Coast

(i am the river)

cold clear water 

relieve my tangled thoughts 

relive the battles lost

no longer 

(i am the interstate)

carry me through the night

reaching the other side

recalling the turning tide

no longer 

(i am the mountain range)

follow me on the drive

burn in the back of my mind 

regretting the younger side

no longer 

drive to the cloudy coast

in the morning 

telling me stories

of wide open hearts.

Resurrection

if i had arms

i'd reach across

this great expanse

and hold your hand

if i had legs 

i'd walk the plank 

down the dirt road

into your mercy

if i had a heart

i'd drum the days

and dance in the dark

i'd bleed and understand

if i was brave

i'd surf the disaster

and swim with the sharks

not hide my laughter

if i had a face

i'd paint it with grace

my tears would be real

my eyes would be blue

i'm always reflecting

my half resurrection

i'm still waiting for you

to come into view

Shasta

over the bridges

blue lake brighter

than the sky in June

give me time

to think of words to say

to make you look this way

i'll carry it with you

if you promise to stay.

Dragonflies

sunset around me 
sadness surround me 
and override the madness
falling through the branches 
it clings to humid air
it follows me, i swear

dusk all around me
concrete surround me
to surf the breaking street
burning in between
the sadness underneath
peace: anywhere but here

grace follows you, i swear
i heard it inside
of the quiet goodbye
i saw it glisten
in the corner of your eyes
like dragonflies
just touching the surface 
of serene summer night
the colors of flight 
daring to land 
on the grandest design
rippling lake 
lights up the night 

Maps

mountainside stretches

far and wide

like maps laid out to dry

still wet with ink

heather and sage 

and indian paintbrushes 

trees lean above me

towers and canopies

they listen to me 

and offer no piece

and the flowers just sing

in spite of my flaws

i don't follow the cause

i won't follow your laws

i'd rather see your face

just show me your claws

meet me there

dragonflies in the air

ripples on the lake

sunlight on your hair 

that's just how i feel 

in the deep mountain air 

a thousand small rivers 

run here within

and ten thousand voices

i won't let them in

i've gotta find you 

i've gotta know

rivers are running 

to valleys below

the rocks that i'm throwing 

are sinking beneath 

to drown out the grief 

some sort of relief

and the trail unending 

just leads back to me 

Grace

i need to know 
if grace can reach this far
if sun can set apart 
my silhouette
if days blur into one 
if half written songs can be sung 
i need to know
i am not half-hearted 
it was me that started this fight 
it was you i wrestled all night 
i need to know that my pain has a color 
that bleeds with the sunset 
that my joy swells in the morning,
when i greet the dawn

love unending
love surrendering
grace is erasing
it's me i am facing

white paint over 
the broken places
pictures, faces
i do not regret 
i cannot repent 
and you hug me anyways.