gathered in me ~

21 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Rambling, Storytelling

Tags

bliss, destiny, faith, fearless, grace, gravel roads, kentucky, life, love, old maps, passion, reason, relationship, soul signature, southern, spirit, truth, understanding, wandering, wisdom

Was not the first
I’d come again…
reeking of woodsmoke
folded near inside my shirt…
names that should be new;
the taste of somewhere else
triggered in the calling.

Silence (clinging) feels the same
a sweet familiar love –
remembered all the reasons
why I left…
to come again
pulling at pieces
truth exposed –
another piece of cloth,
clothes that fit me (still…)
I’ve walked the house once we built –
shaded by the orchard —
Planted small,
and grew into the barn…

Now both
are gone, and I (unaware)
possess the only picture
of how it was…
the broken yard and crooked gate,
cattle nursed by a patch of
weed (and will…)
a swing of mismatched
boards…slouched below
outstretched arms
an oak —
your father planted
(your mother cursed)…

Was there
we loved…
(as no one ever had),
feather mattress
stuffed and stitched (new)
for us, and wrapped
in sacks of blue…
We spoke in hushed whispers
(secrets tumbling)
to the flicker of a flame
burnt the mantle black —
shadows melted (moments)
long ago
(but not so) far…

finished
before the start became
an end was writ…
I never understood…

in the quiet still
before I find you (first)
I breathe,
The world
that I remember…
is again…
a feather swept
(across) my soul;
words uttered to silence;

this –
memory of yet to be
and the smell
of burning pine…

still life ~

15 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Storytelling

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

compassion, connection, faith, family, fearless, forgiveness, forgotten, grace, kentucky, life, love, memory, reason, restless, spirit, strength, truth, understanding, wisdom, woman

nights bring the sound
of hands passing slowly
pull me back ’round
to the place I belong

small and remembered
for voices I’m keeping
in the silent impressions
of love I have known

filling the spaces
as my heart is split open
and names
one by one –
are repeated in time

for those never far
left behind –
in the scatter
stories unspoken
find their freedom
in mine

to sit with me now
as another dawn glistens
from knees to the cross
not forsaken –
their souls

stirring in grace
gentle hands fold together –
as sorrow finds beauty
in the voices
I hold

“While there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal
element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prision,
I am not free.” ~ Eugene V Debs

paper birds ~

14 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Rambling, Storytelling

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

becoming, cherokee, connection, death, destiny, fearless, forgiveness, grace, gravel roads, kentucky, life, love, memory, nature, old maps, reason, restless, soul signature, spirit, truth, understanding, wandering, woman, writing

come at last an answer
to questions unremembered
as who you were for me
is nothing left –
ashes to be swept across
these traces of forever –
so sweetly now
the grey dove
sails away

heaven has no bounty
beyond my will to wander –
so gather me
as glories to your breast
raise the window
break the plate
burn the fields of clover –
but barter not the moon
that knows me best

was more to me
than kingdoms come
or something someone said
beg for once you listen
with your heart
the last of summer sweat
is threatening the harvest –
as soon the snow will rise
beyond the barn

turn the page
to evermore
curse the verses passing
evidence of something here
I should have given time –
my hands are moving slower
as sets the evening shade
– will surely reconcile
to take my pen

that is my way
twisted as these sashes
yellow apron –
daisy damp aginst my drum
pleads my soul confess –
the only thing
I know for sure –
is likely now to falter

what name shall bitter taste
upon my death

weave my ribbons
bring the vase –
but let the pearls be scattered
loosed onto the path
as I was one –
I go as rain
to thirsty roots –
dreams of golden harvest
e’en as waters rush
to touch the sun

carry me the way
as then – to places
without memory
still me with ten thousand
paper birds
cast me on the silver lake
and let my story follow –
the eastern breeze
shall take of me
your name

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

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

wings above the trees ~

02 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, verse

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

bliss, connection, destiny, forgiveness, grace, gravel roads, kentucky, life, living, love, nature, old maps, passion, reason, restless, soul signature, spirit, truth, understanding, wandering, winter, wisdom

more times than not
I waited
til all the lights were out
and the only sound
was wings
above the trees

for countless nights
I stood alone
just beyond your gate
touching stars
and waiting for the moon

to fall
against my longing
split my lowly soul again
*hush*
my lone confession
to the still

the only chatter
noticed there
was the tremor of my heart
a drum to surely wake
the poet’s dream

lights within
my wanting skin
warmth without regret
dress to drag the briars
miles to home

autumn lures
the afternoon to chill
frost is soon
becoming

already I’m left
standing
in the dark

learned again ~

27 Friday Jul 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Storytelling

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

bliss, breath, cherokee, connection, dreams, fearless, forgiveness, grace, kentucky, life, living, love, nature, old maps, reason, restless, spirit, truth, understanding, wandering, wisdom

of that we knew
we’ve learned again
as difference made whole
passing as a thought
we strained to hear

as breath
against the branches
whispers test the breeze –
ashes float a torch
above the way

magic pools
reflection
of a long ago sunrise
testament of dreamer ~
to a king

honeybee and hornet
stretch to raise their canopy
of majesty made over
for the one who came to know
the world as one
surrendered to his sighs ~

innocence decided
by watchers on the wing
rakes the night
in search of words unsaid

answers written over
in the rush
to keep it all
another waits in silence ~
to question why we came

as we are ~

21 Saturday Jul 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Storytelling

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

bliss, breath, connection, destiny, dreams, faith, forgiveness, grace, gravel roads, kentucky, life, love, old maps, passion, poetry, postmark, reason, relationship, restless, spirit, truth, wandering, wisdom

buy me a ring
to wear through the winter
when nights lean to cold –
some solace to be
would trade every vow
for an old woolen blanket
and a story you told
only me

build me a house
at the edge of the river –
a place where the muscadine grows
wild as the weeds twisted about us –
nightbirds and wishes
returning to home

read me the poem
you wrote me that summer
when first came to seek
a lesson in rhyme
tease me with comforts
I might have resisted
had verses been all
you gave
of your time

share me the night
of hunters and halos –
guard me a place
untouched by the stars
remind me to breathe
without thought to surrender
of where we are going –
the same as we are

carve me a song
from maple and cypress –
chisel each note to my skin
rock me away
on the tide of a whisper
and dream me
to heaven (to heaven)
again

worn apart ~

19 Thursday Jul 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Storytelling

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

connection, faith, fearless, grace, gravel roads, home, kentucky, life, love, old maps, passion, postmark, reason, relationship, spirit, strength, truth, understanding, wandering, wisdom

when the day is drifted
further than I thought I could
be caught –
and I swear I hear forever
come the door –
some wolf disguised as miracle
but I won’t let him in –
even though but for a while
I thought I might

step beyond the comfort
of the way I’ve learned to be
and languish for a lifetime
in your arms –
but knowing still
the howling was not your ache
at all –
though somewhere else
your longing answers me

to know of this
another time –
another place we’re known
as gods to lean against familiar skies
to sit within a feeling
telling stories of the end –
and who was there to catch us –
let me catch you now again

before the strike
when moonlight flashes
memory on the pines
I’ll listen for the sigh
would bring you here –
but for now
the coffee’s colder
and circles ring the wood
morning’s bound to wake
before I dream

habits worn apart –
are fit together somewhere
I wait the night
and strain to hear my name

wishes fell to earth ~

13 Friday Jul 2012

Posted by tornadoday in Poetry, Storytelling

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

connection, faith, fearless, kentucky, love, old maps, reason, spirit, strength, truth, understanding, vine, whispers, wisdom, woman

of the places
I’ve forgotten –
might I see you sometime there
as a shadow to a page
already read
as a lace
that brushes softly
to my cheek whene’er I turn
remembered still
a moment so divine

would never do
to mention this –
the place where paths were crossed –
where planets planned
to meet some other time

and holding out
uncertainty
for what would surely fall
tho not for long –
a brighter path recalled
covers now the evidence
of miles we walked before
spun with vine
and paved with silver shale

quiet as a hand was pressed
gently to the paper –
before the next to write
a story new –
told again in whispers
of a night so long ago –
shivered as our wishes
fell to earth

when come at last –
to understand
fleeting recognition
of something without flesh
we dare not speak
quiet sleeps in darkened halls –
where memories are tucked

perfume sits
all night in the dark