SECOND TIME AROUND

All alone in the tumult of the ocean,

Thought love was an impossible notion;

Never had much luck,

Thought I would always and forever be stuck.

Found a vision, seemed like the fairytale,

Never could've guessed we were star-crossed lovers, set to fail.

Back out on my own, second time around,

So much more anguish this time I've found;

Being tangled in the seaweed makes the journey take longer,

Trying to keep the faith alive that I will come out stronger;

Won't repeat mistakes of the past,

Pray the second time around will be my last.

DROWNING

As my head bobs in and out of the water, I gasp for breath as the ocean pulls me under again, not knowing when I will make it back above for another breath of air.

I AM DROWNING.

THE DANCE

Should I go here, there, do this or that? How does one find the delicate balance? What I want, what I need, what I have, what is. How does one find the delicate balance? Live for the moment, plan for tomorrow, dream of what could be, deal with reality. . . does one find the balance?

In the shower water drips down my face like tears because mine are all dried up . . .

Fighting in the Dark (The Diary of a Cancer Survivor)

I am standing on the Afgani border in the dark without any detection or sensor equipment.

It is the middle of the night and I can't see or hear my enemy -- I am blind to his whereabouts.

When will he strike, and where? From which direction and what kind of artillery will he use?

So many questions, so many options . . . I am terrified.

Yet somehow I struggle through the darkness and the enemy has not struck me again.

Waiting

They never ask if they can accompany me to the appointment,

But rather show up a few days in advance unannounced.

I try to forget about them, but they have a strong grasp on my psyche.

When I arrive at the doctor's office, they are ever present;

I am unable to put them out of my head as I did in the days before.

I sit down to wait and they are on both sides of me, sitting down next to me for the interim.

"Worry," I try to say with as much confidence as I can muster, "would you mind terrribly if I

asked you to go sit on the other side of the room?" "Sorry," he replies, "I'm told not to leave

you." I turn to Anxiety on my left, smoking a cigarette and tapping his foot, "Could you kindly

retreat to the hall?" "Nope," he manages between vigorous puffs, "You're my oxygen."

My thoughts race as I try to rise from the bench and get free from the grip of these fiends, but I

am paralyzed. My cell phone receives a text message and I open it -- it is from Peace. She says

that if I accept Worry and Anxiety they will get bored and leave. You are an Angel, I reply.

I put my phone away and look at the devilish imps as I say, "I understand why you are here.

I am only human." Anxiety gets frustrated and grunts as Worry throws his hands in the

air. Anxiety stands up and says "We can't do any more here! Let's go get a cup of coffee." And

as they leave the room, I'm just a little more at peace.

There is no Good Title for This Poem

It is so wrong that love isn't enough,

Because there is more than enough of that.

I would follow anywhere you lead,

But this is what you said we have to do.

You are much stronger than me,

I would have never had the strength.

And even when there is no longer a "we", I will love you forever

And I will always treasure the gifts you have given me.