Troubled Sleep

When dreams carry me far,

Connecting life's reality to distant star,

It is then I find answers to my fears,

Or discover what I hold dear,

Lost memories stroll two and three,

Reminding me how it used to be,

Am I awake or in a dream,

Caught forever in a wayward scheme,

My needs, my wants, my heart's desires,

Struggling between ice and raging fires,

My fantasies are not long to keep,

As I drift back into troubled sleep,

My muse tugs impatiently at my mind,

"Wake up! There are worlds to find,

Time is fleeting as you sleep,

And you have promises to keep,

Stories that have risen from the deep,

Must be captured for the world to keep,

You don't really need to sleep,"

Weary from travels within my head,

Miserably I stumble from my bed,

No reason to argue with my muse,

That's a battle I always lose,

For gentle thoughts become a crowd,

Their cries to be heard grow very loud,

And where is this wisp called sleep,

It was released early, not mine to keep.

"Sweaty and Dirty" (Part Three)

Relationships aren’t easy, but when your trust is strong,

Your love will outgrow your heart, you can’t go wrong,

Right now your heart is focused on your friend,

Take time to discover what you want, let your heart mend,

So far, I’ve not been impressed with how you’ve treated me,

When you’re ready to accept me as I am, then we’ll see,

I think your heart is too small within your chest,

I’ll be your friend and nothing more, I think that’s best,”

I left her in her doorway, her gaze fixed on my back,

She had things to think about, things she might lack,

A few weeks later her call woke me from dreams,

“Talk to me,” she said, “I need to face the truth it seems,”

“You told me the truth but I thought you were wrong,

I didn’t realize I was weak, and you were that strong,

I want to know you and not what you can become,

You made me see myself, how I treated you like scum,”

At first we talked and shared about superficial things,

As we relaxed we considered what the future might bring,

Yet as we talked I wondered if she would ever love me,

Would she share my dreams and forget her reverie?

That was the first night, there were several yet to come,

I wanted to love her, I truly tried, but my heart was numb,

 She gradually changed as she looked within her heart,

She loved me for me, but I didn’t know where to start,

I was still her friend, I thought that was for the best,

And I knew her heart had grown, deep within her chest,

I knew I liked her, even loved her, but I couldn’t trust,

Was her heart really open, had she cleared away the rust?

Three months had passed, it seemed an eternity,

We went out to dine, she had invited me,

She said, “My heart has grown, deep within my chest,

I can’t contain my love,” (and perhaps you know the rest),

It was difficult for her to hide her fright,

Her small voice quavered ever so slight,

When she asked, “Are my breasts too small?”

She was exposing thoughts, fears, her very all,

She had pulchritude, talent, and intelligence,

Everything I thought was of the essence,

Her eyes searched mine hoping to find,

That I had forgiven her and made up my mind,

If I loved her, she needed desperately to know,

More than a friendship, she wanted love to grow,

Who knows if I was thinking, but I took a chance,

I wanted a relationship with true romance,

She was a changed person, she loved me for me,

A deep love without conditions, all it could be,

She had finally decided she could settle for poor,

She didn’t know that she was really getting more,

I was hired by a company that was starting to grow,

Within a few years I became the CEO,

And Staci got someone who would treat her like a queen,

Forever and always, and the time in between.

Some Assembly Required

Another relationship, another failure,

His feelings had become traitors,

He was broken, shattered into pieces,

He had fallen into life’s little creases,

Fears and doubts had to be embraced,

Lost hopes and dreams had to be retraced,

Symptoms of failure had to be addressed,

Passions and gifts had to be stressed,

Until he moved through his own limitations,

He would refrain from any other relations,

He wasn’t sure if he still could trust,

He could hesitate no longer, he had to adjust,

He was a bud tightly shut, waiting to burst,

Wanting his flowering talents to be dispersed,

 His friends and kin gathered about to comfort him,

But quickly he discovered their demeanors grim,

And their words were hollow and mean,

As they reflected on each relationship they’d seen,

 He dismissed them, deciding he’d walk and talk alone,

But afraid his heart would turn to stone,

He had to find a way to put the pieces together,

To rebuild his life so he could love once again,

Help was needed desperately so he could begin,

From a business quarterly he saw what he needed,

There were steps to success if he just heeded,

1) Socializing with a purpose of something to gain,

2) Selling his personality without looking vain,

3) His public image he would have to maintain,

4) Then convince his audience he was what she wanted,

5) Letting everyone know he was not easily daunted,

6) He would present himself well using all his skills,

7) And be well received in social media’s frills,

He knew he couldn’t be fooled by the masks he saw,

And he wasn’t concerned about someone with flaws,

He was looking for someone who didn’t pretend,

Someone who knew herself and was true to him,

He had pieces missing he was on a mission to get,

She, too, would have baggage, he was willing to bet,

He would be vulnerable, his passion and love set free,

He would be ready and eager for his destiny,

He was optimistic, no longer in disarray,

At a milestone in life where he could proudly say,

“I may be disassembled, but my future is gold,

I’m ready for someone to love and to hold,”

He placed his information on a social network,

Trying to sound like he wasn’t a jerk,

“I’m currently seeking someone who strives,

To reach dreams and goals, and thrives,

When she’s treated like a queen,

Self-motivated to help me cook and clean,

Ready to share and work together all your life,

Willing to join me as man and wife,

Ready to face whatever’s in store,

Bonded together, richer or poor,

Committed to love till death do us part,

She’ll also need to be a mechanic of the heart,

Helping romance along as this vision transpires,

The future is ours, but some assembly is required,”

He waited patiently for a reply to his ad,

If no one was willing, he would be sad,

Maybe he was expecting love too soon, too deep,

He went to bed troubled, afraid to sleep,

“I’m too broken for someone to care,

Nobody is willing to chance it out there,”

Like a child at Christmas he stared at the screen,

Hoping and praying for one name to be seen,

But he was shocked at the scene before his eyes,

There was page after page of interested replies,

But one special note got him all inspired,

“The future is ours, but some assembly is required!”