If perchance
we stumble in
to this mortal dance
and swing
and dip
across the tip
of life’s ledge,

If we dare
to venture on
beyond
simple reflexes
past poor pretenses
will we meet
and dance
in poetry?

Sweetly
and discreetly
we will bend in
words that mimic
ballet movements;
Feathers flapping freely.
I see you before me
and I adore thee
as a true friend
as a poetic compatriot
because you are great at this
sharing the depths of
our heart that write and love
all the world
below, around, and above.

Of everything I never had
I only dreamt of you
A wind to push me on in life
Fresh air
Just a breath, to carry me through

Of all the wants I've ever had
The only need was you
Come sun, come rain
Come joy or pain
There were open arms to always run to

I kept you in that bubbled hope
That sphere of glass and air
For everything that blew away
One dream stayed anchored there

Thank you for being just enough
To keep me feeling real
For being that one and truest love
When I was sure I wouldn't heal

You were just enough for quite some time
Until I gave you my soul
Then the glass  orb imploded
And my insides exploded
And I'd finished with digging my hole

see this love I have? It's for you
come take it--just come take
I want to give it as a gift
it's love I want to make

we can make it any way you like
we'll fix it up just right
we can heat it up or chill it out
or wind it up so tight

we can hold it in or let it go
or chase it 'round and 'round
we can top it off or cut it short
or listen to its sound

we can open our eyes up in the dark
and wait for it to come
we can fall asleep, then wake
and make enough to save us some

some for later, unless now is fine
it's all come down to you
it's my way of making up
for everything I've put you though

I'm summoning--I'll summon you
Concoct you out of smoke
And mirrors of a universe
Parallel with midnight's stroke

I'll smother all my brains in thoughts
Right into smithereens
See you in every memory at once
In a million figurines

A hundred of your laughing face
No--ten of them are crying
Some dancing, running, looking, loving
But all of them are dying

I have no indication of
The way you left my side
I don't know if you ran away
I don't know if you died

I'll never know why you aren't here,
How everything's been none
What magic made you disappear
Or how it could be done

The flame that licked across my skin
I felt it every night
Each part of me consumed by it
Now radiates a haunting light

My surface glows a ghostly gold
From every place you've kissed
With fire taken from your soul
There's not a spot you missed

The light of you that beams from me
Too bright to let me close my eyes
I'm losing recollection now
Your love, derangement in disguise

"The elephant seal is an unsightly creature.
I heard it today on TV
Then a special on smart and wonderful dolphins
Who never would wish to be me"

"All this rubbery ******* I use for a face
That my mother just says she adores
Is a hideous masking of elephantine proportions
That nobody else could afford"


You're not ugly, oh dear elephant seal!
You are mountains more graceful than that
Don't ever wish you were a rabbit
A turtle, a dog, or a curious cat

So a parrot can talk,
But it gets him in trouble
And a hamster is cuddly
But untidy--makes his home in the rubble

Sure, you haven't got fur
but you haven't got mange!
You're *****-and-span as your ocean
Your sea home-on-the-range

And your nose is real big
But you've never been nosey
You are much too polite
To make others un-cozy

I have watched you go swimming
You're majestic as waves
And you love to explore
All the watery caves

You have beautiful eyes
And I think you're just swell
Look, someday, you'll be happy
You'll be so proud as well

"Well I guess I am funny
I like to make friends
I've gotten good at catching squids
And other popular trends"

See--that's just the spirit!
You're as magnificent as any
But what makes you so great?
You're more humble than many