They think

we are

 

lesser than this,

‘as if the night

 

blew our souls

away.’

 

I believe their

smiles are laced

 

with poison

 

‘perfume from

Oleander

 

the eagles flight,

this moment is

 

silence.’

 

They ask for

omnipotence

 

& we gladly

give away

 

our children:

 

‘nurtured &

hard won

 

their small faces

open to the light.’

 

Days evolve

into century,

 

I sit at the

corner of

 

nowhere,

stretch out

 

to rearch

the small

 

path home.

 

I gave away

everything

 

handed it over

gladly,

 

& you

 

return to me

unseen

 

‘a whisper

of slender’

 

smiling from

berry lips

 

stained with

the kisses

 

of another.

 

 

Sun

blasts phantoms

of the night

 

shades of

yester year.

 

Travelling to

travelling from;

 

sky so blue

it hurts my eyes.

 

We are strangers,

once so close

 

close as love birds,

story tells that one

 

dies without

the other

 

but

 

that’s not true.

 

I’m here,

swaying

to palm music

 

while you succumb

beneath ordinary

 

life.

 

Time

is not

on our side

 

& all the clichés

in- between

 

gather force

to haunt me.

 

Travelling to

travelling from

 

we are

nothing but,

 

strangers.

 

 

Sea sucks,

sea ‘n sand

 

dragonfly

tumbles

 

you stand:

dark silhouette

 

unmoving.

 

Sharks ride

jet skis

 

cruise the

bay,

 

turtles graze

& tourists drink.

 

Ground heat

rises, cicadas,

 

shiver of rain

on tin roof.

 

Old men pass

pass & re pass

 

eyeing up

the talent.

 

We talk,

hot wires

 

of desire,

while time

 

unrolls, stealthy

like the tide

 

eroding us

until we become

 

see through.

 

 

 

 

 

Sea kisses

mingle with

 

sand

 

sand on my skin

sand in my hair:

 

you are earth drawn,

slow rolling

 

like the tide:

 

small birds bicker

& eyes climb to

 

silver leafed tree,

 

then sky,

 

oh, the sky

high, wide, empty.

 

We walk in time

ankle to ankle

 

black & white.

 

For a small hour

all seems parallel:

 

my complicated world

shifts till curse of mind

 

draws me back.

 

Still, memory

of touch

 

lingers.

 

Sun baked kisses,

the heat throbbed

 

sun of you.

 

 

 

You didn’t come,

although you

 

promised:

 

your name,

tart on

 

tip of tongue.

 

It’s been years,

seems like centuries

 

over & over

Groundhog Day.

 

That yearning

has dissipated

 

it returns in

random

 

conversation

 

the nub of

stranger’s chatter.

 

I’m melting ice

in the numb glitter

 

of this, diamond isle

 

my mantra stuck

like sugar honey.

 

We are obsolete;

a shady land

 

of diminished hope.

 

Love, like a

bird of paradise

 

has flown,

leaving paralysis.

 

You never came

& all the longing

 

sits upon my heart:

 

the dark shroud

of eternity,

 

only a breath away:

to you I say

 

you broke our

sacred promise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tide beckons

before & after

 

you call me

‘Angel’

 

I soar:

 

Here sky

melts

 

horizon

 

we swim in

translucence;

 

no beginning

or end

 

palms swish

shuffle

 

I feel you

in the breeze

 

 

frond stroking

frond blend

 

into

 

drenched dreams

rain rattle roof

 

wild monkeys

walk the fence

 

nonchalant,

agape,

 

at our

foolishness.

 

Sunday bells

palm spire

 

cooking smells

scent

 

early morning;

two tame birds

 

beg for bread.

 

Sun begins

interminable

 

shine,

& you & I

 

barter

by lines

 

lost in

dream – scape

 

of my mind,

where love

 

hides.

 

 

 

Early morning

monkey stroll

 

hand to tail.

 

Bougainvillea,

frangipani.

 

roll from

the tongue

 

replete,

fragility.

 

8am beach

pristine

 

salt

soaked;

 

influx:

Homo Sapiens

 

hunker like

grilled meat

 

skin scorch

flesh bulge

 

excess.

 

 

 

 

Dappled light

sand struck

 

blue, blue sky

mile upon mile

 

of aqua.

 

Send me songs

braided with

 

tide rhythm,

floating, bubbles.

 

Above & below

sunlight

 

strokes

 

shush shush

sea cradle.

 

I caress

night;

 

dreams

tremble.

 

Every new

morning

 

paradise

gleams

 

sentient.