Filmed by strangers,
a story doomed not to last.
Beauteous verse
wrapped in barbed wire—
each sonnet
a blade to the vein.
Eyes like jade—
not diamond,
but cut rock.
A granite heart.
Tar recedes
into stone.
Still, the boy covets
with hunger.
And the girl—
she has appetites too.
First love:
a pigtail yanked,
a giggle echoing through time.
Innocence dissolved
with each year gained.
But the eyes—
they never changed.
Breathe life and fire into love’s nest—
reignite the spark of youth,
peeking through years like iron curtains,
framing the fugitive selves
we left decimated.
I still see her—
not in dreams,
but in the hush between songs,
in the way a door closes softly
when no one is there.
She has appetites still.
And I—
I feed them
from a distance.
Let her starve for once.
Stun me.
Rewind your music.
Tap your feet to the sound that stirs you.
Listen—
the cuckoo clock is counting seconds back.
Brush the cobwebs from your eyes.
Reignite.
Slip into your own pocket.
Become your own muse.
A compass. A flame.
Listen to your pulse.
Move where your body leads.
Unravel the ache.
Open the door.
Let joy rush in.
Tousle your hair.
Wriggle your shoulders.
Fall, unbraced, into your dream.
Take the wheel.
Lock the door.
Shape your new world—
one breath, one spark, one word at a time.
Let the ocean
crash against the rocks of your love.
Braid wildflowers into your hair.
Blow bubbles—
let smoke and romance fill the space between you.
Angel-winged, glitter-eyed,
under a star-stung night—
but still,
your eyes shine brighter.
Astral projection is nice.
But real life is better.
So—
snuff out the candle.
Empty the vase.
Kiss the memory of him goodbye.
Turn your face up
towards the open door.
And let in the daylight.
The burn of the urn
spills on the floor.
I am not what you carry.
Let me be.
Let me go.
I will wait for you in the shade.
Then, when it’s your turn—
we will turn the page.
Here she comes with a smile,
Flaunting her beauty flashing in her smiles,
She may come only once a while to meet me,
Thats enough to reignite the flame of love in me.
The love blossomed just in few meets,
The self in hearts turned into feeling of us,
The flame of love got lighted in our hearts,
Keeps on smoldering even when we are far apart.
Some evenings when I am alone,
Dusk paints the skies in myriads of colors,
Each color, each hue, leaves a mark of our love in the sky,
And the flame of love lights anew the spark within the sky.
And many mornings when you are not around,
Soft dawn unfolds a hush of gold where shadows softly lie.
Each whispered breeze recalls the dreams we wove,
The flickering flame of love gets reignited in our hearts.
O soul unbound by pomp or praise,
You walk the earth in humble ways—
No jeweled crown, no trumpet sound,
Yet peace and warmth in you are found.
Where others rush with tangled aim,
You breathe with calm, you speak with flame
Of steady hope and open skies,
A mirror of the wise and wise.
You do not seek the world's grand stage,
But in small acts, you turn the page
Of lives unseen, and hands unmet,
With kindness none will soon forget.
A gentle word, a helping hand—
Not for applause, nor to command—
But just because your heart believes
That every soul deserves reprieve.
And oh, your light! So softly cast,
It stretches far, though shadows last.
You find the sun in storm and night,
And teach the stars to reignite.
Simplicity—your sacred thread,
Woven through the words you've said;
A cup of tea, a morning breeze,
A laugh that puts the heart at ease.
O bearer of the quiet good,
Who plants not pride but brotherhood,
May every path you dare to take
Leave blossoms gently in your wake.
Written: May 11, 2025, for contest by Joseph May
*************
A crimson sky breaks the distant shore,
Whispers of dawn amidst a quiet uproar.
The sea exhales a deep-seated hope,
Awakening dreams where echoes cope.
Sailing through the waves, the sails expand,
Symbols of bravery, a gently twirling strand.
The horizon promise shines as a bright guide,
Leading my spirit beyond the dimming side.
From the shadows, the wings of time ascend,
Caressing sunlight with lofty dreams, transcend.
On paths yet to be discovered, hearts reignite;
Every step becomes a life that is requite.
Once our love shined bright
It was something to behold
The flame that burned between us
Softened your heart of gold
Now I can clearly see
That fire is all but gone
What has caused for you
And your heart to be withdrawn
Why don't you want to
Be in love with me anymore
You had so much love for me
Now I, you no longer adore
Was it something I done
Or is it something that I said
Has your heart moved on
Is your love for me dead
Why don't you want to
Be in love with me anymore
Is there no chance to reignite
That flame and what was in store
My love and I are here
With my heart that is true
Longing for you and your love
And sharing life with you
All street lights were turned off tonight
Lost souls wandering to phone light
Mouthing words of reassurance
In twined with a nocturnal dance
Strangers mingle in unison
Until battery life was done
Just as power did reignite
They slipped back into the twilight
These memories will never go away,
That girl has my soul and my heart she stole.
Burdens i carry, haunt me to this day,
It seems that even love, will take its toll.
I tried and tried to make her stay
But now my heart has this whole
I fall apart at night, lost in moonlight,
waiting for the sun to come reignite
Il put my pain in these words and hope it never returns
I'm disgusted at myself and all of my habits
I'm still trying to heal from all of lifes burns
But im stuck here with my empty medicine cabinets
I feel the earth in rotation , as it slowly turns
My heart races looking at you, we are like rabbits
I learned over time that nothing lasts forever
Like a moment lost in time that youl always treasure
These memories will never go away,
That girl has my soul, and my heart she stole.
Burdens i carry, haunt me to this day,
It seems that even love, will take its toll.
I remember, she looked me in the eye.
I learned right then, nothing lasts forever.
She turned around, and never said goodbye,
Like a moment, that you'l always treasure.
I'l look at the stars, that cirlce round mars,
Waiting for the sun, to come reignite.
I'l try and find, the beauty in my scars,
While getting lost each night, in the moonlight.
My pain's in words, hope it never returns,
I'l try and go heal, from all of lifes burns.
These memories will never go away;
That girl has my soul and my heart she stole.
Burdens i carry haunt me to this day;
It seems that even love will take its toll
I remember , she looked me in the eye;
I learned right then nothing lasts forever.
She turned around and never said goodbye;
Like a moment that youl always treasure.
Il look at the stars that cirlce round mars;
Waiting for the sun to come reignite.
Il try and find the beauty in my scars;
While getting lost each night in the moonlight.
My pain's in words , hope it never returns,
Il try and go heal from all of ifes Burns.
hese memories will never go away
That girl has my soul and my heart she stole
Burdens i carry haunt me to this day
It seems that even love will take its toll
I remember , she looked me in the eye
I learned right then nothing lasts forever
She turned around and never said goodbye
Like a moment that youl always treasure
Il look at the stars that cirlce round mars
Waiting for the sun to come reignite
Il try and find the beauty in my scars
My pain's in words , hope it never returns
Il try and go heal from all ofmlifes burns
These memoriesI try to bury never Go away
Tnar girl has my soul, my heart she went and stole
While burdens that I have to carry, haunt me everyday
it seems that even love, will always take it's toll
I remember that day, when she looked me in the eye
I learned right then,That nothin lasts forever
She turned right around, and never said goodbye.
like a moment lost in time, that youl always treasure
IL put my pain In these words, and hope it never returns
And look up at the stars, that circle round mars
IL try to go and heal, from all of lifes burns
And try to remember, there's beauty in my scars
I fall apart at night, lost in moonlight,
Waiting for the sun, to come and reignite
These memoriesI try to bury never Go away,
These burdens that I have to carry,haunt me everyday,
I gave that girl my soul, my heart she went and stole,
it seems that even love will always take it's toll ,
I remember that day, when she looked me in the eye ,
Turned right around and never said goodbye.
Itd like I learned right then,That nothin lasts forever,
like a moment lost in time, that youl always treasure
Il put my pain in these words , and hope it never returns
And try to go and heal from all of lifes burns.
I look at up the stars that circle round mars
while I try to remember , There's beauty in my scars
I fall apart at night lost in moonlight
Waiting for the sun to come and reignite
These memoriesI try to bury never Go away,
These burdens that I have to carry,
haunt me everyday, I gave that girl my soul,
and my heart she went and stole,
it seems thateven love, will always take it's toll ,
I remember that day, when she looked me in the eye ,
Turned right around and never said goodbye.
Itd like I learned right then,That nothin lasts forever,
like a moment lost in time, that youl always treasure
I fall apart at night, lost inmoonlight,
Waiting for the sun to come and reignite,
I've become an empty shell, it's not hard to tell
I could really use some help, or a wishing well.
I Got so many bad habits , I took to many tablets,
now I'm here with an empty medicine cabinet.
Il put my pain in these words ,
and hope it never returns
And try to go and heal from all of lifes burns.
I look at up the stars that circle round mars
while I try to remember , There's beaut
The clock strikes twelve, bells toll, firecrackers burst,
A new era of time will begin all around,
New hopes and ambitions will reignite in mind,
Yet old wishes still would linger around in the heart.
For peace in distant lands,
Starvation and refugee problems will diminish,
May kindness bloom in every land,
And grace the touch of every hand.
May good health and joy,
Be part of everyone’s life,
May homes be filled with laughter and cheer,
And hearts unburdened by pain or fear.
Love eternal, a wish so pure,
Its gentle light forever sure.
May bonds unbroken, strong, and true,
Bind all the years, both old and new.
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