self portrait

with calm and turmoil

I paint my canvass

guts and grit

dripping from my brush 

I paint boldly

with courage and trust

and when it is dry

it is a self portrait

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

kodachrome

saw you in a photograph 

we met on a crowded street 

I didn't recognize your face

but my heart skipped a beat 

my defenses crumbled 

the wall fell at your feet 

knowingly you step around 

as you made a hasty retreat 

how quickly it all changes 

like the seasons full of treason 

under trance of circumstance 

I'm left without rhyme or reason 

saw you in a photograph 

we met on a crowded street 

I didn't recognize your face 

but my heart sure skipped a beat

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

play

an incomplete pass 

I see it as it spirals 

I am a good catch

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

a song of forever

sing me a song of forever

a slow waltz that we can dance to 

not for a minute or few hours 

but a lifetime with me and with you 

read me a story about loving 

about how it was lost and then found 

make it a happily ever after 

a book that I just can't put down 

tell me again that you love me 

touch me as only you can 

at the end of the day, as the sun fades

show me so I understand

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

mountaintop

on a desert mesa

coyotes howl at the moon 

rattlesnakes slither under rocks 

looking for warmth when it cools

scorpions saunter aimlessly 

looking for prey to sting 

mountain lions search for their next meal 

on turf where they are king 

every cactus, every living plant 

has brambles that cut when touched 

all of these dangers, and many more 

live on God's mountaintop

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

free-fall

I couldn't gauge the distance 

or what this fall might do

I close my eyes, hold you real tight 

and free-fall in love with you 

I feel this rush of passion 

like a needle in a vein 

this drug is mighty addicting 

there's no way I can be saved 

the radiance is astounding 

it shines brightly under the moon 

if I had known how your love felt

I would have fallen much sooner 

so baby, don't you be afraid 

hold me tight and make the leap

I'll be your golden parachute 

what you find is yours to keep

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

crescent moon

my arms are empty 

my heart is full 

my lips not kissed 

my love not missed 

my mind rambles 

through cactus brambles 

under a crescent moon

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

run to me

when you feel the pressure of another long, hard day 

when you think you've had enough of all that's in your way 

when you think you've seen it all and no longer want to believe 

forget it all, hear my call, Baby, run to me 

when you feel like your life is starting to run you 

when you can't remember when last your sky was blue 

when it all explodes and down falls the debris 

forget it all, hear my call, Baby, run to me 

when all of your plans and dreams go up in smoke 

and it gets so heavy you thick you're gonna choke 

when everything breaks down and there's no warranty 

forget it all, hear my call, Baby, run to me 

run to me baby, let me make it all alright 

run to me baby, let me hold you really tight

run to me baby, let me kiss away your fears 

run to me baby, I'm always waiting here

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

thought

thought I heard the door slam but I looked and it was open 

thought I closed the window because the sash was broken

thought I saw your back, the last time you were leaving

thought this was a dream and my heart was deceived

thought I heard you laughing in the morning breeze 

thought I felt your hand giving mine a squeeze

thought I was all done and I'd gotten clean away

thought I was just remembering, you from yesterday 

thought the dance was over after the last song ended 

thought that your last kiss was all I would ever get 

thought I could read your thoughts, I felt it oh so strongly 

thought I could read your heart, I think I may have thought wrong

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

I wish you

here inside 

with what I hide 

I wish you the best 

through tears and a smile 

I wish you love 

to keep you warm 

I wish you hope 

and safety from harm 

I hope all the shadows 

will disappear 

I wish you love 

I wish you love

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

last dance

I was always hoping

there'd be one last dance

slow and sensual 

like it was in the past 

but the music changes 

and you're not in the mood 

I will never have 

that last dance with you

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

untapped shore

this world inside of me 

you chose but would not see

waiting for you to explore 

a distant untapped shore 

all the truth inside 

hidden from blind eyes

a light that doesn't shine 

no seeking, nothing to find 

 a wrong that won't be right 

as it fades away at night 

along with hopes and dreams 

like ripples in a stream 

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

lost

underneath this crescent moon 

how easily a heart can bruise 

I kiss your lips, taste your love 

wanting all that I dreamed of 

getting lost in sea green eyes 

that tell you all with no disguise

get lost in a love that's pure and true 

surrounds, abounds, wraps around you

let me shelter, keep you warm 

protect you from the outside world 

lay your head upon my breast 

let me feel your love expressed 

underneath this crescent moon

how easily a heart can bruise 

I kiss your lips, taste your love 

I want more of all I dreamed of

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

getting free

maybe someday I'll be strong 

maybe it won't take that long 

after thinking half the night 

with dawn I finally see the light 

coffee, thinking clear my head

of all the things that now cause dread

no longer will you get to control me 

a drug I'll kick instead of feed 

I used to have the strength before 

when once addiction closed the door 

my heart out pacing all you pursued 

revenge not sweet but what I knew 

tenses confusing once bestowed 

the things set aside that you well know

I looked them over once or twice 

even with hop it won't suffice 

it's not a poem about feelings sadly 

forsaken love still ends quite badly

baby you're mistaken it's a poem about doing 

what's right for me even if I'm losing

parts of you that just don't fit

truly, that's the gist of it

clearing out all of my heart's debris 

it's a poem about finally getting free

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

verb

love is a verb

a word to be heard 

don't be inert 

cause that will hurt

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

wet

the thunder speaks with its loud voice 

a lightning flash answers its call 

the rain pours down, sheets of pain

its not cleansing, its just wet 

each lightning streak flashes a memory 

each thunder clap imparts a fantasy 

dredging it up from deep within 

it's just a storm and you're still gone

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

kiss

tangle your hands in my long hair 

kiss my face and travel a trail 

make the moon jealous of all you find

don't stop baby, don't stop

slide your hands slowly down my back 

pull me close and hold on tight 

I wanna see stars when I close my eyes 

don't stop baby, don't stop 

light the fire that burns in me 

let your passion set you free 

take it all don't leave any 

don't stop baby, don't stop 

let's leave the world outside tonight 

forget all else while we're alone 

this time is meant for just us two 

don't stop baby, don't stop

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

Wednesday's child

a Wednesday's child full of grace 

complacent and forgiving 

always looking for the good

loving and believing 

Irish anger, green eyes flash 

warning of certain danger 

lightning, thunder feel my wrath 

whenever I am angered 

clouds that form quickly disappear 

after the storm that cleanses 

stand with me under this umbrella 

until the rainbow ending

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

your song

I did not stumble into your song 

I did not falter but fell headlong 

willingly I became part of the tune 

it rhymed for a time because of you 

the one who caught the hidden lines 

metaphors of a long lost time 

it flows prolific in crimson ink

some would argue--that's how it reads 

with deep thought your words from within 

meaning you know and others breathe in 

wanting to be part of your poet's soul 

part of your lyric and loving tempo

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

feather

floating lightly from the sky 

slowly dancing from on high

going deep inside my soul 

this feather weighted like a stone

abandoned in the early stage

when as a storm it silently raged 

left to wade through on my own 

the soil cracked and dry as bone 

I dam all that remains inside 

waiting for a feather to once more glide 

transfusion fresh, a cleansing breath 

always starting over again

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

objects of my reflection

thought collides with feeling 

deep inside of my heart 

organically grown and nurtured 

fresh as each day starts 

some are weeds that threaten my being 

the others blossoming vines 

irrigating, tending, attention stealing

both taking too much of my time 

rain falls heavily from the clouds 

lightning, thunderous and jarring 

all lay muddled in deep, deep puddles 

in my ever expanding garden 

the cohabitants rest inside of me

growing in their own direction

spirited they move internally 

these objects of my reflection

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

soar

waiting for enraptured flight 

the bird now spreads its wings 

soaring high above the clouds

she's off to better things

above the fields of corn and bean

across meadows of waist high  wheat

just a speck to the bare eye 

on her feathers the sun shine streaks

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

kinetically

I'm liking this kind of energy 

through this wire from you to me 

I'm loving the way it's making me feel 

flowing from you so easily 

I'm liking the way this is starting out 

a touch...a spark...kinetically 

moon ascends high on a very clear night 

glowing on us poetically 

I'm liking the way that you express 

all the thoughts you hold inside 

loving the way it's making me feel 

like fireworks when they collide

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

one less song

one less song 

in the night air 

mournful is, 

the nightingale's shrill 

when the evening shadows bleed

one less lament 

carried on the breeze

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

taking hold

spring creeps slowly from the mountains

fragrant breezes lilting downward 

erasing disparity from winter's cold 

cleansing comes, is taking hold

I can see more clearly now 

I know all you said is true 

wind blows clear bending sage and grass 

and what was never meant to last

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