What remains

When you realize

You were in love with

Potential

Not reality

The weight drops

The soul flies

The heart smiles 

No regret

Just deep respect 

For that heart 

That sees the best 

Even in those 

Who aren’t deserving

That optimism

Believing good 

Is possible

It’s your nature 

Don’t change 

Hey, now

No tears 

Not your fault 

That you know

Know well 

How to love 

You tested your 

Capacity, that’s all 

Now it’s been 

Measured

You’re open 

To receive 

Go on, bright light

Shine 

Shine and find 

That mirror 

Who shines back 

Substance

And safety, understanding 

Consistency beats 

Potential

Painting again

Seems like 

For the longest time

My palette knew no light

Blacks, grays

Burgundy 

Colors of the shadow 

A somber still life

The gray just made me sallow

The black? 

Well, it was like your heart 

The burgundy was the scabbing 

From a thousand pricks and hurts

What kind of muse 

Is disappointment?

Born from your depression 

Your deceit 

This was not the art 

My heart desired

Dried up 

Frozen brush 

Scratches on

A barren space 

So I threw back the curtains 

Saw the lies 

Tossed that ruined canvas 

In the trash

My easel is long overdue 

For a glow-up 

Throwing out the old

Filling the palette 

With what feels true

Yellow, orange, green 

And blue 

Have replaced 

Dark shades of you

Wild is the line of happy 

Creating shape

With possibilities

Broad strokes of yellow 

Ignite my joy 

My brush awash 

In orange and green

I come alive

And blue? Yes 

Now that’s the color 

Of his eyes

Things I can’t tell you…

 Things I can’t tell you

Losing that sounding board

The repository for all

My funny stories

Or those WTF moments 

That we know we

Need to share 

The conversations

That start with

“Do you remember?”

Are met with silence 

The words form on the lips

Then die in the absence 

The venting 

The celebrating 

The texts, the calls

The million images 

Of sharing in life 

 

Intent

Intent 

It’s your warm hand 

Reaching for mine

It’s in the possibilities 

We discuss 

And how you are not shy

About sketching out

The what ifs

Wondering aloud 

About logistics 

Tentatively 

Contemplating 

A future shared 

The goodness of intent 

Is a warm blanket 

Wrapping us together 

You, too, have felt the cold 

And so we huddle

Knowing that

52 degrees is good 

Snuggling weather and 

Sunsets are best shared

That 

Partnership needs 

A game plan 

A dialogue 

A hope to build 

With

Intention 

From famine to feast

Breadcrumbs are

A lousy diet of

Dry morsels

Of keeping me hungry 

Of never enough 

Yet sometimes 

…Almost 

A bird in hand 

Worth two in bush? 

The fear of nothing 

Held me close 

To scraps 

To that concept of something 

Better than nothing 

This bird finally 

Flew 

Flew from this subsistence

Just over the horizon

There was indeed

A land of plenty 

A many course meal

Serving up 

Intention 

     Value

          Respect 

I just needed to fly

To get here 

False virtue

 Patience is

No virtue

When you are waiting 

On words that should be spoken

And they’re not

Devotion is

Not noble 

When the hand 

That should hold you

Pushes and pulls 

And you are trapped

Like a bird in a cage

You’ve been caught 

Love cannot be

So alarming 

That it leaves you 

Disarming and 

Dizzy with confusion 

It’s just not 

When your kindness

Is weaponized 

By potential 

Disregulation 

A dopamine cycle 

A merry go round 

That never stops 

Love yourself

Love your neighbor 

as yourself 

So love yourself well

Make space for you 

Be treasured 

If you give and give 

Your bread

Don’t take for yourself

A stone 

When you pour out 

A cup of kindness

Fill a glass for your self 

As well 

When he takes your coat

And your cloak with it

Let him 

But take your warmth 

And leave the room

The welcome 

You have given 

Will open many doors 

For which the hollow 

Have no key 

Give generously 

With no expectation of return 

Blessings will follow 

Simply because 

Light draws 

Like 

Make a place for yourself

At the table 

Invite yourself 

To taste the goodness 

You freely share 

Don’t repay evil for evil 

But don’t let it

Share your bed

That door can be locked

Not everyone is

Allowed in 

Love yourself

With all the wisdom 

All the joy 

All the grace

Watch it grow within

A garden of agape

Never forget to eat

Invite yourself 

To the harvest feast