Hard Sun

When I walk beside her,
I am the better man
When I look to leave her,
I always stagger back again

Once I built an ivory tower
so I could worship from above
When I climbed down to be set free,
she took me in again

When she comes to greet me,
she is mercy at my feet
When I see her bitter charm,
she just throws it back at me

Once I dug an early grave
to find a better land
She just smiled, then laughed at me
and took her blues back again

When I go to cross that river,
she is comfort by my side
When I try to understand,
she just opens up her hands

Once I stood to lose her
when I saw what I had done
Bound down and threw away the hours
of her garden and her sun

So I tried to warn her,
I turned to see her weep
Forty days and forty nights
and it's still coming down on me

Broken Rose

Tearstained cheeks and a broken smile
Lying unconvincingly
"I'm alright", then slipping
back into the same bump and grind.
Fading out roots, black leather boots.

You hold my hand, grateful for the touch
that did not judge or label.
Longing to be seen,
praying you could disappear.

Elaena, you stranger, you lover
"Take me with you", you said
I could not, I was
too afraid of consequence.
"Then buy the next round", you snapped,
stone faced and silent.
Your tired eyes betrayed you,
leaking memories of what was,
and what if's
and hopeless dreams of a knight.
"You're a good man", you said.
I smiled and kissed your cheek
Tasting the salt.
and held your hand.
I kept the flower you pinned on my shirt.
crushed petals and all.
In memory of the day that I
could only be a good man
but not your knight.