He missed the days
When photos were stored
In pockets and lockets
In wallets and homes
Instead of just phones

She walked through
Her front door
In stunned silence
She had not considered
The possibility
It would work out
Yet there she stood
Living the miraculous reality
It did

She would rifle through
Her oversized bag
Pretending to look
For some buried item
To protect herself
From the predatory gaze
Of the man sitting
Across from her
On the night train

There is a space
Between friendship and love
It is possible to occupy
Without either person
Wanting or needing more
No one believed them
It did not matter to them
It was too unique
It was too special
For spectators
To understand

He lived his life in pencil
She lived her life in ink
He did not understand her
She could not comprehend him
Still they decided to write
Their lives together

He felt lonely
For the first time
In a long time
Maybe the first time
In his entire life
He did not know why
Unless it was her
He felt accepted
He felt important
He felt unique
He felt he mattered
When she was there
Maybe lonely
Meant he loved her

f your life is driven solely on concrete proof
You miss the vibe that someone loves you
You miss the hunch that you should try
You miss the gut feeling that you need to leave
You miss messages you need to listen to
Follow those unjustifiable feelings
Go

Once an avid reader
Every book she picked up
She failed to get past page three
Before her mind wandered
To darker realities
She was forced to read daily
On computer screens
Back on the shelf went her book
Perhaps for another day
Another month
Another year

He created his own world
Of thoughts and theories
As a defense mechanism
Preventing emotional connection
The words I love you locked out
Of the nature of his conversations
He denied loving her so vehemently
His heart did not even know it
She did

Your analysis
Your estimation
Your assessment
Of the stranger
Sitting beside you
Means nothing
By comparison
To that strange
Feeling in your chest
From the toxic energy
Permeating the room
Wisdom lives in us
In unexpected ways
We must listen
For survival

I have forgotten
She said with a far off look
How to remember

Blend your hopes and fears

Into possibilities

Now go grab your chance

Bells will jingle
Lights will twinkle
As the holidays roll by
Raise a glass to the past
Ready to be unready
We have mastered the art
Make your resolution for 2022
To keep hope in your heart

The key to creativity is not judging what doesn’t exist yet.

She found herself

Dipping her toes in

Instead of plunging in

To the dreamlike freedom

She had begged for

An endless impossibility

Slowly and suddenly arrived

She needed a hand to hold

To leap into the new known

Monday is the kid in the school yard
Watching all the other days
Get picked for the winning team
Everyone whispering
Monday is the worst
Time to step in
Walk over to Monday
Sit down and say
We got this one kid
You are gonna be great
I’m with you today

Somehow beauty
Feels a little muted
Perhaps the burdens
We carried along our
Freedom trail
Have altered our fabric
A bit more than expected
We are different
Our weary eyes
Beginning to clear
Are the slight shadows
Finally gone from here
Former caged birds
Of thee I sing