A cut so deep

Blood spilled 

Without a knife

A trust severed

By words that slice 

You wear your lies 

A clever cloak

To shield her eyes

But not all actions

Can be disguised

How many times 

She's turned away

Creating excuses 

Imagining that

You'd change

Continued acceptance

Only reinforces her pain

Hidden so deep

In the darkest place

As you palter, mislead

Day after day

She's led to believe

That somehow 

She is to blame

Despite elaborate costumes 

And masks you create

Everyone clearly sees

A fool  

In his own parade

Looking back

Amidst my tears

Remembering us

Throughout the years 

Once so close

Twin flames

We were told

We simply knew then

That we’d never

Grow old

So naive were we

Way back then

Life wasn’t always easy

But we tried our best

We laughed, we cried

Each, with a story

Where life 

Never died

But time has its way

Its own remedy

Of removing our pain

Giving us wings

Today, as I reflect

On those days 

That we shared

Together each

Representing one half

Quite a duo

You and I 

I really don’t know 

How to say good-bye

You left too soon

On your journey’s end

I hope that someday

We’ll meet again

Within the heavens 

Together we’ll fly

Best friends forever

You and I

Contemplating an afterlife

Imagining the where or when 

Dark or light

Near or far

Wondering if I’ll see you again

Will it be a simple task

To begin anew

Forging a forever path

Without knowing the rules

All life's treasures left behind

Boxed or given away

But, how will I

Say goodbye 

To our two 

Most important things

Will the days be long 

For that matter, the nights 

I hope that I won’t 

Remain alone

For too long

As I've endured 

Too much of that

You'll tell me the reason

Why you were first

And left so suddenly 

I believe, it was your plan 

To guide me

Always leading the way

Until then, 

Don't forget

We have a date

I'll be waiting patiently

For gentle wings

Upon the wind

As you rest

Beneath golden rays

My thoughts of you

Most everyday

Remembering how much

You loved the sand 

Beneath your feet

The warm sunshine

Its soothing heat

How rolling waves

Rumble a restful beat

Always your perfect place

This ready retreat

Now, I imagine

Your endless days 

Within glistening sands

Forever at play

Under moonlit nights 

Where, for your delight 

Thousands of twinkling stars

Paint the sky 

Your perfect place

Of everlasting life

There’s so much more 

Beyond our eyes

As dolphins frolic

Smug actors, in a playful skit

And pelicans dive

Stealing the show  

All soaring acrobats

Their performance so grand

Still capture your soul

As they always have

Here, everything remains

Breathtakingly alive

The salt, the breeze

Amid seagulls cries

This joy 

That only nature brings

I know that you’re dancing

Upon angels wings

Under golden rays 

You’ll forever be 

Caressed by the sun

And kissed by the sea

Again, my mind slips back

As I try so hard to progress

Avoiding foregone moments  

The events

That led me to this

Hardened by what transpired 

My mind struggles to suppress

But some old memories

Have their way 

Of refusing to be dismissed

Mere seconds change everything

And a moment becomes a last

How do I move ahead

When restrained by the past 

My hands outstretched 

Searching aimlessly

For a life, that my eyes 

Refuse to see 

Seeking a love

That was once so alive 

But is now, 

So cold and dead

How do I become

That elusive woman

Who exists

Only within my dreams 

She, who still feels passion

And enjoys your familiar touch 

She, who remains forever

The girl that you still love

 

The worst of her pain

Lies hidden away

In broken pieces 

She’s unable to grasp

So often she was told 

That her grief would pass

If she stood tall and strong

It couldn’t possibly last

Sadly she knows now 

That words evoke lies

Does she blame a voice

Should she even try

After so many tears

She’s perfected a mask 

To conceal a face

No longer recognized

Her reflection, a betrayal

Of a tortured soul

She counts the days

But sadly she knows

That time doesn’t always

Work as they say

Wounds don't heal

Quite, so easily

So many days

I’ve stared at this page

Searching for words

To help me explain

That I tried my best

To carry us through

The steepest mountains

On the darkest terrain

Trying to repel

What I couldn’t touch

A raging battle

An invisible fight

You, so young, so innocent

Never deserved

Nor could comprehend

That a shattered life

Would never

Be the same again

Each day quickly came

As we blindly ran

But there was no escaping

Fates awful plan

You may have thought

That I’d forgotten you

Or that you didn’t matter

In this life, so new

But you are 

What guided me

All those lonely nights

To find our future

You were the light 

With hope in your eyes

You gave me strength 

To never quit

And to remember why

With wounded wing

She attempts to fly

Against the wind

On the darkest of nights

Above a blanket

Of fresh fallen snow

Ascending alone, she begins

The long, cold journey home

Her scars remain deep

From the torrential storm

That cast her afar

Abandoned, lost

Weary, her wings tremble

To stay aflight

Until dawn finally emerges 

Among tranquil skies

Safe and secure 

Within the sun’s 

Warm golden rays

She begins her descent 

To a better place

After so many years 

Of silent nights

Chestnuts roasting 

And fires alight

You’re still here

Within the glow

Of dancing flames

And falling snow

I sense your presence

Around my tree

And remember 

All the things

That you gave to me 

Our beautiful children

An abundance of love 

Your forever gifts 

That will always give

They paint the season

With colors so bright

Hues of red, greens 

And the softest of white

Brighter than any 

Twinkling lights 

And more precious

Than silver and gold

Are the memories 

That I invariably hold

Although Christmas 

Will never be the same 

With warm thoughts of you

We celebrate

Your love transcends 

It never fades

In colors so vibrant 

And ever alive

Stand at attention

Quietly beside the door

They appear to be waiting

For orders

To march back into war

So many times they’ve carried

Their brave soldier home

From bloody battles

Fiercely fought

Across the entire globe

Their mission always

To defend freedom 

At home 

And on foreign land

These boots now

Remain at rest

In silence, 

They still stand

As a legacy

To the sacrifice 

That their courageous soldier 

Selflessly earned

They wait, unaware

That they’ve taken

Their final step

They wait, unknowing

That their soldier

Drew his final breath

Cowering under covers

Unable to breathe

Awakened by a fear 

That refuses to leave

Invading my dreams

It’s always the same 

In a deafening silence

I hear my own cries

Piercing the darkness

Again on this night

A sword to my heart

As memories ignite

A life taken

A lifetime in vain

There’s no escape 

From yesterday

As the sun slowly rises 

Taming shadows to fade 

Tears fall

To wash away the pain

It’s gone for now

Veiled by day

Awaiting darkness

Where light doesn’t stray

I’d give anything now 

For the phone to ring 

To hear your voice 

Quietly whispering

Asking me 

How my day has been 

And reminding me 

That soon  

We’d be together again

We’d spend hours talking

Until our “goodnight”

I’d hold the phone

So close and tight

I’d have laughed 

To hear someone say 

That these simple moments

Would be some 

Of my best days

I never knew then

How quickly 

Life could change

That you’d be gone  

In only one day

Our forever plans

Are forever changed 

Lost in dreams of yesterday

I’m trying to be strong 

As you’d want me to be

But tears find their way

Into my best memories

I thought you knew

That it was all in jest

As I joked for fun 

And had a laugh

You never once complained

Or shed a tear 

You hid your pain 

As I concealed my fear

We’re quite a pair

You and I

Misunderstood, confused

Afraid to try

To speak our truth

Find the answers to why

Perhaps with time 

We’ll learn to change

To shed the masks

We wear so well 

And find the courage

Hopefully, with age

Until then

Take my hand 

Let’s leap together

Into this unknown land

I’ll break your fall

You’ll take a stand

Together we’ll learn 

Together we can

Pure white linen

Trimmed with lace

An heirloom borrowed

From an earlier day

A baby’s breath

Its soft caress

Felt gently upon our face

Red petals falling silently

Their edges, worn and dry

Gather together 

Slowly marking time 

A morning’s promise 

A cerulean sky

For a day 

Bathed in heavenly light 

Whose golden rays flicker 

Between bare branches 

Before the cold 

Of winter’s night

Each dawn brings change

As colors fade

And streaks of gray

Transform our lives

I try to envision

Exactly where you are

How far you’ve travelled 

Skating across the universe 

On the brightest shooting star

You left so quietly

Never wanting a fuss

Your goodnight 

A surprise for most

But you’ve known for a time

That you were more than ready

To begin your climb

To soar beyond

Lifes mundane

Abandoning stubborn pride

And yesterday’s pain

To discover

What’s beyond the stars

That shine so bright

Under a golden halo

Of astonishing light

But, try to remember

To send a sign

To let me know

That you’ve safely arrived

A shiny penny

Butterfly wings

A early morning cool breeze

I’ll be here waiting, wondering

Whether you’ve found, your forever

In love's perfect grace

Crimson leaves falling

From deciduous trees

Twisting and turning

As they yearn

To fly free

Under golden rays

Their colors magnify

Soaring like birds

With wings so alive

Leaving their mark  

On the crisp autumn sky

They’re completely content

On their final descent

Landing on pillowy beds

They blanket the ground

Eager for sleep

Before snow touches down

With each coming season

A beginning, an end

An eternal dance

Of leaves in the wind

Feeling thankful 

But undeserving

Asking, “why me?”

While so many others 

Suffer in silence

I was spared 

Set free

How do I repay 

Such a miraculous gift

When mere words 

Cannot explain

How grateful I am 

To be here

Yet, still confused

The enigma remains

I’m just ordinary 

Without extraordinary gifts

Following my path each day

Trying to be 

Better than I was before

Hopefully, this answer 

Will find me 

Quietly, in my dreams 

In this peaceful place 

Where angels whisper

While I listen, intently

The white sands remembering

How she sat on the shore

Digging her shovel in search

Of treasure, years before

Though taller, she walks 

Along the waters edge

Still searching for something

Not knowing

That she’s finding herself

Like the sea

A beautiful vision 

She’s strong and free

But she, herself, cannot see

Her edges polished

By waves of pain

A shining sea glass

She’ll glisten again

Her siren song

Sent in the winds

Was captured by a love 

A world away

Her treasure she’ll find 

Deep within

Her sea of love 

Will rise again

Life now so sweet

Desires of yesterday

So trivial today

Life as it was

Quickly dies away

As thoughts of tomorrow

Take center stage

Plans abruptly altered

No longer time to waste

Words, left unsaid

Once, held inside

Now find their voice

With no need to hide

Life changes unexpectedly

And the future is a gift

Cherish every moment 

That comes to pass

Because, 

Only love matters

And only love will last