Before

Before before I wanted 
to remember every nook
and cranny of my
then life I kept
memorizing memories like a
teenage girl remembering love
notes thinking that maybe
if I keep them
and recall them and
sigh about them then
maybe they will stay
but now with this
before this before after
the first before and
before this new now
came a firestorm which
scorched everything and those
precious fantasies of before
before turned into the
wasteland of now before
and now this new
now from the ashes
of everything gone before
and before before’s comes
hope and experience and
no longer expectation for
expectation burned before beforehand

Locket

There are some that 
I like and some
that I love and
some that I hold
and some that I
avoid and some that
I deny and some
that I dream and
some that I touch
and then there are
some that I kiss
and it always seems
that those that I
kiss remain the longest
not necessarily next to
me but here in
me for a kiss
my kiss is like
a note in a
bottle or a message
tied to a balloon
for a kiss to
me is like unlocking
my own hearts locket

Prayer

Lord if I die
tonight I will die
knowing that I did
my best with what
you have given me
and that I have
loved and never not
loved those needing it
and those who offered
theirs to me and
if I should leave
tonight that they too
will come with me
here in my heart
and I will remain
there in theirs too

Lightning

From my bedroom window 
I can see lightning
flash above the mountains
like the paparazzi cordoned
off from the celebrities
hoping to catch a
glimpse of their chagrin
having been caught unaware
popping off like proud
parents at bad concerts
and embarrassing bat/bar mitzvahs
the dance of lights
like winks across a
room of strangers sent
by one received by
another some land quietly
while others strike and
ignite interest and passion
a brush fire moving
from eye to stomach
to loin causing flush
and dreams of desire

BeforeDoJustDon’t (for Raphael)

I have learned in
my life that one
must be happy with
oneself and find oneself
attractive and love oneself
unconditionally before they can
even attempt to find
someone else the same
way coveting what another
has be it beauty
things or even love
simply reminds you of
that which is missing
within yourself sure at
first it’s exciting but
as heat does to
milk so does envy
do to your attraction