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Once upon a time,
I used to wish for a love like ours,
Once upon a time
I pondered that very phrase.
I sat under those bright stars beside you
and saw the words “forever” ring in my ears.
Or at least a love that the stars would forever engrave in themselves,
To be look upon with awe and wonder,

Questions of how did they over come the odds and make it to that kind of happiness,
A love worthy of songs and fairy tales and beauty,
As we gazed into each other’s eyes
I wanted to see a glimpse of happiness.
In my heart I could feel the world stop
but darling in my mind our lives continued.

But I’m starting to find that once upon a time only begin once,
The moment had scratches and it was no longer clear to me.
The only clarity I saw was that we should no longer stare in the fairy tale and stare into reality.
And everything that falls in between is up to chance.
Love is just not a word in a song, card, or in a poem.
Love isn’t just displayed in a movie scene or a play.
Love requires action, consistency, and a splash of romance.

So darling, I could be your perfect once upon a disaster,
Tangles in the highest tower laced with thorns and roses, tasted in the last bite of the poisoned apple,
Or….or we can work to create a new fairy tale.
Once I threw our written fairy tale in the trash can I grabbed a note pad.
I wrote 10 reasons why I am madly in love with you.
I wrote 10 reasons why I want to be with you.
I tore this sheet out of the notepad and placed it on the refrigerator.

Let the old stars die, fall with the hearts of those before us,
I don’t need a fairy tale nor a “Once Upon A Time” beginning.
Sweetheart, my love, I just need to be open, expressive, intuitive, caring, and considerate.
And lets give birth to a new galaxy full of stars that will shine and dazzle those who look up and wish a forever on once upon a time….
If I truly love you, every day that word “forever” will truly mean something.
Forever starts with my attitude, outlook, and the desire to show you how much you mean to me.

A Writer’s Soul – Non Italics

Overflowing Ink – Italics

I had done a collaboration with Kristen and it was quite fun! Kristen is a wonderful writer. Please check out her blog if you haven’t – you will read some great poetry!

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Pearl of the generation

A gypsy in psychedelic rock

Chugging beers in her bellbottoms

The queen of Woodstock

Unforgettable decorated wail

In the circle of the blues

Never drove a Mercedes Ben

Taking a piece of my heart

Playing Try just a little harder

over and over

Addictions took her away

Forever Me and Bobby McGee

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Skewed perception

Perhaps off white

layered in complexity

gazing at simplicity

Efficiency is critical

order is a pillar

Labeled and identified

Root causes are visual

Painted problem solver

in tuned sentiments

Unbiased points of view

Visionary eyes of reality

splashes of confidence

covers my creative heart

Willing to care about others

Too sensitive

Small circle of friends

see me as off white

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Scolded by police sirens
Fire hydrants craving a drink
Chards of glass from the window
laying on the pavement with anger
Barbers and bartenders exchanging
witty nicotine sarcastic conversations
Mimes and witnesses pleading
the 5th amendment to the scene
Instigators snarl at the defendants
Allegations and half truths spoken like
lawyers in a lions den
Blood stains dry on Dripping Ink Avenue
Desperately screaming to the stop light
The curbside is a destination
for gamblers, burglars, and vendors
staring up at the mustard sun
Faces of debutants and vigilantes
walk past the New York landscape

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Stale chips

fallen on a checkered pattern

linoleum floor

Empty pizza boxes

stacked on a granite

counter top

Blaring from the speakers

Duran Duran’s Greatest Hits

Reminiscing of old times

Lost arguments boil

to the rim and simmer down

Recognizing friendships

are made to last unlike

marriages and cars

Green pastures and mountain

eagle like views overtake

your narrow perception

on Coach Road in

the quiet town of 4000 humans

Only the stars become thick

and the air is gold in

the heart of Northern Ireland

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Furious waves are dying. The gentleman in me is fading like a light. You carve out the tension and slowly I am denied. The more you take the less of me you receive.

You are not who you advertised. I remain calm as I construct a devious plan. I hold the wind in my hand. I have a defense. I made sure the world knows. Apocalyptic and cryptic I will speak. Repeating my words is not a option.

You use the word love but don’t show it. You use words you don’t express. The storm in this jungle has elevated to a hurricane. Patience is running thin. You love the image. You love the facade. You don’t love me. Say it. Admit it.

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I will never forget the day I moved back home . I will never forget the sentence that broke my heart. “You will never set the world on fire.” The chip on my shoulder just became bigger. Perhaps he is just a realist. Perhaps he saw his son average. I’m not saying he didn’t know how to love and care. I’m not saying he was a bad father but I would NEVER tell that to my son.

Little boy the message here is that you can be what you want to be. You are going to make choices I probably won’t agree with at the moment but the belief in you won’t disappear. I want to do something that my father didn’t do, just understand you. Please don’t be afraid to open up. I don’t want to be a critical spirit like him and put your thoughts under a microscope. Your father is a writer at heart and doesn’t have support from those who I thought would support. I stand alone. You will never stand alone.

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You want but don’t ask

You need but don’t say a word

You expect but bite your tongue

You bitch but you don’t speak

You sigh but you don’t voice

You assume but aren’t direct

You strut but don’t walk

You scream but don’t converse

You talk down to than at

You just don’t get it

You are inside yourself

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I’m so fucking mad

About the day I had

She wasn’t glad

That I kissed Chad

I’m so freaking upset

About what I didn’t get

She was part of the bet

By Monday she will forget

I’m so undesirably distraught

About the day I lost

She was happy I got caught

My feelings can’t be bought

I’m so damn pissed

About the day I missed

She was in the A list

By the weekend I cut my wrist

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Don’t patronize

Don’t need your wild skies

Don’t want your rabid lies

Don’t wear that disguise

Just say goodbye

Don’t empathize

Don’t need your vibes

Don’t want your shoe size

Don’t sleep open wide

Just say goodbye

Don’t advise

Don’t need your old surprise

Don’t want your supplies

Don’t discard the gold prize

Just say goodbye

Don’t downsize

Don’t want your grey butterflies

Don’t need your mind baptized

Don’t reject the wise

Just say goodbye

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Shrugged diluted zest

Watered down affection

Still waiting…

Undiscovered territory

Finger tip formalities

Still waiting…

Nonexistent warmth

Empty terms of endearment

Still waiting…

Through the loop of emotions

Repetition overload

Still waiting…

on you

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Second best

Third place

A small unseen ribbon

Just a contestant

Carrying a chip on her shoulder

Tons of weight

Mediocre and average

Never enough

Depressed and lonely

Trying too hard

Desolate and desperate

In every decade

Feelings remain

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I snarled at the green stuff on my plate

I stared at something I refused to taste

She looked at me and said “Eat those Brussel Sprouts!”

“Mom this is something I could live without!”

She stood there sternly and put her hands on her hips

“I better see those Brussel Sprouts meet your lips!”

I glared at those green balls and closed my eyes

I opened up my mouth and told one Brussel Sprout goodbye

I couldn’t believe that it was yummy!

I couldn’t believe that it was happy in my tummy!

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Low tolerance

for monumental errors

Imperative

to learn and evolve

Repetitive mistakes

cause blood to boil

and stirring silence

Humans are designed

to create blunders

If order and structure

are installed

Disarray

and inefficiencies

are minimal

Always striving

to improve

in all facades of life

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Pouring down overused mentalities

Change fumbling around

Pulling four quarters to insert

in the old fashioned jukebox

Numbers exchanged between

the mentalist and the statue

Between the shot glass

and the pint of a Irish stout

Scattered observations are slurred

Tip toeing through the cigar vapors

and the barking stilettos

Polluted with aggravation’s

and lipstick smudges on the glass

Empty barstools are playing violins

Loneliness waits for no one

Be careful where you drown

your heartache and sorrows

Look up at the glaring neon sign

The Bottomless crutch

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I find that life is all about perception. I can see a glass half empty or half full. I find that I can worry about what I can control and not worry about what I can’t. I find the light within the dark. I find beauty within the scars. I find stages, scratches, and atmosphere that I can’t see. I find the exits of them when I look back. I find that I use more of my logic than emotion to see clarity. I find that I remove the complexity to unravel the simplicity. I find the passion within my words. I find I have to own up to my mistakes. I find that I have to continue learning. I find that I have to continue to evolve. I find the joy in what I have and don’t complain about what I don’t have. I find that I didn’t forget where I came from. I find that I know where I’m going. Why? I know where I was and where I am today in every aspect of my life. It all starts with perception.