Jessie and Charley

I've never seen such concern in her eyes.
Tears swell like tides. Subtle. Overwhelming.
She's unable to keep up the disguise
Of the fun-time friend who can't see the thing
Consuming him slowly from inside-out.
She wants to be the strength that he's missing
To learn what his sickness is all about,
As though knowledge could stop him from pissing
Away the life that she finds so precious,
That he's escaping like an old burden.
It's too late, though, when she tries to discuss
'Cause he wrote these words to her in the end--
     "Don't call it love when it looks like pity
     Fucking give up on trying to save me."

I Am Not Weak

It's that special feeling deep down inside
When you realize that she doesn't feel the
Same way that you feel about her. You hide
The awful ache and wonder what could be
Worse than this. Or perhaps it's more like when
You find that all of your friends have moved on,
You'll never be so close to them again,
What you called family was illusion
And now you have to face your life alone.
That's the tide rising around my ankles,
The winds of this emotional cyclone.
I know this feeling is the one that culls
     The weak and tortured souls that cannot see--
     Even at its darkest, life is beauty.

Kiss & Tell

I'm much better at kissing than talking.
I can communicate so much more when
My voice is still and my lips are walking
Softly up to the nape of your neck than
I could ever hope to do with these words
That seem to only be good for masking
What we really mean. Like when we were birds,
My lips were tearful confessors, asking
Questions they didn't want to hear answered,
And though our words said everything was fine
It was with my lips that the truth was heard.
I was not yours, and you could not be mine.
     It was the purest way to feel that pain.
     You won't taste the truth on my lips again.

So I Still Have Your...

My nightstand carries a collection of
Jetsam, cast adrift when waters were wild.
The things they took off before making love
To me are ever-so-neatly compiled
In that special corner, should their owners
Ever decide they need the stray hair pin,
The rogue left earring, that scrunchie of hers.
Yet somehow the pile never seems to thin,
New nights of passion leaving deposits
That sensible mornings somehow forget.
I'm left feeling confused by this, 'cause it's
Some kind of sign I don't understand yet.
     So I'll continue sorting carefully
     Until such time that someone will claim me.

Unfortunately, Dreams Do Come True

All my life I have wanted nothing more
Than to be wanted and desired. I dreamed
Of lusty gazes launched like bombs in war,
Exploding as they land on me. It seemed
The day when I was longed-for would never
Arrive. But then it did, and now I know
The heat of hearts that will do whatever
It takes to feel my fire and share my glow.
Now that my greatest dream has come in bloom
I'm finding its fragrance acrid and tart,
Because when someone wants you, you assume
The power to deny, to break their heart.
     So please know, when I deny you this kiss,
     I never wanted it to be like this.

Set It Free

Oh, the pure power of your potential
Pulls at my heart and stirs a strong sly smile
On my face, 'cause I see your essential
Excellence and envy your so-sweet style.
I know that you've yet to bring out your best,
That you've been dazzling us with mere play.
I want to see your skills made manifest.
I want to see you blow us all away
With wonders falling from your fingertips
Like confetti too numerous to count,
And there will be poetry on the lips
Of everyone as they try to account
     For what has just transpired, the majesty
     You will unleash when you set your self free

Heros Need Victims

I have a healthy and well-earned distrust
Of all those who want to be a hero
There's something sinister inside the lust
For "knight in shining armor" status. No,
It's not that I'm against saving the day,
But for you to be a white knight there has
To be a damsel in distress, okay?
Your glory springs from her danger, and as
Honest as your motives may be, you're still
Hoping someone else is put in a place
They can't escape without your help. So will
You let selfish fantasies die and face
     Reality? Those you would save become
     The tragic victims of your idiom.

Exchange

I want to change your world, to make magic
Out of ordinary occurrences,
My alchemy always arriving quick
And ready to delight all your senses
With wonders that will take your breath away.
I want to be your source of spectacle,
To bring you buckets of smiles every day
To toss with careless glee at the fickle
Forms of fate, fighting a losing battle
To sink our sky-high spirits. So come claim
Me quickly and continents will rattle
With the force of delight found in your flame.
     I want to bring you ceaseless jubilee
     In exchange for the joy you've given me.

Great Love

In the lonely moments of misspent youth
Much of my quiet contemplation was
Turned to the topic of love and the truth
Behind a question that gave me much pause--
What makes a great love? What thing separates
The spark shared between two souls from the flame
Found between two others? When you look at
It, is great love something you just can't name?
But the years have taught me much about fires
And now I know greatness so very well,
'Cause a great love is a love that inspires
It gives freely a desire to excel.
     It's why we are here, it's why we create.
     Ryan and Amy, what you share is great.

Nice In Theory

Let me make this as clear as humanly
Possible--Guys, you aren't getting turned down
Because you are too nice. Oh no, you see,
When she says "You're a nice guy, but..." just drown
Out that part, it's filler anyways, and
Listen to what comes next--"...not interested."
Those are the words that matter. Don't demand
Some explaination. You weren't arrested,
You don't have a constitutional right
To know why. If you don't eat casserole
Does casserole get to bug you all night
While you try to pick up a sushi bowl?
     Let it go, remembering this advice--
     If you're annoying, that's not very nice.