Fourteen

Marking phases
Of today.
Where were you then?
What did I say?
Waiting rooms, and
Lighted halls.
Too much for me,
I climbed the walls.
Now we're back
Together here.
I've met the edge.
I know the fear.
And now, tonight,
I know what's true.
You, asleep,
Across the room.

The Search Is On

Such a depth

And such confusion.

I don't understand

Why I feel like

I have lost

When, in fact,

I have not lost

At all.

What I love,

It is still here.

But the joy of it

Is gone.

I don't know how

To regain it.

But I want to do

What I can

To enjoy

The thing

That used to

Make me

Come alive

That leaves me,

Instead,

Feeling so

Very

Inadequate.

Fall Has Fallen

Orange decorates

Every corner

Except the

Corner

Where the

Pink, sparkly

Pumpkin

Grins,

Lit up

From

Within

So excited for

What is

To come.

First Monday

Today

Has been

A beautiful

And busy

And fruitful

And just a little

Dizzy

Kind of day.

Reading and

Singing,

Sleeping and

Waking.

Giving and

Taking,

And giving.

What great

Blessings

These simple

Things

Are.

From The Ashes

Moving on

Is not

Really

Possible.

Moving through

Is what

Actually

Happens.

Ten years

Later,

After

The smoke

Clears,

People

Will gather

People

Will remember

People

Will unite

Again.

Photographic Memory

In the water
Long ago
There was a boy -
My brother -
There beside me.
The August heat
The water, cool
Myself, eight
My brother, two
There, beside each other.
He leans in close,
Kisses my cheek
With slimy
Toddler love.
And now when I look
Back on this,
The memory's like
A glove.

Fight to Win

Barriers
Are everywhere,
But so are
The breakers
Of them.
But we must
Be brave enough
To stand up,
To use our
Whole heart,
And speak out
For those who
Are
Spoken against.

Pandora

So many memories
Lie just around bends.
Wonderful, sweet
Sad and pretend.
How can I sort
Through every last one
Without stepping on others
Or leaving them shunned.
It's not that I
Don't want to
Remember.
I do.
It's just a matter
Of remembering
Carefully,
Gently,
And honestly,
Too.

One Good Turn

This day
Is a gift
And with it -
Unexpected
Kindness.
True friendships
Precious moments
That is what
Happened
On
This day.

Take Time, Make Time

Most of the
Time
I just need
Time
To figure
Out
What to do
About
Whatever
The current
Situation
At hand
Is.
When I don't have
Time
I make it
And then
I can
Make sense
Of it.

School Subject

The night before
A new year
Is here.
What it will bring
No one yet knows,
But I am hoping for
Larger successes
And smaller stresses
So don't forget
To smile.
And don't even
Blink.
Before you know it
You'll be wondering
Where it all went.

Riding in the Car

Ready to go
For a nice little stroll?
So sit in your seat, and
Put on a sweater, says Mom,
It's September.
Then, she says, we'll
Go for a drive and see
What we find.
Look out the window
Search high and low
For new things to see
As we ride in the car.

Someday

Someday is a place.
It is a feeling.
It is an attitude.
It is a choice.
It does not have to be
Distant and impossible to grasp.
It can instead be here.
It can instead be now.
Because why put off
Chasing dreams?
Why put off
Living better?
Why put off
Pursuing whatever
Is best for you
When someday never really
Comes.
Because
Someday is always
This day.

Flowers and Vines

Flowers,
Braille on
Fingertips.
Petals,
Pink as
Roses hips.
What
Remains
When vines
Entwine
Around
My heart?
It's just
A start.
So, break
The vines
And find
The blossoms
Hiding
Underneath.

Love at High Tide

Hold tight
To each other
And weather
This weather.
Make
Your own sunshine
With love
At high tide.
In the midst
Of your everything
Know
That we're praying.
Know
That we're sending
You
Love at high tide.

Sudden Loss

I cannot
Comprehend
The suddenness
Of this
Loss.
It brings
To mind
How fragile
Life is,
And we are,
And how,
At any moment
We might
Cease
To be.

Fences

Inside,
You fill
A role.
Inside,
Someone else
Always has
Control.
Create an
Offense,
And then
Break down
The fences.

Growing Friendship

There are things
That grow slowly
Like trust in a
Friendship.
And there
Are things
That grow
Faster
Like the
Friendship
Itself.

Be a Tree

Have roots
To ground yourself.
Roots that anchor
You firmly
To the place
You are meant
To be.
Have bark
To guard yourself.
It may be thick
And scarred
With wounds
But still
It does the job.
Branch out -
Always keep reaching.
It is never wrong
To strive
For greatness.
Believe, in fact,
That you are
So very great.
Have leaves
To leave behind
For someone else
To find.
Leaves that grow
More brilliant
With age.
Leaves that carpet
Their walk with your
Wisdom.
Leaves that
Let them know
You were here once
And you are never
Truly
Gone.

Painted Blue

This is a day
Painted blue
As a sky
On a day
When there
Is nothing
Amiss.
This is a day
Painted blue
As the moon
Bearing witness
To things
That should
Not be
True.
But this is
A day,
And that's
All that
Really
Matters
In
The end.
Because
The end
Is just
The beginning.

When You Say

Watching this:
The turning,
The moving,
The realness,
Always changing...
It's inspiring
And it's living
And it's chaos,
Still forgiving...
It is looking
Toward the sun
It is reaching
For someone
It is everything
It is anything
It is strength
In a state-of-being.

What To Do With Resentment

Do not wrestle
With resentment
Instead
Ask
And sit
And let
God
Take it.

State of Being

Whether or not
People notice
Or see
What I strive
To be,
I am content.
Whether or not
People gossip
Or point
Or they're
Out-of-joint,
I am content.
Whether or not
People stare
Or walk by
People laugh
Or they cry,
I am content.
In truth,
I am not always
As content
As I should be.
But starting
Tonight
I start in my
Fight
To be
Content.

Outside These Lines

There is a moment
When I'm watching
When it hits me -
The everything
You have overcome
And endured
And accomplished
To be
Where you are
Right now.
It resonates
So strongly with me
That, in fact,
I must sit back
And take a moment
In the midst of
All this beauty
And intrigue
That captures me -
This everything -
To sit and breathe
And know
As tears linger
Somewhere down near
My toes - deep inside
Where no one knows -
I am proud
And I'm amazed...
Please, can it always
Be this way?

What To Do

There are strange things.
There are strong things.
There are things we
Cannot grasp.
But that does not mean
We should stop trying
Being wary of the
Strange things,
Embracing the
Strong things,
And attempting to
Grasp the
Ungraspable things.

Strange Days

Such a strange
String of
Conversations.
I don't quite know
What to make
Of them.
But I will
Get through them
Just like
I will
Get through
The storms
That come.

Hard To Say

It is
Hard to say
Exactly what
Will come
To pass
In my life.
But
It is
Easy to say
That I will
Do my best
To handle
Whatever
Comes
With hope.

Fingers Crossed

Crossing my fingers
And crossing my toes
Crossing my eyes
But no one yet knows...
Not even I know
What might occur
I don't even know
What I know for sure...
I ask only for
Whatever the
Universe
Gives,
And know
That
Regardless
I'll be ready
For it.

Beyond Breathing

To be loved
Is not
The point.
The point is
To love
Now
While
You can.
To be amazing
Is not
The point.
The point is
To inspire
Others
To act
Now
While
We're here
To act.
Once the
Ink dries
On the
Pages
Of our
Lives,
There is
No going
Back.
We must
Make
The most
Of the
Days,
The hours,
The minutes
Before us.
We will not
Get a
Second chance,
But what we do
Will last
Beyond
Our breath.

Projection

I would like
My whole life
To be
A series
Of
Moments
That I can
Look back
Upon,
And think
Upon.
Motivated
Moments.
Productive
Moments.
But also
Compassionate
Moments.
Also,
Family
Moments.
Because
These are
Moments
That really
Matter.

Madi Mae

Madi Mae
You're eight
Today!
Eight candles!
Eight years
On eight fingers!
Hooray!
Madi Mae
You're eight
Today!
So have fun
With cake
And with presents!
Hooray!
Madi Mae
You're eight
Today!
So many
Great things
To see and to
Say!
Madi Mae
You're eight
Today!
Today is
The day
We celebrate!
Yay!

About Friendship

Friendship
Is
A
Gift
And I
Need
To learn
To treasure
It.
More than
Today.
More than
Right now.
Don’t discard it.
Embrace it.

Special Moments

These are
Special moments
When
We hold you,
Love you,
When we
Are with you..
Right now
You are
Tiny,
Right now
You are
Precious.
Someday,
You will not
Be tiny
Anymore
But
You will
Always be
Precious
To us.

Dirty Thirty

Thirty is
Pretty
Fabulous
Tonight.
The start
Of something
So new and
So right.

Europe Adventure

Fly away tonight
And take
The break
You need
To take.
See the world
And sights
And make
The trip
You need
To make.
Fly away tonight
But come
Back safe
Again someday.

Family Times

So grateful for family
To visit and share with.
So grateful to be here
To love and to care with.
All of my family
Such blessings,
It’s true
It’s wonderful
Now just
To be here with you.

Essence

I feel lost
And lonely
In the wake
Of today.
In the wake
Of the words
I read.
In the wake
Of how they
Came so swiftly
As if they
Were written
Solely for me.
But that is
Not the case.
We all
Remember
Our mistakes.
But we should
Remember
Our victories
Too,
Because they
Are more
Valuable
To us
And those
Around us
And they
Will leave
A positive
Essence
In our wake
When we are
Someday
Gone.

What Was Left

It would be
Easy
To lie down
In the ruins
Of what was
Left.
To stay
Broken.
To stay
Sad.
To live
Anxiously
From day
To day.
But instead
Of concentrating
On what was
Taken
From us.
Why not
Focus on
What
We are
Left
With?
Even if
It takes
A little
Time
To come
Into our
Awareness,
It is
Healthy
To think
Upon
These gifts
And what
They mean
To us.

To Be Here

What a gift it is
To have a friend
To talk to,
To laugh with,
To go deep with,
To be real with...
What a gift it is
To have a friend
To be honest with
To speak the unspeakable with
To do this
And to know
They'll always
Be here
No matter
What.

121806

So long ago
That I thought
It buried,
But not so
Long ago
At all.
Four years
Back
I
Packed
A box
To send
Abroad
To people
I did not
Know.
I took this
Day with
Terrible
Memories
And I made
A choice.
I packed
A box.
The box
Had this:
Socks and
Notebooks.
Chapstick
And pens.
Toothbrushes
Gum and
A phone card
And candy
It's all
There.
Signed with
Our names
And enclosed
With a picture
Which said:
"You Are My
Superman"
Sent out
Somewhere.

To Be Lost

It is such a sad
And terrible way
To lose
Such a
Little life.
It is such an
Incomprehensible
Tragedy,
Such a
Deep
Wound,
Such a
Raw grief.
There is nothing
To say, and
There is no way
To make it
Better.

So Ready

So ready to see
Some dancing
Some turning
Some friends
And some learning
Today.
So ready to be
Inspired -
Enlightened -
To have
My day brightened
Today.

Workshop

Can hardly wait
For tomorrow
To begin.
For birthday
Month
To
Start
Truly
Being
Celebrated.
With dance
And friends
And family.

Not Totally Bummed

Sometimes
It helps
To remember
My own
Humanness.
To remember
That it's
Okay
To have a
Bummer of
A day.
The trick
Is
To also
Remember
To make
The choice -
Just for
Today -
To be
Happy
Again.

Planner

Iced mint tea
96 degrees
Cornrows
And writing
And birthdays,
Yes, please.

Costa Rica

I remember,
This day,
Coming into
A country
So beautiful
And warm.
I remember,
This day,
Being shocked
At the poverty
And the privilege
That existed
Side by side.
I remeber,
This day,
Feeling
Surrounded
By friends
And divided
From family.
I remember
That this day
Was the beginning
Of something
New for me.
A new
Perspective.
A new
Direction.
I remember
That this
Was the day
When this new
Place
Began to make
A place
In my heart.

Growth-Spiral

As darkness fell
A decade back
So, too, did it fall
Upon a house,
Upon a family,
Upon me...
Marking time
Like height
Drawn in lines
Upon a wall
Except...
One progression
Works its way up
As growth...
And the other
Works its way down
As a spiral.
I wish so much
I could keep the wall
And I wish so much
I could undo it all
Everything that's
Hurt us
Since
Ten years ago
Today.

Empty House

I wake with the
Taste of grief
In my mouth
And a heaviness
In my heart.
I did not know
It was possible
To hold a place
So close
That when it's
Bare
I felt like
Weeping.
It is not the
Emptiness
Of the place
That hurts
So deeply...
But the
Emptiness
Within
My heart.
The emptiness
Of memories
That once
Existed.

Remember To Remember

It's good to remember
Where we have been,
And it's good to remember
To trust in the future.
It's hard to remember
We are not in control
And it's hard not to
Place blame when something
Should've happened sooner.
It's sad to remember
How some lessons don't stick.
It's sad to consider
What might never get kicked.
But it is still good to remember
It is good to think back
On the good times and hard times
And the lessons attached.

Birthday Month

Ready to
Celebrate
For a whole
Month -
Us turning
Thirty and
All kinds of
Stuff -
A birthday
Should never
Be limited
To
Just one day
When a whole
Thirty days will
Do.

Sense of Self

When did this happen?
How did this occur?
Such a gift to sit
And talk
And get to know
The person you
Have grown to be.
So good to know
That though years
Have passed
Your heart
Remains the same.
When did this happen?
How did this occur?
The boy is gone,
But you remain here.

Wish For Impact

Today, I am
Inspired by a friend
Who said,
She does not wish
To be amazing.
Instead,
She wants to
Inspire others
To be great
And to leave
The world
A better place
Than when
She got here.
Today, I have
Decided, too.
I do not wish
To be amazing.
I wish only
To make
An impact.

Lift

I have
A new outlook
And
Many dreams
Of this
Great day
And what's
Ahead.
I have to believe
That the past
Is the past.
That what I have
Is now.
That I can choose
My reactions.

Slump

I am wondering how long
This slump will be
Slumping.
It is quite annoying
To know it is
Happening.
So let me be making
This one simple
Change.
Reframe my attitude
Reshape my
Days.

What Can Never Be

Just the thought of you
So far away from me
Never a prayer to be
For what's not happening.
I miss the closeness we share
I miss what I want to be there
That which can never be
When everything's changing.
I wish we are what we are not
Reading your words pains my heart
I know it's true. I can't go back.
Never rearranging.

Gray Day

Some days
It is just
Hard to see
A silver lining.
Some days
There is no
Reason for the
Feelings I have
I just
Feel them.
Despite
The brightness
Of the day -
Despite
The goodness
Surrounding me -
Sometimes
All I see
Is gray.

What Matters

Precious faces
I have not seen
In so many days,
In so many years.
Precious time
Looked back upon -
So much grace,
So much here.
Precious memories.
No regrets
In this place
So much held dear.

Observation About Observing

It's so important
To be in the moment
And not just
A casual observer
Of time passing by.

Cover

Destruction
Comes
Too close
For comfort.
So I pray
For protection
For peace
For calm
For recovery.
Today
And
Every day.

Showcase

Don't just dance
Tonight, but give
And express
Everything inside.
Tell the story
You came to tell.
I believe you.
Fight and live well.
Go there, that's right.
Don't care too much
But just enough.
Lose yourself -
Be yourself -
Onstage tonight.

Take Deep Breaths

Take deep breaths
And write this out
And don't be scared
Because...
I can't control it
Anyway
So why should I be
Afraid?
Put my faith in
This and believe
It all will be
Okay.

Yes, I Remember

Sometimes
There are
No
Words
To say
How much
You are
Missed.
How much
We wish
Things
Could have
Been
Just
A little
Different.
Sometimes
There is
No way
To convey
How grateful
We are
That you
Were and are
Just
Who we need
To remember
Peace
In our hearts
And
To remember
To play
When the
Storm
Is
Over.

Fighter

This is what
Happens when
People deny
You:
Don't let
Them get
You
Down.
Know deep
Down in
Yourself
That you
Are enough
And stand
In that
Power.
Stand in
That truth.
Even if they
Don't ever
Realize it
Don't let
One person's
Opinion
Change your
Opinion
Of
Yourself.

Character Traits

Memories of grace
And focus.
Drive
And intensity.
Strength
And fierceness.
Today,
These qualities
Are more evident
Than ever.
Keep your head up
No
Matter
What.

Emily

Happy birthday to
A special soul
With humor and wit
And so much more.
I hope your day is
Fabulous -
That you could not
Ask for more
Than this.
Looking back
On times so fondly
Of lighting matches
And of bonding.
Please know that you
Are loved today
Enjoy yourself
And celebrate.

Haley's & Michael's Way

Just because
Something
Is spoken
Softly
The first time
Does not mean
It cannot be
Shouted.
Does not mean
It should not be
Shouted.
Because we are
All one people
But we are unique
And we all have
Different
Ways of
Expressing
The truth inside
Of us.
For some
It is just
A quiet breath.
And for others,
It builds to a
Crescendo
Until it
Cannot
Be denied.
Neither is wrong.
In fact,
Both are right.

Birthday Thoughts

Here without her
But she is never
Far from
The thoughts
Of those who
Love and treasure
Her.

Safe

This is what I dread:
A sweeping wind,
A destroyer of everything
I could ever call mine.
This is what I dream of
When I remember:
A terrible sense of
Being out of control,
Losing the ground beneath me
A siren so loud inside me.
So now, somehow,
These two have merged.
They are connected inside me:
This fear of losing
And
My dreams.
In these moments,
When I am afraid
Of the sounds and
The loss
And of being
Out of control,
I remember.
I know that even though
Circumstances may look
Or be
Scary and loud,
And even though
I cannot control them,
Someone else is in control.
Someone else I can always trust.
Someone who tells the wind
Where to go.
Someone who knows
The fear I carry
Over the people I
Almost lost.
He knows.
And He is in control.
And with Him
I am always
Safe.

Tell Me Something I Don't Know

Tell me something I don't know.
I mean it.
Tell me something I have not
Yet considered.
Tell me something about life.
Tell me something about love.
Tell me something about you.
Open my mind to new kinds of truths.
Tell me something you did,
Something you are,
Something you wish to be...
Just
Tell me.

Primetime Live

So proud I don't know what to say
Of this young man on this fine day
Sing and dance and act and play
Happiness is here to stay
Watching him grow up.

Tea Time

Dance and tea
On the horizon
So excited
For this day.
Let us see
What this
Day holds
And celebrate
Away.

Productivity

Rushing around
Getting things done
Is refreshing
And satisfying.
It makes me feel
Happy and accomplished
And full
To know that
Things can
Be changed
And accomplished
Because I decide.

Busy Day

Just keep going
Every minute.
Just keep starting
Over again.
Just know it
Will be okay.
Just keep knowing
There's nothing but today.

Standing With You

No way to
Move beyond this
Without moving
Through this
But know
You're not
Alone with this.
We are here.
While we cannot
Take the pain
For you,
Know that we
Are standing
With you
In your
Sadness.

Changing Landscape

Last night,
The world changed
When I was asleep.
I'm not sure
What happened,
But reading of peace.
Remembering
Those lost and
Hurt and still there.
And hoping
That soon we'll
Have peace everywhere.

Early-Morning Awe

Not even eight
O'clock in the morning
And here I am sorting
Through so much
Brilliance.
Not even time
To take it all in
Before I begin
To spread the word:
Take this chance.
Not even a question
Studying sessions
Feeling all these emotions
All over again.

A Rain That Inspires

I have made a decision
Now hold me to it.
I have decided
To let the rain inspire me.
It has scared me long enough
Leaving me to wonder
Where it will lead
But I need not worry.
So I'll let it splash
Against my window pane
Let it fall and let it
Help me grow away from
This fear and sit at ease.

A Royal Headache

It is the
Royal
Wedding
Day
And I am
Crashing
Far
Away
From too much
Sugar
And too much
Tension.
Just be
Grateful
For the
Blessings.

A Day Late; A Dollar Short

Such a shame
There's been
No poetry
Lately
But
Sometimes
I just
Need a break
To regroup
To reinspire
To rethink
What I think
I'll choose
To give
A voice to.

Nearest

Right now
Is all
We have.
Yesterday
Is gone
And
Tomorrow
Isn't here
Yet.
So let
Us live
In a way
That will
Allow us
To learn
But not
Hold
Regrets.
This is
Of
The utmost
Importance.

Thankful List

Loving
Being
Reunited
After
So long
Apart.
Because
Everything
Is right
Now.
Nothing is
Missing
Now.
My
Heart
Is full
Now.

This Is It

Lift your head up
Carry on
Keep going forward
Even if
You cannot move beyond
It's not where you stop
It's the steps
That truly
Matter in the end.

Wallpaper

Nothing much is left
Now, just an echo of my past
And the resolve
That's deep withing me
To do something
Bigger, something greater
Than me.
Nothing much is left
But light where goodness was
But dark where hurting was
But words written upon
Some old, scratched surface
And I want something more.
Something greater than today.
So, lets tack up our plans
All over the walls, so
When they fall, we'll know
Who to turn to -
And what to do -
When everything changes...
When our world caves in...

Try, Try Again

Always keep trying.
Never give up.
If you cannot
Make yourself
Be understood,
Try
Something
New.
If you feel
Out-of-place
Try
Feeling
The love
Of those
Around you,
And even
Those
Not
Around you.
If you feel
Constricted,
By all means,
Break out of
The box
That holds you.
Try
Seeing life
Outside
Its
Walls.

What Hurts And What Doesn't

It doesn't
Hurt to give.
It hurts
To hold too tightly.
It doesn't hurt
To be.
It hurts
To deny
Who you know
Yourself to be.
It doesn't hurt
To be in the light.
It hurts
To be the one
Left behind.

Overflow

Let whatever
Goodness you do
Flow in,
Over and out
Of you
To benefit
Those who
Might need
Something good
To hold
Onto...

Unpredictions

Fire and rain.
Earthquakes and pain.
What it leaves behind
We cannot wash away.
Death and it's friends.
Wrongs without amends.
What it leaves behind
Is wishing we said
What we had to say.
So take this moment,
Speak your truth in it.
Don't wait for something
That may never come.

Break The Clocks

I wish
Time would
Just
Slow
Down.
Just for
A minute.
To capture
These moments
These all-too-
Fleeting
Moments.
These
Precious
Moments.

Wanting More

Beautiful day
But the time went by
Too fast.
How can I grasp
This fleeting thing
So it can last?

Next Time

There might
Never
Be a
Next time.
So spend
Your
This-time,
Your
Now-time
Wisely.

Wasted Time

Spending so much time
Just waiting and thinking.
How much more time will I
Waste with this worrying?
Can I keep up with all
That's going down?
Can I stay strong
Without turning around?
These thoughts and more
Come haunt me each night.
I wonder when - if ever -
Things will be
All right.

March Madness

It means a lot
To give and take
Admit mistakes
And then move on.
It means a lot
To think upon
The nearly lost
The still with us
And then move on.
Do you remember
The fear we felt?
I do.
Do you remember
How are hearts broke?
I do.
Do you know how much
You are loved?
I hope
You do.

True Importance

Beautiful
Life.
It's yours
And
It's your
Choice:
Focus
On
The struggles
Or
Rejoice
In
The
Miracles.

Mariposas

Believe in
The
Butterflies
Surrounding you
At any
Given time.
Symbols
Of the
Freedom
And the
Hope
To be gained
And claimed
Each day
And night.

Missing The Mark

If you make
A grave mistake
All you can do
Is make amends
And that depends
On you.
Learn the lesson
Make confession
Take a step back
Think and then act.
Too true.

Breathe Again

So
Much
Crazy
Lately.
Can I
Just
Breathe
And
Relax
And
Be?

Orange-Colored Life

Sometimes
A visit
Is all
That
I need
To know
And believe
That life's
Beautiful,
Indeed.

Very Fine Valentine's

What makes
A day
Happy
Depends
Very much
On various
Factors.
Like varied
Opinion
Or a
Very fine
Caffeinated
Beverage
Or a
Very sweet
Phone call
Or a
Very grand
Visit
From a
Very special
Person
Or
Just knowing
Your God is
A very
Present help
In times
Of trouble

Heart-Lifter

Something
As simple
As a gift -
Something
As simple
As someone
Listening
And giving
Can lift
The heart
And spirit
Of
Someone else.
I know
Because
It was done
For me.
So
Listen
And
Give
And
Make
Someone's
Day.

New Life

Today,
I celebrate.
Today,
I am sad.
Today,
I am confused.
Today,
I am grieving.
Yet today,
I am hopeful.
So today,
I am free.

Connected Focus

Sometimes
It takes
Some time
To come
To terms
With
Whatever
Has happened
Or is
Happening.
But
It is not
Healthy
To worry
About
What
Might
Happen.
Rather,
Just focus
On
What is.

Dark & Light

Beautiful
Days
And beautiful
Nights.
Awkward-great
Moments.
Never-late
Sights.
These
Are my
Days
And
These are
My
Nights.

Layers

Disappointment
Sadness
And joy
All come
Together
Today
At
Different
Times
In different
Waves.
Sometimes
They come
On different
Days
And sometimes
They come
All at once.

Old Times

Soreness
And beauty
Fun
Is had
Truly
When we
Are
Together
Just
As
It
Should
Be.

Outlook Tonight

Sometimes,
Without warning,
My heart
Feels
So full.
Sometimes,
Without knowing
How things
Might
Get better -
They do.

Trapped

Not
Able to
Imagine
What might
Lie
Around
The bend.
We close
Our eyes
And pray
That
We might
Somehow
Live
Again.

Faded Memories

Can I see
Your face
In the mess
Of this
Reflection?
Can I remember
The way
You once
Were?
I can hear
Your voice
Telling
Story
After
Story.
I can imagine
Your laugh
Falling all
Around me.
I can't see
Your face
But I know
You're in there.
Give yourself
A chance
To smile
And to laugh
Before this, too,
Slips away.

No Response

Can I
Tell you
The good,
The bad,
The everything?
Will you care
About the would,
The sad,
The ever-breaking
Going on
While you
Are
Going on
Without turning,
Without hearing,
Without truly
Being
Who I
Need?

Taking Care

I am
Doing
What I
Need
To do.
Will you?
It
Does not
Matter.
One does
Not
Have to do
With
The other.
Even if
You don't
Take care
Of you,
I will
Still
Take care
Of me.

Distinguishing

There are
Things we can do
Sometimes.
And sometimes
There is
Nothing
We can do.
The trick is
Figuring out
Which
Is
Which.

Not So Pretty

Pick up
The pieces
Of pretty
Little life.
Know that
Change is
Not so
Quick to
Stick -
And all
Is not
So good.
It's just
Beginning
And life
Is not
So pretty.

Over

Starting over.
Starting
Again.
Save me
From
This risk
Within.
Let him see
The light
Waiting.
Let him
See what
This is
Creating.

Little Princes

Beautiful children
Of Nepal
God, why can't
We save
Them all?
Why can't we
Follow and lead
Pick up speed
Give, indeed,
To these
Little princes?

Prioritize

Such is life.
Such a peace.
Such insecurity.
Such that I can't
Know
What's just around the
Corner.
Such truth, though,
In such a way
Here to say:
Breathe
Think
Then
Do.

Letting Go

Here I am
And I don't understand
Why what is happening
Happened
Again.

Like You

Something like
Today
Will never
Be again
Because
It's lived
And spent
And now
It's just
A memory
Kept.

Night Before a Sunny Day

Light up
My night
With evening
Darkness
So pitch-black
And lit up
With street
Light stars.
And right now
I am
Light years
Away
Reflecting
On what
Came before.
Why it happened.
What it is.
What I'm
Left with.
Just this.

Stop Asking

Come inside.
Stay awhile.
Spend some time,
We'll make you smile.
Just relax
Sit with me.
Sing with us
And watch TV.
We treasure
Each and
Every moment
That we have with you.
Well aware
That soon enough
You will move on, too.

Corazon

Sometimes
Life
Is
Disappointing -
Sometimes
Life
Is
Good.
It's
All
About
Our
Attitudes
And
Doing
What
We
Should.

Maya's Lesson

Help me
Know
What
There is
To show.
Help me
Teach
And
Reach
Fore more
And
Let me
See
Love does
Not bind - or hold
Love
Is
Letting
Go.

There Is Still a Hole to Fill

If I needed
You
All those
Years ago -
I still
Need you
Now.
There is
Something
Missing
In my soul
Just knowing
What I
Know.
So
How do I
Move on without
You?
More
Than a
Decade on
Without
You.
Let
Me
Show you
This.
Let me
Believe that
You exist.

Stepping Up

Stand up
And stop
It from
Occurring.
Stop more
From
Enduring
What they
Should not
Have to
Endure.
Ease
Their fall.
Take it all
Upon yourself.
Put your
Fear up
On a
Shelf.
Don't react,
Respond.
It was
Needed
All
Along.

One Year

Sometimes
We remember
This one thing
And it's something
Good.
And sometimes
We remember
This earth-
Shaking thing -
Misunderstood.
We are not
Forgetting.
We do understand.
We just need
Sometime
To see
Where to land.

Admitting Defeat

Sometimes
Life just
Doesn't make
Sense.
Why stop trying
Before you start?
For these shall be
Your recompense.
Just take a breath
And calm your heart.

Sincerely

I know what I write
And I write what I know
And I don't see the point
In pretending.
I know what I see
And I see what to show
I don't see the point
In never mending.
I see the world
But just from my window
I don't see the point
In asking what's missing.
I see myself
And right now I know
I don't see the point
In pretending.

Take Heart

Who's to say
What really happened
When no one
Really
Knows what happened?
Who's to say
This is the truth
When the whole
Truth
Just is not known?
Who's to say
It's wrong to question
As we all
Have second thoughts?
Who's to say
There's not a lesson
In the truth
That has been lost?

Change of Heart

There are many
Different people
And many
Different ways
To make a
Family
Just for you -
To treasure
All your days.
There are many
Different children
Both here and far
They wait.
They need a home
And love in
Their hearts
So give it all away

Works of Art

We've come this far
All masterpieces
With pieces of us
To work on and with.
So don't forget
That you are art,
Admired and inspiring.
But remember
There is more to do -
The Artist's
Never tiring.

White Noise

Time for thinking
Time for truth
Time for learning
What's the use
If all opinions
Are the same
Not opening
Our minds again?
What are we
To gain from this?
Refrain from this
This boxing in
This limitation
Closing in -
And know
It is okay
To look beyond
Borders -
Looking for change
Outside
Dimes and
Quarters.

Time in a Bottle

Pretty little
Moments to be
Bottled up
And treasured.
Saved and later
Measured.
Remembered for
The pleasure
They gave us
The moment
That they
Happened.

On Baited Breath

Once upon
An evening still
I sit and wonder,
Wait and see
If you will
Make your presence
Known or not -
Run away
Or hit the spot
Right where I
Need you -
Need this -
See this?
This is
Me. So
Stay or leave
If you please,
And know I
Am not
Changing.

Ever-Changing Optimism

So much
Goodness
Around us
In just this
One day.
Can you imagine
The good that could
Happen if we just
Keep at this
And lift
Each other up?
So don't stop.
Keep going.
There is peace
On the other side
And joy that comes
In the morning.