WEDDING BELLS - A TRIBUTE TO A VERY CLOSE FRIEND

With grace she walked towards the glittering pandal

And the gathering watched, radiating happiness 

Into the winter's night; she looked at the Keeper, joyous,

As he gently let the red curtain above her head fall;

The wedding bells chimed, and the magic was started

And the Keeper watched on as she departed -

Seven times around the world in order to begin

Another chapter of her life, as beautiful as the one just ended;

The Keeper smiled as he gave her away to another keeper

And he solemnly promised to love and protect her.

A FRIEND, WHO KNEW?

Here this stranger stood right in front of me;
Was she an impostor imposed to hurt me next
Or a friend who'd love me? I was vexed
While questions pounded my head; impatiently
I brushed them aside, and with deep breath, plunged
Into the depths of her eyes, searching for her soul.
She felt my anger, brought out my pain,
Sealed my broken heart in order to gain
My loyalty that was on its way to a grave;
We shared our stories, we cried and laughed
Merrily, each other we mocked and chaffed;
A chance was taken, and no regrets were made -
With a soft landing, my leap of faith was paid.
She's beautiful on the inside as well as the out;
I'm here to help, if a soul she ever sought
When hard times beat her, and she stands to fall.
I look back upon a chance I took many moons ago
When she crept in, stole my heart, only to cover it in gold,
And I smile lovingly, as her serene image I behold.

UNSPOKEN WORDS

The breeze blows gently, lifting her hair

Above her ears, and her smile is the fare

Into the heart of the Keeper of the Universe,

Who does swear to protect her, for better or for worse;

She is the one, who points the Keeper’s way to the sun

Through an undying bond that guides him free.

Alas! The Keeper remains bonded as, from his dreamy
Stupor he awakes to the harshness of reality that shakes
His ground, spins his world, and the carefully constructed
Shell around his fragile heart first cracks, then breaks
And the juicy syrup of love inside oozes out, wasted.

The Keeper is now vulnerable, shriveled, broken
For all the world to see; the bitter spirits soak him
And he swoons upon their influence, unsmiling;
As, for the shell around his heart, he remains pining.

The Keeper has the strength to extract himself
From the bottomless pits of suffering and penury,
And extricate himself from that cold, ice shelf.

Stronger now, the Keeper knows that his spirit will free
Itself once more and touch the vast blue, endless sky

This moment of weakness for the Keeper shall pass by.