Hyperdrive

us five in a row
we have moved beyond the stars
together complete

Second Language

they speak in mispronounced pronouns
only sometimes do i slip in corrections
language is learned this way
through trust in my understanding
trust in all misunderstandings
words from the heart?
the same in every language

Reins

i can write a ten-minute poem
fingertips touched
with years of hesitation

i am not accustomed
to holding these reins
lost in college years
i never took advantage of

i drive the carriage now
as we gallop across new lands
their realism lit up with logic
while at home we count coins

they know me well
how cautiously i shake these reins
like kings of the same root
our horses will fly us home

In Our Language

all these months later
returning chill, haunting words
i hate that you’re right

Flames Licking Wood

it looks like firelight
i know it’s only light above the stove
tile backing
granite countertops and all
but if you’re walking past
and you imagine you’re someone else
you might think for a moment
that there’s a fire in your kitchen

i’ve always imagined
a room like that
lit up by the warmth
only brought forward
by flames licking wood

it crackles here
somewhere hidden
as i watch her smile over miles
his smart remarks
as kind as the tomorrow
he places like daily gems
for all to sift through

i could count the days for her
she calls me on it
quicker than a Cheshire cat
and it’s the UK pounds
that make our words

you see it don’t you?
have i painted for you
the picture of my perfect fire?
the subtle light
yellow and warm
its heat moving across continents
weaving a smokeless room
into the heat of our hearts

Cartagena Today

church bells ring the hour
the sun brought my afternoon
a holiday, life

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Flow

as loose as these words
that spill over subconscious
we’ll find our way back

Here is My Warmth

before a long break
upon returning after
cheek-kissing culture

El Día de Paga

my cup is now full
once more i enjoy palm trees
their path leads to peace

Take Two

we tip the shot glass
twenty years in the making
cheers to a fresh start