I believe life
            is better when you
        turn the music way up
    and  think about  the  lyrics,
                  eat too much
         chocolate, smoke a lot
    of  marijuana,  walk  barefoot,
            talk about weird ****
                     like magic,
       with  weird  people  who
              believe  in  magic.
                Hug strangers,
      and have good adventures
                  with a lot of
        road trips to see all the
 the  beauty  that  surrounds  you.
                  These things
        won't make life perfect,
                 but they sure
        as hell make this strange
                ride  more  fun.
         Be fearless  in pursuit of
               what sets your
                soul on fire.
         Remember  what it's
               like  to  really
                   feel alive.  
    It's not what we have in life,
              but  who  we  have
                     in our life
                          that
                       matters.
                                ­                                                   Jon York   2019

The ocean
                           is
              everything  she
                 wants to be,
         beautiful, mysterious,
                 wild and free.

                  She was given
                       this  life
             because she is strong
                enough to live it.

                       One day,
                  we  will  never  
                        have to
                   say  goodbye,
                 only   goodnight.

                           She is
                   soft and doesn't
                          let  the
                          world
                   make  her  hard.

                              She
                        doesn't let
                pain make her hate
                    and she will
                            never
                      let bitterness
                            steal
                     her sweetness.
                                                                                       Jon York   2019

You walked
          back  into  my  life
                    for the
            second time like
                  you had
          always lived there,
              like my heart
      was a home built just
                    for you.

            Here  I  was. . .
            thinking
            magic didn't really
            exist,
            and now that's
            all I see
             when I
             look  at  you.

            And in
            the middle
            of my chaos
            there
            you are.
And  in  your  eyes  is a  beautiful  poem                                                                  ­                    Jon York   2019

i saw an echo of truth
it held me
it held me

"She was a rainbow, but he was colorblind."

Yet shadow
Folds

Slithers on wall
And gutter

Supple

Lithe

Under telling
Streetlight

i will render you
in word
in ink
in the trembling of my hands
and the racing of my heart beat

you will be sculpted
in the most loving way
taking extra care on
your pretty eyes
and soft lips
and crooked teeth

i want your grin to
be a mirror image of
the one that feels saved
just for me
but that’s probably silly

if you’ll allow me
i’m gonna draw forth all
the beauty i see in you
so maybe you’ll see it too

all the love i harbor
for you
shining through
my fragile and human ribs
parting like tree limbs
for this bright light

we can stand under
this burning sun together
you and i, lover

and i will render you
with all the care and tenderness
these shaking hands of mine
are capable of