Grey Raindrops

This short piece I wrote is inspired by Enya's song; "Trains and Winter Rains"

It’s chilly, not the temperature; my heart. The train car bumps and jostles around, I can hear the wheels turning endlessly. The light has faded behind the black storm clouds and as I gaze out the window, millions of little raindrops splatter the pane, streaking past and blurring together into a cold grey. I can’t make out the buildings it’s so dark; so grey… everything is grey; even my mood. I think about the home I’m headed to, and I wonder if she’ll be there… probably not. There’s never a hot meal prepared and waiting for me when I arrive, just empty bedrooms. On nights when I come home to find that she’s left without explanation as to where, I look up at the endless stars and wonder… is this all there is? Silent rooms, take out cartons and empty eyes. The train slows to a stop… my stop. But I don’t get out. I sit… lost in thought; empty thoughts of grayness, and the train rumbles on. There’s no point in going home, it’s not even a home to go to anymore, not with a wife gone countless nights and when home, a cold glance greets me with no word. So I travel on… but where to? The grey skies whisper my name, and I think… what if this train took me all the way to the stars? To those friends that shone down upon me on those lonely nights… I might even feel happy again, to open my eyes and find myself surrounded by eternal beauty. The city rushes past, various shades of grey blurring into one; my life stares at me from the window. I travel on, where to? No one knows.

Little Red Ball

The ball soars upward, a streak of red in the perfect blue sky. When will it come back down to my waiting hands? Was I really that strong to throw it so high? 

But then I realize; it’s not coming down.

I gaze up at it, a small red dot, growing ever smaller. I laugh and wave good bye to it. It is free, rising above the world of gravity; through chilly clouds, past soaring birds. Brave little ball, how scary it must be to be the first to show the world that laws are only words. 

Up and up it climbs, what a view it must see! For an instant I wish I could be up there with it, to be so free. But life still holds me bound to earth at the will of gravity. Still further up it goes, past comets and shooting stars. Will it return home? What a brave little ball, shining up in the galaxies, brighter and happier than any star around it. 

“Billy, are you going to toss me the ball?” I hear daddy’s voice. I flinch, back in the real world. 

Looking down I see that same little red ball in my hands. I laugh again and toss it to dad.

“Don’t worry, little ball, I know where you’ve been!” I whisper to it as it flies through the air, up and up, free! Then gravity pulls it back, the invisible leash drawing tight. 

It arches gracefully and lands in my dad’s hand.

Japan

Crashing waves, rumbling rocks.

Splitting earth and sinking docks.

The end is near,

So how dare we sit here,

While the world falls apart,

And people die without a forgiven heart. 

In memory of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that happened in Japan one year ago today.

Valentine's

This is a poem I wrote for my parents for Valentine's,

For this Valentine's I have nothing grand,

To tell you the truth, I have nothing planned.

No chocolates or a graceful note,

That my hands would have lovingly wrote.

Instead, I have something simple and true,

Just three little words, "I love you."

Happy Valentine's everyone!

Healing Begins

To all those who mourn,

 To the broken of heart,

And to those who think all happiness from their life is torn,

Do not let hope part.

Those who weep will laugh again

This blanket of despair will fall away

 The demons you fear will be slain

And you will awaken to a new day.