Starting Over

Going to start over
Going to do it right
Going to listen to my mind
And less to my heart

Going to see what’s out there
Going to start from scratch
Going to initiate a change
And not look back

Going to get happy
Going to set new goals
Going to start a new chapter
And restore my tired soul

Going to fall in love again
Going to reinvent my life
Going to forget about you
And all that we once had


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All That You Need

When you were here before
When things were the same
When you made all the promises
Before it was a game

You looked me in the eyes
Said I was all that you need
And my heart believed you
You were easy to read

I wanted you to notice
When I was not there
And you’d want to be with me
An answer to your prayers

But now my heart hurts
There is no truth to see
Everything has changed now
Everything I believed

Where is it you have gone
Why did you leave me behind
All that’s left is emptiness
I have no piece of mind

Whatever you want
I’m sure you will find
I’m part of your history
That you left behind


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

thoughts

hiding from the truth
that haunts me both night and day
always on my mind


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

reappear haiku

the thunder rumbles
lightning flashes in the night
monsoons reappear


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Part Of The Plan (JHB)

Living our whole life
Pack in as much as we can
Happiness and heartache
All part of the plan

Growing up as kids
The things we get taught
The lessons we learn
Will not be for naught

The things we have seen
The bad and the good
History being made
As we grow to adulthood

Working and striving
To make a good living
Providing for family
If the good lord is willing

Raising our kids
And trying to instill
Things that we’ve learned
So their lives are fulfilled

Growing older by the minute
Still so much to do
Things left undone
That we need to get to

And then one day
We find we are old
Retelling the stories
We’ve already told

And when we look back
At the life that we had
A mixture of emotion
Both happy and sad

But the history is there
And remains in our hearts
Reminding our families
When from life we depart


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

kindred

holding my world
tightly in my hands
keeping it close
not letting anyone in

protecting my ego
protecting my mind
protecting my heart
from those outside

if I let you in
could I get burned
would you crush my world
should you break my heart

a kindred spirit
is what you seem
you have the same thoughts
you have the same dreams

words that seem true
actions that seem real
making me think
making me feel

could you be what
i was looking for
will you rock my world
or implode what’s here

do I take a chance
or lock you out
believing in me
or believing in you


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

a day with the girls haiku

a day with the girls
shopping, lunching, and laughing
catching up on life


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Let Me Be The One

Maybe I could be the one you adore
If you let me in, just open the door
I could be your friend, maybe more
We could see what the future has in store

I could be the one that saves your life
Removing all of your stress and strife
Removing hurt that cuts like a knife
Removing pain from this nonlife

I could be the one, only a matter of time
Before you see with open eyes
How do you know if you don’t try
Up these rungs, start the climb

I could be the one, can you see the truth
And all I have to give to you
The color of love I can suffuse
Not like the ones that were untrue

I could be the one, open your heart’s door
Let me be your friend and maybe more
Let’s see what the future has in store
Let me be the one that you adore


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Letting Go

I’m screening your calls
Deleting your text
Don’t know what you’re thinking
Or what you’ll do next

I know you’re not happy
With the way it turned out
There’s no changing my mind
Of this I’ve no doubt

No convincing or urging
No talking it through
There’s nothing that can happen
No future for me and you

I know my heart
And how it should be
The feelings that should come
And what’s best for me

The passion and sparks
That do come with love
The things we were missing
Our relationship devoid of

I had to let go of you
To keep lookin for what I need
I hope we both find it
And that we both succeed


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

delusion

last night I couldn’t sleep at all
I had delusions that
you were in my arms
under a starry sky and
cloudless night, lunar
glow refracting life
laying still cause if I move
you’ll disappear like you
always seem to do
and I’ll be alone
yet once again, remembering
now and remembering then
restless slumber, fitful sleep
no dreams will come
that can fortify me
an apparition of the way
it used to be, is not a comfort
it is not what I need
I hold on to the illusion
a vision of what could be
the delusion you are in my arms
and all is as it should be


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

wound haiku

wounds that are too deep
the scars that still have not healed
tears, wet on my face


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

MDW (7/11/07)

May you always be happy
And always be sweet

May you always be a help
To those that you meet

May you know not despair
And know not defeat

May you always be truthful
And not show deceit

May your future be happy
Be long and not fleet

May you always know love
To make life complete


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

fear haiku

if the hair stands
up on the back of your neck
don’t ignore the sign


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

snow angel haiku

perfect snow angel
in the white and pristine snow
beauty while it lasts


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Reverie

A life of anticipation
Of expectation and hope
Waiting for the moments
Looking at the broader scope

Doing all the day to day
One day like the next
Working, planning, dreaming
Starting to feel perplexed

Many months of reverie
Awake but in a trance
Thinking about those moments
About the one big chance

What I get is nothing special
No excitement, no big thrill
Just the doldrums of plain living
My dreams are not fulfilled

Still I wait and wonder
Will my imaginings come true
Pondering a future
Painted in crimson hues


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

brittle stars

When I think about it
Overlooking the regrets
Weighing the past options
The things that we forget

Could it have been different
Skipping past the hurt
Touching on the loving
Everything else inert

Focusing on the passion
A band aid on the mars
Doing all required
Catching the brittle stars

Disappearing magic
Evaporating dreams
Vanishing of feelings
Going to extremes

Pushing for more options
To keep us on the track
Alternatives way too limited
There is no going back


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

beginning haiku

it’s the beginning
when all is shiny and new
before the heartbreak


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

500

It started as a joke
something fun to do
Becoming much more serious
as my budding talent grew
You noticed and remarked
from the very start
You saw it as more,
written from my heart
You always encouraged
and urged me on
Said I was prolific
which I built upon
Multifarious words about
feelings and hope
Thoughts put in verse,
haiku and prose
Thanks for the mentoring
that you’ve given me
The courage to write
a talent set free


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Labyrinth Haiku

complex labyrinth
surrounding the heart I love
do not keep me out


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Broken

The leap I made was of pure faith
And the trust I had in you
We were fools to think
That this was the thing to do

Recovery will not be quick
If it comes at all
The price I paid is much to steep
I’m broken from the fall

The prayers will not be answered
The candles remain unlit
Our selfishness has cost us
It is us that we forfeit

And hope returns to slowly
After the tears long shed
Diminishing the passion
From the short time that we had


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

surrender haiku

surrender your love
surround me with your passion
swathe me in your warmth


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

squiggly line

passionate feelings running high
crossing the squiggly line implied
a relationship that can be sublime

somehow things get all mixed up
is it that we care too much
observances that hurt when touched

don't hurt my heart, that would be crime
skip the heartache, fast forward time
we need rules that are more defined

reassess the way we are
feelings moved into the heart
awareness now is very stark

if we are in the same place
we need to cut right to the chase
the squiggly line can be erased

I now think we both can win
looking back at where we’ve been
that squiggly line is pretty thin


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

kiss haiku

the warmth of your breath
as you lean in to kiss me
hands locked in my hair


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Loaning Love

Who was I to make you want
I know that I act nonchalant
Wanting what you can not have
Loaning love, no permanent path

Build a wall protect your heart
I told you this from the very start
Can’t you see my heart’s not true
You should do what’s best for you

Turn and walk, give me space
Leave me here, your steps retrace
I’ll only hurt you, leave you blue
Break your heart before we’re through

Don’t know how this came to be
But I know my heart is free
Can’t be tamed, can’t be caged
Sorry I can’t help assuage

I’ve purged the doubt, purged the guilt
My spirit free, my soul rebuilt
I’m doing what is best for me
Sorry you’re hit with debris


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Monsoon Haiku

I love the monsoons
lightning and torrential rain
washing the desert


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

ambivalent haiku

I’m ambivalent
uncertain and unable
that sums it all up


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

no chance

no chance to hold on
to what was slipping
not strong enough
it’s leaking through my fingers

my hands aren’t big enough
to grasp what’s left
to clutch it to me
to savor the rest

yanked from my grip
my fingers bleeding and raw
like the heart that is empty
now that you’re gone


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

vanished (7/3/71)

the years past
memories fade
into the yesterdays

what was once bright
is now so dim
and has lost it’s shine

what I thought was forever
was over too quick
your promises, vanished

left alone
the future buried
beside of you


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

marionette

a marionette strung up to a
couple of sticks, manipulated
by faceless hands

forced to dance to
a tune not my own
no will to disobey

dance puppet, dance
twirl and jump, all the
while the strings twist

no release from
the wires that hold
strong and secure


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

a reason to believe

a reason to believe
that what I feel is true

a reason to believe
you feel the same way too

a reason to believe
that although this is all new

a reason to believe
we can make it through

a reason to believe
you won’t leave me blue

a reason to believe
you’ll never be untrue

a reason to believe
that this was overdue

a reason to believe
that one has become two

a reason to believe
that I’m in love with you


Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.