about you

if on a crowded street we meet

filled with shopping throngs 

would you greet me cordially? 

or turn your back and run 

would you smile and say hello? 

or look through me as if I'm not there 

does it leave and empty feeling hanging 

about you in the air? 

would we go for coffee? 

and speak of useless things 

seeing into the future 

talking of what it will bring 

if on a crowded street we meet 

filled with shopping throngs 

would you greet me cordially? 

or turn your back and run

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

all that we are

your eyes are partially open, 

I know you look at me 

what is it I can offer, 

something that you need? 

everyone is looking, 

blindly they can't see 

but I am seeing into you,

and you see into me 

in your darkest hour, 

will you reach for me? 

do you feel me next to you, 

when everything seems gray? 

when the night grows long, 

do you think of me? 

do you see me in the sunset 

and at the break of day? 

is there any room

--room for me there inside? 

I think I saw a glimpse once, 

a glimpse inside your heart 

will it ever come, 

that once upon a time? 

where the shadows fall

--I can see all that we are

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

daughter

you feel like it's going nowhere 

and your slipping off the track 

you can't move into tomorrow 

with all of this on your back 

all I see is anguish 

when I look into your eyes 

no words of comfort I offer 

give you peace of mind 

daughter, you're still young 

and you will find your path 

love will be restored 

rising out of this aftermath 

don't give up on faith 

don't give up on prayer 

look upward to His heavens 

you'll find the answers there 

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

penned with love

there is a sweet, sweet melody 

that's playing in my heart 

simple and slow, easy chords to play 

it comes to me 

on each morning breeze 

staying all day long 

who will write the lyrics? 

to this music my heart knows 

who will sing it to me? 

strumming softly the notes

feeling each verse

the lyrics penned with love

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

today

today changes 

what yesterday meant 

what dissipates 

into the midst 

what dissolves with water 

what once was true 

today changes 

the yesterday in you

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

thought

if I close my eyes 

I will miss all the good stuff

sometimes, I just nap

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

poker

a good poker face 

your hand not tipped 

playing your cards 

close to your chest 

stoic, no tremors 

or betraying what you hold 

as I lay down 

the queen of hearts

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

threadbare

the delicate fabric rends 

once intricately meshed 

carefully woven together

by loving hands

beautifully it hangs 

the cloth, pleasing to the eye

colorful hues 

in a fashionable design

underneath--tattered and shredding 

worn from friction and resistance 

threads now falling on the ground 

the delicate fabric rends 

once intricately meshed 

carefully woven together 

by loving hands 

now frayed and flawed

threadbare

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

the last dance

baby, save the last dance 

save the last dance for me

the music is just right tonight

these lyrics that I feel 

we may not get another chance 

this time, let's do it right

 baby, save the last dance 

the music is ours tonight 

put your arms around me 

pull me to your chest

I can feel your heart beat 

pounding against my breast 

my head upon your shoulder 

we move slowly to the song

the tempo is just perfect 

it's here that I belong 

baby, save the last dance

save the last dance for me

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

metaphors

poets write with metaphors 

to protect their feelings 

letting others read into it--

infusing their own meaning 

sometimes it hits close to home, 

no matter how vague we pen 

obtuseness only goes so far 

when you're in the midst of it 

we write of  many unread books 

and things left in the rain 

 of dances left unfinished 

and songs that we once sang 

we write about opening windows 

and about closing tight the doors 

of dense, white fog and shadows,

shrouds and birds that soar 

we write of finding happiness, 

of thunder and skies of blue 

of footprints in sand, the ocean tides 

and about the crescent moon 

a metaphor does many things, 

it's left to interpretation 

in every singular purpose, 

or every singular situation 

we pen these poems as lyrics 

or tag them spiritually

hoping others will read them

and find the strength they need

some may bring them close to tears

while other make them laugh 

pulling from them what prose will

maybe bringing a sweet repast

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

thank you

thanks for fixing that broken gate 

for making me dinner when I work late 

for rubbing my back--taking my tension away 

at the end of a very, very long day 

thanks for changing the bulb over our bed 

when it blew out right over our heads 

for fixing the plumbing leaking in my shower 

no matter how late or early the hour 

thanks most of all for just being you 

for every single little thing that you do 

for caring for me right from the start 

thanks for mending my broken heart

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

another go

it is just my way...the lightning and thunder 

keeps you on your toes or running for cover 

would you want it to be any other way? 

this roller coaster ride that we both play 

it's the pull of the ocean and deep riptides

it's bigger than life--but black and white 

sometimes like a cd that skips 

or a new gun that kicks a bit

tomorrow we stroll down another path 

burying the pain and the aftermath 

starting over...another new page 

that's how it works, or so you say 

 

sometimes crazy but always amazing 

as we pick the parts that we are saving 

I don't know if we can keep it afloat

as I watch from a shadow in the afterglow 

tenacity and grace give it another go 

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

maturing

matured by damage

over years it was incurred

that is how it works

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

hello, again

let's start again 

"hello, how are you 

do we know each other?" 

this time, let's go slower 

"yes, we've met before,

but it was a while ago" 

can history repeat? 

can it be any sweeter? 

than the time before... 

 "they are playing our song 

would you like to dance?" 

this I remember well!

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

it was you

it wasn't the moon 

that got to me that night 

it wasn't dancing close 

or purely circumstance 

it was much more than that 

it was all of those things 

and much, much more 

it was you

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

a cappella

a cappella 

you tell me you love me 

with a full orchestra 

you show me how much

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

something

I'm packing very little
there's not much that I need
hitting the open highway
for the beach, the sun, the sea

heading for the border
be there early today
I know once I get there
my troubles fade away

pulling out my passport
for examination
many detainees here
waiting on immigration

something about the ambiance
something about that air
something about the evenings
that makes me forget what's here

Mexico, just a dream away
closer than it appears
the climate always perfect
maybe, I'll just stay there

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

roads

some roads lead to nowhere 

some lead to happiness 

some lead you to destruction 

some lead to financial success 

some lead you to heartache

some lead to a dead end 

some lead to a pot of gold

some lead to emptiness 

on some I have been chased 

on some I think I crashed 

on some I have been running 

on some I'm standing still 

some may lead to heaven 

another straight to hell 

I have to keep on going 

cause you can never tell

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

token

every word written on the wall 

one last kiss as you kick the door open 

your back was all I ever saw 

as you hit the ground runnin 

you grabbed what you could 

what you leave, not needed

one of them was me 

flip a token in the turn-style 

lookin for a clean getaway 

all the questions you're leaving 

no simple answers resolve 

it hangs out in the open 

like clothes upon the line 

they may smell fresh from the sweet air 

but the sun sets the spots in 

what is it that's in store? 

can you put it out of sight? 

how does it all end up 

after disillusionment 

if it didn't mean a thing 

and the burden broke your back

the arrow hits the target 

splitting it all in half

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

holding strong

your breeze blowing down from the mountains 

cool and sweet it lifted me 

I heard the crack of roaring thunder

I held strong, never ran for cover 

I saw the flash of zigzagged lightning 

felt the energy but it didn't frighten me 

now my cover may have been blown

but I'm standing firm on this long road 

I turned my back to walk away 

that's when I heard you call my name 

over my shoulder I can see your face

is it time to go or do I remain? 

confusion rocks my very core 

it's always this and nothing more 

still, I hold strong, I hold strong 

am I in it for a minute, or the long haul?

your breeze blowing down from the mountains 

cool and sweet it lifted me 

I heard the crack of roaring thunder

I held strong, never ran for cover

 

I hold strong, I hold strong

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

always back to you

gravity attracts, stronger than a magnet 

force shield broken, I already tried it

there's something I can't put my finger on 

something pulling me back to you 

the steps are steep, but I keep climbing 

up through the clouds to my piece of heaven 

sometimes I slip, I'm close to the edge 

something pulling me back to you 

sometimes there's a light at the end of the tunnel 

sometimes it's dim and my thoughts get muddled 

I'll keep going to get to where you are 

it's worth every penny, no matter the price 

there is something I can't put my finger on 

something that's pulling me back to you 

always, always back to you

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

spark

what is this difference that I feel 

this  instant fire and energy 

from that very first moment 

an instant chemistry 

are you using heavy artillery? 

I don't think it's needed 

if this is you au natural 

you're sweeping me off my feet

just the first electrical spark 

that I've been looking for 

infused right from the very start 

as you reopen that door

your words are just like poetry 

an arrow straight through my heart 

as one misses the opportunity 

another will take it and runs

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

if

if you fell for it

believe that I don't love you 

then you are a fool

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

crown of thorns

it's all curled up, resting demure and sweet 

laying face down, harmless and still 

it snarls and growls like the beast that it is 

when you turn it over or step on its tail 

viciously it bites, inflicting before it runs

there aren't enough drugs to ease its pain 

the bitterness dies and so does regret

like the wind from the mountains 

we change what we can and bury the rest 

no questions of why or who knows what's best 

another failure, another flunked test 

we let it all go, saying never again 

no medals awarded for this crown of thorns 

it shrinks so much smaller as distance grows 

the memories fade like the trail behind

the heart will just keep on

as it just seems to do 

believing that next time 

it will all be different

it will all be different

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

Relationship

Relationships revolve, as they 

Evolve

Laying

A foundation 

That is strong 

In others we plant seeds 

Offering what we both 

Need 

Sealing 

Hearts 

In a lasting 

Partnership 

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