Even on late evening mornings like this
I recall how truly fortunate I am
to be surrounded by such wonderful people.
Often, I am reluctant to go, to meet, to get out—
but why?
When I know I will be in excellent company
with my friends as dear as family:
what more is there to say?
Apart for thankfulness, gratefulness and more
I love my life—keep it coming!
For months have I wondered
(the inner world)
looking this way and that,
into every fleeting, passing thing
into brief glances, briefer smiles
looking but not seeing
not feeling, not understanding
just passing.
Worrying about each and every one of those moments
and yet—there was an instant
not a dozen hours prior
in which, for the first time in weeks, even years
the emotions weren’t fleeting
nor were they leaving, nor are they now.
The harmony of all your features
not perfect, but just right
just as they should be—
that’s what made you so special.
For the first time in many a day
hope was kindled where hope was hidden
(not gone, but in hiding)
it came back, first trepidatious, then bounding!
…only to find your departure imminent…
I joked to myself that “I would move Heaven and Earth for her” only happens in poor soppy tragicomedies
For the first time (feels like maybe ever), that sentence, that thought occurred to me.
A fleetingly permanent emotion, perhaps,
true all the same.
I long struggled to find words to describe
the sheer bliss of gazing up into her eyes
no colour in the world is so crystal
not even brightly polished amber by the most skilful artisans
a blue so bright, so humble, so piercing
the crisp winter sky pales in comparison
this sky, such a radiant blue on a January day
with her, it is a bleached grey
such was her beauty
such was her poise.
As Malmö stretches out in front of me
and variform birds shriek undoubtedly
the waves break upon the sandbank
on the edge of nature’s giant fish tank.
As the wind whispers into my left ear
I look upon the empty wooden pier
now the wind shrieks and shouts
leaving no place for my echoing doubts.
As the agèd gentleman’s bicycle creaks by
and the elderly couples stroll by and sigh
the jugged, sharp edges of granite
are woven into nature’s fabric knit.
As the wind whispers (or does it shout?)
and the salty air circles roundabout
in an endless fight with the seagulls
looking down upon us fools.
Sometimes all we need is a helping hand
be able to let go of the daily swirl
quieten the inner cranial band
release the endless quotidian turmoil.
Imagine: the sandy beach by the North Sea
as the gale breaks you in
this is the place all ought to be
if they seek the elusive peace within.
The gust is much like on a peak;
that’s the roof of the world—and this by the base
these are the foundations we ought to seek
of the Earth’s true, heavenly riches but a taste.
I speak of this place fondly now I am sound
now that my mind is not clouded with worry nor ailment
but I was not so well a few hours prior, you would have found
but I visited and drew from the great natural ointment.
Such is my experience, that to all I propose
to visit some truly Earthly heaven:
the hills, the valleys, the lakes or meadows
the séjour will most certainly convert any heathen.
For the feeling of the true elements in your eyes
rendering your cheeks ruddy and silencing your sighs
the wind, sun, earth and rain bid all troubles whisked away
all I wish for is for all to enjoy these, come what may.
Your rhymes echo through the darkness
the verse glows in all its beauty
bringing a hint of light to the blackness
imagining what it would be
to hear your grovelling baritone
on a cold Montréal night
now I listen to your voice flow
an artist truly in all his might.
Immense respect I have for you
Clapton, Dylan and Shakespeare too
Your revolutionised the audible art
warming humanity’s dead cold heart.
Often I think I rush too much
Indeed, we all overthink, such
is the nature of our modern
society, making our minds churn.
Consider the good, the love, the warmth
that would and could spread henceforth
from our hearts, from all our smiles
if we all just stopped running miles
round in our brains—and just gave
a moment, forgetting thoughts we couldn’t save
we deserve, we all do
a profound breather, a break too.
Even hard-working God found
through rest Creation is bound.
Here we are
You and me
Tiptoeing through this world
Tiptoeing through this conversation
Tiptoeing through this relationship
Tiptoeing through life;
We mustn’t disturb
don’t ruffle feathers
shift no fallen leaves.
Why, oh why
do we act so
why can’t we just
stand in a puddle
and accept it?
Just you and me
enjoying the water
seeping through our shoes
savouring our squelching socks
This is why, oh why
I have come with you.
This is spontaneous
but I think—and all ought to think likewise—
we spend too much time thinking of the other;
too much time being elsewhere
too much time away from where we need to be
altogether too much time from where we must be.
And that is a secret place:
few—only the truly Wise—know of it
us mortals can only strive
to be truly alive
by discovering the sheer beauty
the beauty of you next to me
the bliss of no worry, indeed far from it;
drop everything, so be it!
For you have found how be present
present in this very moment.
Resting my gaze upon your softness
no contact—but my eyes
feel you, caress you—
The softness of your golden sheets
flowing in the late evening breeze
yet——nothing moves.
Just the rolling drum deep inside,
its pace quickens:
a driving, rushing beat.
With every moment,
with every passing breath,
The piercing calm blue of your eyes
torments my imagination with your sighs.