Love in 10 Words

~ Biscuit ~

The oven was warm

And that delicious smell wafted,

Light and airy,

From room to room.

 

The biscuits sat,

Soft and round,

Tempting the senses

On the tray hot to the touch.

 

~ Temperature ~

It wasn’t the only thing I couldn’t touch -

The distance between us

Too far to overcome

But you ignite something in me

 

The very idea of you makes my temperature rise,

My heart beat faster,

Beads of sweat form on my brow,

And I yearn for the times we were together.

 

~ Blue ~

But my heart is blue

Because you’re not here to tell me

That I didn’t put enough chocolate chips in the batter

But you love them anyway.

 

And all I want to do is tell you that

I love you more than biscuits,

More than that corn dish you like,

And more than all the pizza slices we can eat.

 

~ Embrace ~

I want to feel your arms wrap around me,

Warm as a summer’s day,

As I lay my head on your chest

Listening to your heartbeat through your shirt.

 

And I want to feel your warm breath in my hair

Right before you kiss my head

And I lose all control

Of my feelings towards you.

 

~ Petrichor ~

But all I have is the smell of your shirt,

Freshly cut grass and dirt

Mixed with the rain that fell

Just as you walked out the door.

 

I’ve gotten used to you walking out the door

But it never gets any easier,

Knowing it will be months

Til I see you walk back in again.

 

~ Orchestral ~

The sound of your car engine in the drive

Is music to my ears

And the sight of your face

Is a whole symphony orchestra.

 

My heart sings when I hear your voice,

Knowing you are home with me

If only for this weekend

And then you must away.

 

~ Scrubbed ~

When you’re not here, I clean the floors,

I do laundry and dishes,

I go to work and come home

To an all but empty home.

 

There’s my two cats that need looking after

And my son who’s old enough

But it’s empty without you

And this bed is too big for just me.

 

~ Ethereal ~

You’re almost like a ghost in this house -

Your favourite cup is in the cupboard

And your clothes are in the wardrobe

But you’re not here.

 

Your cologne lingers in the air for days,

Haunting my senses as I walk into the room

And filling me with a longing

I can’t even begin to describe.

 

~ Leonard Cohen ~

Your say your friends are gone and your hair is gray

Yet you’re the life and soul of any party,

Though few and far apart our dancing days

Because my arms can’t stretch that far.

 

But, in the lounge betwixt couch and window,

We’ll bathe in soft, dappled light

And sway together, tightly held,

As angels sing on high to hallelujah.

 

~ Scratch ~

What started as an itch to scratch

Quickly ran away from us

And is now so much more than either of us

When we fill our hearts with such joy.

 

The time we share is not enough,

When once we talked but had not met;

An ache that barely has time to subside

Before it is awakened once again.

 

~ Massaged ~

I crave you hand holding mine,

Our legs entwined while watching TV,

The way our bodies fit together

When we’re both done for the day.

 

You healed my wounds from long ago

And taught me there was more to life than pain,

Massaging away the loneliness

Until all that’s left is love.

The Last Image

08/04/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



If I’d known this would be

The last image I’d take of you,

Would I have made the effort

To take another picture?



It’s quite a nice picture:

You’re sitting on a bench

Hair flowing in the breeze

Half a smile on your face



You never really liked it:

The lighting wasn’t flattering

And you didn’t fancy that top

With that particular shirt



Now it’s all I have:

A moment in time

Frozen forever but

Captured in the blink of an eye



So, I don’t think I would

Take another picture of you

Because that’s the real you

And the one I keep in my heart

Reluctant

06/04/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



I was reluctant to say hello

I didn’t think you’d say it back

You wouldn’t want to be my friend

You were too good for me



I was reluctant to ask you out

I didn’t think you’d say yes

You wouldn’t want to be my boyfriend

You were out of my league



I was reluctant to say yes

I didn’t think you’d really mean it

You wouldn’t want to be my husband

You were way too successful



I was reluctant to let you go

I didn’t think I could

You wouldn’t want to live like this

You were too much for this world

Ever Since

30/03/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



Before the light

Before the dark

Before the everlasting love



After the world

After the stars

After the universe flickers and dies



While I breath

While I mourn

While I bear this unspeakable sorrow



Ever since you

Ever since then

Ever since all meaning was lost

Closer

27/03/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



I long to feel closer to you

To be welcomed into the inner sanctum

To be trusted

To be loved

To be honoured as one of your own

As a friend

As a confidant

As a lover

As a member of your closest family



But I must wait for an eternity

Wait until you realise

Wait for the right time

Wait though I yearn

Wait so very long for that which I desire

For your touch

For the joy

For my heart to fill

For the softly spoken words I crave

Loving you

16/03/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



The recipe for loving you seems simple

First you start with two ingredients

A little estrogen and testosterone

And let them simmer nicely

Then you add a bit of adrenaline

For that bit of kick

Followed by a splash of dopamine

To get the heart going

And just enough serotonin

For those neurotransmitters to soak up

To create a bond that lasts

We’ll throw in some vasopressin

Just to make sure everything sticks

Finally, we’re going to add a pinch of oxytocin

The ingredient responsible for those cuddles

On long, cold, winter nights

And when all those ingredients

Have had the time to mix together

The result is a bubble of love

That can never be repeated

With any other person

In exactly the same way

Loyalties

15/03/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



I could never love another

My passion is unbounded

I live and breathe for the days

And the nights

And the seemingly endless afternoons

Spent in your company

The highs and the lows

The good times and the bad

Being one in the moment

A connection like no other

No question of where I’d rather be

Wild horses couldn’t drag me away

Because this is my life

My childhood

My adolescence

My youth and my adulthood

My world and my being

A space in my heart filled

With the triumphs and the defeats

Of all my years on earth

A loyalty flowing through my veins

That nothing can drain

Imprinted on every fibre of my being

Every neuron

Every cell

My beloved now and always

My loyal Sydney Swans

Her Fabrics

27/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



My aunt was a sewer

Always fabric strewn about the place

All manner of threads and weaves

From thick denim to delicate lace



She made teddy bears for charity

For children to cuddle tight

When away from family in hospital

And facing their toughest fight



She made jackets for women

Who lived in shelters near and far

When they’d left home without anything

To escape violence under the radar



She made costumes for schools

To clothe their performing arts

From drama ensembles to dancing troupes

Her skill was off the charts



She made blankets for all the babies

Born into our growing family

Not a one was ever forgotten

From Jonathon to Amelie



I wish I were a better sewer

But I never took the time

More interested in sports and games

Or which tree I should climb



But sitting there in her sewing room

Surrounded by fabrics of every hue

I had the urge to pay a homage

And I knew what I must do



Carefully I measured out a square

From every piece than I could find

Some big and some much smaller

But all chosen with a heart that’s kind



I lay them out upon the floor

Arranging them as best I could

Before pinning them together

A task I never imagined I would



I looked up on the internet

How to thread the sewing machine

And after a false start or ten

I felt like the sewing queen



The squares come together

A mammoth task I’d undertaken

But I would not be dissuaded

My plan wouldn’t be forsaken



Finally, I had a quilted blanket

Bigger than my arms would stretch

With seams a little crooked

And no mean price would it fetch



But I would never sell it

It was my reminder of her brilliance

A thousand little pieces

That tested my resilience



Every colour is a piece of her

Every thread a memory I hold dear

Never will she be far from me

With her fabrics always near

In Five Years

26/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



In five years, you’ll be 21

In your own place, maybe

Have a partner

Possibly have a degree

Or at least a qualification

And be out in the world.



I wonder what sort of job you’ll have,

Whether it’s a train driver

Like you imagined when you were little,

Or a meteorologist or historian

Like you want to be now

Or something completely different.



It doesn’t really matter what you do

Or who you love

As long as you’re happy

And know that whatever choices you make

I will always be there for you

In five years or in 50 years time.

Across the Street at Number 12

25/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation


There’s an old lady across the road,

She lives there on her own.

Her girlfriend passed a few years ago.

They’d been together for twenty-seven years

Ever since she came out to her husband,

And I don’t know how that went down

But I feel like it would have taken guts

To be married for so long

And have kids together

Then decide you not only don’t want to be married

But you want to date people of the same sex!



She’s the sweetest old lady I know,

Almost like a grandma to me.

She’d get me Christmas presents

When I was a little kid

With immaculate wrapping

And bows tied with care

Along with a card written in cursive,

Faintly smelling of her perfume

And maybe a hint on home-made cookies.



Now that I’m an adult, she invites me over

For whiskey sours and platters of cheese,

And conversations about the meaning of life

That last into the wee, small hours,

And Sunday trips in the city

With high tea over-looking the harbour

Eating cucumber sandwiches and chocolates

Before window shopping for all the things

That we can’t afford but wish we could.



Her children live interstate

But they visit when they can –

Christmas,

Easter,

The occasional birthday –

And I know she misses them a lot

So, when they’re not around I visit her

And she tells me about her life,

Full of ups and downs and round abouts

And more love than I could imagine.



She comes from a big family

But all her siblings have now passed away.

She keeps their memories alive

With pictures hanging on the wall

And visiting their resting places

And having one-sided chats with them.

She says she enjoys her chats

As she sits by their graveside,

It being the only time she wins an argument

With any of her sisters.



We’re planning her outfit for Mardi Gras –

She wants it even more outrageous than last.

You wouldn’t think to look at her

As she goes about her daily life

In her pants suits and demure shirts

That when the parade rolls around

She’ll be out there covered in sequins

And adorned in feathers galore,

Rainbow garb from head to toe

And flags of every description.



She’s of the very strong opinion

That life is for the living

And we should take every opportunity

To celebrate our diversity.

She lived too long hiding her true self

And, though she loved her husband dearly,

He wasn’t who she was supposed to be with

And when she met Louise that day

She knew it was now or never.



I think her husband always knew

And he took it very well

Unlike some others in the neighbourhood

Who couldn’t keep their opinions to themselves.

First, he moved into the spare room

While he looked for a place of his own

And, then, when he eventually found something

It was just around the corner.



He still pops round to do the gardening

Or put up a picture hook

Even though he’s now remarried

With another family to look after.

They all seem to get along

And his new kids love the fact

They’ve had an extra set of parents

And older sisters with whom to share the love.



So, if you’re ever passing by this way

More often than not

You’ll find me hanging out across the road

My own kids playing in the yard

With Faye’s step grandkids,

Which she babysits every other Saturday,

As we sip on whiskey sours

And watch the world go by.

It’s a constant reminder

That family is what you make it

And blood may be thicker than water

But love is the tie that binds.

Valentine

14/02/2021 - Poem a Day Compilation



I don’t want dozens of roses

If you’re only buying them

Because it’s Valentine’s Day



Pick a dandelion on the way home

Because the colour reminded you

Of that new top I wore last weekend



I don’t want to go to a fancy restaurant

If you’re only taking me

Because it’s Valentine’s Day



Take me to the beach

For fish and chips wrapped in paper

With ice cream for dessert



I don’t want expensive jewellery

If you’re only giving it

Because it’s Valentine’s Day



Make me a daisy chain

While we sit listening to music

In the middle of the park



I don’t want a cuddly toy

If you’re only reason is

Because it’s Valentine’s Day



I’d much prefer your warm embrace

Every other day of the year

And twice on Sundays



I don’t want commercial displays of affection

That fill a CEO’s pockets

Because it’s Valentine’s Day



I want an every-day valentine

Who shows the world their love for me

In ways too rich to put a price on

A Perfect Day

13/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



Is there such a thing as a perfect day?

Is it just something that people say?



You might want the great outdoors,

But that perfection is simply yours.



Mine might be very different,

So, don’t be so vociferant.



I might want the rainy weather,

Perfect for snuggling up together.



You might crave the city lights,

The sparkle and shine of crazy nights.



I might prefer reading under covers,

Wondering if characters are friends or lovers.



You might want adventure and daring

Coming to together in the perfect pairing.



While I might need something more sedate,

Maybe watching a movie while staying up late.



You might rather steak and chips

Or buffalo wings with various dips.



I might be more partial to a seafood platter

Or crepes that could not get any flatter.



But no matter what it is we do

I know it’s perfect if it’s with you.

A Sign

07/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



Give me a sign

And I will move mountains



Give me a sign

And I will fight any battle



Give me a sign

And I will love you forever



Give me a sign

And I will give myself to you

The Dialogue

01/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



Can you hear me?

        Yes, I can hear you.

I feel so alone.

        What would you like me to do?

Sit with me.

        But you won’t be able to see me.

That’s ok, I know you’re there.

         What do you want to talk about?

How much I miss you.

        I’m always here with you.

It’s not the same, though.

        I’m sorry you’re sad.

It’s not your fault.

        But I left you.

You were taken from me.

        I didn’t fight hard enough.

You fought as hard as anyone.

        I didn’t want to go.

You’re still here.



In my mind.

Two People

31/01/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



I saw two people dancing

Upon a wooden bridge

As in love today

As the day they met



No music played

But they kept in time

And danced a joyful waltz

To the sound of water running



Again, I saw them dancing

Upon the wooden bridge

Smiling and laughing

Like giddy teenagers do



But these were no teenagers

Their spritely years long gone

And though they looked their age

Their hearts beat like they were young



Every week I would see them,

They love so simple and pure

And it would remind me

Of all that was good in the world



Then one rainy afternoon

I saw him dancing on his own

Still in perfect time

And still with so much love



My heart broke as I watched

For a man I didn’t know

And never had I so wanted

To be able to extend my hand



Not to offer a handshake

Or to pull him in for a warm embrace

But to join him in his lover’s waltz

If only for one day

Never (is such a long time)

29/01/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



Never is such a long time

But I think I can do it

It’s not really a hardship

When loving you is so easy



Gonna fill my world with you

And be your biggest fan,

Cheering on all your successes

Congratulating you at every turn



Give me a moment, if you will,

To sing your highest praises

Because you deserve every one

Even when you don’t feel it



You think it’s silly that I’m this way

But it’s all because of you

They way you light up my life

And make it worth living



Up until I met you

I thought I knew what love was

But now I see I was wrong

And it’s a pale imitation



Never is such a long time

But I’m here ‘til the end of time

Come hell or high water

Nothing will keep me away



Gonna do everything I can

To make life perfect for you

And though I may sometimes fail

It’s worth it just for you



Let me shower you with love

And let the whole world know

You are my forever

And there’s nothing I won’t do



You bring sunshine after rain

The birds sing when you’re around

The flowers bloom a little early

And the days seem like a dream



Down in my soul

Where all my love resides

Is a home that I built for you

The day I first saw your face



Never is such a long time

But together we can make it work

Our love lifting us above the troubles

And devotion seeing us through



Gonna be the best person I can

To champion your every cause

Because you are amazing

And I love you with all my heart



Run every marathon

Swim every ocean

Cross every continent

I will be there for you



Around every bunch of flowers

Will be a ribbon tied with love

Even if I’ve just picked them

Walking home from work



And when Valentine’s Day come around

I will show you the depths of my love

Not just with gifts

But with affection, too



Desert you, I never will

Because it’s not in my nature

To abandon the one I love

When the going gets a bit tough



You are my joy and my smile

You are my laughter ‘til I cry

You make the world a better place

And for that I love you more



Never is such a long time

And it feels like that when we part

The hours while we’re at work

Are the longest I’ve ever known



Gonna carry the weight of the world for you

So you don’t have to feel the strain

And you can be the woman

You were always meant to be



Make no excuses for your brilliance

You shine like a million stars

There is no one that compares

And nowhere I’d rather be



You are my food, my nourishment

When I forget to eat

As I stare wistfully into your eyes

Across the restaurant table



Cry only tears of joy for me

But if you are overtaken by sadness

Allow me to be your comfort then

And be everything you need



Never is such a long time

I’m glad I didn’t have to wait that long

Though I was very nervous

When I got down on one knee



Gonna make sure our life together

Is the best that it can be

Because there’s no one I’d rather spend it with

That you, my darling wife



Say what you will about marriage

It’s not for everyone

But I have found the perfect partner

And the best friend I could ever have



Goodbye to my single days

Feeling so empty and alone

But you gave me the power I needed

To love me the way I was



Never is such a long time

Let’s have no more talk of that

We’ll focus on the future

And our lives together instead



Gonna take the ups and downs in our stride

Always having each other’s backs

A team like no other

You and me against the world



Tell the universe to stop looking

We’ve found what we both need

A laugh, a smile, a warm embrace

And a ton of time to discover



A world of adventure awaits

We’ll travel to the ends of the earth

We’ll climb every mountain

And we’ll do it side by side



Lie on a bed of roses

Sit on the sandy shore

Walk through misty moorlands

Tiptoe through tulip fields



And when we are both exhausted

We’ll collapse into each other’s arms

Safe in the knowledge

We can do it all again



Hurt will be behind us

Our love will find a way

Of guiding us on our journey

To see what the future holds



You give me strength and determination

When I am at my lowest ebb

With you I can do anything

Because you are the song in my heart and my head

Tender

24/01/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



You are the ever-loving soul

That caresses my heart

When it wants to shatter

Into a million pieces.



You take caring to another level:

Beyond the clouds that bring rain,

Above the stars in the darkest night,

Over any other I have ever known.



You shower me with affection

When I feel undeserving

And create a safe harbour

For me to take refuge.



You are the most kind-hearted,

Giving of yourself freely

When others would shy away

And filling the room with your light.



You are gentle and soothing

When times are difficult,

Calming stormy oceans

And saving me from myself.



You have a warmth that exudes

From every inch of you –

From your smile to your eyes,

To the tips of your delicate fingers.



You are compassionate and considerate,

Sympathetic and empathetic;

Concerned not with your own happiness

But with the fortune of others.



I am so fond of your tenderness

That I cannot adequately express

The depth of my feelings

Nor the breadth of my love.

The Confession

17/01/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



On Monday I confessed my love for you

You said you had stuff to do

Nothing more was said on that

As I watched you walk out over the welcome mat



On Tuesday I confessed my love for you

You asked about my favourite shade of blue

I thought a while before I said

I’m really rather into red



On Wednesday I confessed my love for you

While we wandered through the zoo

You were busy with the snakes

And wondering what kind of a selfie a monkey takes



On Thursday I confessed my love for you

But you were concerned with what I knew

About transcontinental railway journeys

And whether they gave discounts to attorneys



On Friday I confessed my love for you

You powdered the end of your billiard cue

Trying so hard to look so cool

While at the same time playing the fool



On Saturday I confessed my love for you

We were standing there, admiring the view

The waves crashing on the beach

And birds flying just out of reach



On Sunday I confessed my love for you

You complained about your new shoe

And that you’d need to take it back

When you really needed to pack



One day I will confess out loud

For now, it hangs over me like a cloud

I really should tell you before you go

But I’m afraid of your reaction once you know

Brilliant

15/01/2021 –  Poem a Day



Never have I felt something so intense

That I cried out to the night sky

Inspired to call to a heaven I do not believe in

With images playing in my head

So vivid that I could have reached out my hand

To hold on to the feeling as if it were solid

And, as a virtuoso, turned magic into reality



There’s a magnificence surrounding you,

Playing of your every move –

Your walk, the way you tilt your head –

Every exceptional motion defined

By how marvellously your eyes scan the room

Searching for the next person

To fall under your spell



Like a superb lyrebird in full song

Your splendid voice enthralls all who hear it,

Sparkling like a diamond freshly cut

Capturing attention from near and far

Shining though the mundane conversation

The skillful weave, guiding the topics

Back to your latest adventure



If I could bottle what it is

That makes being around you so glorious

The feeling that whoever you’re focused on

Is the centre of a great big universe

Gleaming in reflected glory

Gifted by you without thought of reward

Because you don’t even believe it’s you



You don’t see the talent you exude

For putting people at ease

Though it’s clear as crystal to those of us

Who worship you from so very far

Yet we are still dazzled by your smile,

The twinkle in your eye

That wonderful way with words you have



So, it has always been you, and only you,

Radiant in the darkness

Bathing everyone in that bright light

That is your unwavering optimism

And your accomplished life

Setting you at a level above

Luminous to the last laugh

Temptation

02/01/2021 - Poem a Day Compilation



That which I saw, I wanted –

To touch, to hold, to have –

Yet you were not mine to possess

And I had no choice but to resist.



The desire flowed through me completely,

Taking over my every sense,

And my only defence was you

Being of sound and moral character.



I craved your undivided attention

With every fibre of my being,

Regardless of the damage

It would undoubtedly do to me.



I fought the urge to tell you,

Knowing my rejection would surely follow;

My heart, at once broken

And hopeful at the very same time.



I could not stand it when we touched

Ever for the barest of moments,

The impulses it sent coursing through me

Made my brain tingle and spark.



My appetite for your embrace

Grew with every passing day

For when you wrapped your arms around me

There was no safer place I could be.





When we parted I wanted to scream

My longing to the night sky

But, instead, I breathed in sweet relief

That you held my heart at arms-length.



This attraction towards you that I felt

Pulled me nearer and nearer to you

Until I could bear it no longer

And I retreated into my shell.



The temptation to break the rules

Is just as strong now as it was then,

But I know this yearning is not reciprocated

And I would be the one to be broken.