a bruised heart

will the bruises in
my heart heal
the deep contusions
black and blue
from you
when everywhere I look
songs that I hear
remind me daily
the discoloration
left on my mind
as well as my heart

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

footsteps

I couldn't tell
how this would end
telling my mind
it was all in the plan
yours not mine

I didn't know
I had a lesson to learn
following your lead
listening with my heart
which is now broken

I should have used my mind
trumped your moves
been less oblique
less follower, more leader
should have mastered this game

time will tell
if you won in the end
my heart will heal
but my footsteps will echo
small but deep in your soul

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

Innocent

I used to be the way you are
Innocent and pure
Till life stepped in and changed it
Now, no longer sweet and demure

Needed to grow a thicker shell
Protect my inner self
Though thicker than intended
Purity has been shelved

The things I’ve learned, the pain accrued
Has made me so much tougher
I had to learn to fight back
In order not to suffer

I hope you remain untainted
Keep your sweetness and your charm
Go through this life untouched by this
Go through this life unharmed

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

Blood Line

A fire that burns through wind and rain
A candle lit with eternal flame
Leaving me burning with a different pain
A feeling I can’t give a name

You came to me like a new dawn
Awakening things I thought were gone
Words rewritten to an old song
Holding close, loving strong

Shining on this heart of mine
Hearts that quickly did entwine
Shine on me till the end of time
A new path, a new blood line

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

Shirt Haiku

I'm wearing your shirt,
it is very big on me
I think you don't mind

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

love comes back around

softly now it arches its back
stretches long and yawns
after its little catnap
love comes back around

eyes that see into the dark
claws again retracted
seeing what lays inside my heart
stirring what sleeps therein

purring a sweet melody
a warm resonating sound
circling back, one more chance
love comes back around

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

Struggle

the struggles of life
are what define
happiness and strife
that boggle the mind

a door will shut
another will open
not always black and white
no matter what you're hopin'

the reasons not clear
the borders are blurred
can't go through life
undeterred

take what you get
do the best that you can
accept what is offered
i reach out my hand

learn from the bad
dig yourself out
pull yourself back
growing more devout

this too shall pass
maybe not that quick
i stand by you
through thin and through thick

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

a coin

tossed into a well
what I wish is almost free
but it costs so much

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

My Heart

It’s the things you didn’t plan on
That take you by surprise
A treasure you discover
The things you can’t surmise

It’s the things you didn’t count on
That somehow turn out right
A plethora of emotion
On a very starry night

It’s the things you whisper to me
When we’re dancin’ really close
Swaying to the music
As the cd softly drones

It’s the things you do to please me
Thoughtful, caring, kind
Captures my very essence
Keeps you on my mind

It’s the things that we are planning
The future to unfold
A life of love together
My heart that you now hold

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

rust

in spite of my heart that lays in the open
in spite of the love irrevocably broken
I hitched to a star that shoots from the sky
and all I imagined I saw in your eyes

you saw the future and that I was in trouble
as you sang about the light at the end of your tunnel
the lyrics were vague and I know not for me
but I hung on each word and continued to read

it all fell apart and started to fray
a polaroid that is blurred and time will fade
I pen the same thoughts but in different words
in case you are listening and still haven't heard

I interview each prospect and things it could mean
each one leaves me wanting and lacks what I need
I'm stumbling forward as I give it two shots
and even on my best day, I yearn for what's lost

you tell me to hope, not give up on a belief
you ply me with truth, like the friend that I need
I drink from your cup, and pretend all of these things
as dreams corrode with rust and fantasy intervenes

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

Intensity

The feelings rush over me
like water, pouring over stones in a brook
leaving no part of me untouched

The intensity of the passion,
the warmth of your love,
the power of your touch

I have no will,
no strength to fight this
I surrender to you

When the fervor has ebbed
we lie together side by side
a tangle of arms and legs

This nirvana you bring
resurrects all that I am
and builds a fire in my soul

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

The Price of Love

What is the price on ended love?
I think it’s very high
Dreams and heart are broken
Pride and ego go awry

The time we lost in this romance
Something we can’t get back
Lessons learned are priceless
What was it that we lacked?

And if this was taxable
How much did we invest?
Could we have done it better
When we were put to test

Next time I’ll work harder
To try to make it last
Study all the nuances
Learning from my past

a pretty good start

as I reach an understanding, of what will never be
I wish you all the best, as you wish the same for me
I've pieced it all together in my mind and soon my heart
and if I have to start somewhere, I'd say it's a good start

it was something I was running to, but didn't get that far
something you were running from, it caught you were you were
we were in the same place, but not at the same time
you were granted your wish, while I'm still waitin' on mine

I don't know now what happens, if it all has been too much
if you're tired of understanding, I'm tired of being a crutch
when I finally come to grips with the truth you made me see
that's when you turn your back, take what's left and leave

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

(JJW 6-11-04)

may you always be strong
the world at your feet

may the angels watch over
day and night as you sleep

may you always be mindful
and help those you meet

may you thrive your whole life
and never know defeat

may your life be a treasure
of everything that’s sweet

may you always know love
to make your life complete

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

host

slipping in it finds a host
taking over spirit and soul
coursing quickly through the veins
overpowering heart and brain
oh, the foolish things we do
when love gets a grip on you

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

varnish

I ply the blame like varnish
thickly, it lays down
as long as it's still tacky
best not to love again

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

hearts entwined

with a sigh you draw delight
from every crevice of my being
from day to night and back again
my love and I now sleeping

dream thee dreams of deep content
shallow breath against my skin
draught with slumber do we rest
your head sweetly on my chest

like the tides we rise and fall
pulled by the moon upon shores
love should always be like this
hearts entwined for every more

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

it

it hides its face, like the sun behind a cloud
it screams voicelessly, for me to turn around
I feel it close, but I will never touch
this elusive dream that I want too much

it resides in the shadows, hidden from the light
it's there for a second, gone from open eyes
it whispers my name, it says "I love you"
but when I listen, I know it's not true

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

one soul

deep down inside
where no one has been
you touched me
stirring up
feelings never felt
thoughts not thought
ideas never dreamed
and yet
when you hugged me
that very first time
without even a chaste kiss
only then
did my heart meld with yours
into one soul

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

another day

long after the sudden discovery
a fatal error with no recovery
a thief in the night, I stole away
long ago, another day

I told you once or maybe twice
never heeding my advice
it was never just about me
punctured artery, out I bleed

long ago, another day
before I left, instead of stayed
packed away in a big box
dropped in the ocean
sunk with rocks
 Poetry by M.J.B. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License

Our Day (7 years today 7/10/13)

fifty guests
a champagne dress
clouds, no rain
on our parade

upswept hair
with quite a flair
a camo thigh
my lace will hide

a paisley tie
my handsome guy
your mother's rings
her blessing sings

made by you
some "I Do" brew
a yummy cake
that Holly baked

our special day
perfect, every way
husband and wife
the rest of our lives





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

I had forgotten

I had forgotten this part
this part where love is returned
this part where it wraps you in its golden warmth
where it slips into your thoughts and makes you smile
a remembered comment, a remembered touch, a remembered kiss
I had forgotten this part
the feeling when you said it for the first time
"I love you"...spoken with your lips, your eyes, your heart
I had forgotten....
that love could be like this

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

Midwest

I grew up in the Midwest, living in the country
amongst the cows and fields of corn and soy bean
without close neighbors
my siblings were my playmates and best friends
sweet memories include:
my siblings, still
my first kiss
dances on Friday nights
hometown football games
hanging out at the Tastee Freeze
sleep-overs and camping out under the stars

today, as I pack to go back
the memories flood, the roots still buried deeply
although I now live 2000 miles away
and my Midwestern hometown has changed so much
I look forward to reconnecting,
to revisiting and maybe reliving
all that made me who I am today
a farm town, Midwest girl at heart
in southwestern boots and jeans
who has come home for a little while

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

free

finally it comes
what was different this time?
that has set me free

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

History

crimson flows the tyranny
from those that were oppressed
it starts out with a virus
and quickly does digress
flowing just like lava
hastily it transgessed
till nothing now can stop it
the Patriot is suppressed

History is repeating
our forefathers said it would
there's no way to stop it
even if we could
hate is spewed by violence
will it do some good?
it mounts one of the horses
Revelations said it could

the flag is burning sadly
by those without respect
Patriotism angry
because it goes unchecked
legacy here lays ruined
behind them in neglect
with blood and toppled statues
a cause without connect

what starts out in anger
builds like forrest fires
while the rest lay sleeping
it burns higher and higher
no resistance coming
although it is required
a future lays in turmoil
by those with wicked desires

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