A Stranger

I am a stranger in your land
A wide-eyed pilgrim
On soil not my own
And possessed of a dream
Beyond the machinery
Of manufacture
Attainable only
By providence.

My footprints are lost
In the foam of silvery tides
Hidden among forest floors
And stone canyons

I am brother to the wolf
Known to elk and otter
I am kin to laughter and music
Friend to morning stars
And the sweat of the tiller’s brow.

I am a child of the dew
Son of virgin forests
The progeny of rivers
And a creature of storms
Flashing lightening
Resonate thunder.

I ask only the right
To stand among you
To breathe the air
Drink the water
And leave you better
Than I found you.

I own little
And want nothing.
I am a stranger here
Passing quickly
Leaving no trail
Taking nothing
But the knowledge
That I was among you
A simple man.
A stranger.

Give Them Back

Memories crowd
Of days past
When I was a younger man
Filled with strength
Energy
For all that was mine
To care for
To love
And protect.

Give me back
The tender years.
When my babies cooed in the cradle
And sucked on their mother’s breast
The precious years
When laughter filled our house
And they tottered
Room to room
Happy in their innocence.

Give them back.

Those were hungry years
Nights of passion
And days of dreams.

Give them back.

I held hours lightly
Never imagining
They would flee
And my children scatter
Like squirrels in the trees.

Give them back.

The only hope
For an old man
Is that he may dream tonight
Clutching memories
Like gems in his hands
And give them back.

The Room

I sit alone and stare
At my wall of flaking paint
Thinking, in it, I see your face
Images both strong and faint.

On the ceiling I count panels
One hundred and fifty two
The very number of days
I was to spend with you.

I still smell your fragrance
In this little room
Which has become my hideaway
My shelter, and my tomb.

On the floor is a ragged carpet
That once listened to your voice.
It heard you say goodbye
The night you made your choice.

Today I watch shadows
Paint patterns on the wall.
Maybe, if I wait long enough
You may give me a call.

It’s as though nothing happened
In this crumbling little space
Though in every corner
I think I see your face.

How empty is this room
Once so filled with you
But is now completely vacant
Like an evening without dew.

With my back against the wall
I must close my eyes to see
This place, once so full of happiness
Was a mansion for you and me.

Twisting in the Breeze

It’s a snicker and a grin
And it isn’t much a sin
To imagine I’ll get in
With sheer determination.

But maybe you’ll pardon me
And will try a bit to see
If I can likely be
Your co-conspirator for eternity.

Maybe it’s not possible
Perhaps the idea horrible
And my venture just not tolerable
In this universe most unremarkable.

I’m just being such a tease
As I’m twisting in the breeze
With my pants down ‘round my knees
Doing as I please.

Yet, I thought I’d simply mention it
And suggest you try my wit
With the notion we may fit
But I see you just don’t give a s**t!

To Dream Again

What a dream I had
Of time with her
Skipping down streets
Like a smooth stone on pond water.

A dozen years fell away
Seeming but minutes
And we talked and laughed
Like time was our toy.

Her eyes flashed
Her cheeks a rose blush
Lips a red bow
Fingers folded softly within mine.

The whole of the world
Was a blazing dazzle.
Light and color danced
Within and around her.

So brief a dream
A drop in a saucer
Dew upon a blade
Glimmer on rippling tide.

She is the song of larks
Her scent the fresh wind
She is water to the parched
Her smile the rising sun.

A moment with her
If but a dream
Is more fair than seasons
With another.

As light fades
And darkness falls tonight
I will hurry to sleep
To dream again

Another Personal Note

To my readers who are people of faith...
My health continues to sag, which is why I have been unable to post anything new since the 12th. If you could say a prayer for me, I am confident that the Lord of the Universe and my Great Physician will hear you. And who knows? Perhaps, in His mercy, He will heal me.
Thank you for your kindness. And thank you for reading my work.
Friends.....James

Silos

The seeds I’ve sown
Scattered to the wind
The crop
Long ago harvested
Stored in silos of sorrow.

Not everything can be
Explained
By youthful exuberance
And misadventure.

Indeed, I was a man
Knowing the consequence
Of allowing his heart
Its course and reign.

I may shove my heart aside
Bury fists
In pockets
Steeling my spine
Against her loss
But posture and resolve
Do little
To anesthetize the burn.

I garnered this crop.

I tilled that ground
Labored that field
And gathered that grain.

I sowed the wind
And reaped the whirlwind.

A man as stupidly bold as I
Ought not settle his soul
In open land.

Panama City

I close my eyes
And I’m back in the sand
On Florida’s gulf coast
The sun hung like an orange
In the denim sky.
Radio chatter stained the day
Along the beach.

The salty breeze, tart on my tongue
Sand warm between my toes
Lulled me to believe
Peace was possible
And life secure.

The surf murmured gently
And gulls parked overhead
Crying noisily
Above bronzed bathers.

You strolled at water’s edge
The gulf lapping your toes
Coppery hair tossing in the sun.
I watched you.
Your eyes toward the horizon
It was difficult
To separate sky and water.

It was difficult to separate you and me, too
But you managed.

Years later I burned every photo of you
Shredded every letter and card
Destroyed every momento
Working to scrub your memory.

But that’s impossible.

All I need do is close my eyes
And Panama City returns you
Every memory feeding on my heart
Like the gulls
Calling me to remember
What I would pay to forget.

Alone

I sit alone in this room
Surrounded by these walls
Thinking about going out
But I wait here for her call.

I could take the bull by the horns
And venture out on my own
But that feels kinda hollow
Like a payment on a loan.

So I guess I’ll sit by myself
Close my eyes against the dark
And wish a little light would come
If only just a spark.

But I’ve grown accustomed
To living in shades of gray.
I’m a creature of the night
Uncomfortable with day.

Her memory seems to crowd me.
I try hard to ignore
Her smile and her face
And what has gone before.

I feel myself falling away
And sinking through the floor
As I try my best to live my life
On this side of the door.

Sorry, Girl

What’s that you’re telling me?
That you and I were close?
That comes as a surprise, girl
It can’t be as you suppose.

I don’t remember loving you.
I can’t remember why
Though you said I told you once
I’d love you till I die.

You don’t seem too familiar.
I don’t recall your face.
If you were someone I loved once
I’d run to your embrace.

I’m really very sorry, girl
I don’t recall your name.
If I did I'd sure tell you.
Now, isn’t that a shame?

You must have me confused
With someone who looks like me.
If I were the man who loved you
I’d remember, don’t you see?

I really must be going now.
I have lots of things to do.
There are some folks I gotta see
But I don’t remember you.