Poetry by M.J. Adams
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
gray skies overhead
I've traveled your misty seas from bed
I gathered stars to form a mast
and sailed away to moon at last
~~~~~~~~~
Stephanie
angel faced
honey haired
freckle kissed doll
almond shaped
ocean eyes
make everything small
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
reaching down to grasp the soil
flowing through my fingers
moments in so many lives
sense of oneness lingers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
past cannot harm or trouble us more
we ride the wind now and with it we soar
through field and forest and mystical land
if your fear takes you then just grab my hand
together we travel the sea and the sky
our love remains strong long after we die
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
mirror image in the stream
you are much different than you seem
your nose too big, your eyes too small
your soul is beauty, you still walk tall
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trip to the City
lights blinding
noises deafening
smells acrid
pain
mind tired
body numb
time passing
movement
lights soft
noises quiet
smells familiar
home
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
how long is the night
in which we sail away?
morning mists bring us the answer
as the sun shines on the bay
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
picnic by the sea
water licks our feet
sand in your hair
minds free from mundanity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Conversation with a Leaf
"Maple leaf blowing down the street -
Where would you go if you had feet?"
"I care not of the human way.
Over me, the wind holds sway."
~~~~~
Wife
biggest piece of my peace
shelter from my storm
shade in my deserts
takes so many forms
but she doesn't see
she's all this to me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a dragonfly
beautiful brightly colored things
buzzing here and there with wings
and diving down for all I know
for some small creature which hides below
~~~~~~~~~
On a snail
Oh finest snail, how have you been?
You glisten with a glossy sheen
and through your forest of green you go
how long, my friend, will you wander so?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
misty rivers from the skies
love I feel within her eyes
crisp cold air I feel today
to bed I go, with her I lay
~~~~
Oak
oh glorious wild but gentle beast
on your spirit I shall feast
I'll lie beneath your limbs so wide
and into joy my soul shall slide
~~~~~
Paris
grass as a pillow, tower above
falling leaves filter the sky
lit up buildings, hearts full of love
in Paris this fall, you and I
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
leaves intricate flowing in whirlwind formation
formless form comes to view
feelings soar in thoughtless elation
these moments in life are but few
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I step into a hostile land
I'm shielded by her hand
and when evil comes to play
her love just blocks its way
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
scent of recent rain
my hand floats through the window
riding a kind wind
~~~~~~~~~~~
Missing Her
oh gentle sky look after her
my absence makes me fear
some evil that I cant deter
may force from her a tear
until I land upon that shore
you promise to me this
by day you give thy fiery lore
by night you give thy kiss
let thy sun beam down its charm
and shine thy stars above
keep my maiden far from harm
she is my only love
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
mushrooms and leaves all about
I pause to watch a red leaf
it falls from its twig to the ground
change flows through all things
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
home feelings stir in my soul
strand of hair up my sleeve
my mind travels to her location
comfort flows as I move on my way
~~~~~~~~
Marriage
window into floating soul
soaring high above divide
merging, now we form a whole
embarking on a lifelong ride
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
lonely second, hour and day
lonesome time while she's away
memories so bright they burn
haunt me until her return
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
sky speaking to me
high above the crisp red leaves
the peace I yearn for
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
the dusk of his life
he fades into night
who was he and what is this cost
was he really known
it's taken him home
my grandfather's life is now lost
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
how I long to be with you
within a field of green and blue
with tiny petals, grassy knolls
and little house to store our souls
we'll listen to the late night rain
bouncing off our window pane
and when we fade in our old age
our lives will last upon this page
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dream journey--
tears streaming down
as I reach the end
~~~~~~~~~~~
autumn dawn
the scent of her hair
as I open my eyes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
crisp, strong winter wind
a maple leaf blows into –
a shining puddle
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
cold December day
small ripples on a puddle -
as the wind blows
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
gusts of wind blowing
the rain soaked grasses gleaming
as the sun bursts forth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
coldest winter day
there is no soul in sight here -
on this lonely street
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
the onion bhaji girl
selects the tasty in life
shy, but none know why
the world should be her sky
expansive, shining and full -
of opportunity
kind and beautiful one
with a heart made of candy
sweet and so treasured
last piece selfishly mine
the open wrapper reveals -
glittering soul of gold
eyes closed, to better see
the heart I always share with her
will she take my hand?
like sea stones taking shape
the passage of time will mold -
a statue of our love
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
wild eyed youth with his head in the air
stares at humans without recognition
he sees the magic in the daily dose -
of dullery
giraffes out of street lamps
life out of wooden blocks
the wind blown door shuts and becomes -
a man named Bob
education and fact will take away his vision
and replace it with solemn loneliness
deprived of the rainbow hues of life
his mind is a black and white advertisement
for a bitter candy
nobody wants one
there is no market
sharp tongued quick witted fraud of a man
crawls through life condemning his knifelike mind
he's lost his flight feathers and can't take off -
from his prison
at his thursday meeting
he discusses metrics
twenty four hour operations -
driving him mad
he fights to maintain his individuality
to find the tropical colors he lost
rejecting the labels he receives
he makes them into compost for his garden
he grows the fruit of self
the sweetest fruit of all
it sells like hot cakes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
glittering moment in time
sipped from an earthen vessel
hand thrown with care and deep love
to house the steaming freshness
stolen from the young green shoots
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A warm sip of tea -
the red maple leaves blow
in the autumn breeze
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Evening walk -
The crunching of feet
On the fallen acorns
~~~~~~~~~~~~
scent of lilacs -
a small child's ice cream cone
melts on the pavement
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday afternoon -
the television plays
another western
~~~~~~~~~~
old cottage -
the wooden beam drops
flecks of dust
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
moonlit evening -
the cricket and electric fan
duet
~~~~~~~~~~~
mess of paper
on the table
three o’clock meeting
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scottish winter -
the scent of coal burning
as the snow falls
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scottish summer,
the rays of sun outnumbered
by drops of rain
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My footsteps echo through the hall as I make my way to the door. I take hold of the old handle and turn it, though it rattles in protest. I slip inside the dark room, wincing as the door closes loudly. I don't want to disturb her. Getting undressed, the cold air bites my skin. I quickly pile the blankets on top of me as I move toward her.
eternity -
the warmth of her body
as I lay down to sleep