At what cost?

When once my soul was housed in flesh
my eyes could weep.
A memory came to me, fresh
of when "smell" was a sensation
and not merely a concept

I see it, I understand it, I perceive it
but I know that I am missing
I cannot experience
I cannot begin
I cannot

I?
What am I now?
Where have "I" gone?
I live on, but what cost?

I recall, but I don't rememeber
I know but I didn't learn

Is the fragrence real
or a memory inserted in my thoughts
by a part of me no longer "real"?

I long for what I no longer believe
as the flower dies.

2013/07/09 inspired by Whiskey Monday's image

Gone

Only dreams in which you follow
Just in thoughts, your lies persist
In my past, which still feels hollow
O're my shoulder yet you stay

Plague me still, the words, the slander
Forgotten lines, but still, the gist
'til my mind can safely wander
'til your shadow's gone away

Through this wood I see me passing
Through the leafless branches, still
Hoping here, they'll stop harassing
All these barbs you left in me

Cleanse me, please, dear endless mist
Embrace me with your tendrils chill
Close these wounds your cold lips kissed
shadows gone and let me be

2013/07/04 inspired by Whiskey Monday's image

Eyes

I find my way, when truly lost
the gauntlet holds me, progress blocked
creativity the cost
and nothing seems to matter

I navigate the coldest sea
skirt the shoals and hidden rock
through the storm and find the lee
e'en when all others scatter

The depth of night shan't bring me fear
The hidden stars still there to guide
I will, a way, to find, be near
ignoring echoed lies

For always, I know journey's end
will find me laying by your side
will bring me to my truest friend
I live to see your eyes

2013/04/26 - In response to a Red Rose challenge

Mine own true enemy

Come ye now and dare to face me
Do your worst, try to erase me
I will not run, you won't debase me
Do your worst, fell monster

Armed with words, the brave Pedant did
step into this world, enchanted
facing fears long since recanted
where you dwell, fell monster

Shall I hide beneath this shadow?
walk into a misty meadow?
face you down with bow and arrow
face to face, fell monster?

Now, to you, a solemn promise
You'll be down, head on the ground! This
is my right! A well earned office
You will die, fell monster!

Through the mists I hear you coming
Echoed roar, I hear you running
Burning anger, you are coming
FACE ME NOW, fell monster

Looking close, I see the eyes shine
Bearing down, I stand in his line
In his face, I sense, I see mine
are you me, fell monster?

2013/04/07 via NL495

I wait

I looked up
Within the room where once I sat
not knowing what awaited me

The sun's empty promise
burned through me
burned my soul
burned my heart
but left my mind untouched

The ocean looked on
windswept trees mocked my stale life
age'd rocks
breathing the mist of frozen waves
laugh at my living stillness

The arms reach out from across the room
but don't invite me
don't recognize me
don't care
can't care
will never care
standing next to each other
fading into the dark

where does my world start?
where does it end?
I see no corners
only walls
that should meet
but hide their congress
from my searching eyes

so
I wait

2013/04/07  Thank you, Isle

I am bound to tell thee

a sorrow beyond dreams (c) Norbert Maier

By chance, I walked a hidden path
forgotten, oh, these many years
it suffered less of nature's wrath
than I had thought it likely

And brought to mind, this heaven's scene,
a wondrous scent, earthly decay
and black from brown and brown from green
as cycles circle blithely

By whim, I turned, when caught my eye
an apparition nearly missed
that faded fast when I walked by
into the background, spritely

By fortune, came I to a glen
and saw, beyond, a castle grand
that came to be, I know not when,
protecting master nightly

I thought of Alice, thought of Pooh
I thought of memories put to bed
I pondered long, as oft I do
of trees and how they cover

I thought of these things fresh and new
though decades many past have marched
they're here and now, though time, it flew
and still of them I tell thee

At length, I knew, 'twas time to home
She's held me in her gentle hands
as comes to end my time to roam
my time with this, my lover

I will once more join all my kin
we carriers of wit and lust
hold fast the words of life within.
Once more, the shelves await me

2013/04/06
Inspired by the image, not the title

Talking of Northern Lights

I feel the words invite me in
The story takes my hand and then

It sets me gently in a chair
and takes me to some place, some when

It asks me to sit back, relax
and listen while a thread begins

a thread that soon a garment forms
or blanket or a scarf, it spins

a pair of gloves, the fingers warm
a jacket keeping off the cold

a story that passed long ago
but never, ever growing old

2013/04/01