Happiness is a drug that removes all worry
Makes old skin shine like new.
Renders the morning more glorious
Shapes the sun into a smiling face
Rivers flow like an endorphin rush,
When ignorance feels ecstatic.

To feel pleasure in just being
A sweet taste of bliss
Higher than the ozone layer,
Pure as a new-born kiss.

It was because of the mayflies
Who by dying in droves
Made me think about my life
And what I was to make of it

I wish you could see them too
See for yourself how full of life
How boldly they go after it
For only a few hours
Seemingly knowing something
Man is yet to realize

Chronic illness came,
A disruptor on my path.
Pain upon pain,
It didn't come by half.

This myriad of rocks sent me flying,
Like a warrior dream thief.
And my tears started flowing,
In an envelope of grief.

But when tear rivers dried,
Emotions poured out as words.
Like a landscape stretching out,
As multicoloured birds.

And I found a new purpose,
To channel, to inspire.
A way that grief was vanquished,
Turning tears to creative fire.

You promised vibrant days,
Colourful with hues,
Blooming flowers,
Fragrances, perfumes—

No rinse-and-repeat,
Only dazzling views,
Everything to swipe away
My dragging, heavy blues.

But alas! You say what?
Your wallet’s running dry,
And all your clever stories
Have lost their lullaby.

So forgive me, then
This cruise I must refuse;
I’m running out of time,
Perhaps another schmooze.

When the light in your eyes flashes a warning,
I’ll call it love
and fold myself small enough
to fit into the silence between your words.

I’ll memorize the sound
of you turning your back
and call it devotion.

I’ll close the book of hope
I’ve been writing,
and start a new one
filled with your name.

I’ll trade my boundaries
for your comfort.

I’ll lose myself trying to find your happiness,
and become a new version of me—
one you can tolerate.

Passing
Pulse now slowing
Heart beats diminishing
Family clears tears from their eyes
Times Up

Today my thoughts have all run dry
Thank you for telling me why
Now the clock says quarter to three
But you don't have any time for me

Published words all gone to waste
Please correct my grammar or lack of taste
Now what is it that I'm lacking, comic timing ?
Or you have no time for enforced rhyming

Anyway thanks, I have a bus to catch

He climbs and jumps from bandstands and benches,
the wood-sculpted mermaid, then tackles the fences
one side of the duck pond, and spying the bridge
trip-traps across to where trolls might be hid
and challenges them to come out if they dare,
after ensuring that grandad’s close there
to assist in the skirmish if needed,
but his grandstanding passes unheeded.
There are only a posse of joggers panting,
social distancing signs, willow branches
and lovers who walk with their arms entwined,

False hope has taken me
places that I ought not to go.
Exploration of deity are
images of self scrutiny

There are very few hero's left
to offset the anarchy.
The end is moving swiftly
and the sun is sinking low

Our dreams have been demolished
I have burned every bridge.
A friend came to visit,
but I brushed him aside as lint.

It matters very little
what we do now.
If we take the goodness
and leave the past be hind.

Yellow Daffodils were
laughing on the bank,

purple-ish pink Phlox
and green shoots

of tall grass -
damp, tender,

rose to sing.

Virginia Bluebells, white
Lily of the Valley,

the bees, and,

(oh!) the butterflies

scattered like
Fairy Dust

teasing the breeze.

I sat by the water,
visiting, wondering

what plans
belonged to my day,

listening to the creek
as it settled near my feet

forgetting to meander along.