tightrope

like a dusty book on the shelf

unread retracting words written or said 

this the tightrope on which I tread 

different dreams you have instead 

nothing ventured nothing spread 

feel my tears not yet shed 

what comes next?

the part you dread

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

hurdle

I ran the distance 

hurdled the thoughts 

the track not clear 

in this dismal fog 

breathless, fatigued

I jump over them all 

one hurdle left 

and I hit the wall

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

be gone

be gone lamented thoughts 

be gone with all your baggage 

leave this pen and paper

don't think of coming back 

let me write of love 

and happy fantasies 

I'm sick of feeling like this 

I'm tired of this elegy 

be gone lamented thoughts 

and don't think of coming back 

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

no consequences

turn your back, stroll away

seeing you go, 

completely unscathed 

conscience clean, 

heart in check 

no consequence 

from this brief trek 

objects are closer 

than they appear 

written on the right side mirror 

my love, my heart, 

indifferently scoffed

stand under the falls, 

and it all rolls off 

what was the wonder 

that you saw on this stage?

this drama macabre 

with shadows of rage

crestfallen and 

sidelined, they 

observe all

ambiguous tastes

that pitch me in hell

in the dark of night 

when feelings swell 

how long I stay?

it's hard to foretell

I just barely, crawled away

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

reread

my ego thought 

that you wrote for me 

and what it read 

filled it with glee 

but looking back 

all those reread

it wasn't about me

just all in my head

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

L

love lays... 

liquid lunar light

licking lips, lobes, 

languid limbs 

lovemaking, 

loosening linens 

loving looks 

leisurely liaison 

lingering, 

lyrical love-song 

love's lullaby

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

silk

love comes easily 

but leaves hard 

one tear falls 

dropping on silk 

staining my blouse

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

nothing

you give not at all 

and it returns back to you 

nothing for nothing

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

you are near

a night of black clouds

rolling over the mountains 

electricity jumps

from cloud to cloud 

thunder crashes, loud and near 

you hold me in your arms 

whispering in my ear 

you are near 

you are here

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

glee

on a cold, rainy day 

it springs forth 

deep from within 

the chamber that holds 

on a cold, rainy day 

transparent silver drops

pour from my heart, 

pelting yours 

leaving puddles at your feet 

 yet, you stay dry

strategically stepping 

instead of splashing in glee

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

every path

the breeze calls your name
brings thoughts of you again
a fire inside that burns
my heart to you returns

warm breath on my cool skin
heat that ignites within
feelings, oh so strong
it's for you that my heart longs

this love I feel is true
all paths leads to you
you're the sunlight in my day
it's you that lights my way

don't want to dream alone
baby, I'm coming home
this love I feel is true
all trails lead to you

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

out of reach

walking on this strand
footprints left in sand
dreams just out of reach
tides wash them to sea

a soggy photograph
a moon that shines and laughs
stars that twinkle on
a disappearing song

mumbling in my sleep
dreams that will not keep
toss and turn again
till dawn finally creeps in

saltwater in my eyes
a face unrecognized
as I swim out to sea
my love drifts right past me

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

shoot

I change my mind
like I change my shoes
and when I'm tense
at the range I shoot
when I am sad
I listen to the blues
I can change lots of things
but I can't change you

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

kyrie eleison

Your light has always shone on me 

the grace instilled with deep belief 

I light a candle and say a prayer 

I can always find You there 

when I pray on bended knee 

a quick "ask" where ever I may be

an answer always come from You 

kyrie eleison, shine Your truth

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

I said

it was the last time 

but my mind made a promise 

my heart could not keep 

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

final photo

he held her hand and stole her heart 

wished her well when he had to go 

his heart aching 

hers was breaking 

they'd gone as far as they could 

the sky was blue, the day was black

rosy tinted when they look back 

the final photo when the camera clicked 

captured an affair 

both deep and intense 

fading smiles, vacant eyes 

a black and white

held in their minds 

framing a shot 

of love that's blind 

he held her hand and stole her heart 

wished her well when he had to go 

his heart aching 

hers was breaking 

they'd gone as far as they could 

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

rider

I saw the rider once again 

on a distant mountaintop 

he didn't wave, he didn't stop 

just turned his back 

and quickly rode off 

I've seen him once or twice before

always the same,

never changes 

watching from afar 

not even a doff of his hat

 

it's a mystery to me 

what is it that he sees? 

down in this valley 

observing, never approaching 

always riding off

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

fuse

the fuse is lit 

a kiss the propellant 

our bodies entwined 

on fire from accelerant 

we burn white-hot 

but we burn too quick 

our liaison had 

a very short wick

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

shooting star

in the valley, 

under darkness of night 

a shooting star 

falls at my feet 

after it's cooled,

I pick it up 

looking at intricacies

turning it over 

a familiarity I see 

what I discover, 

mystery uncovered

it is my dreams 

landed at my feet 

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

electric slide

Between Heaven and Earth

on a wooden floor 

doin the electric slide

givin all we're worth

steel guitars

and a longneck night 

boots slide smoothly 

or tap in time 

cowgirls moving

quickly in line 

dancing late 

in the moon's light 

cowboy up

for one last time

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

love spoken

I can hear you 

surprised at how many ways 

"I've never felt that way" 

can be said 

I see compassion 

in your eyes

the walls I built 

worked so well

keeping you at arms length 

my love still speaks 

leaving a hollow, empty sound 

inside my heart

and falling on deaf ears,

as they drift in moonlight

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

text

a voice-mail number 

text on my screen

my imagination 

parked forever in a dream

satellites scramble 

my heated words 

as you hit delete

now that's absurd!

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

nothing

nothing you can see 

nothing you can say 

nothing is gonna stop me 

or get in my way 

every feeling here 

every idea begins 

every fantasy laid bare 

making my mind spin 

I'm not turning back 

I'm not gonna quit 

I'm in way too deep

this love is way too thick 

don't you feel the love? 

don't you hear my heart? 

don't you think it's time 

to finally let it start?

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

swim

my love for you shines
reflecting on the sea
a million glittering jewels
sparkling in the sun’s light

come and swim in it
dive into its depths
float in its wonder
let it carry you away

Poet

 don't have any expectations
what is it that turned your head?
was it all of the pictures?
or the words from my heart read?
can you be the poet?
the one I've been searching for?
can you fill my heart with romance?
where others have failed before?

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