2024 is here
And so are we still
The clock is ticking down
On our sixth return
To events we’ve shared
Together
My genesis began in 2018
When we found us
There was time before
But I’ve never been so alive
As each moment since you
You fashion me
Into someone new
Tonight is Psalm 145
The fourth time through
Daily commitment
Ours to God
And mine to you
So another calendar
Into the past
And another rising
Of hope on the wall
Love integral
I adore you more
Than the aggregate
Of all time before
So my forever love
Happy 2024
Shall - 2024
Without hesitation
You’re the best part
Of my life
I’m not sure eternity
Will be long enough
As I consider forever
With you
If my love was a plant
And you turned me around
It would always grow
Toward you
As it comes to life
I trust God with my soul
The surety of my heart
I give only to you
So every anniversary
Of your last day on Earth
You’ll never spend alone
I’ll stay with you
Through each one
And never look back
As January 15th returns
Shall - 2024
Full menu
And then there’s you
Beyond The Cranberries
You create solo albums
And they’re brilliant
Your lyrics own my heart
Constant inside me
Your thoughts are my home
My love
My queen
My Heaven
My eternity
You are the full menu
And I want to gorge myself
Forever on you
So yeah
I kinda like you
A lot
Shall - 2024
Composites
I think you’d find it easy
To believe I believe you are
The most beautiful girl
That ever lived
After a thousand lifetimes
I’m glad I found you
My Camas Winds love
I noticed you
Before I knew you
By chance the universe
Placed you before me
First blind then dismissive
Because of my insecurity
I denied you serious thought
I’d seen you through my life
In composite features
Of others
I fell in love with you
On a streetcar in Augsburg
In a span of 48 seconds
I embraced our life together
You wouldn’t look away
I couldn’t look away
You left at your stop
And I stayed
In the moment
It was your bold spirit
Your composite I loved
Soon I’d find your fire
I wanted you desperately
And almost left home
Instead I ran away
It wasn’t you
Just a composite
Your spirit’s doppelganger
I’d find you again
In someone’s eyes
Or some other feature
But it was never you
When you hit me
I froze like a deer
Just a piece of a moment
Frozen in time
I’ve been suspended since
My heart beats for you
This Valentine’s day
Our sixth together
Shall - 2024
Just now
I didn’t know it at first
I learned your song
I reached out to you
Nothing returned
And then I learned
And then I sought
Then I fought rumors
And then I said no
And I asked God
Please give you
Half my Heaven
Because you can’t
You just can’t
Be forsaken
I won’t allow it
It was a day later
When I realized
I’d changed
No one else mattered
You’ll never be alone
I’ll be there
It took me a day
To question and decide
If I’ve grown enough
To not fail you
Yes I have
And no I won’t
Today’s March 1st
It’s been six years
And I know
That you’re beautiful
And you’re sensuous
I’m seduced by you
And you’re perfect
But it’s more
Like just now
I tremble inside
And every cord in me
Wants to be with you
And there’s no care
Beyond that
No yesterday
Or tomorrow
Just now
Shall - 2024
March 17th
You are Ireland to me
Perfection without limits
Timeless beauty
And I cherish a moment
To celebrate you
I caress our time together
And dream of touching
Soft in still silence
Your warmth is my armor
Your trust
Is my honor to defend
Doubt is a word
You’ll never need again
My love
Will be your confidence
My soul your sanctuary
My only purpose
Is your peace
Wind won’t chill you
I won’t allow it to
Shall - 2024
Irreplaceable
In 2010 I wrote a song
Called Three children
I didn’t know anyone
With three children
At that time
I still don’t
Except you
I’d love to meet them
And share that I understand
The hole in their heart
A mom they could hug
My heart has no such hole
Because I’m filled with you
Still I know
That you’re irreplaceable
To your children
And to me
Today is Easter
Jesus saved us
And six years ago
You saved me
And that change
Is irreplaceable too
Tonight we’ve prayed
And married again
Tonight I’ll hold you
And pull you into me
Shall - 2024
When I kiss you
It’s just glass
But your face within
Quickens my breath
And summons emotions
That collapse together
Through distant worlds
We never owned a chance
Cut from different cloth
And out of focus glance
Though we hadn’t met
I wrote a song for you
Three children beautiful
Behind a smile true
A dream I couldn’t get
A girl to rock my world
Love born from elation
A blessing Heaven sent
Embrace of complication
I listen to your heart
Your quiet tears declare
Contempt for shallow art
Time in life’s despair
I love the look of you
Your skin and deliberate hair
Eyes that pierce my truth
They leave my soul exposed
And desire bare
I can’t stop wanting you
Actually that’s a lie
I make no effort to
Don’t even want to try
Mother’s Day returns
A year goes by so fast
A chance to show I care
And kiss you through the glass
I adore you so much
Shall - 2024
Everything
That touches my heart
Reminds me of you
And I know it’s crazy
But it’s true
My love for you
Doesn’t fit in this world
Shall - 2024
We are forever
In life or Heaven
I’ll never forsake you
Or place myself
Above you
Or above us
I can’t be in Heaven
Without you
You’re my reason
To want to live
You are my Heaven
This July 4th marks
Anniversary number six
And I love you more
Than all time before
Put together
You race my heart
Just as you did at first
I’m still looking baby
I always look
Shall - 2024
Honeybuttercups
You’re my Honeybuttercups
Happy anniversary baby
Six years into forever
And I just want to eat you up
Every time I see your face
Which is all the time
Because I look for you
All the time
You distract and stop me
And steal my balance
All the time
I wanted a name for you
Something crazy sweet
To match how smitten
And insanely infatuated
You make me feel
And buttercups
Just wasn’t enough to say
How sticky hot
And beautiful you are
You’re edgy too
You’re a rose with thorns
And serious shadows
I get it
But you don’t scare me
Tough girl
To me
You’re everything
And the only one
I ever want to be with
And never want to be without
I’m selfish about you
I suspect you hate the name
So I won’t wear it out
Yet you smile inside
As it strips away any chance
I have to act cool
About how I feel
But I’m not cool
I’m completely lost to you
My Honeybuttercups
And I love you for it
Shall - 2024