sleep

laying next to you
the moon reflects on your face
as I watch you sleep

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

The Valley

he bridles his horse
and swings into the saddle
for a journey that’s long
and driven by passion

he left her in the valley
and the months had been hard
it was time to head home
and to her waiting arms

her voice was the wind
whispering in his ear
pushing him harder
bringing him near

he rides through the day
till he’s weary and beat
under unrelenting sun
and the desert’s dry heat

he spurs his horse onward
stars now light the sky
and when he beds down
he dreams of green eyes

he wakes very early
one more long day’s ride
till he’s back in the valley
till she’s by his side

once again he mounts
and gallops to the west
heading for the mountains
and an end to his quest

he’ll be there by nightfall
renewing all that he’d left
the months of pure torture
months feeling bereft

and the wind that blows on him
is gentle and sweet
she’s calling him home
this time never to leave

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

legends

your mind is living free
and the legend outlives
without any trust
or what it can give
always been a stranger
but you are in serious danger
of giving up arcane beliefs

let down your guard
you don't need protection
disregard the techno images
and live by random selection
your heart is not for sale
there is no price for its freedom
but all the things you use
are there longer than you need them

where is it that you go
when change is coming down?
who is it that you love?
that makes your heart pound
in a place of constant strangers
you are in serious danger
of giving up on your heart's beliefs

I can stay behind
or wait in the sidelines
while your love runs blindly away
let down your guard
you don't need protection from me
it has always been what I led you to believe

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

for my love

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

Glock 45

just like Jack Bauer
I load a Glock forty five
and my clip is full

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

end of the game

if you knew what was real
would you turn and run
from all that I feel, since I
knew you were the one

if I told you the truth
would it make your mind spin
what would you do
with your feelings within

would you respond in kind
with feelings the same
or pretend you are blind
with nothing to proclaim

if I give you my heart
what will remain
will it be a new start
or the end of this game

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

wish

wishes put inside a jar
way up high for none to see
always adding to the lot
things I want, not stuff I need

maybe someday I'll read through
this overflowing must have list
although today is not the day
there is nothing that I miss

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

levels

different kinds of love
different levels of love

love for our children
love for parents, siblings
love for another
love for a place
or book, or hobby
inanimate objects

we can't help
what we feel or when
we can conceal or bury
not healthy!
like cream, it still
rolls to the top
it's what you do
about it that counts

unrequited
harsh, hurtful, hell
no matter how soft
the words, it is still
just that, rejection

reflect, redirect, remove
reason, rationalize

move on

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

one tear

falls from veiled green eyes
a heart that's torn, compromised
words, the weapon used

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

melancholy

I walked along the beach
and didn't think about you
as I wandered up the coast
melancholy and blue
but I don't think it's because
I was thinking about you

wasn't thinking about the way
your eyes twinkled like the stars
wasn't thinking about the way
we held hands in the car
wasn't thinking about the way
you didn't leave your mark

I stopped thinking about the way
your love brought such delight
the things you whispered to me
as you held me in the night
all the kisses you bestowed
when you held me so tight

I keep wandering on the beach
not thinking about these things
not the song my phone would play
you had that special ring
it has all but disappeared
with the song my heart would sing

the sea is rushing in
and it whispers a love song
that echoes in my heart
when I think about what went wrong
the short time you were here
a long time you've been gone

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

Modification

Now some time off for myself
Thinking about a change
A new life, more exciting
A lot needs rearranged

Woke up in the morning
On that very first day
Did absolutely nothing
Neither work nor play

On the second day I thought
I will make a list
All the things I want to change
All the things I’ve missed

By evening, I’m still sitting
The paper is blank and clean
Don’t know where my mind’s at
Can’t put down what I mean

Third day, now I’m thinking hard
Paper still in hand
No thoughts are coming to me
Nothing here to plan

This is just ridiculous
I thought I was a mess
A lot that needed fixing
But now I feel I’m blessed

I guess I just needed vacation
To rest my mind and soul
My life is actually very good
I think I’m hitting goals

No mending, no repairing
No modification here
Keep on pushing forward
My mind and soul are clear

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

lighthouse

my thoughts are very broken
emptiness echoes inside
resounding against my soul
unwilling to subside

focusing on this pain
the only thing I feel
left here raw and bleeding
a heart refusing to heal

did I let you down?
not give you what you need?
did I hurt you, sweetest friend?
not live up to your beliefs?

no sunny days will greet me
no stars will light my night
no lunar glow will guide me
all that is now denied

will you leave me adrift
on this sea where all is black
with no beam from the lighthouse
to show me the way back

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

out of time

do you think that it was luck
said your time was almost up
studying this page
interesting reading
a mystery to unravel

a surprise in a small package
a present for your soul
a gift for your mind
tied up with pretty ribbon
waiting to be unwrapped

it wasn't just luck
kismet more like it
the stars aligned
when the two worlds collided
the things you see in me
are hiding in you as well

with sleight of hand
you may try to disappear
my smoke and mirror trick
that will always keep you near
I can see it all
a prophecy foretold

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

Unrequited

U - unreciprocated
N - never
R - rebuffed
E - empty
Q - quietus
U - useless
I - ignored
T - torn
E - eradicated
D - destroyed

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

through the rocky soil

after winter’s cold
shooting up past barriers
a tulip now grows

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

my heart needs a song

can you sing one just for me
a song of promise
a song of passion
a song about you and me

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

subtleties

I caught that look in your eyes
one you thought I didn't see
but I was paying attention
to all those subtleties

you hold me at arms length
and keep your feelings in check
I think it's a contradiction
that you're less than direct

I'm standing at the station
this train is about to leave
give me something to hang on to
other than what's perceived

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

tears fall

as your world falls apart
I try to put you together again
just like before

as your heart breaks
I try to capture all the pieces
and reconstruct it

as your tears fall
I try to catch them all
and bring back your sun

as your love incinerates
I try to put out the flames
and salvage some for your future

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

can't

can’t change the flow of the river
can’t change the course of the storm
can’t change the way this is going
no way I can turn this around

can’t turn the tide in the ocean
can’t pull the stars from the sky
can’t keep the moon from rising
no matter how hard I strive

can’t keep the wind from blowing
can’t make the warm sun shine
can’t stop the way I’m feeling
don’t want to even try

can’t stop the flood of emotion
can’t heal the heart that breaks
can’t dry the tears I’m crying
won’t make a difference anyway

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

Return

laying awake
as I always do
the moon shining
a silver, frosty glow
washing my room
with the lunar light
not a comfort
as it should be
instead, it makes me
miss you more, when
under the same glow
passion stirred and peaked
and the loneliness stays
here in this room
waiting for your return

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

Runaway Train

Out of control
Like a runaway train
No one to turn to
Or ease this pain

Speeding forward
Past all of the stops
The brake isn’t working
Running till I drop

All of the past lessons
Are not helping now
This time it is different
No help with why or how

I know I can’t keep going
I know there is a turn
I know it won’t be long
Before I crash and burn

Trying to get control
Before I go off track
Even prayers aren’t helping
There is no lit way back

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

shaken

your heart is shaken
it's perspective now jaded
no strength to move on

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

Daughter

We fight, like kids
I’m on your level in a heartbeat
It’s was always like this

I have more experience
I have been where you are
I know how you feel

Why do you ask
If you don’t want to know
If you don’t want an answer

Let me protect you
Help you through this
Do my job

Where you are concerned
I want what’s best
I can’t turn my head, my heart

You manipulate, and avoid
That is what you always do
I know this about you, always have

You always want to run
Take the easy way out
Give in and give up

I won’t let you this time
I can’t do it this time
Don't ask me to

So I push and I push hard
Just like when you were little
That daughter, will never change

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

Not a Children’s Rhyme

Could you, would you start this thing
Could you, would you make me sing
Could you put your hands right here
Could you make your position clear

Could you, would you unbutton this
Could you, would you with a kiss
Could you remove my jacket like so
Could you do it really slow

Could you, would you remove my belt
Could you hurry before I melt
Could you, would you undo this snap
Could you move closer, there's too much gap

Could you, would you take more care
Could you move over, you're pulling my hair
Could you, would you turn off the light
Could you love me with all your might

Could you, would you take your time
Could you make me feel sublime
Could you, would you slowly ignite
Could you, would you stay the night

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

The Right Moves

It’s like having it all
In the grasp of your hands
Owning the world
Making your stand

It’s like the feeling that comes
When everything is right
Planets all aligned
Future looks bright

It’s like knowing yourself
Making all the right moves
Mistakes in the past
Doing what’s right for you

It’s like doing your best
And being precise
And it all comes together
When you roll the dice

It’s like taking the chance
Laying it on the line
Getting more than you planned
In this lifetime

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