I hate to be in love.
It is such an awful thing
to be so beautiful and so desired.
Captures the heart to wring
until it has expired.
Love is naught but a soul-eater,
ravishing until all is ravaged.
Mistress of deceit, Queen Maltreater,
she is not to be engaged.
Causing victims to feel indomitable,
self-preserving caution thrown to wind.
Once safe in love, hapless and comfortable,
she will that happiness rescind.
In one way, or perhaps another, time will come
when that love shall be gone.
There will be pain before it turns numb,
For there’s no liaison with that greatest con.
I hate to be in love.

I’ve written this poem as a salutation and pledge to the new characters whose stories I’ll be telling, as I’ve begun a new prose project. Hopefully, someday, this will be a novel, one I’ll complete, as these characters and stories have been begging to be written for awhile now. with that, here it is:

With felicitous greetings I bid
   welcome and salute you,
   friends of mine new!
Together may our long journey
   be pleasant and sweet,
   with pages filled no small feat.
Sincerely now I make this pledge:
   I shall strive to be, as litterateur,
   always true to your story and character.
With caring tenderness, as a mother,
   upon the page your lives I’ll create:
   you’ll choose your gait, but I your fate.
As your creator, I will love and nurture,
   be the navigator of your flight,
   accompany you through…

Life is a poem,
And poetry is music.
Eyes to see the imagery.
Heart to beat the meter.
Every breath a rhyme.

Life is a poem
Composed of many stanzas.
For each its own lines,
A different story to tell.
Chapters of life, verses of song.

Some may comprise a tragedy –
Full of loss and many tears.
Heartbreak and loneliness,
Or being set adrift.
Keep open eyes; it’s not over.

Others will be a comedy –
If only in hindsight.
Perhaps just a chuckle, but
Laughter with friends who’ve seen you through.
Another heartbeat, another stanza.

Moments of high drama will come,
Then pass into fond memory:
Great successes and tiny failures,
Accomplishment of dreams and goals.
Draw a deep breath – now write the next verse.