate breath Gently blooms with a vanilla trace Into a contented sigh
“Sleep without fear, my dear” His thoughts caress her ear And let The Snake keep all woe and worry away Rest in perfect bliss Time without you takes its winged flight A picture of tranquillity serene The Snake is watching over you Trouble is vanquished this wearisome day Only elegant thoughts are here to stay
Goodnight
When The Chrysalis Opens
Winter shivers and sheds his white fur coat A fresh season springs forth to wash over us Those things once dead or dormant Begin life anew
Slivers of green poke up through softening ground Tiny buds have appeared and in warm sunlight spilt Sap flows freely within renewed boughs Flowers bloom and leaves spread As the stream bubbles by unhindered We can hear it gurgle with infant laughter
A wee nip within the air, an air of creation Carrying a vitality and energy into the wind Carrying the taste of pine, of snow mold, of cherry blossoms Inciting memories of long ago, of embarking upon new journeys Excitement fills the air like lightning from an April shower Rejoice at feelings of freedom And stretch untested wings No longer are you hidden but unbound across the plains Dive into a world of colour, fly into a world of emotion
The birds chirp songs of love and it twinkles in every eye Mother Earth rises from her bed and we feel her soft caress Spring breeze a new born baby giving a great yawn as he wakes The last of winter melts away and trickles down bared mountains Past a stirring bear and her playful cubs A wonderful light shatters and dissolves the clouds Nothing but a clear blue sky
Good morning, Spring.
The Library’s Jewels
Magnificent pages of lore, Dusty tomes full of words, Great works of literature. By masters of verse, song, and sentence. So much knowledge and wisdom, Share the human experience.
Memories
A picture can be turned into a thousand words, A thousand words can create a magnificent picture. Many notes can be turned into a tune, Many tunes can create a beautiful song. Together, they are our memories.
Apple Pie
Warm steam drifts slowly up and out of grandma’s window. Carried in that thin stream are delicious baked apples, And the heavenly scent of cinnamon. Our nose tingles as the steam reaches it. Our senses react. Mouthes water and eyes open greedily. Soon that apple steam is the only thing we can smell. We glance around to spy for watching eyes. The foreign gate opens slowly. We creep out of view to the window. The sill and its adornment wait enticingly, tempting us. Our arms stretch upward, blindly. Fingers close slowly around the warm dish. A quick lift up and it quickly disappears. We vanish from the house. Sitting in the darkness of shady tree, The green grass of summer surrounding us, We lift it hot and steaming from the pan. The fruit and brown sugar sauce melt in our mouths. And no matter how good it would have tasted normally, So much the better it tastes for our ill actions. Mmmmm, apple pie.
To All
To all those whose presence banishes the dark, Whose soul is stronger than steel, Who make this world a better place, Who give their friendship freely, Who give their love, Who stand up for themselves, Who stand up for those who can’t, To all those whom songs are sung about, To all those with courage and humility, Let the world be yours and you become the world, For you are the good, the brave, the greatest men and women
