center stage

I rehearsed the lines for the center of your stage
I knew every word by heartI knew the lyrics to every score
that the orchestra would have started
I knew the backdrops for every scene
the costumes to be worn
I knew my cues, and all yours too
as I waited at your stage-door
I knew I was the understudy
when I tried out for the role
I waited in the wings, with arias to singto a heart that was already stolen
but still I waited, anticipated
the time for me would come
the curtain won't rise, to my surprise
after the last not is strummed

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

wild things

my dreams made up of wonder
my back laying in tall grass
trying to see the Milky Way
and what the stars have cast
a spell that I am under
my eyes are open wide
becoming one with sky and moon
in clouds I testify

nothing else comes close
to this bliss--this ecstasy
oozing out of every pour
purged deep from inside of me
it soaks the ground around me
flooding into the desert wash
wild things come to quench their thirst
drinking their fill from what runs off

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

petals

in between the petals
where the sweetness lays
moisture forms like condensation
on glass from humidity
joy lingers by the candle's glow,
long into the night
with lunar beam comes a sweet dream
--half reality, half fantasy
I wake at dawn, stretch and yawn,
languid in your arms
knowing when you slip
inside this vaporous mist
I'll catch you when you fall
I'll catch you when you fall

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

my song

there is a song I keep deep inside
no one has ever heard it before
there is a small crack that light shines through
ajar now is that door
I think I can sing this to you

can you write the music and the melody?
can you hear the whisper of the words I sing?
if I hum a few bars will you sing it with me?
this song that plays in my soul
this song I want you to know

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

pinned dreams

you are in my heart
you're dotting every i
you're in every thought
that crosses across my mind
you're there in my hopes
and on the end of my line
when my cellphone beeps
it's you every time

as I pin each dream
on each little star
each time I turn around
right there you always are
no rain on the horizon
just skies of purest blue
each dream in my heart
is all because of you

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

all nighter

sometimes I go back and visit your memory
rattle the chains, remember what used to be
but the ghosts can't hold me close or kiss like you
I'm tired of these dreams and waking up feeling blue

so I pull an all nighter, stay up 'til dawn creeps in
thinkin I can get past just how it all began
but it doesn't go away, none of these ideas fade
baby, there's no pleasure in all these shades of gray

it plays over and over, always the same routine
when I fall asleep, you over take my dreams
now when I'm awake, no part of you can I shake
just what you left behind, lonely memories and this heartbreak

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

shy of the moon

I keep having the same old dream
where waves brake high on violent seas
where wind blows stars out of clear nights
and I drift aimlessly by the shy of the moon

I've read the books to uncover the meaning
to end this nightmare and this voiceless screaming
but clear understanding I am not receiving
as I go down in the undertow by the shy of the moon

all of my prayers and my Christian beliefs
are not a preserver and won't save me
and while my guardian angel sleeps
I go down for the third time
by the shy of the moon

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

crash

we board on separate tarmacs
for this flight to love's sweet haven
in our needing, love not fleeting
we get what we are craving

but somewhere over the mountains
during our span of glorious days
turbulence shakes our foundation
in just too many ways

this flight that took off smoothly
and those break-ups that we cheated
we would have continued unscathed, if only
my heart hadn't crashed at your feet

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

adieu

I'll take just one day
all the time you can spend
all the love you can lend

I'll take just one night
as passion reignites
and my dreams materialize

I'll take these few hours
till morning when we bid adieu
my mind can't stop my heart
from loving you

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

inspire

on a crisp white page
I pen the words
flowing like lyrics
to my favorite song
and you inspire me
to be all I can be
and the simpleness of this
fills my heart

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

moving target

like a bullet through the barrel
hitting the dead-on center
steady on the trigger
as it makes that clicking sound
a full clip loaded in the grip
as I fire another round
it's not close to being finished
cause I'm just getting started

a silhouette on a wire
with circles for my sight
crippling the paper intruder
as I fire each new round
the feeling of power grips me
when I hit my mark
as I pop one in the chamber
firing one right after another

I flip the switch and bring it
closer for me to admire
looking at the clean-through holes
riddled in this paper
I roll up the cardboard
another "picture" for my garage
but what I have discovered is
I can't hit a moving target

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

it doesn't matter

it doesn't matter what I'm feeling
or if the fantasy is done
it doesn't matter when we're together
or when I am alone
it doesn't matter if the dance
lasted longer than the song
it really doesn't matter
it doesn't matter much at all

it doesn't matter that the sweetness
dried up and withered away
it doesn't matter that the illusion
evaporated with the dreams
it doesn't matter that the sleight of hand
was faster than I could see
it really doesn't matter
it doesn't matter much at all

it doesn't matter that I loved you
with the truest conviction
it doesn't matter that it wasn't returned
I held fast with predilection
it doesn't matter that it's over
and the crimson line is drawn
it really doesn't matter
it doesn't matter much at all

it doesn't matter that the stars
glow brighter than the moon
it doesn't matter that the sun
still finds me awake at dawn
it doesn't matter that I don't sleep
cause then you don't appear
it really doesn't matter
to you and now not to me

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

it all just fits

sometimes it all comes together
sometimes it all just fits
it's like finding the lost piece of a puzzle
or maybe it's just kismet

it's like knowing all the answers to Mensa
or the jeans that meet every contour
it's like meeting your favorite entertainer
when he's on the road doing a tour

it's like living a never ending dream
like stock that finally turns a profit
sometimes it all comes together
sometimes it all just fits

yeah, sometimes it all just fits

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

the way you love me

birds soaring way up in my blue sky
flowers are in bloom from the monsoon when it cries
Nina on my MP3, crooning in my ear
I'm feelin good, it's been awhile since my soul was here

ghosts are laying dormant from a not too distant past
the arrow tips on the scale, don't know how long it will last
I know that while I'm in this place, it's all as it should be
I'm feeling the rush, a royal flush, loving the way you love me

I'm loving the way you love me

the sun sets on the horizon, the moon is on the rise
all I see is my reflection, mirrored in your eyes
unadulterated passion and your heart's sincerity
I'm holding fast, hooked really bad, loving the way you love me

I'm loving the way you love me


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

finish line

the thoughts come thick and quickly
racing around my mind
like a metal rabbit on a track
dogs chasing to the finish line
not a single moment
not a single prayer
is coming into motion
usable in my brain's lair

as I dissect the memories
the good and bad that stay
of different times and feelings
that have led me astray
I write another chapter
in this saga of me and you
the book on my night table
with a lot more penning to do

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

a cool breeze

a cool breeze from the mountains
sweetly it comes down
refreshing and reviving
freshness does surround
like the ebbing of the tide
upon the beach I love
like the lyrics that I sing
from one of my favorite songs
with a taste of creme brulee'
a dessert that is my fave
or a prayer that I offer
at the end of my long day
there just aren't enough metaphors
or adjectives to describe
the feelings you bring to me
since you came into my life...
a cool breeze from the mountains
sweetly it comes down
my valley is never greener
than when you are around

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

fortune

don't listen to what they tell you
how much time must pass
the choice is always yours my friend
how long for you it lasts

everyone thinks they know best
they don't mind sharing with you
instead of letting you forget
what meant the world to you

take the time that's needed
but don't stay lost too long
fortune may smile upon you
if you haven't forgotten the song

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

after all the dust settles

it wasn't a song of forever
it was just for a little while
I recognized the strumming
but not the lyrics to the song
you may not like the comments
but I've never steered you wrong

ya need a place with elbow space
an altitude higher than this
where the breeze wafts fair
a breath of fresh clean air
where shadows can rest for awhile
after all this dust settles down
after all this dust settles down

it wasn't a dance of forever
it was just for a little while
you got close, much closer than most
while the tempo played to my heart
and I got caught up in the intrigue
of what could or could not be

it doesn't turn out like it could have
this story took on quite a spin
but I'm benevolent with this ending
after it all finally falls into place
everything as it should be
what's not happening between you and me

ya need a place where it can hide away
where everything is not as appears
where shadows never see the light of day
smoke hiding the tricks in the mirror
after all this dust settles down
after all this dust settles down

you are quite the visionary
you look inside the box
picking and choosing the links you hold
standards of how it should turn out
knowing what I require, that little piece of you
without the absense of truth and doubt
a true friend through thick and thin
the kind that sees all and still hangs in

it will always be a suffix
as it all takes a different turn
a benefit of what good friends need
every little once in awhile
and I'm all good with that
yeah finally, I'm good with that

after all the dust settles down
after all the dust settles down

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

long lost cause

this moment right here that we suspend
your breathe and mine, end over end
I hear the song of a long lost cause
as we run in circles with no applause

if I travel the long way, the path unknown
there wasn't an easy way back to the road
if I am wrong will you show me the light
where all that I've lost can be found to be right

you can shoot it straight, reload the clip
right straight to the heart--the heart of all of it
listening to what you say as it fades from gray
what goes once around is coming back this way

I don't wanna fight and you won't lose control
the light grows dim and the night gets cold
all I want to hear is my story being told
we're not the only ones caught inside the fold

you wanted was to fly, leaving tracks in the dust
blowing it's direction and thickly forming crust
the keloid  present from other places you knew
you know it's gonna come back--like it always seens to do

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

fifty ways

Paul says there are fifty ways
but he only writes about six
where are the other forty-four
I may need them quick

fifty ways to leave a lover
was written in seventy-five
how about phone or text break-ups
they're easier to contrive

there just isn't a good way
to leave or to be left
one heart wants to be set free
the other jump off of a cliff

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

once more

once more
an open door
weathering yet
another storm
this place you hold
where forgiveness grows
like a tulip
in my soul

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

not heard

I saw you looking
to see if I'd changed
just my looks
or also my name
a message here
a peek a boo there
wonderin' how I am
like you even care

you want to tell
about all of your things
your new life
that brought you wings
a lady fair, who
doesn't even know
bout those old days
why I had to go

go ahead look
I love it all
mostly this guy
my spouse he's called
caring for me
and hearing every word
bringing up stuff
I thought not heard

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

ripples

spinning always spinning
like a windmill in my mind
through dark tunnels
as we funnel
things that work or don't work right

never ending, always beginning
a prefect circle in a spiral
you, the ring around my moon
in the night sky rising higher




ripples flowing, ever growing
from a stone thrown in a stream
thunder crashing, lightning flashing
tenacious and unforgiving

music ringing, keep on singing
as we write a sweet refrain
dancing, ever dancing
raindrops on the window's pane

kindred rocking, a key unlocking
my heart's splintered door
a lighthouse abiding, safely guiding
my waves unto your shore

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

compromise

you won't need to whisper a loving lie
or tell me that you love me by the candle's light
while we caress and kiss, passion burning high
it will fade with the dawn and the morning's light
willingly my heart I again compromise

you don't have to offer a promise of more
when the dance begins and we explore
questions unanswered have been paid for
it will be no different than the times before
a love song sang from the one I adore

you won't need to whisper a loving lie
or tell me that you love me by the candle's light
while we caress and kiss, passion burning high
it will fade with the dawn and the morning's light
but it's what I need to finally say goodbye

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

yesterday

I did leave a mark, like initials carved in a tree
the times we were together will drift in memory
you may not admit that I was ever there
but at night when you're sleepless, apparitions appear

you can still taste the kisses, honey on your lips
you can still feel my presence, when fantasy grips
you can still remember eyes of deepest jade green
and the way that I looked in boots and faded jeans

you may never admit that I did leave a mark
closed off in a chamber, locked in your heart
every now and then your mind will betray
and the marks that I left from our yesterdays

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