Of People, Past and Present

                      Of a Person, Past and Present 
                                        6-2-24
     
Her gown made of wax that shimmered as she walked 
Touched her body, a phone rings, someone needs to talk 
Pouring the mornings coffee, I take a seat with a view
What gets us here, how it got done, I believe God only knew

She sits down beside me, her eyes said good morning 
Looking out a window says, “todays there’s a heat warning 
Pours her own coffee, cream added next, cutting the flavor 
Asked me if I wanted breakfast, a book of my own savior 

Kisses me softly, allowing her slippery gown to be half on
Would like to stay but my steps carry me, soon I’d be gone
Planning out the day I sit, my mind winds through the night
The girl I should have seen long ago, hidden from my sight 

Purple so soft, tied in the back, it reaches to catch the dawn
Telling me the best is here while the best is yet to come 
In water we swam, daring as thieves, risk is unlike her
We’d talk about it as yesterday, the days of youth that were

Going back, I recall the first time she sat down next to me 
A tune that was played, my formal education, poetry ya see
In a room so hot, under blankets, watching distorted truth
Money exchanged for nothing, and nothing more to remove

A doorway, blocked by a mirror, your reflection to the ground 
Body so soft except for two eyes and undetectable sound
On knees debating if Jupiter and Saturn were waging a war 
Used to distract me, a moment recalled, hurting to the core 

If I recall he rearranged song, maybe it was opposite of me
But I played the tune under glassy eye, a voice, longed to see
Off we went, traveling to a world, our tired eyes couldn’t lie
Spent a youth star-struck, a place of I never said “goodbye

Worn down, a fight, came the best thing we ever knew 
A boy so obstinate and working till now, into a man he grew 
The sparkle, the warmth, the life I’d want all through my days
You made it happen perfectly, her boy from fire she save

In the dark of the darkest of days, emotions running high
The person so dear to me, so perfect, played a game to hide
Shaking as she does, her last attempt to stop a foreign world
He, while seething inside his bones, into her bed she curl

Never a worry, he’d be there, finding a way into his truck 
There came a day, soon a visit of fall, with grief I am struck
How could something so small carry the power on demand 
Sometimes what is a whisper, can make or break a man

Time became a nauseating thing, stifling even the strongest
Man, woman, and child, the winner, whoever lasted longest 
My cards being the two and the four, lost again, need I go on 
A father I became, then questions a blessing I inherited upon

A day to remember, told the thing I never saw in front of me 
Her hand touches me, wondering afterwards what we’d be
When it happened was a time for eating and time for coffee
I did it like them, four season pass, thankful steps I copied

A well went dry, on his knees he held nothing together 
Twice the rain did its best for a different kind of weather
She carried his arm, never said a word, leading all the way 
Told to stop this shenanigan, “it’s fine”, to her I wanted to say

We hold on, not allowed to get away, no matter the past
To find something for the battle, a defense that would last
Then came it back, I felt this before, my body tells me so 
I’ve don’t have much to say anymore, I told what I told

Contentment arrived in a strange place, exposing a devise
Disguising a town above his own, 11th and Elm to be precise 
Her strength is my weakness, her weakness not  my strength
She gives all to me lovingly, faithfully and going a great length

She drives us crazy, lost in the details, place we don’t dwell 
1,000 words is a picture, not one left out, her lengthy tale
Discovered in time, a most innocent of days, she could see
Holding back what she wanted, but couldn’t hold back me

Hearing sounds of those butterflies drowning out a dirt road
Unlocking the impossible, a secret unattainable, no code 
What used to startle me now awakes me lost as I was
A fight so real, the white flag waved, lost is a lost cause

In you walk, time for yourself, your clothes drop to the floor 
Your thoughts told in earnest, abandoned, told but what for
Leaving this place with only two lanes and nowhere to go
A home left for others to tear down, still hurting, as you know

We left twice, not for a short time, we needed to get away 
To see what we saw so different, then seeing us that way
The others too made their way, we listened and stood about 
Warmth of acceptance, hug for all good, perfect throughout 

Change moves so quick, without choice, you have to agree 
I sit in a strange place while keeping the same company 
A ship of fools, places where angels fear to tread, it’s all alike
So, I stood my ground, fist clenched, waiting, the air to strike

If everything comes full circle and nothing repeats itself
Then time stops for no one, no money can buy your health 
Then living must be difficult, with nothing within range
Found life exists, yet without you, that would be strange