Love Seeking:

Her Eyes

There is fire in her eyes

courage ever inside lies

to hold to dreams and desires

which are the pilots for life’s fires

Reflecting a heart to go beyond

in effort find that one in throng

with whom she to get along

beyond the troubled, troubled song

That had been her life before

in her mind she’s keeping score

the fools that come close

delivering less than the most

A heart could want in desire

seeking ever that one with fire

the need to bring her to inspire

to life beyond

Dance…

...lovely she is, a wonder to look upon

as if purest Gold

as within my mind she dances

from room to room, she prances

an image for me to hold

a joy that is a wonder for only my behold

I, the bearer of this dream

a carrier of this wonder’s beam

the light that ever seems

in my mind, a precious scene

I reel when through my mind

I feel her presence near me

me wishing she was real

True, I ever wish her near me

more than dreams to cheer me

a heart like mine to share in kind

the dance

the very dance I have in mind

a love of a lifetime, an immortal kind

dream I do, that soon I’ll find

Inspiration for future time

this dancing love-ghost in my mind

here’s that one for whom

I ever longed to be with me in my room,

ballroom square, tables and chairs

dancers busy, I declare

hold this dream with gentle care

nourish it until it’s live

so her and I will ever thrive

Was it You

Deeply resting, soundly, to dream

there to see a precious scene

where life was connected

with love reflected

in every theme

The very theme of love injected

in the moment there reflected

vision’s eye direct inspected

to find caring there

not rejected

As one looked upon the scenes

not finding the harsh or mean

there about clear and clean

as a signature in the scene

living, green

To wake, to look about in life

to find this pleasure, a wife

to infill this dream a-life

adding measure spice

bring life right

Then I doubt this very theme

few about me sharing

fewer still caring

some glaring

alone

New upon the scene, fresh, clean

there is an apparition lean

to long for, be aspired to

of dream reminded true

was it you?

Blind Eyes Seeing

There he was, standing by

though couldn’t see, had to try

to win the heart of a companion

as in my mind he was a stallion

able and strong, of which made song

Songs to tell of able lover

never one to be taking cover

lost for want of love to share

tossed aside as if were spare

yet true in measure of despair

Blind, he could not see

woman that came to him choice free

who offered in quiet ways

to spend their time with him in fray

growing older together in play

They, to leave, their love unrequited

they’d thought to make this man excited

dressed provocative, he was invited

but unseeing, he did not know

their offer real even so

Many were these that came and went

even though may have been godly sent

their intentions plain and clearly meant

Yet he unseeing, often cried in vent

loneliness his only frient

At last one to come, appear

a one he sought but truly feared

would never come, closely, near

to show interest upon her comely face

close enough for his embrace

To have him understand in place

that here was someone who in her days

was also lonely, with sadness placed

in all the things in life embraced

before seeing his near blind face

And finding in him his lonely place

to fill in this harm with gentle grace

and all the years he’d spent alone

not seeing the obvious elsewhere sown

had finally found in her desperate moan

A clear depiction of what could be

what had been hidden, he could not see

because she pushed beyond mere flirt

to say her words out clear and strong

and put at end his blinded song

There an image comes in sight

beyond blindness and its plight

cutting through to find a mind

willing to understand in time

words taken in, returned in kind

Only in age was he to find

mental way beyond this blind

to realize what was there to find

that many had asked into his blind

what would not register in his mind

For a share of kindness, family ways

where long since could have had pleasing days

to fill with joy and laughter, much of play

where he to have seen beyond his blind

and register what was on another’s mind

Many were the woman who had a-mind

sharing his life and all his time

and as death near, he comes to find

what had been there all the time

love waiting, a bell to chime

And in his days near ending time

could see the writing on the line

in all his life he had been blind

in age him finding himself new being

with his blind eyes seeing

Came Knocking

Unexpected from times before

nothing there to learn, explore

or so I thought down in my core

A sound from across the room

then a face, an image like a bloom

spying deep into heart’s room

As a few words to introduce

as if to capture, snaring noose

heart, attention, no getting loose

As she came knocking, world rocking

and I, emotions blocking

as if in disregard, heart throbbing

As louder came the knocking sound

impact becoming quite profound

enough to have barriers falling down

And my heart open to her

though resistive, hearts concur

and though pushing back, I was hers

Obligation

True was a fact of obligation

sterner fact for later objection

the heart I loved, away turned

I to stay but ever yearned

for more

A promise made, a promise kept

me wishing now I had not leapt

but on through time I often wept

for the love from my life swept

the promise remaining

I felt myself a fool when flirt I did

as on opportunity I kept a lid

so my word remain true

even though I remain heart-blue

lonely

For years upon years to stagnate

never to allow self to migrate

from the promise made

myself to upbraid

for dreaming

How hard to keep my word

some told me this was absurd

as loneliness I should eschew

to gain a dream-come-true,

fulfilled and happy

Yet stay the course, no divorce

my word to keep perforce

my integrity my own

my ethical zone

yet alone

Alone within a marriage lost

for want of love that had been tossed

as her to turn with sour look

turn our page to friendship book

my abnegation

And though many desiring hearts

I’ve turned away, me not being smart

I stay with withered love in play

to this halting and later day

joined, but ever alone

And as her last days closing in

I hope to live and love again

to find that heart that matches mine

where life and love come to align

and I happiness to lastly find

Longingly

Remembered, I am, of lonely days

where try as I would to find comfort

in the company of a lovely

not a line would open way

to a heart who would join and stay

And long I did for swing and sway

a joining of hearts as time-gives-way

to happier times for me to say

express the love I have to give away

well made

Longingly, I look ahead to sharing

to those times of gentle caring

where each to offer or be given

the joy and laughter life has riven

a hug to make peace of season

I dream that you have appeared

to ease some peace into my life

to bring joy into forsaken husband’s life

and I to give all I can your wifely life

bring joy

And put an end to longings

unrequited, find myself true excited

pondering such a time, refined

as the softness of love’s shrine

and caring, in active express, aligned

And the Flowers

Words, like flowers in the spring

from my mind and heart to spring

as if opening in the moment

with dew and Sun to make it so

to bring delight to you

your mind and everything

within your life,* admire*

And the flowers that are words

to another may sound absurd

but for you, my heart’s desire

my intent is; they bring fire

and life exciting to inspire

within you to answer, your quest,

your need, sprout love-flower seeds

Present

Although not close, not near, not here

you have come to be ever-present

in my life, my heart, my mind

Long since, you have crossed that line

between acquaintance and familiar

to become that someone

to fill mind and heart

And joyfully, you set yourself apart

from those who came before

showing more of good intention

with your special attentions

And have won my heart, I find

to become ever-present in my mind

to fill the emptiness once in my heart

and become my life-part

That fills in what always could have been

within my life, now full

with your words, your touch

you are present, and I love you so much

This, for all we have yet to touch actually

yet true it is that my love for you exists factually

and I to dream of you present

you, the gifted present of a lifetime

A Desire Intense

Distance spreads for weary wings to cross

as age in time delays as albatross

the wings of my weary heart

As long miles keep our hearts apart

where desire, fire and need are part

of every breath I take

Where longing speaks of wish to kiss you awake

to cook fair meals a-morn for your intake

and to ease you to rest in my arms

As together each other’s charms express

in ways that ever dispel distress

bringing lasting peace within

And through times long and pleasing

we, each other’s woes easing

as our love finds its way

Love’s Spring

We should know that life is change

from birth to death and our remains

joy and travail, need I explain

Through our lives there is much we gain

much we lose, regret’s refrain

the love we make, the joy we bring

Are the better, and lasting things

and from these arrives our creative spring

that well which brings a brighter scene

For others to enjoy, and happy bring

poems to read, and songs to sing

to stir the heart, where love may spring

And here, for my love, these words to bring

for her enjoy, reminder bring

of love’s first day during later spring

Rising Blush

There I was, unexpecting

not even for a moment reflecting

on that which was about to pass

Alas, I was unaware

that a woman young, so fair

would think me worth her care

Not a thought in my mind

none there to find

where our lives could align

After weeks of exchanged words

that seemed routine and not absurd

she said a word I had not heard

In the longest time

it chilled my spine

disbelieving, broken line

There I was, to blush

her words hit in a rush

left me quiet, an extended hush

Said she, “I think I love you!”

I couldn’t hope for this as true

I turned away somewhat blue

Not to trust, not to believe

long years of extended bereave

loneliness that would not leave

Yet somehow, I could not leave

the conversation, personal need

a chat, with words I seemed to need

Although I was sure

this was lie, and nothing more

words found home down in my core

And though I tried to push away

I kept coming back day to day

to hear her say

I love you, I truly do!”

her words arriving each day new

with each hearing, I, rising blush through

You Were There

Long marooned in a loveless life

many years married to a heartless wife

She experiencing unknown mental strife

Something to keep her away at night

to set us apart, to bring on fights

to deny our love which once was bright

There was nothing remaining of delight

when passing through each lonely night

nothing said to make things right

Alone together, this became a fright

but choice of action, that remains her right

though cast me out, remains my plight

In spite of promises made on wedding night

naught remembered, her, from that rite

and my word kept for years in spite

I to turn away in time

nothing remaining there to find

love forlorn was my incline

Resigned, that lonely road was mine

could not believe, though offered lines

that could have led to lovely find

Some heart, a gift where life aligns

resigned, not to see there truth to find

as turned away were all offer’s kind

Lost confidence within my mind

that in me another could be inclined

to conceive a liking, “I’m not worthy kind.”

That long-term sureness in my mind

with heart and mind agreed in-line

this wayward thought so ill refined

Lost self-esteem, despair inclined

man not worthy of womankind

lost, but ever a glimmer of hope within to find

Ever hopeful, a human state

though of myself sure long berate

as not good enough, not enough to sate

Years these ideas to sit a-plate

something deeply self-integrate

almost seem to be innate

Then, opened to my viewing screen

something pleasing, not at all mean

a pleasing smile on which to lean

Curious questions, calmly assuring

confident words opportunity exploring

I said nothing then assuring

It was conversation only, me not impressed

her reaching, me retreating

with no regrets, there for speaking

I made it plain with underscore

that ahead could be nothing more

than conversation’s open door

Her to ease with words intent

to see if she could pass, well meant

past walls of my implement

To keep my long broken heart

numb its state, this aging heart

not again be torn apart

Restrained, limited conversation’s way

avoid at all cost any womanly play

that had a chance, my heart to sway

Away from the lonely game of day

that one I’m resigned to in the day

and honestly wishing her to go away

Fearful, more tragedy come my way

as was true of earlier days

failed loves, past’s harder way

She came with persistence

to my steadfast resistance

yet not giving sign of insistence

Just there to chat, pleasing conversation

one to another, day’s persistence

battered my walls, her words consistent

To bring light to a darker place

to intrude but little, with easy grace

to find, as friends, a common place

And in my mind and there to find

was her, in a place to well align

with the notions in my mind

And through thick walls came her call

a desire to spring with beck and call

to my heart, a pit into which it falls

Risking, yes, risking hurt and all

I come to find her as centered all

attention of my heart, love’s fall

And her to extend her tender words

ones I had not in ages heard

to express affection, seemed absurd

But there I was, her there too

my heart would be broken, that could be true

hope had again found a place to glue

And then to find I’m stuck between

the good I want and my past quite mean

on loving words I must to lean

You were there, fresh and clean

love spoken words on which I lean

hopeful I remain with you and me, a scene

And You Were There

There were years of withheld tears

for the heart that had left him cold

as down the years where once was cheer

a beating heart was stabbed by spear

and left to bleed as leaked love’s need

onto the rocks of a broken marriage

And as he turned life’s pages

he kept promises year’s age’d

to stay the course, no divorce

though due, there was a reason

and as turned the seasons

need to fester as his heart still bleeding

Decades in, without a win

marriage within, of her heart a gain

a testament to endurance

there for her, with no returned assurance

turned out of joys and pleasures

little a-common in love to measure

Her love lost, his remains, insane

to have it stay alive, unrequited

never a moment in life excited

as loyalty steadfast remained

for promises made, a horror laid

in bed with love’s denial

Slow to come, a reaching out

to find a friend worth shout-out

to share common pleasure

simple measure of comradeship

with bare a thought in mind

ever to find love, or its incline

Turned away were many friends

who wanted more, his was to defend

promises in marriage to the end

them away to quickly send

after, his heart finds new need of mend

as grief, not brief through life to wend

For that marriage lost, a bitter end

as he, stuck in his ways, stayed

helping wherever he could

trying best to be faithful, good

when left alone, he never should

have stayed, his own good

Finally, after years of tears unshed

turned out of happy bed,

yet not unwed, something she to dread

yet not enough to hold him close

chase away his lonely ghosts

or make a home for easy roost

Separate rooms, separate lives

staying together, who knows why

he to hold to time strong lie

that promises were his reason why

to stay close even through lie

promises made, married life to try

Stoic, he held, no reason why

that made sense to any passerby

as the women who came

turned away the same

no matter how comely the frame

its graceful motion turned away, the same

Finally, in the quiet of a night

passed the motions of another fight

a friendly voice, one he not to spurn

cutting through the social noise

just a conversation, a thought employed

an excuse to accept this quiet voice

Company wanted who could listen

not just react with harsher bristlin’

where a few simple words

both calm and fair, listened to, heard

something to share, nothing to swear

a worthy exchange, warmth remains

He, still holding to the past

heart hardened as solid as glass

did not even think of going past

the normalized pain from years passed

not a thought had to move on past

and find something more at last

She, her heart becoming sure

seeking too, a man this true

staying close to this human ghost

a man alone, pain’s host

hoping to change darkness

in heart’s remains, as he hearkens all the same

And you, there, hopeful, waiting

with your words, his company baiting

to see what could come in time

chosen a man thought worthy kind

not a remind of past infatuations

a man to share life’s integration

Enjoying this chapter?

Sign in to leave a review and help Jacob Harvey Redloh & Véronique Margot improve their craft.