The Poinciana Tree

As the seasons pass through the years, And with the clouds the thunder flees; I can look up through the tears, And there stands the Poinciana tree. The red cardinal and blue jays, The doves and crows flew to it, A shelter at night, a place to stay, They are welcomed by it. The fall takes its leaves, Coloring the ground in green, The spring in coral weaves it, The flowers bloom to be seen. To the top the squirrel climbs, Looking for the long seedpods, A meal in the tallest limbs, As the Poinciana quietly nods.

Strong winds sweeping thoughts, long forgotten, long dormant, Swirling them back to the conscious mind, to the grasp of the hand, Where their visibility invites attention, begs for it, and claims it. Friendship ties resisting the elements, the ravishing storms, Hiking high over the mountains, and falling down on the valleys, Seeking to retain the laughter, dry the tears and move over the pain. Feeling the warmth of the human touch, pushing through so much, The heart catches fire, intensifies the search, through the sands of time, And illuminates the mind, reaches out, and follows the signs. KS

In the palm of my hand I held my soul,
My struggles, my faith, the new, the old.
My life, my past, seen in black and white,
The future approaching under hope's light.
The love I was bold enough to share,
Forgiveness I gave and forgiveness I begged.

To the day I open the windows of my heart,
To the rain I open all the windows,
Let it wash down my doubts,
Cleanse me of all my sorrows.

Let me open my heart once again,
Let the drops fill all my senses.
And as it runs down my skin,
The regrets in the air condenses.

Farewell

So you left, quietly, softly.
I thought we had more time,
And I wasted it, mindlessly,
And the loss was mine, all mine.

Slowly the night came,
And I felt the cold wind.
I paused, whispered your name,
You almost answered, it seemed.

You said you would, and I could,
But I did not pay attention.
The little bird flew to the woods,
Not a single word was mentioned.

Now I walk again, but not alone,
Not abandoned in the dark,
The memories are strong,
And I carry them in my heart.

Up the Stream

One step and just one more, under the sun and the rain,
The days filled with promises, on the path less taken.
And daring to dream, and daring to dream,
Going through the woods and up the stream.

Wiping the sweat, looking up, very quietly,
When the path is too steep, breathing faintly,
And daring to dream, and daring to dream,
Going through the woods and up the stream.

The burning sun crossing the bright skies,
Still getting lost, determined is the blind,
And daring to dream, and daring to dream,
Going through the woods and up the stream.

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The quiet breeze touches the warm skin on a Sunday afternoon,
The happy sounds of childhood by the children running.
From the earth fills the air the smell of wet soil, the monsoon.
And the birds are coming out again, even the little one, humming.

From the clouds, now dissipating, rays of light break through;
It’s like hope, like the seed germinating after the drought.
And there it is, to affirm a new beginning, the rainbow,
And the heart beats as the senses are aroused, reborn.

And I feel the quiet yearning for your smile, your lips,
The smile that dries my tears, and embraces my soul.
The yearning for your voice, the tenderness it brings,
That makes me feel what only you would know.

And the colors of the rainbow bring joy to my day,
The hurt and pain dissipating with the rain,
The light of your eyes making to mine its way,
To let go of this sadness and be with you again.

When All is Said and Done

From crayons to love songs, time passes so fast,

The body changes, the self-image, so much to adapt.

The moon in the sky and the way you looked at me,

I thought the world was you, like a magical symphony.



We left all out the door when we went home,

We used the language of love when we were alone.

Plans were made and dreams were dreamed,

Until all fell apart, as if was just a crude scheme.



As I look into the mirror, I see myself again,

I found myself through all the hurt and all the pain.

So you can walk out, I know I’ll be strong,

I’ll be all right, when all is said and done.



The seasons will change, the memories will fade,

I learn from the past and all mistakes made.

I am woman, and my heart still carries a song,

I’ll be all right, when all is said and done.

Picture by Michelle Vogt

Path of Hope

The thoughts are drizzled by the rain outside,
Steps, covered by the mud, are hard to follow.
Feelings swing with the breeze, some are set aside,
And we raise once again, one more step towards tomorrow.

A dark moon casts its shadow, the solitude of a long night,
We look back, trying to comprehend, so many memories.
The shadows are tricks played on the mind by a tired eyesight,
And is when eyes are closed to illusions that we better see life’s glories.

We grow wild into the night, age, and cry like a wolf,
Because spring is gone, and we’re shedding old ideas in the fall.
We dug deep into the past, bury it, and let go,
The fears are cast aside, and we’re renewed through it all.

The pains of shedding an old skin, my friend,
Are to be faced with quiet courage, and embraced.
The full moon will light the path on the sand,
A path of hope, an inheritance to be traced.

Faint Light

The faint light of dawn slowly comes through the blinds,
Rest pushed away by the thoughts weighting in my mind.
I look at your peaceful faces, resting in your sleep,
Gratitude fills me as I take from coffee a little sip.

The day is crowded with faces, in all different places,
And my heart stumbles to keep up with my pace.
I wish I could run from my own thoughts,
And close the curtain over what was lost.

The day is just another chance to begin again,
To make sure life is not lived in vain.
In my dreams I float, like a kite in the air,
And I reach out to you, if I just dare.

Dreams and hopes mixed with fears and self doubt,
It’s like trying to find the way in a misty cloud.
But just as thought I was loosing my mind,

I feel your hand reaching out, and holding mine.

Picture

by Michelle Vogt

Prayer

A heartbeat, an anxious thought,
A bump on the road, hot asphalt,
A quiet tear, falling on the bed;
Time for prayer, and a prayer is said.

A broken heart needs mending,
A mind in distress is bending,
The ill, the pain suffered,
And a silent prayer is offered.

The weak, the tired fall down,
The loneliness as night falls,
The despair comes around,
And in prayer the head bows.

The tear that dires on the cheek,
The strenght comes to the meek,
Hope slowly rising with the sun,
The grace offered by the Son.

Picture by Michelle Vogt

Beginning

I wanna shut off the noise and water the car,

Send flowers to a man and bathe under the stars.

I wanna walk on the beach in the evening,

And send letters instead of e-mailing.



I wanna go biking again to work and such,

Stop at the gas station for some fudge.

Laugh around a round of lemonade and tea,

And hope you come and laugh with me.



Letting my hair down and listening to you,

Hard times will seem a distant microfilm.

Dinner will be homemade with popsicle,

On top of the mountain my office cubicle.



Don’t be so serious when you look at me,

Life was not made to be lived so seriously.

I feel like eating dessert first, my friend,

Because I am beginning anew at the end.



KBS, July 2011.

Hush

Hush, hush,
Hush the harsh words,
Intolerance, innuendos,
Presumptuous assumptions.

Hush, hush,
Loose the harness,
Let it be, free,
See that I am free.

Hush, hush,
The little baby cries,
The little baby craves,
The love that unties,
Sailing on the waves.

Hush, hush,
Listen the silence,
The words unspoken,
The raindrops cadence,
Finally the heart softens.

Leap

It’s about taking chances,

A leap of faith,

Over fear fences,

Towards your embrace.



It’s about the rhythm,

The beat of the heart,

Yours and mine in unison,

Caught by the same dart.



The shadows of the trees,

Spreading in the night,

Nothing in between,

Only you and I.



And the light in your eyes,

The love and tenderness,

The life that rises

From the deepest darkness.

The Rider

How in the middle of the road I found myself,

Kissing the asphalt albeit the helmet shell,

A ride home on a rainy day, at rush hour,

Turned something sweet into sour.



The seconds count, the faces I could not see.

After tumbling down the road to recovery,

The world came crushing down, painfully,

And the wind spreading the fire in me.



The heavy crutches I already left behind,

The love felt lifted this broken peace of mind.

Announcers of doom keep playing their drums,

I’m still turned on when I hear the engine hums.



The sun shines on the chrome, morning again.

I miss the wind, as an old, dear friend,

That revived the flame that was dying in me,

And opened the road to the daring to be…

What is in Your Eyes

What is it that I see in your eyes?

Is it the image of daffodils’ fields,

In a lazy summer afternoon?

Or is it the dreams disguised

By the hazy rays of the moon?



What is it that I see in your eyes,

That not even a poet can express?

Must be the feelings I always felt,

Forever burning in this heart of mine,

Waiting for resistance to be melted.



What is that whisper in your lips,

That makes me wonder in anguish?

Are those words true to your eyes,

That makes me want every letter sip,

Like a love potion to this heart of mine?



And as I get lost in your eyes,

In all its tales of sadness and joy,

I contemplate what is all so true,

The pages turned in our lives,

The path opened for me and you!...

Whistle with the Birds

Soft morning pouring through the blinders
Inviting to embrace a brand new day.
After a night of questions unanswered,
The birds came again to play.

A battered body can heal,
Maybe better than a spirit would.
Each step is like climbing a hill,
A climb not meant for the fool.

The sun throws reflexes on the wall,
Teasing you to come and play too.
Smile over the pain and sorrow,
Whistle with the birds a little tune…

And the beauty of the morning
Poured slowly through my heart -
As I smelled the coffee brewing,
The last twinkle of the morning star.

picture by Michelle Vogt

Through the night

The music was playing, the rhythm made her move,

The rays of the moon hitting the bird bath,

The fire pit spitting sparks in the air,

The joy inside came out to play,

Body and soul moving in the same direction

Feeling the love and letting it out,

Love once abandoned, wondering alone,

Now enticed by the rhythm in the music

By the warmth in the body and the free mind,

And the dance took her through the night,

And night took her till the dawn,

And love kept her from loosing her sight.

Warmth

The road is opening,
The sky is bright,
The sun is shining,
And love takes flight.

Sun warmth on my skin,
For your touch is aching,
Barriers are so thin,
Your love is claiming.

The arches of the bridges,
Crossing over rivers,
The softness of the ridges,
Welcoming shivers.

The sound of breathing,
Hair touch so slight,
The unknown venturing,
To a land of delight.

Light Shining Through

And then it opened before me, the possibilities, eternity.
The lost one I am thankful for, the memories.
Looking up from the dark dungeon, grasping into its walls,
Opening up to the light still coming through the clouds.
The sea ahead, the long distance to be sailed,
Surviving it all, broken, deceived, betrayed.
And again, the light comes shining through,
To what withstands time, to what is true.