"The Man on the Moon Can Sometimes Cry" (poetry)

I watch the tears fall from the sky
The man on the moon can sometimes cry
And the night folds into my soul
The day is gone, having taken its toll

Candle flame
I trace my name
Along the reaches of you heart
Where I knew from the start

I always go for the little things
The tiny bells that barely ring
The hurts you thought no one knew
I can feel too

Any door closed makes me curious
Don't tell me where I can't go—makes me furious
And the darkness can always tell how the candle likes to burn
In every little tear, there's something new to learn

And don't walk away from one more try
The man on the moon can sometimes cry
But no one bothers to stop and see
Except maybe me


(55. twenty-something/collage years, it’s still one of my favorites.)
~~~The entire chronology of poetry (aka the manuscript, “Chronologically Filed Stanzas”) is available as a pdf on my website or you can email me directly.
~~~

(No candles, tiny bells or closed doors were harmed during the production of this post.)

"My Sanctuary" (poetry)

The sands are still warm heated from the earth
I sit here on my rock, measuring my worth
This is my sanctuary, my own little beach
It settles my soul and puts Him within reach

He paints the sky, blending the sun kissed reds
The colors play a symphony in my head
The diamond peaks of the waves glitter and break
Such is the beauty only God could ever make

I remember the darkness and wanting to escape
Getting so smashed until my mind cried rape
And there’s no real love getting banged in the dorm
The fire keeps burning, but you never get warm

But the Son shines in my heart now, I’ll never be alone
I’m not perfect, but the Seeds have been sown
I only know what is real, how God's changed my life
I’ll never go back to the world’s empty strife

Here I am, a mere speck in His Eternal Sea
But life has meaning because He also made me
So now what do I do, how do I belong?
What’s going to be my life's song?

He plucks the diamonds from the sea and hangs them in the sky
The moon comes alive with a yawn and a sigh
Someday, my starship will fly and I'll be on board
Roll me out over the waves and take me to my Lord


(46. my response to becoming a Christian)
~~~The entire chronology of poetry (aka the manuscript, “Chronologically Filed Stanzas”) is available as a pdf on my website or you can email me directly.
~~~

(No sands, diamonds or starships were harmed during the production of this post.)

"Rainwater" (poetry)

Come down from there and play today
I am not out of reach
I want to be drenched

We can sing to the ocean
Salt harmony
Sparkling and wet

Can I teach you about me?
I see you all the time
Then you can go back to the stars

I don’t need a wish
And never mind the rainbow
I have my own


(96. rain as a playmate...? The third—and hopefully not the last—poem to win the contest about 3 years later.)
~~~The entire chronology of poetry (aka the manuscript, “Chronologically Filed Stanzas”) is available as a pdf on my website.
~~~

(No rainwater, stars or rainbows were harmed during the production of this post.)

"The Darkness of Pain" (poetry)

I stand in darkness
There is pain
But the pain isn't in me
It is around me
It is the darkness

I reach out and touch nothing
I run, but it is still there
I shout, but there is only silence
I cry, but there are no tears

Stop!
I will do nothing then
I will just be
I am my own light

Then I light the darkness
From my heart
And the pain is healed


(86. chronic pain, pain of the heart—doesn't matter—pain is pain... but maybe you can overcome it like you can overcome darkness...?  And the second poem to win the contest a year later after writing it.)
~~~The entire chronology of poetry (aka the manuscript, “Chronologically Filed Stanzas”) is available as a pdf on my website.
~~~

(No darkness was harmed during the production of this post.)

"The Art of Dining"

Coffee, please
Black
Yes, someone will be joining me
Soon
Sometime
Never
I like two place settings

We'll both have
The super duper
Double deluxe
For one
None
Split the order
And more coffee, please

No, no more coffee
Just the bill, please
Soon
Sometime
Never
Of course there's no one there
That's why he's buying


(84. the first poem to win National Library of Poetry contest a year after writing it!)
~~~The entire chronology of poetry (aka the manuscript, “Chronologically Filed Stanzas”) is available as a pdf on my website.
~~~

(No coffee, place settings or bills were harmed during the production of this post.)