appetite-2-write

(For Emily, my Muse)

The year creaked weary toward its end,
And autumn hardly saw the sun.
As wishers wished their Christmas wishes,
Gifters did their very best,
To answer every single one.
Some were simple, some were free,
The best I heard’s, “spend time with me.
Help me decorate our tree, check the lights,
And can you see, is there a better place for me?”

But now it’s time to down that tree,
And Christmas last was hardly free,
Of drama, tension, stress and angst,
But one thing’s certain, I give thanks,
The place I want for you’s with me.
And even if there is no tree,
For all the Christmasses to come.
My hope is just this single one,
That you and I will both agree,
I’ll be with you, and you with me.

(12.12.23)

(For Emily, my Muse)

They stand in silence,
Time joining their prayers.
They are not visitors,
No, they are the earth’s dreams.
Reveries of wind and waves,
Surprises of snow on white-golden sand,
Whisps of spindrift, streaming from breakers.
Together forever on wild storming beaches,
Their broken spirits find solace.
For they are the Servants of Mystery.

(06.01.24)

(For Emily, my Muse)

A sudden grave terror overtakes you,
And though I can see you’re mistaken,
You face the stone-set fear alone.
I’m just a small island in your ocean of terrors.

I never see the darkness that engulfs you,
The threats and dangers you sense all around,
Above you, beneath you, north, south, west, east of you,
Their traps lie hiding in waiting.

You scale the heights of terror alone,
But climbing wet rock without handholds,
You slip down, crushed far below.
So let me throw you a rope, a lifeline of care,
Let me share your burdens, help you carry the load.

My island shore is here for you,
Whatever your ocean of terrors may throw,
And its vicious waves pound the coastline,
I will be here for you.
Above you, beneath you, north, south, west, east of you.
I will always be here.

(23.12.23)

(For Emily, my Muse)

Sleep by my side,
Feeling safe where you lie.
Cuddle up close,
My hair tickling your nose.
Stretch and relax,
While I rub your tense back.
If you’re stressed or in tears,
I might hold you for years,
So tight that you’ll know,
I will never let go,
Til the terror is gone.

And your sleep will be calm,
Your dreams will be tranquil.
I’ll ward off those demons,
Who’re seeking to harm you.
They won’t stand a chance,
For my weapons of choice,
Are a loving heart and calming voice.
And when they are gone,
There’ll be no need to hide,
You can sleep by my side,
Feeling safe where you lie.

(02.12.23)

(For Emily, my Muse)

The rooks and noisy crows were gone to roost,
And all the shorebirds stilled their turning stones.
While watching from the beach as though seduced,
The moonlight’s shadows chilled them to the bone.
Shimmering on shore, washed tiny wavelets,
That folding in and out traced up the tide.
Far off lights blend-mixed by distant palettes,
Brought colours bright and vibrant to their eyes.
Pausing for a moment, they fell silent,
A breeze struck up from inland to the east.
Suddenly increasing their excitement,
The off-shore wind now challenged them to leave.
And who knows when and where or even if,
The moon will treat these lovers to a kiss?

(30.11.23)

(For Emily, my Muse)

When I don’t look at you, it doesn’t reflect,
On you or your looks or in any respect.
If I say “I look forward” to the coming day
It just simply means that I’m hoping to stay
By your side, I don’t care whatever we do,
It really just means I love being with you.

Now please be aware, most days I’m not perfect,
I fall down, trip up, make mistakes, but I’m worth it.
The things that life throws at me aren’t always great,
I could complain more, but that would negate,
The choice that I’ve already made to be kind,
There’s no going back now, no looking behind.

So if you’re in doubt of what I might mean,
Use the above as a roadmap, you’ll see,
That most of the things that you tend to assume
Are me being negative, grumpy or gloomed,
With anger, they’re not, you’re reading me wrong,
I’m blessed that you love me, it makes me feel strong.

(01.12.23)

Lifelong sad Erysimum,
Always lonely as they come.
No one ever sent her blooms,
Nor bouquets to scent her room.
Treats or sweets she never got,
She’s the one they all forgot.

But on the 14th she implored,
Herself to no more be ignored.
So out she went to seek romance,
And bumped into someone by chance,
Who’d also never got a card,
The plan they cooked up wasn’t hard.

Each the other gave a gift,
Thereby their spirits did uplift.
Neither’d ever felt so good,
It put them in a jolly mood.
Because it was within their power,
To cease to be a lone wallflower.

And now while others look for cards,
Or chocolates, flowers to fill a vase.
The gentle couple stay in bed,
Pull their duvet to their heads,
And celebrate as best they can,
St Valentine, that naughty man!

(14.02.24)

(For Emily, my Muse)

He’s missing kissing you like fallen crumbs,
Or jigsaw pieces scattered on the floor.
His heart in syncopation rhythmic drums,
A pleading, aching, yearning hope for more.
But will your kissing ship go from her pier,
Without this weary passenger on board?
And should he hope for longer to hold dear,
The hope that someday soon your lips adored,
Releasing any tension that remains,
Will meet at last his own in gentle kiss.
Your doubts will scatter like the summer’s rain,
His life will closer be to one of bliss.
For now his hope lies resting at your door,
Should he still dare to hope the hope of more?

(28.11.23)

(For Emily, my Muse)

driving a friend to the airport, it really doesn’t matter
but we talked on the way about this and some that
yet all of the time I was thinking of you

then parked at the drop-off my heart almost stopped
and my mind rushing faster than planes down the runway
I froze . . . thinking: “one day she’ll be the passenger . . .”
I’d tried hard to forget about that but could not

you’ll be gone on your flight to somewhere
leaving me drifting, powerless and seething, battery drained, grounded,
surrounded by greetings of joyful families meeting their loved ones
as my heart is leaving and I’m broken and crashing and thrashing,
forgetting even to keep breathing

then on the lonely drive home though I tried not
to rehearse the sadness of future farewells and adieus
I cursed to hell that I felt and will feel so alone
so I tried to think of that wonderful place we’ve created between us
your smile, your face, your hair, your grace,
your smell and every trace, of orphaned kisses,
shared seconds and minutes, fond wishes,
gentle expressions of love that as time increases
grow warmer, grow stronger, together

but clouds of despair draped damply around me
in curtains that shut out the light and darkened my soul
grey skies so gloomy my thoughts like that sky were subdued
and wanting to cry out turned darker and darker . . .

“oh how I will miss you” they cried
“how I will miss you” they cried
“how I will miss you – my saddest goodbye”

(17.11.23)

(For Emily, my Muse)

Not for want of trying,
That we might never kiss,
You know, I would be lying,
To rest content with this.

Your lips are so inviting,
To me it’s really odd,
Among our gentle moments,
The kiss appears forgot.

I hope someday that this will change,
It sometimes feels so close,
Your eyes appear to draw me near,
Should I suppose that’s false?

Since somewhere in the night sky,
There floats an orphaned kiss,
That’s missing both its pairs of lips,
And hence alone must drift.

I wonder, had you thought, perhaps,
That we could just adopt,
That sad, depressed, abandoned kiss,
Because it cries a lot?

We’d take it up between us,
And nurture it with care,
As from its essence, other kisses,
Sweet beyond compare.

Could spread throughout the universe,
To chase away the pain,
Of other would-be kissers,
The sad, unkissed, insane.

I know that it’s not likely,
That I’ll be kissed by you,
But sometimes in old fairy tales,
The wisher’s wish comes true.

So yes, I will keep wishing,
And yearning, craving, hoping,
That soon you’ll find that kissing’s,
A thing that’s good for you.

(14.11.23)