Finally

Here is where the pain stops.

Here is where the joy begins.

Here is where the aching ends,

And the courage wins.

Breaking through the wall of fear,

Breathing air clear

Of negative particles.

Consuming only love,

As it bounces back and forth,

Radiating blinding light.

Finally

Living.

(Los Angeles, September 2009)

Four Hours

More for the sake

Of the child

Inside

Do I hesitate

To embrace

You

With the full force

Of what I feel.

I would

Lie, limp,

In your arms,

And allow

Your power

To engulf me

And penetrate me

Until I was full of you,

Were it not for

The bruised heart

Of the fairy-tale princess

Who sits on shattered dreams

That I still

Must tend.

If this could be

Heaven on earth,

If these are

Tears of joy

That clean my cheeks,

Then I am powerless

To prevent

A piece

Of my history

From taking shape.

If, once again,

I have mistaken

Hope for truth,

Lust for love,

Need for want,

Then history has

Only

Repeated itself,

And life is

Kicking me in the gut

With a lesson

I refuse to learn,

And I will slowly

Slip away

Before,

Or

After,

I take

Another hit.

The pure heart

Is incapable

Of exercising

Caution.

That's all I've really learnt.

(Los Angeles, September 2009)