This update includes a mix of new and old works and some notes on them. You can find all of the previously published poetry here.

For you

Would I steal the moon?
Or the pot of gold
At the end of the rainbow?
How about a unicorn
And a hippogriff?
They would make really cool pets!
Maybe a trip to Atlantis
And Agrabah?
There are carpets to ride
And memories to make!
How about some tea
With Belle and Mrs. Potts?
I'm sure we can arrange that.

For you,
Whom I love so much,
For you,
Anything!

I’m not sure if it’s because I’m getting older, or because of the changes in my living environment, but family and caretaking have been the themes for a few of my recent poems, including this one. This poem is for my firstborn, who I imagine to be a daughter. With that said, I know that my first child could very well be a son, or a daughter who doesn’t like Harry Potter, Aladdin, or anything else referenced in the poem, so I’m completely prepared to re-write it. But for now, it’s this. Also, I’m very much looking forward to being a dad one day. And since I have some experience with not getting enough sleep, I already feel partially qualified.

Stream up north

If you go far enough north,
You will find a stream
That cheerfully runs
Among tall, mossy trees.

And as it winds south,
It grows into a river
With its mighty currents,
And then into an ocean
With its giant waves.

And if you find yourself struggling
In the life's rough waters,
Just remember that stream.
And if you look closely,
You will find it within.

And the waters will calm,
And the troubles will pass,
And then you can travel
Far enough north
To that wonderful, playful,
Youthful stream.
And you can run with it,
Carefree,
Among tall, mossy trees.

This poem is about innate youthfulness that we all have. I think as we grow older, sometimes we either learn to cover it up because of societal pressure, or we just lose touch with it, but I don’t think it ever goes away. And I think being able to stay in touch with it can play a big role in our overall happiness.

The next two poems are a bit heavy. If you’re not in the mood for that, please skip to “Delight”.

Working through

These feelings,
They are heavy on the heart.
I keep them in shadows
Until it's dark.

I think of you each night,
Before I fall asleep.
I find no comfort
In the distance that we keep.

I know it's not all our fault,
And some things must end.
But I still feel alone,
And without you,
This place does not feel like home.

We tiptoed around the hurt,
Hoping that it would all just go,
Because none of it was ever meant to be
This close to you and me.

Things have gone cold,
And we've drifted apart.
Have we given up?
There's winter in our hearts.

I still look for glimmers of warmth,
And I still hope
That we will have loved each other
At our darkest.

It only takes a few
Kind, meaningful words.
Have we given up
This winter in our hearts?

This poem was actually more of an exercise because each stanza is inspired by lyrics from a song (or in one case, the album title). I listen to a lot of music, and sometimes I go “Ooh, that’s a cool lyric. I wonder if I could work it into a poem.” So I did. A couple of things that I would like to point out: I managed to use the future perfect tense in the sixth stanza (I’m not sure why I’m proud of that, but I am), and the last two lines in the fifth and the seventh stanzas vary only slightly but have a big difference in meanings. Also, while most of the poem has a somber tone, it does end on a hopeful note (pun intended). The songs on which each stanza is based (and the artist) are as follows:

“Strange Brew” - Opeth
”Moon Above, Sun Below” - Opeth
”Drive Home” - Steven Wilson
”Identifier” - Wilderun
”Voice of Treason” - Opeth
I Loved You at Your Darkest (album title) - Behemoth
”Voice of Treason” - Opeth

I've carried my grief

I've carried my grief
Through torpor and frenzy,
The days I couldn't think
And the days I couldn't stop thinking.
As I denied and bargained,
It was there, reminding me
Of what has been lost.

I've carried my grief
Through dolor and mania,
The days I didn't want to move
And the days I couldn't stop moving.
As I blazed through anger
And slogged through depression,
It was there, in the chest,
Burning a hole.

I've carried my grief.
In the thick of it,
It felt like there is no relief.
And I might not be ready
To fully let go just yet,
But I think I can now let it rest,
And go for a walk.
And when I come back,
Maybe it won't be here.

This poem also has musical roots because it was inspired by the title of Allegaeon’s “To Carry My Grief Through Torpor and Silence”, but that’s where the similarities end. Unfortunately, we will all experience loss at some point in our lives, and this poem is about the five stages of grief. Just like the previous poem, most of this one is heavy, but the ending is hopeful.

Delight

As I sat on the grass,
Looking up at the sky,
Thinking about life,
I saw a wren
On a branch of a nearby tree
Looking at me curiously.

I smiled and asked
"Would you kindly
Sing for me?"
And she said
"Sure.
If you catch me."

I smiled
And thought for a second.
"I can surely try.
Too bad I can't fly."
And she said
"Yeah, it is quite a lot of fun."

So she flew,
And I ran,
Through fields and across creeks,
Through birches, maples, and pine trees,
Across meadows resting
Under gentle summer breeze.

As the sun began to set,
It was time to go back home.
"That was wonderful" I said.
"I should probably head back.
Maybe I'll get to hear you sing
Another time."

I smiled and waved.
And as I walked home,
She flew along with me
And sang most beautifully.

We got a chance to play.
And in the end,
I got to hear her sing
And made a brand new friend.
What a wonderful time.
What a beautiful thing.

This is another poem about youthfulness. It is also a bit of a metaphor for when the process of doing something is just as rewarding as what we’re looking to achieve through it, and that our effort always counts, one way or another. Also, this poem has the most smiles per stanza, about 0.43, or 3/7 to be exact.

A check-in

Gently, rest.
You give so much.
It must get tiring.
Here, I've made you some tea,
And here's a treat.

A little later, I'll rub your feet.
Don't think about the chores,
I'll take care of them.
And you can read your favorite book.

And when you're ready,
Tell me, what are your worries these day?
They can be heavy to bear.
You don't need to do it alone
If you are willing to share.

I won't ever pretend
To be able to walk a day in your shoes,
But I can promise
To always walk alongside you.

And what do you dream of?
What fills you heart?
What will make you the happiest?
Let's make those things happen.
We just need to plan and to start.

If there's one thing
I want to make sure to do,
It's to cherish your dreams
As much as I cherish you.

I want to know all of it.
But for now,
Just rest.
I'll go get the dinner started.

Family, nurturing, and caretaking are the main themes of this poem. I would like to point out the part about the life dreams. I’m a big fan of John Gottman’s work. When he was asked what was one thing that a person could do to improve their marriage, he responded “Honor your [partner]’s dreams”, which I think is very valuable advice. Our life dreams can be a very good summary of what we would like to achieve or who we would like to be as people, and helping our partners realize their dreams is probably the greatest thing we can do for them. I’m glad that I was able to work that into this poem. Also, for anyone who wants to give me a hard time for offering a treat before dinner, that’s the whole point of caring for another adult!

I love, so I wait

I love, so I wait.
Because anything great
Is worth time and effort.

And it's not passive waiting.
More like growing a tree -
We wait, but we still do important things.

We water its roots,
And we fertilize the ground.
And when needed, we give it a prune.

And it rewards us for all that effort
With shade and sweet fruit,
And perhaps a sense of pride and accomplishment.

So as I wait,
I do my version
Of the important things.

I've learned about homemaking,
About parenting and re-parenting,
About caring for another.

I've learned more about my own feelings,
About the power of listening,
And the importance of kept promises.

I've learned about vulnerability -
I hear that is an important quality,
And is rare in men.

Because anything great
Deserves time and effort.
And I love,
And I hope,
So I wait.

Some things and some people are definitely worth our time and effort. And some of those things can’t be rushed, so we have to wait. And the thing about time is that it will pass whether we do anything with it or not, so we might as well put it to good use by nurturing and growing ourselves.

Thank you for checking out these poems. Please feel free to message me on Instagram with any thoughts or feelings you have about them.