Two Poems

Trying to get back into writing poetry. The first one I wrote isn't as good but that's because I made it rhyme and rhyming is, of course, more difficult than not rhyming. Either way I consider them, or at least the first one, "practice." I plan to go back to being as good as I once was. P.S. I am also starting a new thing of relyricing songs on the fly, that is helping my skills a little, but I'm not very good yet.

Title: Infant

A sleeping baby in my arms

A quiet moan: its simple charms.

I fall in love with fragile life,

My heart is cleft like butter and knife

This tiny babe that isn’t mine

Is like a sip of sweetest wine

His mother is his legal guard

But does not love him very far

Yet I, a simple, distant friend

Shall love this child from end to end.

My heart breaks when I hand him back,

Her compassion is so in lack.

She does not know I love him so

For I can’t bear to see him go

If I could take him as my own

I’d care for him with every bone.

I’d give his life a newer peace

And show him how the pain does cease.

Yet as it is I can only pray

And hope his troubles fade away.

~~~

Title: A Different Paradise

 For Gavin

You walk outside,

The warm breeze caresses your face

And your bare feet step out onto the soft sand.

A perfect world.

The beach is only a block away so you take your time.

Pausing

Reflecting

Soaking it all in

The crash of the waves is in earshot

And then,

The vastness of the ocean before you.

You lay down your towel

And sit

And watch

The children build sandcastles,

Laughing, happy

Your ipod sings to you sweet music.

Lovers walk past, hand-in-hand,

Enjoying their vacation.

And evening comes slowly

With a setting sun

And gradually appearing stars

And with the evening chill, you pack up

And walk home.

And you are content.

But

It’s not good enough;

Contentedness is mere.

You are alone.

~~~

Years later,

A frozen black wasteland;

A bleak world.

Desolation, no fruition.

You cling to your frail coat and continue to walk.

With the hope

That you will find them.

You are starting to give up,

With the ice stinging your face

And your feet with blisters

And your stomach upset with hunger

When you see it: the light.

The light from the cabin.

Piercing your dark world, piercing it with hope and a promise.

You rush toward it.

You knock on the door and it is opened to you.

Opened by a familiar face.

And every other face inside…is familiar.

But more than familiar. Loved, cherished.

Friends of old, true friends.

The cabin is warmer than outdoors because of a dimming fire, but

Still chilly

You undress your outer layers as conversation surrounds you; you smile

A nearly empty bowl of chips is offered to you to finish,

Their only food.

Times are very hard.

But then

She appears, in her simple beauty

Through a doorway she comes

And that’s when you notice the piano

She smiles at you and says, “I’ve missed you, now how about a little music? It’s what you love most.”

And gentle notes float up.

A hand slips into yours, your best friend

Another fills your other hand, your dear, dear brother.

And all your friends are there

And music fills the room

The tiny cabin, crammed with smiling, laughing, singing people.

Off-key a bit.

People you love

Your heart swells

Tears fill your eyes

In the midst of this your mind goes back

To a day on the beach

When you were wealthy and alone

Content with no joy

You’d thought you’d found your Heaven on Earth

But now you know better

Your family, both literal and metaphorical, are all here in this place

Sharing in your pain and suffering;

Holding you and one another up

You’re not sure if you’re content or not

But one thing you know now

For sure:

You are

Full

Of joy.