Pen to paper

still life to image

colors wrapped in water

caress the paper and

bring emotions

to life

Base colors block in shapes

as shadow and highlight

bring lines deeper

pushing the plane further

or closer as the image

grows clearer

The excitement of starting

a brush with pigment

lays out landscape,

portrait, or still life

bringing life from nothing

as watercolors run

I still remember your birthday

and the friendship we used to have

of hours on the phone

and silent looks as we passed

in different groups

with silent hellos

It was always one sided

with a friendship which

was really one-sided

of a beautiful girl

now a beautiful woman

just being nice to a lonely boy

And years later when we met

after you were married

and we lost contact

it was pleasant to see you

but it was brief and a nice

end to feelings on my part

And as I looked at the calendar

and planned for other birthdays

memories came flooding back

of you and the recent connection

with others that were mere acquaintances

and realized today was yours

but I will not be reaching out

to resurrect the ancient and the dead

but silently wish you good will

and that its ok we didn't remain friends

and hope that your life is full of happiness

As I still remember your birthday

I've often wondered,

What emotions or

feelings you have

or once had

or at all...

Did I imagine this

connection we had

or was it to get

what you wanted

a step ahead...

It felt real

when we kissed

when we held

each other in

the quiet of the night

But you played

your part well

and left me

with my real

emotions and hurt

Tethered to a

well acted play

with a performance

unlike any I've seen

and the spotlight

Was not on you

but on me for believing

in a lie

and left standing

with remnants

Of well crafted

words that weaved

into every breath

you took from my lips

and left me in the light of truth

We are no longer the same people

who traded barbs, here and their

in classrooms and high school halls

We are no longer the same people

with dreams that have yet to be dashed

and hopes crushed by day to day life

But yet, here we are, reconnected again

without the acidic comments and

terrible behaviors that maturing recedes

Now, I hope we can put aside hurts from the past

and get to know each other, as we are now

or can we look past the obvious

Or call out that we perhaps take issue

with one another for being

so much like the other...

Sometimes, out of nowhere

there is a soul crushing loneliness

that hits me...

and I feel the tears well

in eyes that do not fall

and are instead

swallowed into the

emptiness of my heart

that has been there

since you have gone...

moved on, not of

your own free will

but left looking

for you as if

you are still there

and these feelings

are all that remain

as a memory of you

I love when you are with me,

walking through the park or

through the forest, on

our nature hikes...

I love holding your hand

and feeling the warmth and

softness of it, and love

the gentle squeeze you give

I love the gentle kisses you give

in our walks, or when you

lay with me in bed

and I feel the passion in your lips

I love your Zebra Stripes,

that my fingers follow as

I lay my head on your hip

and trace them with my finger

Telling you how perfect you are,

for the very thing you hate

and place my lips on them

to show you how much I adore

Everything about you, even the things

that you do not find pleasing but

I find pleasing, about you

...always about you

And I trace your Zebra Stripes

with my lips, till I meet yours

and worshiping your body

and say a prayer...to Venus

...for your beautiful Zebra Stripes...

I was excited to see you after

such a long absence

and was pleased when

As you passed me,

walking with a friend

you stopped and came back

and I knew,

I knew in the brightness

of your smile

you were excited, too

Tripping on emotions

in the mundane things we

say to catch up

anything could be said in

this time all the while

straining visibly as

hands raised I gave into

temptation and a gentle

kiss turns torrid

with hands on face and lips

burning from a long ago

passion that reignited

from a simple hello

I love coming home to you

Coming home and feeling that

excitement, the build up, and first

site of you as I walk through the door,

just to get home to you

The last kiss, a memory of this

morning, a memory I’ve held on to

all day, to get me through

your smile and that look

when I touch your face

Before our lips meet,

I love that look, that look

of happiness as my hand caresses

your cheek and steadies

my hands as I kiss you

lips, locked in place

sparking hands to roam

through your hair

over your body

as breathing through this kiss

has brought me through

fire, only to pull back

and look at your beautiful

face, and I caress your cheek

and kiss you once more

as I am with you once more

breathing you in,

feeling your presence

calming my soul as

this balancing act ensues

She wore a red sweater

and I could see the look in

her eye before she even

made contact with me

The look on her not-so

perfect poker face

lifted into a slight smile

and I knew, I knew before

she said anything

this romance had

run its course and

somewhere…before we got here

it ended for her,

she walked up to me

and gave me a kiss

and when I looked at her

She started crying

tears fell, and I took pity

on her…I told her “I know”

and she just cried

and I held her, feeling

her breath hitch and

then stopping…

”how?”

”I don’t know…

just knew…

but you should tell me

anyway…

tell me what you want…

tell me you want to be free…”

she wiped the tears

from her face

and looked me in the eye

and said the words

said the words I knew

were there but unspoken

and I held her face…

and looked her in the eye

leaning in for a kiss

then said goodbye

I wonder why we connected

through endless conversations

instead of fighting from

being on opposite ends

maybe it was the way

we just stopped and

looked at each other

and lost what we were talking

About

I couldn’t tell you what you said

five minutes ago but

I know the shape of your nose

and the curve of your lips

And believe in the laws

of attraction when I try

to break this kiss but

find that the attraction

of polar opposites

to be the greatest of all

as my lips go numb

and I breathe you in