how much is too much?
how worse is worst?
how bad is bad?
how deep are your wounds?

when fate isn’t on your side
when you lose all hope
when you question your very faith
when you’re beaten and bruised, and burned some more.

when you risk too far
when you fail one too many
when all the odds are against you
when you take it all in.

what is left of you?
what is there to live for?
oh please, you begged: kill me now
for you have been dead.

you’re dead inside
you’re done living
you’re giving up
how much worse can it get?

will we ever find redemption?
will we ever see the light?
there are no answers
there are no blueprints.

mark this day
november the 5th
today, i die for you
today, i die with you.

i can’t sail
and i can’t bail
if there’s only a rail
to follow thy trail.

my heart’s in ail,
think i need a round of ale
without thee
oh my world’s a pale.

can’t you see,
my passion’s not stale?
the depths,
it’s over hill and dale.

if there’s only a gale or
even a whale
to bring me to thee
in an exhale.

hail, if i can stop rhyming
words ending in ale and ail
lo, this is just to put into scale
how i think of thee
without fail.

-26 may 2006 ©

…tears

the sound of the waves
gently touching the shoreline,
the wind blowing softly
caressing willing bodies.
the feel of fine sands
on one’s feet,
the thousand stars
watching over…

the warm sea water seducing
wanting bodies,
why in the midst of all these,
without you,
it’s depressing more than exhilarating,
gloomy and sullen
more than pleasurable
what can one make happy in times such as this?
it’s not all those, no. not at all.

it’s being with you– period.

- 20 august 2005 ©

“I’ll call you,”That’s what you said
The Sunday we met,
So I waited and waited and waited.
Still you haven’t called

Whatever it is you’re doing,
Can’t you spare a minute
To give me a ring?

Tonight is Wednesday
And as I sit here anticipating,
Constantly praying
All of a sudden I know.

I can sit here now forever
And snivel altogether
Until the tears run salty on my cheeks
For all of a sudden I know.

I know what the stars have known
All the time.
You’ll never, never call…
Never.

-First appeared on Kist, literary journal. 1994 ©

“I’ll call you,” that’s what I said
The Sunday we met,
But each time I tried
My mind just fretted.

Every day I pick up the phone
To spare my minutes to call
But I am afraid I’d sound like a clown
And so I turn away.

Tonight is Wednesday
And as I sit here waiting,
Aching to call you
All of a sudden I know.

I can sit here now forever
And snivel altogether
Until the tears run salty on my cheeks
For all of a sudden I know.

I know what the stars have known
All the time.
I would have made that call
If only I had the courage.

- first appeared on Kist, literary journal. 1994 ©

Between you and me, what is here
compared with what is there?
I’d rather be spending time
at home counting sheeps
than be spending time at bars, counting beers.

I’d rather be spending time
thinking of you, your naughty smile,
your teasing eyes meeting mine
than be spending time at malls, counting stores.

I’d rather be spending time
dreaming of better days
for you and me than be spending time
doing nothing at all, killing time.

Between you and me are some major cities
Several small towns, a bunch of lakes
and rivers and a whole lot of valleys and oceans.

Between you and me,
wish you were here,
wish i was there.

- 11 june 2005 ©