blue fire

my mouth fills with warm red wine,
the blood of gods flows, rich and deep,
dripping over my exposed heart—
it awakens shadows long asleep.

my tongue explores the swirling tastes,
a bitterness beneath the sweet.
the ridges of my soul are traced,
where sorrow and renewal meet.

a blue flame flickers, softly born,
igniting shadows deep within.
a spark of purpose, sharp as thorn,
in the herald’s fullness, new life begins.

through sting of loss, I still recall
the sweetness buried in decay.
the rotting fruit, its death a call,
fuels flames that burn my grief away.

a luscious heat now fills my core,
a fractured spirit starts to mend.
despair flows upward, feeding more,
transforming pain to hope’s bright flame.

it trickles down, I swallow whole—
this fire, alive in every cell.
a warmth ignites my aching soul;
in a sip of wine, life’s last farewell

Moments with Beulah

momentswithbeaulaIt’s been 6 years now since you passed
How you loved your stories and TV lives
And your living room filled with pirate’s booty
I am your oldest grandson
A nexus of generations

I hear you in the kitchen calling Sue
I see you buttering that awful white bread
With that killer spread
I remember your red cups

Those moments on the pier
Telling me, “Watch your pole now!”
Laughing at the smelly fish and shrimp
They always got away
I was not born for that

I loved your soft Tennessee drawl

Bingo!

I used to love to watch you play
How could you juggle all those cards so well

I remember the smell of the pines and tar
All those cigarettes, phew
As we pulled into the drive
Of your little cinder block house
My stomach jumped for Joy
It was always a mansion to me
And you were the fair lady of the tower
My protector
I wish I had not slipped away in the buzz of life
I wish I had remembered you on the important days
I live a life of Love and Light now
I have put childish things away
I promise to live with no regret
And burn brighter than the sun

I promise to always keep you in my heart
I will watch out for them
And help when I can
I’m pouring this one for you
And wishing your beloved Cowboys
Victory at last

Be at peace with Jim
I know you found each other again
In that cold place
And filled it with your love and warm embrace
Free from the chains of life
I look forward to one day joining you in
The Light

But not yet
I have a thing or two to do
I learned no one is promised tomorrow
So in this moment now I reflect best what I
Learned through your humble life
And know I feel you in the beat of my heart
Thank you for hands at my back

Peace

You are loved Beulah