what do I do

what do I do with what I know?
thoughts overgrown with thick, green mold
ghosts of those who once stayed close
black and whites now overexposed
they hang still, on hallowed walls

what do I do with what once was?
portraits blurred; out of focus fuzz
you say forget them, just because
too many that caused such a buzz
they know more than they will tell

what do I do with what's within?
to the sea I confess most sins
all these waves could do me in
will I drown or will I swim
they wash still on sandy shores

what do I do with constant thought?
all the pain and tears it brought
is it for real of just for naught
my heart ensnared and tightly caught
they matter not, they matter not

one more lonely dream

the things that I can’t fathom
the thoughts that rest here deep
I’m laying low and waiting
as those bullets whiz past me
it’s those little things that wounded
those moments I can’t see
can we reach the pinnacle
or all that we can be?

imagination covers
too heavy in this heat
you try to pull the blanket off
I roast in the hot seat
the gash that will not stop
my mind continues to seep
nothing stops the heartache
of a heart that will still bleed

we lay down here together
as usual I don’t sleep
your hand rests on my body
no comfort there for me
it flows out with the current
a bottle floating at sea
coming back to haunt  this room
just one more lonely dream

leave it where it lays

I will try to leave it there
that place history belongs
a blank page of days gone by
throw some sod over it
nothing will grow
barren trees stand with many limbs
ghosts of old memories

move on from there
leave it where it lays
quips like barbs
tear my mind
it is not healthy
nothing good can grown
from those by-gone times

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

red-sky seas

I hear your voice, just a whisper 

I hear you sing it one last time 

I could have sworn I heard you say 

"I loved you" then you turned away 

faded roses in your hand 

from the bed where they were strewn

petals wilted; turning brown 

fall through fingers to the ground 

I didn't see the things you saw 

didn't know that it was there

a heart escapes what's in the air 

the end to a tragic love affair

two lovers in the heat of night 

wait upon the sun to rise 

ships that sail under red-sky seas

 a love without a guaranty

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

DNR

a do not resuscitate 

no heroic measures taken 

a surgical cut deep into flesh 

crimson, flows the love

pooling on the pristine tile 

blood red on angelic white 

footsteps track across the floor 

spreading it from my heart's door 

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

your shirt

you hand me your shirt, the palest of yellow
said this is the one that I wore when we met
you button each one leavin the two at the top
sayin darlin, you sure do make it look hot

I never remember the color of your shirt
all I remember is the total outlook
the careless appeal with that twinkle in your eyes
I knew I was a goner that very first night

my stilettos click on the cool, dark tile
we snuggle up close for a movie and wine
long before the credits have a chance to role
we're lost in the moment of being so close

one by one, each button gets undone
we're back where we started...when I first put it on
nothing but white noise from the plasma tv
the shirt looks good on the floor where it lays

I never remember the color of your shirt
all I remember is the total outlook
the careless appeal with that twinkle in your eyes
I knew I was goner that very first night

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

pure gold

what I shelter deep in here 

one kiss from you makes it all clear 

like a flower that blossoms 

like the sea rushing the shore 

I feel love knocking 

on my heart's door 

yesterday is past tomorrow yet to come 

you hold what I treasure there in your palm 

gingerly you examine with tenderness you hold 

lovingly you offer 

your heart of pure gold

I thought I knew love and all of its games

but I can tell now this isn't the same 

when two hearts beat and echo as one 

the arcs connect and won't be undone 

like a flower that blossoms

 like the sea rushing the shore

I hear you knocking and 

open my heart's door 

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

fade away

you fade away: don't call or text 

a friendship of convenience 

what works for you doesn't for me 

just another wait and we'll see 

I got off at the last stop 

didn't come unglued or blow my top

just slipped away into your past 

you'll see the signs if you look back 

don't worry 'bout me, I'll be fine 

just like every other time 

you can't mend this time what's broke 

I thought you cared--but know you don't

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

free day

I sped past some and never stopped
didn’t slow down or take a look
others had me riding the clutch
they gave less than all they took

the highway curved and I hit bumps
couldn’t see around the turns
dense, green trees and mountains tall
on and on as my life churned

tried to put it in perspective
same old thoughts and vivid dreams
a faceless man without a care
who lived to edit plotted schemes

photo enforcement snapped a shot
ticketed me by US mail
said if I don’t pay the fine
they would send my butt to jail

when I look back on our red past
short in nature, blue in hue
you don’t miss what you don’t have
it all starts and ends with you

just because I don’t write more
doesn’t mean I’ve less to say
poems burn hot inside my brain
for me to blog on a free day

no way back

you stirred the dust and then you left

at this, you always were adept 

after saying things better left unsaid 

you pushed me too far over the ledge 

you dug that hole and you fell in

no caring if you lose or win

this time the cut is way too deep

I knew my love was mine to keep

it's always been this way with you 

you think that this will pay your dues 

the bridge you burn with just one match 

will leave you no way to get back

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

I recall

I recall a face\

kisses, sweet as wine

I recall a place
a memory in time

I recall a night
a million stars that danced
I recall a dream
of flowers and romance

I recall a wish
for a lover that is true
I recall a prayer
fulfilled when I met you

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

our history

a veil removed from my green eyes 

a shroud lifts from the winter skies

this time knowing love will last 

I can see it holding fast 

the future shapes our history

different ones for you and me 

just because we aren't a pair 

doesn't mean that you're not here 

love we shared though once confused 

filled by another and the truth 

we'll always have a special bond 

a friendship formed when love has gone

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

getting there

this road has had some bumps it true 

from the first that I met you 

sometimes cloudy, sometimes sun 

but getting there is half the fun 

you work it out and do your best

 relationships can be a test 

remember when you want to run

that getting there is half the fun 

you forge a bond, your give and take

 and over the coals you may be raked 

but when you put it under the gun 

getting there is half the fun

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

dreams

as you sleep 

I slip into your dreams 

your heart quickening 

as I vacillate through your veins

assaulting every sense 

reaching every corner 

of your being

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

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