shy in the light

Deep the cut
of invisibility's fate
too long the night
too much blood escaped
from wounds long shadowed in despair's corner pocket
surprise comes with a price
to be seen
uncloaked to sorrow's chord
choking on tears of impossible weight
tonight seen, held in attention's grasp
shy in the light

becoming luminous 

to become day

I wake
rising from a nest of flannel with angles & sighs
to the ordinary rituals of
greeting
the
darkness with unremarkable chores
performed with the discipline of a
rancher in winter
coffee warming to boiling
sky dark and unfolding
there is a draped stillness here
before the birds wake
before the dome of sky turns hazy iris blue
molecules scattered by promise or portent
soft the morning comes
languid magic of color & form
the oak suddenly distinguishable against the day
dimensional and quivering in a slight breeze
cooling chill of dawn
I wake
moving in ministrations of a tender worship
of breath and
reverent appreciation of now
fire warming
coffee transforming
waking becomes remarkable against the surprising whiteness of sky
here captured by the texture of wool to weather
skin to bone
life to the quiet patience of December
to become day

the duality of light

it doesn't matter if you loved me
it doesn't matter if you used me
it only matters that you saw me
in spectrums crystal clear

because the truth is you showed me
how possible it was to love me
light & shadows souvenir 

knowing we hurt
knowing we burst
masked to the rest of the world
knowing we tried
outside the lines
inked promises unfurled

it matters that I loved you
it matters that I held you
a secret mystery
it matters we broke rules
it matters we wrote rules
defending our misery

pseudonyms change
rules stay the same
words on a page
roles we stage
can not deny
the flame in our lives
parts made of stone
sparks in our bones

you became home

chrysalis held
treasured--felt
parts woke
unbroke

edges smooth
hollowing cooled
gifts of love held close
truth unveiled
compassion prevails
changes deep within heart's burn
softening tempest--truth turned
love path's sojourn

every chapter holds a story
how beautifully wicked we learn
every passage has a secret
the key knowing when to turn it
wisdom opening to hold it 

to stars we return