Love
two souls are one, though in separate bodies
understanding, deeper than words or thought
love, deeper than action or reason
truth, deeper than pride or need
God’s gift, greater than our humanness deserves
the boundaries of individuality are broken
the walls from hurt are never built
your life is my life
1999
understanding, deeper than words or thought
love, deeper than action or reason
truth, deeper than pride or need
God’s gift, greater than our humanness deserves
the boundaries of individuality are broken
the walls from hurt are never built
your life is my life
1999
A date
Now, as the trees fondly listen
branches whispering their approval
above our heads, close as eyelashes felt
breath warm on each other's skin
as we sit holding hands on the old park bench.
They hear laughter like birdsong
words of love like afternoon rain
soft and comforting.
They understand the language
blanket us with their shadows
let the stars through to share the joy.
We are not that far from them
light years are nothing.
1999
branches whispering their approval
above our heads, close as eyelashes felt
breath warm on each other's skin
as we sit holding hands on the old park bench.
They hear laughter like birdsong
words of love like afternoon rain
soft and comforting.
They understand the language
blanket us with their shadows
let the stars through to share the joy.
We are not that far from them
light years are nothing.
1999
A New Song
Dark thoughts like dust around me swirled
As I buried my soul in the dirt of the world--
Not looking ahead to my reward,
Or thinking of Jesus my Lord.
Then the words of a song pierced my heart:
“Remember where your treasure’s stored.”
Heart lifted, I found my despondency eschewed
With hope that my walk with God would be renewed.
I fixed my thoughts on His saving grace,
And the truths which I had so eagerly embraced,
While another song soared like a dove to my soul:
“We shall behold Him, then face to face.”
Now deeply moved, I drank it in,
The music reminding me of my Friend
And how his face one day I’ll see.
I cried, praising him with my heart’s rhapsody
As the words of the final song rose to me:
“Joyful, joyful, Lord, we adore thee!”
1999
“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.” - Psalm 40:3
As I buried my soul in the dirt of the world--
Not looking ahead to my reward,
Or thinking of Jesus my Lord.
Then the words of a song pierced my heart:
“Remember where your treasure’s stored.”
Heart lifted, I found my despondency eschewed
With hope that my walk with God would be renewed.
I fixed my thoughts on His saving grace,
And the truths which I had so eagerly embraced,
While another song soared like a dove to my soul:
“We shall behold Him, then face to face.”
Now deeply moved, I drank it in,
The music reminding me of my Friend
And how his face one day I’ll see.
I cried, praising him with my heart’s rhapsody
As the words of the final song rose to me:
“Joyful, joyful, Lord, we adore thee!”
1999
“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.” - Psalm 40:3
Dressing in the Dark
I didn't think
I loved you,
But I do
The pain that comes with
Each thought of you
Tells me I do
Like getting dressed in the blackness
of an early morning room,
It is uncertain, this
Stumbling forward
To embrace new feelings
Possibly unreturned.
But to stifle and resist them
Is worse than fear.
I take the fear and make it my own,
Reveling in it as in the cold morning air on my skin
Letting it bring all of me to life.
Maybe I'll never know the look from you
That tells me I am loved
Maybe you'll look at someone else that way
Maybe you already have
But to imagine that look
Is almost as sweet
As the real thing
Sometimes I think I've seen it in your eyes already
But imagination is my forte.
So I'm still dressing in the dark.
While I pull on these new clothes I wonder
What will dawn reveal?
Whatever it is,
I'll be content;
It is enough that I am awake.
1996
I loved you,
But I do
The pain that comes with
Each thought of you
Tells me I do
Like getting dressed in the blackness
of an early morning room,
It is uncertain, this
Stumbling forward
To embrace new feelings
Possibly unreturned.
But to stifle and resist them
Is worse than fear.
I take the fear and make it my own,
Reveling in it as in the cold morning air on my skin
Letting it bring all of me to life.
Maybe I'll never know the look from you
That tells me I am loved
Maybe you'll look at someone else that way
Maybe you already have
But to imagine that look
Is almost as sweet
As the real thing
Sometimes I think I've seen it in your eyes already
But imagination is my forte.
So I'm still dressing in the dark.
While I pull on these new clothes I wonder
What will dawn reveal?
Whatever it is,
I'll be content;
It is enough that I am awake.
1996
Silence In My Heart
There's a silence in my heart.
It won't go away with loud music
Or the laughter of friends
Or praise from people
Or following the rules.
There's a silence in my heart.
It can only be broken by
The sound of a bloody whip lashing through the air
for the thirty-ninth time
The sound of nails hammered through flesh and bone and wood
The sound of the people screaming,
“Crucify him! Crucify him!“
and taunting,
“Save yourself if you are the Christ!“
The sound of one voice, rising above them all,
piercing and lonely:
“My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?“
While somewhere a woman cries.
1993
It won't go away with loud music
Or the laughter of friends
Or praise from people
Or following the rules.
There's a silence in my heart.
It can only be broken by
The sound of a bloody whip lashing through the air
for the thirty-ninth time
The sound of nails hammered through flesh and bone and wood
The sound of the people screaming,
“Crucify him! Crucify him!“
and taunting,
“Save yourself if you are the Christ!“
The sound of one voice, rising above them all,
piercing and lonely:
“My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?“
While somewhere a woman cries.
1993
I wanted to write poetry
I wanted to write poetry;
You gave me the language to express my heart.
I wanted to make music;
You gave me the wind upon which it soars.
I wanted to paint with shades of color
deeper than beauty or thought;
You gave me the canvas of Your glory and splendor.
I wanted to escape from the empty shell of myself;
In you I lose myself and am found.
I wanted acceptance and discipline;
You gave me a family and a home, where
no matter who I am, I am loved and can love.
I wanted to know that life means something;
You gave me a purpose in life
that means more than my life.
I will never deserve You.
Without You I am nothing,
My Lord, Savior and God.
1990
You gave me the language to express my heart.
I wanted to make music;
You gave me the wind upon which it soars.
I wanted to paint with shades of color
deeper than beauty or thought;
You gave me the canvas of Your glory and splendor.
I wanted to escape from the empty shell of myself;
In you I lose myself and am found.
I wanted acceptance and discipline;
You gave me a family and a home, where
no matter who I am, I am loved and can love.
I wanted to know that life means something;
You gave me a purpose in life
that means more than my life.
I will never deserve You.
Without You I am nothing,
My Lord, Savior and God.
1990
Mermaid Song (A Sonnet)
Sadly on the barnacled rock she kneels,
Gazing with drooped shoulders toward the shore,
Where, unaware of the love her song reveals,
Her prince awakens to echoes heard no more.
In the deadly storm, their fates were one, though
She a sea princess, he a prince on land;
And knowing that her new love meant but woe,
She, his savior, sang to him on the sand.
Sweet melodies lending to her love a form,
The little mermaid cradled soft his head,
As he in sleep felt on his cheek hands warm,
And, as in dreams, saw brilliant smile, lips red.
But torn from dreams as to the waves she dives,
For how can sea and land unite two lives?
1990
Gazing with drooped shoulders toward the shore,
Where, unaware of the love her song reveals,
Her prince awakens to echoes heard no more.
In the deadly storm, their fates were one, though
She a sea princess, he a prince on land;
And knowing that her new love meant but woe,
She, his savior, sang to him on the sand.
Sweet melodies lending to her love a form,
The little mermaid cradled soft his head,
As he in sleep felt on his cheek hands warm,
And, as in dreams, saw brilliant smile, lips red.
But torn from dreams as to the waves she dives,
For how can sea and land unite two lives?
1990
Myself
I am a unicorn, wild and free.
All but the pure of heart
see me as a common horse.
None can catch me unless I permit it.
I lay my head in the laps of fair maidens,
And trust them even when
they betray me to the hunters
who want me only for my horn.
To the wisest professor I am a Mystery.
Alone in my forest
with none but the witless animals to comfort me
I forever search for others of my kind.
Maybe someday I will find them.
1985 (age 14)
All but the pure of heart
see me as a common horse.
None can catch me unless I permit it.
I lay my head in the laps of fair maidens,
And trust them even when
they betray me to the hunters
who want me only for my horn.
To the wisest professor I am a Mystery.
Alone in my forest
with none but the witless animals to comfort me
I forever search for others of my kind.
Maybe someday I will find them.
1985 (age 14)
Ice Skating
Smooth ice
Guiding my feet
Gentle wave of power
Urging me on
On across the ice
As man to water.
Flashing blade
Cutting your surface
It does not pain you
Water has no feeling
It is subjected to the skater
And the skater is joyful
As man to water.
1983 (age 12)
Guiding my feet
Gentle wave of power
Urging me on
On across the ice
As man to water.
Flashing blade
Cutting your surface
It does not pain you
Water has no feeling
It is subjected to the skater
And the skater is joyful
As man to water.
1983 (age 12)
Haiku
The owl's shining eyes
Search for any sign of food
Day is drawing near.
1983 (age 12)
Search for any sign of food
Day is drawing near.
1983 (age 12)
Farewell
One small kiss,
One touch of his hand,
One teardrop falls,
And then he is gone
Like a shadow
into the night.
1982 (age 11)
One touch of his hand,
One teardrop falls,
And then he is gone
Like a shadow
into the night.
1982 (age 11)