lei fraser

the garden is quiet in early morning
birds settled still with folded wing
morning glory stretches to catch the light
in its transparent painted palm
grasses leave silver trails
against my dress
as i pass to greet you
as i have done before
the pool among the stones is calm
even the fish hold
wrapped in watery arms
and words are stayed in my throat
i stand to hear the song of your heart
however the words and stories are woven
however the dew rolls off the rose
this friendship, dear one, simply is
just as the sun raises its head each day
i sit beside you and listen
while this moment begins

~

what remains unsaid, my love
within the walls of this heart
not the strangled, maniacal pleas
that trap the arms, pinned down –
demanding… Love me! Complete me!
Set me free!
where is the freedom in this?
when the white dove batters unknowingly
against the filigree bars
slight enough to be entangled
and yet enraged at this caged injustice
it is in the silent unfolding of a paper wing
extended with graceful deliggght
in these wide arms do we walk,
Entwined, Whole, Embraced
and as my happiness has found its place
to wander from
you have been just as you are,
an endless flight in a cloudless sky
found when my hand holds yours

~

Whisper of a prayer
Falls of me
Eyes closed tightly
I feel I am moving
Though I know I am standing still
The rumor of a smile consumes me
Expected glance shatters me
Like a stone meeting glass
With the briefest kiss
As I sit amongst the shards
Bleeding from the bits of glass
I missed cleaning up
I think that I only want to hear your voice
If only,
As a drop trickles down my palm
Where is the grace in dying this way
Ears empty, heart torn
The flicker of light dancing
Along the white tiles draws my sight
Away from the ruby splash beside me
Pulling me away from the knotted pain
To brilliant clarity
That for a small brief moment, I thought
The pain could cure me of an ache
So deep within my chest
And no, the tears, not of sorry, but joy
Rinse all that was spilled away

~

beyond these words i long to stretch
and reach out of what i thought could be
shake off the darkly laden doubt,
that keeps me stayed
and spread wide my eyes to truly see
to feel the breath of this love
gently pass across my skin
and kiss the air about me
may this moment never find its close
and let me stand encircled by you
for all eternity
~

hand on the doorway
ready to run again
walk out of this skin
to let it all fall away
shed, forgotten
here you stop me
pull each toe back through
make me sit down
and breathe
the one thing i forgot to do
so i sit listening to the roses bloom
and the storm being born on the horizon
what was i running from again?
how long until my soul gets it rights
~

crescent moon
through bowed branches
light bathes me
flows through me
gentle healing
long weary day falls away
listen to her reflection
dancing in the water
gentle hands sweep
the cool shore
while a quiet breeze
stirs the leaves
only enough to carry
the sleeping melody of a dove
and to lay my head down
to rest
~

frost dances on fallen leaves
morning sun shimmers
in each icy reflection
bluest sky bows
in joyful reverie
~

wind gathers through my fingers
i hear its ancient melody
as the river passes the shore
shaping the sand endlessly
each wave a breath
each ripple the stone’s gift
each moment slips away
with each rolling water lift
sunlight across my palm
day’s sweet stolen kiss
evening’s rapture through the leaves
moonlight’s bliss
wrapped in this blanket
between here and now
in this silence i breathe again
as the reeds along the river bow
~

what of this laden head
that lies pressed against the glass
screaming mind, howling against
the chains, the bonds
that hold it in place
what of this peace
that it fumbles to grasp
and lay hold to, so elusive
only the minnows flashing
in perfect harmony
in late afternoon sun
can truly know its essence
or the sparrow’s seamless flight
each feather constant with the next
yet here i sit revolting against
what i claim i cannot know
and yet i am here, here i am

~

the day has left only
folded wings and bowed heads
waves have fallen in slumber
as quiet as the shore
footsteps have filled
the autumn night air
crush of stone on stone
soft cool pad of sand
silence comes to embrace me
brush the hair from my eyes
to look deeply within
holding me
as the dragon holds the white orchid
and releases me home
to see the moon’s watery face

~

under glass
finger traces
this slow, loping curve
to press this fragile limit
with my palm
i wondered,
in my longing
to shatter this glass dome
if i have over looked
freedom’s responsibility
arranging a crushed rose
so the sunlight won’t
fade the coloured silk,
neatly creasing folds
to preserve the petals’ form
having forgotten the material illusion
that reveals a dying flower
desperate for water
~

twilight trips through the window
with sprawling grace
silence, sitting with me
catches the light as it passes
and scatters it with a careless hand
out along the wall and table’s edge
transparent mandala drifting
capture me, hold me still
not by chance, am i here
to watch this timeless union
of shadow and light
dance its way across my room,
my furniture, my body, my life
and erase itself like the gentle sweep
of fine sand after
the circle is complete
drawn closer in the fading light
by my quiet companion
while the wind reminds me
of the cold winter night to come
not even the scattered starlight
and soft candle light glow
can help me discern
where my hand ends
and darkness begins

~