Shadow Dancer
In my childhood dreams you dance,
A shadow on the wall,
Twisting, turning, darkness churning,
Silent footsteps fall.
As I watch in wonder,
Light and dark combine,
Shapes merge and grow, then part again,
And moonlight turns back time.
Raven ribbons twine around the figure in the hall
Illuminate my shadow dancer,
Dancing on the wall.
As I reach to touch you,
Sunrise steals the night.
Daylight stills the shadow dance,
And shadows take to flight.
June 25, 1996
I had never seen the names
Until that solemn day
When they posted up a list
Of those who'd passed away.
The sorrow rose to fill my heart
Like an ocean, it swelled inside
Tears of pain, and loss, and grief
Fell quiet from my eyes.
I never met the silent men
Who left this world that day
I wish that I had known them
Somewhere, somehow, someway.
I felt they were my brothers
My fathers, sons, my lovers
Each life had reached and touched me
And left a mark forever.
Let's not forget the silent ones
Who paid the highest price
Gave everything they had to give
To give us peace and life.
Sweeter From the Night
I rest my weary cheek upon my hand, and welcome the cold moon's shining fragile light - Into my window. The air is cool - to touch - Sweet - to taste - and damp. The empty silence pounds my ears with darkness song and dance. The dew - Angel's tears - licks the grass - New and fresh, And sparkles the spiders' webs with shimmering jewels. In the eastern sky, a glow is seen. A velvet shroud disguises the world - Misty and fuzzy. And to the east, Watercolors blend. As the tangerine sun rises from the edge of the Earth, The moon pales with awe and sinks, shame-faced, below the horizon. And yet - Another day has risen. Warm - Freshly tossed No artificial colors or flavors. I rise from my window to pick the dew-drenched strawberries the sun has yet to warm. And they are sweeter From the night.
Working Late
He studies his reflection as he wipes away her lipstick,
Smooths his hair,
And prays her perfume won't linger.
--He's not supposed to be here.
Every day he tells himself,
It's over once again,
Then he sees her smile.
When he's in her arms,
It doesn't matter someone's waiting.
Her kiss makes him forget
He isn't home,
--And she shouldn't be here.
You came to me as a stranger
I've never known your face.
But your image is etched
On my soul.
Instead of dampening my emotions,
As so many try to do,
You fan the flames,
And help me set them free.
I can only watch in wonder,
While you mirror the songs
I only sing to myself.
I thought it was illusion,
A star that shines until you look directly at it, then disappears.
But when the night gives way to day,
The image doesn't fade, But gathers light and strength.
You have touched me somewhere deep inside.
Invaded my heart and mind.
Thoughts of you devour my soul
In a delicious embrace,
And that keeps me.
Life/Force
I don't want to sail on the tranquil tide
I want to be tossed by the angry sea.
I don't want to stand in the soft summer rain.
I want to scream into the savage storm.
I don't want a gentle breeze to caress me.
I want the wind to howl fierce around.
I don't want to watch from the base of the mountain.
I want to stand at the summit and shout.
I want life to charge full force.
I want the thunder to deafen me -
The lightning to blind me -
The rain to drown me -
The wind to pound me.
I don't want to merely live...
I want to feel ALIVE!
The Dreams That Dreamers Dream
Wild, free and blameless,
The dreams that Dreamers dream.
Fearless and accepting,
Unshaken and unseen.
And led into a great unknown,
On faith we will rely,
That solid ground will meet us,
Or we will learn to fly.
While some wait for the rainbow,
Dreamers greet the rain.
For dreams are made of hope and love,
And dreams are made of pain.
You Are With Me
I feel that you are with me
When I close my eyes at night,
And the darkness doesn't press so hard.
When the road is rough and winding
I feel you walking beside me,
And the journey doesn't seem so long.
When I'm alone and afraid
I feel your arms around me,
And I know you are with me.
Storm
I woke early in the dark
To a symphony of rain,
And you dancing in my mind.
Every falling raindrop -
A kiss from your lips,
While the thunder whispered
Softly next to my ear.
The wind blew gently -
Your breath upon my skin,
And lightning flashed
Like passion in your eyes.
My friend,
If I could, I would give you-
A heart that never breaks,
Eyes which cry only tears of joy,
Arms that are never empty,
And a smile that never fades.
If I could, I would take-
The painful memories,
All the hurt you've felt,
The dark skies,
The confusion and frustration,
And all the sorrow.
But all I can offer is
The shelter of my friendship,
The promise of a smile,
A heart that won't forget,
And a soul that doesn't want to.
What Would You Say?
What would you say if I told you
I heard a song that brought you to mind
And I sat down and cried
For friendships that died.
I ache inside for what used to be
The promises and vows that you made to me
I cannot forget.
I cannot let go.
And what would you say if I told you
My laughter is only a lie
That I lie awake in the darkness
Tearing apart the night to ask why.
You were my reflection.
A soul in the shell of this world.
Questions
I lay staring
Blinking back darkness
And make my confession
To a fading illusion.
Am I no more than therapy
To soothe those lost souls
Who for a moment
Cross my path?
It's Not a Country Song
I crunch unsteady through the lot.
Gravel dust floats like fog,
obscures my steps,
and settles like dead skin on my boots.
A spattered bulb advises -
check all pretentions at the door.
My feet fall heavey on the scarred plank floor.
The cheap stink of unfiltered Camels
wraps me in anonymity,
caresses my sinuses as I sink into shadows
and fade to grey.
It's not a country song,
but the liquor's cheap,
and sanctuary's open all night.
The Inheritance
The children will reach out -
With unending hope, and unbreakable dreams
To weave their laughter, their trust
Into the hate and fear that has been built.
With their innocent hands
They will tear down the walls,
And in their place
Rise up with joy
To end the tragedy of
Their inheritance.