Sand Dollars

Seashells washed up on the beach 

With the morning tide

Lots of little tide pools 

Swimming with sea life

Searching for sand dollars

None here to be found 

Walking, looking, finding none 

Not this time around 

Finally, one in seaweed 

A perfect little shell 

Stooping to retrieve it 

Before the ocean swells 

Very, very brittle

It breaks right in my hand 

Keep on searching, seeking more 

None on this smooth sand!

Shelter

Lay down and I’ll watch over you 

Protect and keep you safe 

This can be your haven 

Your shelter, your escape 

My arms will wrap around you 

And hold you when you need 

This love I have to offer 

Let me put your life at ease 

Close your eyes, rest your mind 

While you are in my care 

I will shield and deflect all pain 

Waylay all your fears 

While I sooth your weary brow 

Relax and just let go

Protecting, holding, loving 

Forgetting all life’s woes

Collateral Damage

Fool that I was 

I I fell for your charms 

Putting myself 

In the way of harm 

The words you used 

Disguised the facts 

I see it clearly 

When I look back 

Eagerly I followed 

And let you in 

Dropping the walls 

I’d built within 

My heart unprotected 

You attack my defenses 

Turning my head 

Sending me spinning 

Collateral damage 

From when you were here 

What love that you gave 

Completely disappeared

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

winner

the winner's place in glory 

standing on the dais 

receiving your olive wreath 

you participate in the game 

repeating your mantra 

mentally pushing yourself on 

your opponents are skilled 

hitting their stride

long before you 

practiced excellence 

but you persevere 

blinders to the competitor 

in your own zone 

and in the end 

there can only be one winner

one true champion

but you are only the loser

if you throw your hands up, 

quit and walk away

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

if

if I love 

if I feel

if I trust 

if this is real 

if what you say 

if what you need 

if what I want 

if I proceed 

if my heart spills 

if it’s in your grasp

if I look forward 

if I don’t look back 

if the stress factures 

if it all cracks 

if I piece it together 

if I stay on track 

if it is His will 

if it’s supposed to be 

if it does happen 

if it’s you and me 

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

last night you were here

and you held me close 

singing a song just for me 

you come in my dreams

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

unworn love

my love unworn 

you try it on

looking at yourself in the mirror 

turning around to see how it fits 

not liking the look 

you take it off 

toss it on the floor 

and continue shopping 

for a different size

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

no response, no reply

it was loud and clear

I guess that was your answer 

no thank you works too

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

I dreamed you were here

I dreamed you were here 

we sat on my terrace 

sipping wine under the stars 

the full moon bathing us in lunar light

I dreamed you were here 

singing me a love song 

as we danced, locked together, 

barely moving to the song you sang 

I dreamed you were here 

holding me close under Egyptian sheets 

your whispered words 

surrounding me with love 

morning dawns, the dream fades

as I stretch and turn 

reaching out for you 

finding you weren't there

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

book II

I reread this page 

my favorite in this book 

a book about us

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

cracked

you light the filtered end

of your last cigarette

you were going to kick the habit

but you're not ready yet

dressing for a quick run

to the convenience store

and you're lighting up another

as you walk through the door

home alone with coffee

trying to plan your day

but too many thoughts are rushing

and on and on  they play 

like an old scratched vinyl record

that skips and gets hung up

you pour yourself more coffee

in your chipped and cracked old cup

you toss the cup in the garbage

and buy a set of eight

happy with the decision

now the coffee should taste great

you wash them very carefully

put them in the drying rack

you clink two of them together

and both of them get cracked

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

truce

beneath a white and tattered flag 

rests and uneasy truce 

unfurling over wounded hearts 

and truth that was seduced

one more walking wounded 

one more tourniquet

the battlefield left bloody 

and it's not settled yet 

riddled with holes, it waves in the breeze

over all of this muck and mire

silent the heavy artillery

that rests for several hours

will we ever find armistice?

the peace on either side?

which one will surrender?

and cover their wounded pride 

do we live to fight another day? 

duck and cover from the truth?

how did this get started?

was it with me or you?

the silence of the cease-fire 

that spans on either end 

as we reload our ammo 

I'll break but will not bend 

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

blemish

the mirror reflects every wrinkle 

every blemish and all fine lines 

looking closer in the  brilliant light 

I still see the pieces whole 

though I try to cover it completely

cosmetics just don't do the trick

truth stares back at the end of the day 

when the powder is washed away 

with the breaking of each crimson dawn 

weakness filters in with the sun

after  sweet dreams...how real they seemed 

cotton candied fantasies -- 

before they overcome me 

before I trip on what's not there

I reckon with the reflection 

and how I got from there to here

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

poetry

poetry still flows 

music that you left still plays 

each verse about me

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

happy endings

I believe in happy endings 

and in each new beginning 

I believe that when life is darkest

it's always before the dawn 

I believe the glass is half-full 

just waiting to be topped off 

I believe that what gets broken 

can sometimes be repaired 

I believe if you look deep enough

there is good in everyone 

I believe that the bitterest lemons 

make the sweetest lemonade 

I believe if you want something  

that you can make it happen 

I believe it's a radiant light that shines 

at the end of the dark tunnel 

I believe in silver linings

in every single cloud

I believe that there's a lesson

in every test you face 

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

hollow point haiku

a hollow point, 

it sounds so impersonal, 

in the mag where  lodged

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

Sixth sense

I’m reading you like

the current best seller 

Nothing you can hide 

Your eyes always tell 

I can read your actions 

and I can read your mind 

Filling in the gaps 

From the things that you hide 

I can read the hesitation 

Just tell me if I’m wrong 

Usually dead on accurate 

This curse is quite strong 

So just be straight forward 

Always better than a lie 

My mind’s eye sees through 

everything implied 

The truth is your ally 

Be concise and be real 

Don’t hedge or taint facts 

Don’t try to conceal 

You know I will know

If  the words are not true 

Because I have a sixth sense 

When it comes down to you

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

Heaven's Closed Door

Like a shattered glass 

Edges jagged and sharp 

Cutting into my soul 

With fragmented shards 

Sinking in silence 

Spiraling into an abyss 

Shadows surrounding

Free falling in blackness 

This engulfing nightmare 

Only I’m wide awake 

Tortured and confused 

Which I just can't shake 

I know what is waiting 

I’ve been here before 

No chance of salvation

From heaven’s closed door 

The rage of angel’s 

Their fury unleashed 

The wrath of deities 

Raining down on me

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

A Disingenuous Act

You looked through me 

Like I wasn’t even there 

You were saying words 

That I couldn’t hear 

I thought I knew you better 

I guess it wasn’t so 

The only things I saw 

Were what you put on show 

 A veil of deception 

A cloak of desperation 

A mask of dishonesty 

A shroud of aberration 

A disingenuous act 

That took me by surprise 

A nefarious performance 

That was well disguised 

You looked through me 

To see the other side 

Like I wasn’t even there

A memory brushed aside

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

Roller Coaster

Like an old roller coaster 

With wooden slated tracks

The cars all freshly painted 

The kind we saw way back 

The feeling in the pit of your stomach 

As you slowly start the ride 

Ready with eyes wide open 

With your fears laid to the side 

Starting up the first steep slope 

The excitement starts to build 

Ready for what is coming

Ready for all the thrills 

 And as the ride continues 

Seems like it will never end 

The clicking and the clacking

Going faster around each bend 

You finally ascend the last peak 

The cars all picking up speed 

Descending downward quickly 

Around the corner with eyes squeezed 

Are these not the same feelings? 

You have when you’re in love 

The ups and downs of relationships

Euphoria, highs and lows

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

linger

sweet kisses linger 

on my mind and on my soul

prophecies to come

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

Temptation

Looking for a soul to steal 

You thought you might have mine 

But it won’t be that easy 

I’m afraid I’ll have to decline 

You are right behind me 

As I climb up every rung 

I won’t be overtaken 

I will not be undone 

Tempting me with promise 

Of riches and of glory 

Things I haven’t worked for

I’ve heard that same old story 

Offering up damnation 

Is all I’m reading in you

I won’t forfeit salvation 

I’m not close to being through 

An angel on my shoulder 

My intuition is strong 

Your temptation will not sway me 

I know what’s right and wrong 

This scalp you won’t be adding 

To those there on your belt 

Get thee behind me Satan

In me you will not dwell

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

peace

in chaos I found abandonment

in abandonment, I found peace

I looked too hard for compassion

and for my pain to ease

in quite solitude--what I looked to for

and what I prayed to find

was locked up in a chamber

but hid there this whole time

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

PHD

got a PHD

from the university of hard knocks 

the sheep skin framed 

hanging on my wall 

reminding me of my ineptitudes  

graduating with honors 

top of my class 

no one could touch me 

studied hard for that 

as I move the tassel from the left to right 

shaking hands with those that taught me 

on graduation night

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

knave of hearts

my heart now missing a souvenir 

that you took

displayed on your shelf 

quickly forgotten 

hidden behind the others 

you, the knave of hearts 

a true master of the game 

no deviations from the plan devised 

me, blindsided by moonlight

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