All That’s Left Is Love

There will be no more
tickling little piggies
sniffing little heads
or kissing little cheeks

There will be no more
skipping in the sunshine
drawing on the sidewalk
tying shoes on little feet

There will only be a memory
hearts torn open wide
whispers scattered on the wind
and pain for them to hide

I don’t believe this makes sense
but I really wish I could
I can’t believe in any God
that I never understood

There will be no more tucking in
no more rousing sleepyheads
no more checking in the night
are they breathing in their beds

wish I could just undo it all
wish there were a reason from above
but all that’s left, though it seems small -
is love, love, love.

Constellation

Constellation 

What are the chances? 

Of all the stars in the sky 

over all the oceans vast and blue 

of all the chatter 

through etheral fiber optic threads 

and backlit story-telling tablets 

of all the choices to connect

look into blue and green 

look into minds and hearts 

what are the chances 

to click into place 

like legos and locks 

and there begins

a new and whispered constellation, 

sparks in obsidian,

us.

My Heart Beats with Yours

My heart beats with yours
it has since that first beat
my dreams live with yours
the bitter and the sweet

When you feel scared or nervous
I do too
because that’s what moms and kids
just do

When you are feeling happy
I can’t help but smile
your laughter lights the sky right up
of that there’s no denial

And when you’re sleepy, murmuring softly
“mama, I love you”
my hearts beats with yours
and always will

My heart beats with yours
and always will

She Waits for You

She's standing in the midnight mist
wandering about the place
thinking of you all the time
watching for any flash of lights
to say that you're awake

Pining night and day,
you're always on her mind
she writes your name in cursive
over and over
her sweetest desire is to make you
hers.

She stood a few steps away from you
just last week in that bookstore
in the sparkling, oceany, New England town
and whispered your name
but, mistaking her for someone else
you put the book back down
and walked away

She broke a little that day
but she's pretty used to it by now
and so much tougher than her delicate beating would indicate
you can try to ignore her
but she'll never go away

she's sneaky like that
she'll just come back again
when
you're more tired of not living your dreams
and more ready to listen
to
your
heart.

Your Heart Prays for Rain (song)

Some hearts pray for sunshine
and some hearts pray for wind
some hearts wish for calm clear days
to let more light fall in

Some hearts pray for green leaves
dancing in the sun
but yours needs water, baby
its dance has just begun

I hate to break it to you,
but your heart prays for rain

if hearts can ever have a chance
to glisten, glow and gleam
to dance alone under the stars
and not be what they seem

if they will ever know the day
they have to know the night
they have to get it wrong a lot
if they'll ever get it right

after every broken heart
kings horses and his men
come riding into town
some grey day
and set it right again

your heart's on a journey brilliant
courage is its name
your heart knows just what it needs
and your heart prays for rain

I’m Not Your Pilgrimage (song)

I’m not your pilgrimage
Not what’s over the next ridge
I’m not a golden bridge
to your new life

And though you must know
that I don’t really want to go
I’m not your pilgrimage
this much, I know

It’s a pretty long flight
black, and a million stars in sight
not one of them
whispers your name

But if I listen close
I hear what matters most
I’m not your pilgrimage
this much, I know

Sometimes I want to go back there
that reckless, careless time we once shared
like climbing through clouds in a wicked storm
bursting through to find a clear new morn

I’m not your Berlin Wall
though you had to make it fall
to find your
solitary brand new day

And I wasn’t your last stand
but given the choice I can
appreciate
that it must have felt that way

I’m not your pilgrimage
Not what’s over the next ridge
I’m not a golden bridge
to your new life

And though you must know
that I didn’t really want to go
I’m not your pilgrimage
this much, I know

this much, I know.

He Burned Incense in His Car (a song)

He burned incense in his car
talked of travel near and far
threw his arm around my shoulder
in a carefree sort of way

He spoke French and Portuguese
and swept in on the breeze
of my freedom, newly minted
shining in the Boston sun

But things aren’t always as they seem
this guy was the star of his own dreams

Would you like to know what happened next?
So would I
So would I
I think it went something like this:
I
learned
to
love
me.

He wrote poetry and prose
he shook me to my toes
he taught meditation
I had no hesitation

He practiced yoga too
tell me what in the hell would you do
with a man that fabulous
oh, he was mysterious

Invited me to couples yoga
I never wanted it to be over

But things aren’t always as they seem
this guy was the star of his own dreams

Would you like to know what happened next?
So would I
So would I
I think it went something like this
I
learned
to
love
me.

Someone to Believe (song)

Day after day
night after night
keep hoping things will turn out all right
Dream after dream
sigh after sigh
I turn my face up to the evening sky

I just want someone
to believe
that I can

it would feel so nice
a taste of paradise
if I just had someone to believe

I was a 7 year old
shoving permission slips under my mom's nose
“just sign here” -- I handed her the pen (‘cause I was going)
I was a high school girl
claiming I’d see the world
(Stockholm really is a magical place)

I just want someone
to believe
that I can

it would feel so nice
some sugar to my spice
if I just had someone to believe

I know they see things through their limitations,
but can’t they just encourage my ruminations?

I just want someone
to believe
that I can

it would feel so nice
a taste of paradise
if I just had someone to believe

I just want someone to believe

I Remember (a song)

I remember
the feeling
all butterflies and smiling
landing
almost into the ocean

I remember
the feeling
all warmth and skin and wanting
landing
into your arms again

There was so much longing
wanting, missing
for all those whispered years
There were so many
airplanes and airports
and
so many salty tears

I remember
the dreaming
all perfect lives and picket fences
landing
almost into my dreams

I remember
the dreaming
all laughter and a family
landing
almost into the truth

There was so much longing
wanting, missing
for all those whispered years
There were so many
airplanes and airports
and
so many salty tears

Now that that’s the past
and fantasies don’t last
what’s come to be
is yet more sweet and true -
it’s the precious, dreamed-for life
of loving you.