kingdom

I could live forever 

in this kingdom on the beach 

worries left at the border 

my soul at one with the sea

 and as I swim in surf 

warmth and salt soothe me

 this isn't all I want 

but it's exactly what I need

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

liquefy

the feelings liquefy 

from the heat inside

I pour them from my heart 

into a glass measuring cup 

they don't quantify 

there is much less there than I thought 

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

perfect

you say I'm perfect 

seeing what you want to see

faults have been air brushed

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

getting started

you didn't speak a word 

the question on your lips 

I didn't give a reply 

just answered with my kiss 

and we don't hear a sound 

just the beating of our hearts 

pounding validation

of miles we've come since we started

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

maybe later

You said "hey, it's about to happen, 

it could be right now or maybe later" 

I never knew just what you meant 

the time I'm there is overspent

forgive me, I've been here too long

my faith has been used up 

You said "don't go, wait a little longer, 

this shroud is slipping, I'm about to discover... 

where the treasure is hidden" 

I never knew just what you meant 

I swept the cobwebs from the room 

hands on the clock moving backward 

You wonder where the time has gone 

your time is now and you're ready to begin 

do you feel the depth of empty shadow?

breathe the freshness of mountain air 

the time has come but I'm not there

the time has come but I'm not there 

"it's finally time" you say to thin air 

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

hatless cowboy

I found a Stetson cowboy hat 

lodged in some tumbleweed 

somewhere a hatless cowboy 

must be in urgent need 

the western sun relentless 

upon his sweating brow 

burning the tenderness of the face 

unless he's in shadowed boughs 

this poor hat saw better days 

it's dirty from blowing around 

the band is missing, the brim has holes 

from bumping along the ground 

where are you cowboy? I have your hat 

I will keep it here for you 

mount your horse and ride due west 

it's in the valley you'll ride through 

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

when you're ready

come when you're ready to leave the past 

don't pay extra for an overweight bag

leave the shadows in the airport lot 

you can buy anything that you forgot 

enjoy the notion of just being free 

living in the valley where all is green 

when you are finally not coming unglued 

I'll leave the light on just for you 

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

two-steppin

our first long neck,  boots tapping in time
to the steel guitar and music that's prime
gonna dance all night, tomorrow's a day of rest
even if it wasn't we'd watch the dawn crest

when we're two-steppin nothing gets in the way
worked hard this morning so tonight we can play
hanging with friends at this country western dive
you paid for the first-- the only one you'll buy

this wood floor is dusty and some guys are playing pool
a fight will break out cause they don't use rules
baby, when we're dancing nobody else is in this room
we've started the evening and it's over much too soon

Buddy buys a round and takes Susie out to dance
he asked me for one but you told him "not a chance"
with your arm around me we're headin to the floor
the sun will be high when we leave that's for sure

when we're two-steppin nothing gets in the way
worked hard this morning so tonight we can play
hanging with friends at this country western dive
you paid for the first-- the only one you'll buy

the only one you'll buy

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

one last kiss

one last kiss, one final glass of wine 

put on a favorite song and we dance one last time 

a last wish granted 'tween the front of you and me 

I worked way too hard at what I wanted us to be 

a perfect day ends as the sun is sinkin' low 

evening comes real gentle, like a kiss upon a brow 

it all slips away, it came and went so fast 

I wake from this dream that wasn't built to last 

on the table by my bedside, a book of me and you 

the pages loose from longing and all that came unglued

the final chapter written I close it one more time 

pages filled with tears and a stain of sweet red wine 

that day from long ago sealing what once started 

pieces strewn from east to west but you stay in my heart 

thunder crashed and lightning flashed in a desert sky monsoon 

rain won't wash away what I hold that's left from you 

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

A Heart Once Pained

What is it that you want from me?

 I give you all I have 

You just take the things you need 

And disregard the rest 

I give you all required 

That is easy to do 

heart and feeling are in the mix

It’s what I offer you 

I can give you everything

 An offer of love that’s true 

Something that I lost once 

A heart once pained but new

Remove the space between us 

Show me that you can 

The effort won’t be wasted 

Seal this love began 

Take all level’s offered 

Consume my heart and soul 

Erase this constant longing 

To make me, once more, whole 

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

ever or at all

they were two lovers in the night 

staying together till the sunrise 

passion linked with soft sweet sighs 

whenever they could steal the time 

she thought she heard the promise of more 

he always had one foot out the door

it wasn't that loving her was a chore 

that wasn't what he was looking for 

she didn't see it like he did 

she couldn't understand it, not one bit 

every time she mentioned it 

all their time became undid 

he never asked her to please wait 

she saw his back going through the gate 

although the hour was very late 

she knew this time was their last date 

after that last time he didn't call 

her world crashed in and she bawled and bawled 

she thought he really has some gall  

but nothing was offered--ever or at all 

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

oh, nuts

a tough nut to crack 

feelings that you keep intact 

passion oozes past

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

trick

a sleight of hand trick 

that made your heart disappear 

leaving me empty 

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

shadow

my grip was too tight 

holding on to a shadow 

of what used to be 

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

the mirrored image

the image I portray 

reflections of a façade 

oblivious  

by those that I meet 

hairline cracks

miniscule crevices

hard to read;

you should have

looked much deeper

to know the real me

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

dance

slowly we move 

music soft and sweet 

bodies in sync 

nothing fits between

I feel your heart 

you can feel mine 

the song ends

but not what we feel...

not what we have... 

not what we are...

together

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

long may she run

you tell me that I need blue jeans

cause the tailpipe gets so hot 

you say I need leather boots 

in case we should go down 

you slather me with sunscreen 

to protect from wind and sun 

you tighten the strap on my helmet

to make sure it stays on 

all you do to keep me safe 

makes me feel so loved

I climb on up 

away we go 

long may the Victory run

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

spark

that spark that you started 

is now an electrical current 

every capillary charged 

every vein engorged 

as it flows straight to my heart

dizzy I rise

grabbing hold of you

I can't steady my body

when I have already fallen

head over heals

in love

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

the eyes have it

blue eyes see deeply

into my heart and my soul 

love reflects in green eyes 

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

beautiful

you tell me I am beautiful... 

don't you know...

can you not see... 

it is a reflection... 

of what I feel... 

an inner glow... 

that seeps through every pore... 

no longer able to be contained... 

in the chambers of an over-flowing heart...

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

you are

you are everywhere I want to be

in the breeze that blows down from the mountains 

in the long shadows cast by the mesquite trees 

in the light of the moon 

in the glow of the stars 

you are everywhere I want to be

you are every song I want to sing 

every note set to a score 

every beat of my heart 

every line of every love song 

every tempo that we dance slowly to 

you are every song I want to sing 

you are everything I want to feel

the tenderness of your kiss 

the heat of your passion 

the pounding of your heart 

the strength of your love 

you are everything I want to feel 

you are all of these things and more 

you are....

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

Work Haiku

work was a real bitch! 

fires doused like a ranger 

cocktails now for me

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

Freedom?

Pushing all my buttons 

You try to anger me 

I can see it coming 

And will not disagree 

We’ve played this game too many times 

I will not be engaged 

You can do this by yourself 

I refuse to be enraged 

More and more this is the theme 

You wound and then step back 

I know where this is going

I’m wise to these attacks

 

Do you want to be with me 

Or is freedom what you seek? 

I will grant you either one 

But this I do not need 

Think it over, contemplate 

Then get back to me 

Do you want a future 

Or want to be set free?

Canyon

roaming the mountains and the desert floor 

sun high over head, I've been here before 

seeking the answers to the quandaries that plague 

no solutions forth coming-- my resolve diminishing 

and i shout in the canyon the question "WHY" 

and the echo returns  "the promises were lies" 

things that you did and things that you said 

keep ricocheting around inside of my head 

my steps are unsteady did I stray from the path?

thirsting for answers before I can go back 

and i shout in the canyon the question "WHY" 

and the echo returns "the promises were lies" 

the weariness is coming, I stumble and fall 

nothing to grab hold of, there's no help at all  

my direction now falters; which way should I go?

praying for guidance and praying to know 

and I shout in the canyon the question "WHY" 

the echo that returns "the promises were lies" 

heaven betrayed me hell opens it's door 

redemption can't find me on this desert floor 

I've burned all my bridges, hell's flames scorch at me 

there's just no way back--none that I'll ever see

and i shout in the canyon the question "WHY" 

the echo that returns "the promises were lies"

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

Withdrawal Haiku

No Mexico for years 

seems I am in withdrawal 

Do not approach me! 

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