In a still afternoon

In a still afternoon

In a near photograph

Children playing without

Surprise, chatter or laugh

A landscape painting with

Snap dragons and roses

Soft framing the artwork

Of statues and poses

Dead but not decaying

Dead but not decaying

A heavy ghost lingers

The need for letting go

Ungripping of fingers

The feelings of forest

Trees that can’t fully fall

Caught on other branches 

Of trees still standing tall 

Breaking self-promises

Breaking self-promises

Allowing fate to rule

Circumstances decide

And consequences school

The renewal of Hope

Little engine that could

Serious conviction 

To making myself good

Dry riverbed with sand

Dry riverbed with sand

Hourglasses emptied out

Time passing and passed up

Silence replacing shout

We rebuild from storms yet

No gold left to be mined

Move on, try not to be

Deficiency defined

Still connecting the plots

Still connecting the plots

To complete your image

Your mascot of love was

Purely playing scrimmage 

Professing your greatness

While my faults all the buzz

You stopped looking for me

But you knew where I was

World fury stealing days

World fury stealing days

In the swirl standing still

Valleys populating

Houses dotting uphill

Ripples make silent waves

Nesting but not nestled

Futures are unfurnished

And truth sadly wrestled

Where is an overture

Where is an overture

Yearning to cross a stream

A river, an ocean

The improbable dream

I’m final act AWOL

Through graveyards and forest

Looking for new life and

Fresh starts that are morest