the way

I follow your lead
always behind
trail unfamiliar
path obscured
road blocked
wait for me
take my hand
show me the way

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

dreams on water

hiding behind trees at the lake 

leaves falling in full moon light 

trading all we had for something new 

moonbeams glistening like diamonds 

sparkling dreams on rippling water

over pebbles straight to the ocean 

night birds call, gliding, ascending 

around the corner where the river is bending 

down the timeless banks of change 

where sleeplessness awaits 

searching for a friend to see me through 

the darkest of nights

but I am lost in rock formation 

blades of grass bent by howling winds 

sparkling iridescent in shallow light 

I know I won't be staying here 

living on my hopes and prayers 

just another line 

as my watch clicks the minutes by 

I'll know when my time has come 

to get what's mine 

to give the truth 

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

Prayer

my spirit grows tired 

my soul getting weak 

the sustenance I'm getting 

is not what I need 

can You shed some truth 

on this weary being 

spotlight the things 

that leave me bleeding 

show Yourself please

reach out Your hand 

help me to know 

and to understand 

the path that I travel 

the forks in the road 

show me the reason 

for this shouldered load 

can You hear the prayers? 

these words that I utter 

I say my Amen's 

but maybe I stutter 

show me Your way 

Your truth...don't hold back 

please, take my hand 

put my feet on Your path 

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

holding fast

Cupid's arrow split apart
 the rib cage that protects my heart
 making room for you to fit
 perfectly inside of it

 stretching out, you make your home
 scratching surface, bending bone
 making sure that love gets in
 holding fast through thick or thin

 erasing memory, the brain's hard drive
 deleting all that use to thrive
 in the gray recesses there
 inserted hope to answered prayer

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

every

every minute of every hour
every heartbeat, every thought
every dawn that reaches across
every cloud in this blue sky
every night, every star that glows
every quarter of every moon
every ocean, every tide
every whisper, every sigh
every feeling ever known
every single evening prayer
every dream is always you

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

stardust

in a darkened sky
my angel sees me sleep
'neath galaxies of stars
watching ever over me

sprinkling sweet stardust
to bless me as I dream
of you, of tides, of beaches
of memories that I keep

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

rewind

I rewind the song
memorizing the lyrics
hold them in my heart

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

the truth

the truth is what you find
if that is what you seek
the moment of clarity comes
early morning when I'm most weak

thoughts that weighed too heavy
whenever my mind would stray
seeping from every pore
no longer held at bay

didn't want to see it
subliminal signs were there
rising to my heart's surface
laying it stripped bare

gonna follow it this time
to see where it all leads
if it is everlasting
or a flash that will recede

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

dancing with you

baby would you take me dancing, 

just like we used to do
let's not stay home this evening
let's go and have some fun

I'll put on my little black dress
the one you really like
let's go find some music
and dance late into night

it has been such a long time
since you've spun me around
baby will you take me dancing?
I do love dancing with you

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

fields of clover

you saddled the moon
so we could ride
in fields of clover
and crimson tides

you played the chords
so we could dance
close together
one more chance

you sang the lyrics
I wanted to hear
each beat of you heart
that kept me near

you wrote the words
the meaning clear
thought it was a dream
till you appeared

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

mirage

somewhere in the sunset
hidden pleasures lie
washed with golden sunbeams
invisible to the eye

once I almost saw it
I got so very close
but it was a mirage
just yearning I suppose

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

boundaries

are there for reasons 

sometimes you can make it back 

sometimes you can not

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

breeze

the mountain breeze softly wafts
like the breath of a lover
blowing my hair
kissing my face
I close my eyes
and remember dreams
as fantasy returns

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

Someone I'm Not

There’s a lot of places 

To be someone I’m not 

A façade that I am holding 

Hoping I never get caught 

Acting always acting

like I have got it straight

If they knew what’s underneath

It wouldn't be that great

Strong, is all they'll ever see

No one gets beneath

Keeping up appearances 

A mirror of what they see

Keeping up this misthrow 

Keeping up the inner hell

How long can I do this?

Only time will tell 

If only I can fool them all 

Yeah, that’s the what I think 

But I am only fooling myself 

Bordering on the brink 

It’s me that’s got the answers 

To the questions that they ask 

Pretending I am something 

While hiding behind this mask 

But I will keep on holding fast 

To this pretentious veneer

Till all in side me crumbles

And implodes all hiding here

The racket will be heard for miles

As all inside me rots

Never letting them see at all

I’m something that I'm not

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

buried

didn't need a shovel 

my heart was buried deep 

no light showed through the darkness 

or the walls that were so steep 

didn't see it coming

my head was in the clouds 

safe from all disasters 

the signs apparent now 

didn't feel the earth drop 

as my world started in this spin 

forgot to leave a safety net 

or something in which to depend 

didn't recognize the symptoms 

though I'd seem them once before 

should of heard my mind click 

when you left and closed the door 

didn't get any closure 

didn't want to stop my mind 

the goodbye kiss you gave me

was for the very last time

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

drift

a different place 

in a different time 

when we were together 

when you were mine 

we could have made it 

we might have been fine 

it was the outside influences 

that started the decline

too many headaches 

for one lifetime

a steep, rocky mountain 

which you can not climb 

we started the drift 

lost our mooring line 

no way back 

no longer intertwined 

separate lives 

that can't realign 

we accepted the failure 

and became resigned 

an end to the love affair 

a poem with out rhyme

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

win

I must always win 

competitive by nature 

yes, it is a fault

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

two sides

to every story 

perception, reality 

believe what you need

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

game

it started as a game 

a game without the rules 

invented as we went along

that’s how it was with you 

excitement slowly building 

a stairway winding up 

maybe we climbed to quickly 

I never looked closeup 

should have left out feelings 

and kept it as a sport 

before it got to serious

and I found that I fell short 

need a different perspective 

need to get a grip 

need to rethink all of this 

stop shooting from the hip 

you weren’t the only player 

you are not to blame 

going in with eyes wide open 

culpability is the same

I think it’s time to walk away 

my purpose has been served

there’s nothing going forward 

now that the road has swerved

the memories I take with me 

bittersweet at best keeping 

feelings I keep close to me 

but aborting all the rest

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

ode to a gerbil (ss)

little gerbil in a cage 

running the wheel to work off rage 

hate being locked up

all the day 

waiting for your 

big escape 

wondering what it would be like 

to play in the heat of the sun's rays

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

nitty-gritty

when you filter out the craziness 

of people we have met 

matches not made in Heaven 

you can scoop them up with a net 

some were a waste of time 

there are those we will always regret 

when you get down to the nitty-gritty

I think we're the saneness ones yet

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

web

nothing but sorrow, nothing but ache 

nothing but memories whisper my name 

nothing but sadness, much too severe

nothing but silence is still living here 

too many bridges all that were burned 

too many lessons shelved and unlearned 

no promises ever  were there to be broken 

tender lies promised and sweetly were spoken 

I couldn't change your heart 

I couldn't from the start 

I couldn't change your mind 

I couldn't be more blind 

a tangled, twisted web 

intricately woven in red 

a love that won't flourish 

starves without nourishing

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

Thank You

I give thanks,

every single day

for all of the blessings

I have received

for the little ones far

for you that is near

for happiness received

and waylaid eased fears

Thank You, dear God

and guardian hosts

for keeping me safe

and for those I love most

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

love speaks

I took a chance,
that you would be the one
my banged up heart
beating new beats
life flows in through windows
and doors
long closed
love peeks through mirrored lenses
asking me if I feel lucky
well do I??
yes...yes I do


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

only you

only time can stop 

this dizzy spin I'm in 

hot desert winds 

blowin against my skin 

bringing it to the surface

only time can stop these thoughts 

that flow like a leaky faucet 

or the Niagara Falls,

the sea into the ocean 

only you can fix this

heart that pounds 

like the loud beat of a drum

or a hammer coming down 

echoes of what is lost 

a loud aching sound

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