How Can You? Romantic IMprov Poetry

How can you make me laugh
in the midst of romance?

How can you take the cold, clammy fear
in my hands, feet and forehead,
and turn it into emotions flaming up
from deep in my heart?

How can you take my tears of pain
and, in a few words,
make me weep with joy and relief?

How can you make me miss you so?

How can you hold me
and rock me gently to sleep
with just a few typed or spoken words?

How can you, with the skill of a cardiac surgeon,
open up my chest
and expose all my innermost hopes,
dreams and feelings…
without hurting or scaring or bruising my heart?

How can you, when my heart aches
and when butterflies dance nervously in my stomach,
reach across the hills, lakes and rivers
and apply soothing balm,
calming the butterflies
and soothing the aches?

How can you make my brain remember
every nuance of your scent,
every wisp of your hair,
every touch of your hand,
the feel of your skin,
your curves,
your breath?

How can you do that?

Frag’ nicht warum.
Sei einfach froh,
daB es ist so.

What Goes Around … : Revolutionary Poetic Lament

As youths,
we would laugh
and loudly whisper,
(when we thought
they couldn’t hear),
about physical oddities:

Mr. M’s errant
and grey
eyebrow hairs.

Mr. C’s gut
that stuck
out so much
you could balance
a martini glass
on it.

Uncle B’s bright white,
bra-less moobs that he showed,
shirtless,
in the summer sun.

Mr. B’s stick legs,
covered to mid-calf with
white socks that matched
his skin.

Mr. P’s back hairs
(we wondered if Mrs. P
brushed or combed them).

Mr. E’s chest hairs,
curling white against his
tan and leathered skin.

They are all dead.

Now I hear,
again,
youthful whispers
and laughs
from behind
my back.