You gave me roses which I returned to you
Instead you brought a rose bush
So that each time it bloomed my thoughts would turn to you
You brought sunshine where there had been clouds
Joy where there was pain
You brought promises that through this life and all those to follow
we would travel together hearts and souls as one.
That forever you would be apart of me
'tis the only promise that you kept.

My heart was given to you with the hope that you would treat it as if it were your own.
It is now yours being the only thing I could offer you.

You took with you the sunshine
The rose bush withered now shall soon die
For people as flowers shall flourish when cared for
Yet deny them sunshine and feed them sea water

Angle of Death
I welcome thee

Open your arms
Take me from these bonds of flesh
and set me Free

Angel of Light
guide the way for me
Light the path that I may see

Guardian of Souls
Can thee not see
The demons chains that are binding me?

It is my hope
my plea be heard
Take my hand and lead me home.

Healing

Holding firmly, drawling the blade outward,
Burning as if a fire had been lit in my chest
more of the blade becomes visable
I stop, afraid to go on
That my heart may never heal
The sword has been there for so long

Your voice assuring me , "the blade narrows, the pain will become less"
I stop
This time Your voice firm
Pull it out or push it through
still I hesitate
and I feel the gentleness of Your hands surrounding mine ,
Slowly the blade is removed further
I feel moisture in my eyes
tears flow as the last of the blade is removed.

My hands still craddled in Yours
looking at the blade which is tarnished covered only lightly with blood
Tears falling upon the steel, I wipe it clean,
I feel your fingers cup my chin tilting my head upwards until our eyes meet
The tenderness in your voice is a salve, the healing already beginning
Looking deeply , Your voice all but a whisper
use the sword now in the manner in which it was intended
12/97 tag

As I drove home, the large tree with the dirt road running beside it caught my eye. How long has it been , days or several years since the last time I traveled it. I turn the car down the road, for the sake of old times. The potholes seem larger than they were last time, the brush a bit thicker and a single light is still visible in the distance. I let off the accelerator, thinking that driving by would be of no harm. As the distance between the building becomes less, my hands grip the steering wheel tighter and I find myself turning into the parking lot. Sitting in the car , looking at the building , wondering if it had always been this decrepit . I had never noticed, what was inside was the only thing that had mattered then.

As I walk to the front door, I notice there are no other vehicles in the lot, and wonder if they are still open , and the light was to keep away the vagrants that may decide the building a place to stay. Wiping my palms on my skirt, I grab the door and pull it open, smiling slightly as it squeaks the old familiar welcome. Nothing really has changed, the same bartender is still there and when I slide onto my seat , he brings me a glass of wine , sets it before me and mumbles a comment about knowing I would be back.

I had never noticed how dark it was , or how stale the air had been and for a moment I thought about leaving. The glass was cool in my sweaty hands though , and the drive had left me thirsty . I sipped from the glass , as memories from the past came to me. This had been my seat for many years, starting in the morning , before going to the office, and back in the evenings , like an old recliner it was where I returned each evening .

I looked up over the rim of the glass and noticed I was not alone. Strange I hadnšt noticed the 3 figures at the bar , or the one in the corner when I arrived.

The first one, a woman with long hair the color of summer straw dressed in what may have once been white lace. She would have been described by some as a classic beauty , with high cheek bones and full lips. Yet her eyes were vacant of expression and to look into them , brought a chill which went beyond flesh. In her hands she held a glass, other than caressing the rim she did not lift it to drink. Human nature being what it is , I went over and asked her name.

In a voice barely above a whisper, she answered. Once I was called Love, and often I would be found walking at night , my hand in his , the moon lighting the path and the stars danced in the heavens sharing our joy . We used to cherish the moments , thinking they never would end, talking till the sun would rise, planning for our future, Sometimes it was just a look, one that said more than thousands of words. How I wish now that they had been spoken , perhaps then our time would not have ended so soon. She turned and looked at me, and for a moment I thought I saw what could be a tear on her lower lashes. Her next words were said with the echo of a thousand voices, nothing lasts forever, everything ends, except the pain of having had and lost. She ran her finger around the rim of the glass, lifted it as if she were going to drink, and stared into the liquid, as if all the answers were there to be found.

The man beside her was of fare complexion , dressed casually in jeans and shirt open at the neck, sipped his drink, yet the mug never seemed to empty. He turned and looked at me, the rumbling voice echoed through the room . I was known as Trust , since you will ask anyway. And I was always there , willing to listen , to reach out to and to hold and if tired I would support them , until they were strong enough on their own . I hid nothing , and only asked the same in return . I have fought all the battles of this time that I can. His voice lowered and with a sadness, I had thought impossible , he said, there is no a longer a place for Knights.

The small figure in the end seat , had the face of a pixie, hair the color of a ravens feathers, and thin lips set tightly together. As I walked near her, she looked up , a stream of tears flowing down her cheek. I reached out, wiping away one tear only to have it replaced by a dozen more. I asked her name, and one word was all she said before turning away. Hope.

I looked over to the cloaked shadow in the corner, and could see the glimmer in his eyes and his teeth where his lips curled at the corners in a cruel smile. I felt my voice rising as I asked him his name and what he found so amusing .

He said , I am known as Despair , and have come to admire my handiwork.