meeting – three good words

January 6, 2015February 9, 2015

one to another

to write about the touch
the moment
to write because you miss
a kiss
the warmth of a known body
the smoothness of once-touched skin

to know you
and yet i don’t
not entirely
but intimately
between yes and no
and unspoken words
like the swish of sheets
in between

we’ve met before
known each other
in a time
another place
long ago
days, weeks, months
and moments together
one to another

for a heart remembers
runs and jumps
at a long-lost sight
while that which cautions
worries
cries foul in the brightest light
sings itself to sleep

within the embrace
smooth like water
an unclenched fist
open wide
to memories, present
a quiet rejoicing
together,
no longer apart.

December 23, 2014

same ol’, same ol’

Every year
the drama begins
sitting around the table
eating drinking
making merry
singing carols and songs wassailing

And then it happens,
right among the joyous crowd
that one little word
that one precious tone
eyes wide, pursed lips
a silence full ‘Oh-oh’ and ‘Here we go’
Oh God did you have to start that now?’

And the mayhem begins
the rants, arguments
and loud angry shouts
Uncle George, please
Aunt Jemma, why? Granma!
and Tammy, hold your tongue
Lucas, stop egging him on
but Ian and Joyce pour more oil into the fire
Eddie and Sara smiling sadly, looking on,
it’s all so predictable like that 12 days song

That one little look
that one small word
a sigh, a warning
sent out with serious eyes
‘Please, have another drink’
‘No, that’s what started it!’
The wine, the grog
those glasses of homemade eggnog
all of them pistol-shots to
The He said She said Marathon:

‘I never said’, ‘You did say’
This, that and remember that day
two, three, ten years ago
‘When I was a kid’
and everyone groans,
sighs, heads shaking, while eyes are rolled

Every single year, back when we played in the snow,
Every single Christmas that comes and goes.

November 12, 2014November 13, 2014

chemistry

lights, flickering
a look, a smile
surprise

a question, an answer
words spoken, laughter
leaning close, closer
a little closer

so close
molecules mingle to
chemistry

a look, a touch
a question
more words, laughter
less noise, less chatter
talking, teasing,
so close, there’s only
together

a sudden silence
warm against what’s mine
smooth, soft
seven seconds of perfect
really just right

and then the world’s returned
friends talking, people shouting
glasses clinking, bottles smashing
lights glaring, beats blasting
that girl’s getting hammered
this boy’s beyond annoyed
some guy shouting
into a bored girl’s ear
while another drags her boy off home

…but I know it’s just a matter of time
where like dark honey
lying low
deep down
where your voice is sound

we’ll find everything we need to know
slip and slide like liquid
through fingers
into the palm of a long, long
moment