dates long passed ~

06 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Storytelling

Tags

death, family, forgiveness, grace, gravel roads, life, love, memory, reason, relationship, spirit, truth, wisdom

thought I not of turning back
to places of my own ~
how many names forgotten
are written now to stone
a night or two
a date long passed
survived by briar and sweat
eternity foreshadowed
by moments of regret
and stood I there
more times than told
to watch as prophets marched
from shiny limousines
with linen collars starched
without a tear between them
didn’t know of plans to live
or truth that went the way
of moss –
another to forgive
the coming home for more than this
than scripture without verse
lights returned the lonely here
as destinies rehearsed
as loving lips were robbed
of voice –
words to fall apart
asleep beneath the timbers
beside a broken heart

Author’s Note: Yes, I know, but there have
been times when I stumble upon old photos, and
wonder what I thought when standing there.

highways ~

05 Sunday Aug 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Storytelling

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

becoming, connection, destiny, fearless, grace, gravel roads, living, love, old maps, passion, postmark, restless, soul signature, spirit, star crossed, strength, truth, understanding, wandering

forever was once
we spoke about trying ~
and bought every map
they were selling that day
traced every road ~ purple and broken
back through the night
to the edge of the page

to discover our other
was part of the journey
and whispered direction back home
from the fall ~
echoes to ring
with a music familiar
and moments so tender
we traded them all

for this one to deliver us
whole to begin
bound as a drifter to ways traveled on ~
returning as name to a dream
unrecalled ~
ten thousand miles
to the place we belong

the same as we were
e’en now I confess
of roads worn away
by the passing of time
words without memory
of paths crossed before ~
maps through the darkness
light touching light

last time forget me ~

04 Saturday Aug 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Rambling, Storytelling

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

becoming, bliss, breath, destiny, fearless, forgiveness, grace, gravel roads, kentucky, knowledge, living, love, old maps, postmark, reason, restless, southern, spirit, truth, understanding, wandering, wonder

of those who would know me
the worst would allow –
and pages I can’t bare remember
the last time forget me –
the first one to stay
past the rise of tomorrow
on the thought of today

when the clothes
needed washing
and rent was come due
were fields needing more
that what planting
would do

I begged
for a savior –
a man among men
would come as a season
to know me again
would wake as the lantern
was burning its last
to relive every moment
of loving
was passed
to the vault that would stay
on a cord ’round my heart

a memory of comfort
wishes and lace –
wrapped in another
surrendered to grace
as we were
to forever –
every promise let go
let the crops burn
and weevils take hold –

more here
than heaven –
a paradise thrives
in moments eternity waits
share me the wonder
of morning reflection –
and a lantern
left long by the gate

southern skies ~

04 Saturday Aug 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Storytelling

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

becoming, connection, destiny, dreams, family, fearless, grace, gravel roads, life, memory, old maps, passion, reason, restless, spirit, truth, understanding, wandering

take me back
the way we wandered
give me pause to turn around
plant my heart in fields of cotton –
e’er blossoms break
the tender ground

hold me close
the vow remembered
hear my words or let me be
the one you knew before as always –
was not for dreams you’d live
to see

nineteen sons
and thirteen daughters
east to west
the north come clean
take my soul but save the babies
of every sorrow passed between

hand in hand
the charge to carry –
burn my bones or let me fail –
ashes rained in sheets of maple
secrets stored beyond
the veil

tearful eyes
the lowly seeker
waits the choice to come again –
living love in autumn colors
golden reds remember when

southern skies
and not much needed
to make of life – a place for love
breath to breath
and time to question
would evermore be long enough

keep me here
as the rest is written
hands the same as yours – I know
will find the way
some other season –
as north to wander south
to home

Charles Codman Cabin in the Woods

interlaced ~

03 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Storytelling

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

becoming, cherokee, connection, fearless, grace, gravel roads, life, love, nature, old maps, passion, restless, spirit, truth, understanding, wandering, wisdom

were this the meeting
of time interlaced –
and stayed I a moment too long
looking back
as a breath to the breeze
no different than raven or wren

sunlight or sorrows
passed through as shadow
were given a reason – come home
needles for nesting
a faraway blessing
no different than now
my purpose to know

stronger the promise was made
of uncertain –
and there stands forever
a place unadorned
by need – might wisdom
give life to a dream –
will I want for another (more time)

to caress
or burn to my soul
the hands of the sun
remembered a sigh
some sweet lullaby –
plays softly when whispers
have come

and struggle is all I have kept
from my slumber –
forgotten the pathway to dawn
shrouded in mystery
questions unanswered –
the mirror knows more than she tells

laced with the past
is every tomorrow –
dusted the raven
with wren in her sails

someone whispered ~

03 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Storytelling

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

alzheimers, destiny, disease, fearless, forgiveness, grace, gravel roads, love, memory, old maps, reason, spirit, strength, truth, understanding, wandering

twisted rope of reds and grey
years defy
the strength of time
lovers lie in sunset hues
a cedar bed
beneath the pines

crickets fiddle
songs I know
shadows rush this empty place
thirteen moons
ten thousand lives ~
wrapped in linen
mortal lace

heard your name
just yesterday
someone whispered ~
lest I hear
more than grace
my will to know
what of love can disappear

eyes remember stories told
hands to reach
are folded still
brittle rain of destinies ~
scarlet leaves
the truth conceal

but somewhere close
they split the night ~
as storm clouds chase the edge of day
twilight leans into the soul
another stone
to roll away

Author’s Note: Alzheimers is a thief without
conscience, robbing its victims of a future warmed
by memory.

clearly ~

02 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by tornadoday in perfect country song, Poetry, Rambling, Storytelling

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

destiny, faith, fearless, forgiveness, grace, gravel roads, kentucky, life, love, old maps, passion, postmark, reason, restless, spirit, steve earle, strength, understanding, wandering, wisdom, woman

left as the morning
was dried from the roses
and last night’s confession
absolved by the sun
drove just as heaven
found dirt in Kentucky
and slowed not the heart
getting on

another night’s rest
much better than last
with nothing much left to extole
would spend not remorse on
choices once made
or the etch of their worth
to my soul

was innocence lost
in my rush to believe
or blinders my color of eyes
a white picket fence
did its best to persuade
of reasons
for staying behind

another day gone
as the truth to set free
sooner or later was lost
the plan to give more
that I had to affirm
of dreams
I can barely recall

the pillow made dark
by yesterday tears ~
mascara I cared not concede
even now as the last glimpse
of night disappears
in the rearview mirror
I see

the highway sings
of whiskey and wishes
a favorite song made right
who I am now
didn’t matter much then
as last night’s confession
absolved by the sun

only this ~

01 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Rambling, Storytelling

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

becoming, connection, destiny, fearless, grace, gravel roads, love, old maps, passion, postmark, reason, restless, soul signature, spirit, truth, wandering, wisdom

only this –
and I warned you
of coming undone – a place
in the stillness awaiting
our love –
wrapped up in flannel
sighs into silk –
and words fell as silent
reminders of us

I wanted you
needed you –
something to matter
when all the rest fated
you’d tie me back down –
caught as a kite
strings in the treetops –
assured of your coming
to pull me around

only this –
and you warned me
you were more than imagined
should have listened
when something
was muttered within
whispering song of the swallow
wind through the reeds
where words
should have been

only this –
and I warned you
there would be no forgetting
trace to unravel
the best of your plans –
long past the time
you’d remember my kisses
would come as a shadow
to sit with you
now

of moments
made haste –
forgiveness of feeling
and paths not the same
I have known –

walk with me
wrestle me –
tell me your future
was never the stars
made light in my hair
or jasper the color
of faraway glances –
roads going nowhere
only this –
I recall

letters in the sand ~

01 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Rambling, Storytelling

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

bliss, cherokee, destiny, fearless, grace, knowledge, life, love, old maps, postmark, reason, restless, spirit, truth, wandering, wisdom, wonder

gather me the blessings
of tomorrow’s brighter sun
and hurry not the lessons
lest they run
as anxious hands to mar the face
is time not more than luck
or visions but a place
already known
speak again of waking dreams
and roads betrayed the veil
of granite paths
and letters in the sand
carry me
marry me
pacify my longing
sit me through the night
and let me hear
of reason come
the way of home ~
of volumes long since buried
and worlds beyond our will
to understand
seal my trust with kisses
of still familiar words
breathe the night
and burst in me the day