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.

Where did you go?

I’m not lyin'
just denyin'
you were here
now you’re not

gave me a kiss
said I’d be missed
that was last week
I think you lied

where did you go?
I don’t know
don’t answer my calls
don’t answer my text

you said I was the one
was it just for fun?
to get what you want
leadin' me along

make it right
is it an oversight?
just tell me the truth
have you moved on?


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

scrabble words without a u

qi, qat, qis, saq, qadi, qaid, qats, qaph, waqf
faqir, niqab, qadis, qaids, qanat, qabla
qorma, talaq, tranq, waqfs, faqirs,
niqabs, qabala, qasida, qawwal
qiblas, qigong, qindar, qintar, qormas, qwerty
sheqel, talaqs, tranqs, yaqona


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

Renewing The Bond

The time, again short
Is very well spent
Reconnecting our lives
How fast it all went

Acting like kids
Playing kid games
Eating pizza and cookies
Free time with no claims

We laugh and we joke
Renewing the bond
It’s like no time has passed
With the way we respond

History repeating
Memories that are new
Till the next time we’re together
Something I look forward to


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

reality

your hands travel
remembering the path
they pioneered

a trail you have mastered
rocking my world
like a C-4 implosion

we reconnect
as if no time has laspsed
as if no distance separates

we make the most
of the short time
we have now

and when the morning comes
the dream ends
reality returns

we part once again
my heart stops
but the clock restarts


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

lay me down

lay me down
cover me with love
under the stars
that glow above

lay me down
cover me with truth
not what I want to hear
but real words from you

lay me down
cover me with your heat
the passion that stirs
whenever we meet

lay me down
cover me with you
hold me and whisper
till we say our adieu’s


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

Something About You

There’s something about you
Yeah, something that I can’t
Put my finger on

There’s an excitement
Like when I was a teen
And I was breaking a rule

There’s a connection
A telepathy that exists
A strong link

There’s a relaxation
Laughing and teasing
Playing, like when we were kids

There’s a friendship
Strong and true
Dependable and real


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

Risk

How can you win
If you don’t even try?
You hit the slippery slope
And try it again

Take some of the risk
You have half a chance
To win her affection
Be the name on her lips

Down shift to high
Leaving tracks as you skid
Going for broke
To hear her soft sighs

Don’t slow down
You’ve got the checkered flag
They are laps behind you
You’re the best all around


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

It’s Not Love

It’s like the addict lookin for his next fix
Or the thrill of the hunt, but setting the prey free
But it’s not love

It’s like your arrow hitting it’s dead center mark
That euphoric ride at a big theme park
But it’s not love

It’s like winning the marathon, ahead of the pack
It’s being able to walk away and not look back
But it’s not love

It’s the adulation of the fans, when you’re in the arena
The stimulation that comes from all of these things
But it’s not love

You bring an excitement that’s hard to describe
Bringing out some traits that I tried to hide
But it’s not love


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

kiss me like you mean it

kiss me like you mean it
not like you don’t feel it
or, like your heart’s just not in it
you started it
so keep following it
but if you are going to kiss me,
then kiss me like you mean it


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

First Love

It’s like spinning the bottle
And watching it turn
Getting kissed first
As you stomach churns

It’s like your first 5 speed
And the fun it brings
Pushing in the clutch
Listening to it sing

It’s like a monsoon storm
On a warm summer night
Lightening flashing
Across the sky

It’s like the excitement that builds
With your first kiss
It’s being in love
And all of this!


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

Sweet Terrain

Constantly down shifting
Riding the clutch
Can’t get higher than 2nd
Too much traffic keeping me from you

My mind is racing
If only these cars would
Stalled on this exchange
Thinking about getting to you

Taking this exit
No congestion here
GPS working well
I’ll be there quicker

Finally, shifting to 5th
Giving the clutch a rest
Driving as fast as my mind thinks
To be with you

I’ll pick you up
Let’s take a drive in the country
Study the trees and the sweet terrain
Behind us, small, in the rear view mirror

We can park in the shade
Walk through the tall Midwest grass
Wade in the cool creek
I will be your sweet terrain


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

memories kept

I remember that day
not long ago
when our paths crossed

an integral part
locked in my heart
memories kept

friendship remains
a foundation of strength
strong conviction

time does not pass
locked in that moment
when our paths crossed


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