Arizona 666

it is much too late
to change my course
to retrace my path
take a different road

this one isn't marked
this one isn't paved
blown rubber from retread tires
a construction hazard zone

this treacherous trail
worse than Arizona 666
no place to pull off
this road that turns and twists

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

toll

it really wasn't quite fair
the profit that came to you
at the cost of my redemption
the recompense I paid

just like a Midwest highway
the tolls they bleed for use
the value of what is measured
set by others at my expense

you pocket the small stipend
my love, my heart, my soul
moving on to the new quarry
an unsuspecting host

never looking over your shoulder
there's nothing that holds you back
a conscience not left muddled
your scruples still unimpaired

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

A Promise Of More

The less important things
are easy to give;
opinions, options, ideas

What if I want more?
Is that a possibility?
Can a wish make it so?

I want it all!
The deeper meaning and feelings
Love, passion, romance

It's not to much to ask
We can build on what we have,
solidify the relationship

Can you make me a promise?
If you feel the same,
a promise of more

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

Paradise

Alone in paradise
A secluded beach
Just for me

A place to put my mind in order
Reflect on my life
The direction it has gone, can go

The waves cleanse
The sand cool and moist
Under my feet

My mind is clear
My spirit strong
My soul at peace

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

disavowed

the way I am feeling
can not be expressed
not by speaking or by prose

all that you said
I took as the truth
and I locked it in my heart

the truth has been disavowed
the promise, revoked
by action that speaks louder than words

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

Lessons From Life

I have learned some lessons
Life has taught me well
To taper my true feelings
And some thoughts not to tell

How to face each challenge
How to move ahead
Make my own decisions
Hopeful and without dread

Contemplate my options
Thinking each one through
Moving swiftly forward
through what life throws at you

Experiencing changes
Happiness, sorry, or strife
It’s what we do that get’s us here
That is this thing called life

Heaven's Door

In dreams you’re lying next to me
I’m at heaven's door
Take me to that special place
You took me once before

In dreams you are devoted
I’m all that you live for
Our loving is so special
Could not ask for more

In dreams I am your center
Your essence and your core
Can not live without me
It’s me that you adore

In dreams you’ll never leave me
Our lives they are entwined
Living, loving to the max
I engulf your mind

In dreams our love is so surreal
Nothing ever comes between
Loving comes so natural
Everything  is serene

And then the daylight it does come
Dreams now fade away
Permanently etched into my mind
The dreams of yesterday

sleep

when the night keeps you from sleeping
with thoughts that cut too deeply
the night folds into another day
while sleep escaped or stayed away

sunrise comes up way to fast
a beautiful day the clouds have cast
another day, you do your best
plenty of coffee and lots of tests

evening comes, you're overtired
your dream card seems again expired
you toss and turn and pillow plump
every noise will make you jump

just when slumber comes your way
alarm clock sounds another day
just two hours is not enough
praying for help as you fill your cup

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

in the middle

I know I got too close
to that burning flame
too late to back away
too late to win this game
oh so many reasons
too long that I stayed
way too many players
to be placing some blame

sometimes it is hard
to figure it all out
sometimes it is clear
when you extract the doubts
what is it that you do
when finally ready to quit
caught up in the middle
between the thin and thick

sometimes it's easy
to figure it all out
sometimes crystal clear
when you weigh in the doubts

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

empty chamber

with the only key
you open the door
to my heart

entering the empty chamber
you hang your love
on a hook

comfortable with the quiet
you whisper sweet words
infusing love through my veins

you close the door behind you
locking it from the inside
you remain

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

cowboy

a cowboy dreams of mountains
and sleeping under stars
after riding open country
trails that have no bars

inner fences that need mending
from what life handed down
seeking answers from saguaro
in the desert that surrounds

the sun that bakes your spirit
cold nights that chill your soul
seeking never finding
what you need to make you whole

maybe higher in the mountains
is the anointing stream
to ease the pain you’re feeling
turning nightmares into dreams

how many nights left lonely?
how many campfires burn?
how many days left thirsty?
how many lessons must you learn?

travel onward cowboy
continue on your quest
keep searching for the answers
so your soul can find some rest

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

list

he said he was looking for something
the things that he had missed
the things that others relish
as he shows her his list

she said she'd help him find it
she peruses what he needs
she smiles and gives it back
saying "yeah, this list is me"

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

red sky

the red sky at night
bleeding passion to the sea
hissing as it cools

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

reality check

you crack that smile
as you tell the truth
your happiness beginning
to finally shine through

it's going to be just fine
as it all gets to the point
let me sleep on it tonight
and I'll get back to you

maybe it's the reality check
finally in the mail
hanging it all out to read
as the hammer hits the nail

it's going to be just fine
it's all coming to that point
let me sleep on it tonight
and I'll get back to you

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

tunnels

way down deep
in the tunnels of my soul
hide the thoughts and feelings
that I have never shown

like a vortex in the ocean
with no ending it begins
circling always circling
as my mind continues to spin

as the hands sweep on a clock
I try to brush them all aside
they keep swimming to the surface
washed in with the high tide

the wall with cracks and fissures
that weakens as I dream
returning when I wake
pebble ripples in a stream

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

revealed

lock the door
leave it all outside
embrace the gift
here that we find

I find the truth
in what I feel
an open heart
your love revealed

lock the door
leave it all outside
embrace the gift
here that we find

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

hero

not looking for a caped crusader
a giant letter on his chest
nor a masked avenger
who's always put to test

I just don't need saving
I can protect me self
it's my heart that needs a hero
to take it from the shelf

no, it doesn't take a hero
who puts his life at stake
you've already won my heart
not much effort did it take

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

not an angel

I'm not an angel by any means
don't float on clouds or live on dreams
I've broken hearts, I've loved and lost
I've paid the piper all it cost

I'm not a drifter on this road
don't carry pain or a heavy load
I learn the lessons, leave the rest
study hard to ace life's tests

I'm not perfect, or pretend to be
don't look to ascend using those near me
I think with my heart, help when I can
a constant penitent, a trusted friend

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

light

hopes and dreams
that burn too fast
not a feeling
meant to last
if I chose
the wrong thing to do
I ask You just what
should I do

show me--can You
shine Your light
send an angel
to be my guide
I ask You
what should I do
shine Your light
shine Your light

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

Just Tell Me

Didn’t know if I could trust you
Your words seemed so sincere
They seemed to come to easily
And were what I needed to hear

Afraid again of heartbreak
Afraid to trust my mind
Afraid of going forward
Afraid of what's behind

You are just too good at this
How many times before
Have you said these very words
Before you slammed the door

Are you trifling with my heart?
Do you mean the things you say?
Do I expect to much of you?
Will you turn and walk away?

Just tell me if I’m a game to you
Just tell me if it’s not real
Just tell me if I’m the one you want
Just tell me how you feel

Just tell me

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

Summit

I’ve finally reached the summit
The climb was long and steep
The view up here is worth it
Miles and miles that I can see

Closer to the angels
Closer to the face of god
Everything in perspective
Let down my black façade

The clouds so close I can almost touch
I am just a tiny speck
On this majestic mountain
After this long, long trek

The solitude here is thunderous
My mind is sharp and clear
The echo of my footsteps
No one close to hear

Soon I’ll need to go back down
It will take me hours
The isolation is deafening
I begin to feel empowered

My thoughts have been collected
My soul has been restored
Back down to my reality
This peak was my reward

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

clock

the tomorrow's pass to quickly
today becomes the past
all the time that drifts away
never to gain it back

I need to slow this freight train down
and savor all that's there
taste the honey's nectar
exploring all that's here

how do we stop the time that floats?
as it loudly ticks away
keeping this precious time we've got
before it's yesterday

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

We Fence (My First Post)

we fence
forward and back, coyly with words
laughing and flirting

we fence
evenly matched, strong wit, strong hearts
no masks, epees glinting, no protection

and just when I think I am gaining ground,
you wound me
quickly and with no mercy

Wounded with silence
wounded with withdrawal
swiftly, you pierced my heart

fire and ice

I'm the sun and the rain
I'm fire and ice
green eyes flash
when I'm angry
a strong wind raging
but it doesn't ever last long

I'm here when you wake
I'm there in your dreams
no escaping the wonder
lightning flash and then thunder
as your soul burns for more

I'm the stars in the sky
and the moon in your night
the last thing that you see
as you drift off to sleep
an apparition of all of
that can be

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

it's not me

it was in front of your eyes
but your eyes were closed
what I tried to hide
all these feelings inside
I know you know
I know you feel
I know you love
I know it's not me

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