The Cats

A house of cats
will claw and scratch
and find your ankles

Asleep you may find
one or two
you lap and neck
inhabited

Acceptance comes at
last to some
and freely to this house

Welcome now though
aware and pleased
this house is full of cats.

Morning Beams

Held in sunlight's
soft embrace
a potency been crushed
to taste
nocturnal blush from
safe inside
in morning time finds
space to hide
be held amidst the
sunbeam's touch
when daylight hours
are thought as much.

Faeries

dancing faeries
upon the grass
inform me dear
your time when past
enchantments work
all done away

A Beast

fleeting footsteps down the path
in the dust

one sets prints in the ground
a time
another watching

fleeting steps on mountain walk
sure foot slow
gentle foot fall

tend your beast with gentle hand
for its your beast who knows this land

feed him well and rest him much
your beast is yours alone to touch

his back's of use
this be true
though greater still
as guide to you.

Quilting

moonlit pillow
embrace in night's fog
winds on skin
a bon nuit
of ours

dawn lights
share deeper sights
original sin
thoughts within
rested now
are back alive

now
on beams afresh

share moment
and share rest

Willie

Erasmus smiled at me
teeth gleaming
peppered brow salted with time
left here as my guard
little man with a gleaming set
so I met his glance
I kinded him
fed him
and Erasmus lay down beside his captive
and slept
his gleaming teeth slept too
eyes closed
warming my chest
head on my neck
"he's gonna bite you too," she said
"no he isn't"
Erasmus slept.

Heartbeat

Permit your time to take
with words
and actions make
with kiss to know
creases form
the thought remains
hearts beat drum in falling rain
upon wood or stone
puddle formed
revealed face from silvered trays
when sky cries heartbeats
My kiss permit your hiding place
rain drops thump
when tears are taste
overwhelmed clouds
unburdened
the rains fall from the eyes of she
who's chose to reveal
herself to me.

Torre Pendente

In the tower
cleats in stone
stairs in front
or the great walls around back
a forward assault
welcome for some
a great undertaking for others
the tower wall grows flowers
the tower wall gives hope
the tower wall has thorns
but what lies in this tower?
Is it worth the toil?
Is it worth my blood?
Is it worth giving my life?
Do I climb the tower because it is there?
Maiden's breath on my neck
scents of life
Do I take off my armour
to begin anew?
I climb because I know how
I climb because the tower is my friend
the stone knows my touch
my body knows the stone.

White Bird

The white bird spoke to me
as it lifted itself up from
the paper covered wall
"I must follow the other.
Please forgive the hole
I leave in your home,
but I have no choice.
In my heart
to leave is to live."

Fig

The last fig I will ever eat
A sun sets on life of sweet
times among they who shared
love they had
at times
though scared
by worlds around them
I eat this fig
and think of them
the ones I held
who held me
one last fig
summer rests
its fire quenched
by the sipping of falls blood fruit
cold sleep comes
one last fig is shared for you.

Dance of Memory

rat tat tu tut tun
clanging heels across the grand stand
colors Castilian rain
ribbons fly
their hearts are with you
painted in silk
courage stands

her flowers are bright
scented of morning
embraced by her their scents mix
a lover

they watch as courage stands facing
welcoming his guest
loving his dance partner
celebrated for life
revered in death
a birth and a death

meeting
we watch as courage and beauty dance
a scythe descends
the dancers part
silver pirouette

life paints them
life streaks the dancers
we see ourselves
we know ourselves.