I Am A Visitor

I’m not a gender bender 

or person of color - societal descriptive norm

I have little faith 

shy of fairy tales and Mother Nature

There are few left 

in my blood line 

…yet I am relatively not alone

And there are days 

when the sun 

comes up 

and I don’t rise - to the occasion 

Night falls 

and sleep 

is a reluctant guest 

I am a visitor 

in a world of strangers 

and you may never 

know my real name 

My true calling 

has been my only truth 

my only companion 

in the solitude of creativity 

© 2015 TrilbyYates

Any Storm

Morning coffee steam rises 
I sleep alone… 
- another friday night 
Dream scape 
background track sea breeze  

My mind is like a wave 

Ocean tide draws back 
Captured vast seamless horizon 
helps calm unsettled nerves 
and swaying motion at bay 

Wrapped in a fog blanket 
There's warmth in the next line 
…words don't always fall 
so neatly into place 
There is never a plan for rhythm 
There is never a plan for rhyme 

Let the path lead where it may 
and the wind will surely fill my sails 
- and I will take on any storm… 

© 2015 TrilbyYates

House The Demons

He smiles, kicks back - relax...do you want a drink beautiful?
Flattery falls from his lips, diamonds of perfection
His fingers glide through his long silver hair, he's in his comfort zone
He can hold his own in a crowd of young bombers
Slow like a cat on the prowl he gets up stretches across the room - purr
His Italian leather couch oozes sex appeal NYC loft high above 
Reality is a custom bar marble slab sous chef prep 
My usual neurotic reply is like opening an old sacred love letter  
Gingerly with reluctance and insecurity, caution is first mate 
Handing me a glass - his fingers touch mine, lingering  
An intentional moment his eyes remain warm and clear
Leading the way to cheap talk and romantic reminiscing 
He says he gave up the spirits years ago but couldn't give up the ghosts
High times buzz by right side blur discarded memories - post regret
Salvage a few and letting go of the others - doesn't pay to house the demons
Fade out background dark side of the room strikes a cord
Strikes a nerve and chatter is on the vine - we step back in time
Quote of the day his mind leaves the room and he slips away -
"…I remember when the drinking age was 18 and Uncle Sam took all the boys away…"

© 2015 TrilbyYates

God Is Not Dead

Words quietly spoken
Words floating in the night
Billowing halo warped wrap around
words spoken quietly
God is dead
God is dead
- Faith is a belief not based on proof 
Faith is a tapestry silk and satin 
weaving through 
heart into soul
head into heart
Not tangible to touch
but a magical sensation 
weaving through heart into spirit
Rattling about so stable so very unshakable
- unbreakable  
Questionable in my dreams
Rattling about broken at times
Rosary beads slip from my hands
I sink to bended knee
unlike other faiths standing on equal ground
I sink to bended knee humbled
Questionable in my dreams
I woke wrapped in a cloud
wrapped in billowing halo warped wrap around
I said the words
I spoke out loud 
God is not dead 
God is not dead 
I said softly words whispered 
in the darkness of the night 
Words heard echoing bounce
Words spoken tongue tied
yet understood Tower of Babble
There is wisdom in the story
There is peace and confidence 
in the questioning of my faith 
My lack of belief has been 
a distant abstraction 
My lack of faith has been
at times a painful reaction
But in this fog hovering in the night
I was solid 
I was touched
I said it out loud
God is not dead 
God is not dead
I lay back falling into a deep sleep
wrapped in a cloud I began to weep 
And as the sails began to fill
and move slowly across the bay
I remembered the story
of choice and free will -

The vision brought tears to my heart
tears to my eyes and I cried at the image 
and the knowledge
I am wisdom
I am wise 
God is not dead
God is not dead

The vision brought tears to my heart
tears to my eyes and I cried at the image
and the knowledge
I am wisdom
I am wise
God is not dead
God is not dead

© 2015 TrilbyYates

Sail Away With Me

Waves caress port side
leaning to the left
filling the sails 
with a new 
direction
unknown
last breath
secrets from the other side – 
Whispering angels 
hovering above
- let him exhale one more time…
But I know prayers 
are rarely answered 
and coincidences 
never ring true
And songs blow by
haunting tunes 
of love and sorrow
I hear it in the wind
“…sail away with me honey, hold my heart in your hands, sail away with me honey, sail away with me now…” 

© 2015 TrilbyYates

Shifting Blame Shifting Time

Shifting time, shifting blame
an overly exposed place to be
Like an old black and white film
silence in the dramatic - pronunciation
classification weakened domination
of thought and word daydreams soothing 
It is a beautifully worn white albatross
hanging with ease from your neck - you never take it off
...moved quietly with your tender touch
to the deepest part of my lost heart
Take the time to search it out
and walk gingerly through my shadow
Walk carefree and with ease
the vision is deep - the vision is wide
Please be careful not to disrupt my solitude
shifting blame, shifting time
It has been years to my amazement
I sometimes count them in my sleep 
the way I hear the second hand moving
similar calming of counting sheep
Wishing I could somehow forget
forget the sound of your heavenly name
Wishing if only time could stand still
and everything that stood still - would remain the same
When you are alone in those private moments
a soft wind will blow tousling your hair about
A spray from the ocean will come across the bow
and your thoughts will be taken from here to there
And when the day begins to fade 
turning into that peaceful space of gray
The sun slipping off to the west 
and the moon begins to rise
I'll stand on my side of the Sound
and play back every word you ever said
Every word etched in memorial stone 
skipping lost seashells across the bay
and continue to wonder shifting time shifting blame
- what the fuck happened to you anyway... 

© 2015 TrilbyYates

Burn Out Blues And Bust

Organic moon light heart pounding brilliance 
bursting from the seams
slipping from the sidewalls of a passion pit
Fumbling for the remote control
flip the switch from brilliance to boredom... 
And some where out there is the second coming 
of my redemption
The second coming of a new day 
with promise and intention
Lasting longer than a flash in the pan 
lime light first blush of love
Smiling from ear to ear Cheshire cat grin 
that gives nothing away
But a clear image of a pure ecstatic inner 
love lust glow

Because I know some things 
are worth waiting for 
even if the odds are in favor 
of burn out blues and bust

But I'm a romantic at heart 
bleeding from old wounds
and the side effects of too many 
sleepless nights
Wandering around my apartment as if 
the secret to a loving life
is hidden in the slow pace of walking 
from room to room
The creek in the floorboard is a sure sign 
I'm not alone
That a brighter day awaits right outside my door

Because I know some things 
are worth waiting for 
even if the odds are in favor 
of burn out blues and bust 


© 2015 TrilbyYates

Hudson Line Blows

So we go out to this bar
Saturday night sure thing
Down on the west side 
Of the infamous Hudson River
Blonde bombshell with crew
and dark haired mystery woman 
Tapan Zee to the north 
GWB to the south 
Across the river a whistle 
On the Hudson Line blows smoke 
While flying by everyone waves 
As if they are floating on liquid gold 
And I'm feeling lost 
In my old haunting ground
Like I've never been here before 
A stranger in familiar surroundings 
Out of my comfort zone 
Out of my element
A fish out of water
Square peg 
...in a round hole
Oblio  
And it's not a far stretch 
Of the imagination 
Culture shock and reminiscing 
Don't always go hand in hand 
Sipping wine through a straw
Cheap fragrant masculine cologne
Fills the air loud bass beat roll
Burns my senses to the core
Vinny and Frankie commonality 
Thick in the middle as age creeps up 
- but no one seems to notices 
By the time last call fades 
Off into the mist
I don't know where I belong any more 
Stepping out on all sides
Everything feels heavy handed 
Tossing snake eyes coming up double 
Maybe it's a fine time 
To play the hand that has been dealt 
And fade off into the horizon 
On a fast sailing vessel 
...Hells Gate with out warning

© 2015 TrilbyYates