NEVER COUNT THE COST

NEVER COUNT THE COST

Memory is a fickle friend,
You can play its game and lose or win,
And sometimes you hang on the precipice
As your tires whine and spin.

Everywhere that we have been and all that we have done
Blazes in remembrance like an all-consuming sun.

I beg of you, my only love,
to always see our years together written on the stars.

To even when you find me distant, circling the maze,
Never take away your gaze, but keep the faith in what is ours.

For love’s a road map, long and sweet, replete with ruts and detours,
The surface rough, the texture coarse, with sharp and jagged contours.

Sometimes we speak in peaceful chant,
Sometimes in bloodless scream,
But cling to me forever and don’t discard the dream.

At times romance is like a war,
A long and lonesome tour of duty,
A casino of the blindest chance,
A refuge of great beauty.

Sometimes a world of petty slights,
Of slamming doors and silent nights.
Sometimes a cushioned bed of down,
With hearts and flowers all around.

I beg of you, my cherished dear,
When you count the tally of our years,
To hold them in your reverie as angel-kissed and heaven sent,
To never count the cost of love and find your dreams misspent.

-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2008
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

GALLOWS HUMOR

GALLOWS HUMOR

The ship is slowly sinking and with it go the rats,
The vampire’s cave is stinking with the excrement of bats.

The window to my soul is leaking, with a strong and steady downpour.
I’m lost somewhere in no man’s land, where lions meow but never roar.

And nothing’s as it seems to be, but everything is broken,
And all complaints and murmurings are useless and verboten.

So all I have is a spirit dark and its wicked tales to spin,
Nothing left but gallows humor underneath my skin.

The captain of the ship is busy, controlling the near mutiny,
And the rats are getting tired of this relentless disease.
And still they do their jobs like pros and come up smelling like a rose,
While the ship’s hull cracks and acrid water spills upon my clothes.

The night is young but the bees have stung, and a knife can’t cut the tension,
The rats are dying right and left, the ship is lost amid dissension.

And I have to wonder what’s the use, as I feel the fastening of the noose,
And I tread in waters shallow, swinging wildly from the gallows.

The ship has run aground at last, it seems to have no moorings.
No anchor firm, a still slow burn, the captain he is snoring.
Everything is up for question, nothing’s understood,
But flames are burning from the ship, I can smell the charring wood.

And so I laugh, for it’s all I know, it’s all I care to do.
I snicker, snort and chortle and guffaw the whole day through.
My soul it has turned dark and damp and clammy is my skin,
With only crumbs of gallows humor to show the state I’m in.

-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2009
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

MOTHER NATURE'S SHOW

MOTHER NATURE’S SHOW

I yearn to pace the forest floor,
The dried leaves crunching beneath my feet,

Flora and fauna all around me,
Mother Nature’s patterns sweet.

The handsome deer that roam the woods,
Gentle and so full of grace.

The cardinal and the robin red,
Lend subtle magic to this place.

The possum and the grizzly bear
That prowl in all their glory.

The hoot owl in the trees at night
Who belts his lonesome story.

The squirrels agile at their games,
The skunk so downright smelly,
The lizards and the reptiles rare
That crawl upon their bellies.

I yearn to pace the forest floor and cast my sidelong gazes.
To drink the very stuff of life, lost in all the mazes.
Of creatures that creep in the stillness of day,
Eyes gleaming brightly, stalking their prey.

The circle of life, touting its mystery,
Raining down on me elaborate history.

I yearn to pace the forest floor, traipsing to and fro,
The curtain rising high and proud on Mother Nature’s show.

-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2007
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

PEPPERMINT SHIRT

PEPPERMINT SHIRT

Don’t I look quite fetching,
In my peppermint pink shirt?

A most becoming candy cane,
I proudly prance the earth.

I know that it’s a little loud,
Perhaps a smidgeon bright.
And yet my shirt of peppermint
Perpetually delights.

My dashing shirt is all the rage
Throughout this fashion town.
It wraps me in its sweet embrace
When I am feeling down.

Ode to the colors running,
Ode to the hues of pink and rose,
Ode to the sight so stunning
Of me in such perfect clothes.

Ode to the folks who remark on it
With praises most sincere.
Who want to touch and fondle it,
Who greet it with such cheer.

Don’t I look just fabulous in my shirt of peppermint?
And my pants a solid hue of black,
A stunning complement.

I know that it’s a little wild
To wear a shirt that glows.
But free will is my birthright,
And it’s the shirt I chose.

I wear it on my saddest days,
The results are always stellar.
When wearing such a joyful shirt,
I scarce need an umbrella.

Don’t I look the fashion plate,
In my peppermint pink shirt?

A most becoming candy cane,
I proudly prance the earth.

-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2007
All RIGHTS RESERVED

BEYOND ALL FEAR

BEYOND ALL FEAR

In the middle of the longest night,
I feel your arms around me tight.
Your lips that dangle blessings,
Your soul that teaches lessons.

And on the road I travel,
Fraught with brick and cobblestone.
The cracks on which I stumble
As I navigate alone.

I feel your eye upon me,
Your witness drawing near.
Stemming thoughts of suicide
And death that sounds its message drear.

And all for which I long,
All for which I dream,
Is somehow intertwined with you
Like ivy leaves of forest green.

And I can feel your skin against my own
Even on those long, long nights
When you’re not there and I’m alone.

The brush of your hand against my chest,
The breath of your lungs caresses my ear,
And my soul at long last takes its rest.
As I hold you close, beyond all fear.

-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2009
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

GLORY IN THIS LOVE

GLORY IN THIS LOVE

Splendid vistas everywhere open up before me.
New stars light the autumn sky, the moonlight it adores me.

I am hanging on to you, tight as cling wrap to a sandwich,
Drinking in this newfound bliss, a song that’s sung in perfect pitch.
A shooting star that sizzles through the midnight air.
There’s glory in the universe, I feel it everywhere.

The dark night it is over, deep in the black earth sleeping.
Gone are the days of my heart’s malaise, the sound of my spirit weeping.

You swept in like a calming wind that blows from off the ocean
And sent the demons tumbling far, sinking in slow motion.
My heart beats strains of thankfulness, my spirit sings anew,
My motion sickness fades into the legend grand of me and you.

I’d fly to Paris on a whim and walk those hallowed streets again,
Or London with its fog and rain, a San Francisco trolley train.
All the things we love to do, the magical, the mundane,
Are engraved in gold upon my soul in memories that remain.

Each time we come together to celebrate the day,
The fates conspire to build a fire and steal my breath away.
The splendid vista of your flesh, the thrill of your allure,
The passion it inspires in me, the love that springs so pure.

Splendid vistas everywhere open up before me.
The lark he sings his daylight praise, the sunlight it adores me.
I cling to you tightly, saran wrap to a sandwich,
I close my eyes and there you are, a song that’s sung in perfect pitch.
You are my shooting star that glimmers in the daylight fair.
There’s glory in this love of ours, I feel it everywhere.

-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2008
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

YOUR APPARITION

YOUR APPARITION

I saw your apparition in a storefront piece of glass.

I was only window shopping but was startled all the same
To feel so keenly stabbed by the blunt edge of my longing,

Nostalgic echoes sounding as they rained on my parade.

I saw your visage fresh and dear as the day I first beheld you.

Tender and ripped in your leather jacket,
Dangerous in your designer jeans.

You caused me to undress you,
A tide of lust too strong to dam.

The maelstrom of your magnetism
Charged the room like stallions.

I saw your body glistening,
Sweet and fresh from a long, hot shower
Wearing just your Calvin Kleins
Pressed tight against your bulge.

You strode barefoot across the carpet,
My heart did somersaults and splits,
In praise of your erotic stroll, a ra-ra to your sexiness.

I saw your apparition in a dream I had of us,
We were screwing on some phantom beach
In sandals and Bermuda shorts.

It was just a lonely reverie, yet it pierced me all the same.
So I put back on my armor, like the soldier I’d become
And vowed to be more vigilant, as I vainly licked my wounds.

-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2007
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

DISSOLVED MY SOUL AWAY

DISSOLVED MY SOUL AWAY

I gambled all my savings to buy an awesome boy.
We’d walk the free world arm in arm, buoyed by our joy.

But with nothing put aside, alas, for dismal April days,
He came and with his power wash dissolved my soul away.

He burst like fire into my life, like a raid by the police.
He picked the lock of my orphan heart and granted it release.

I slid over his waterfall when he promised he would stay,
His lips did move, his tongue made haste, to sweep my soul away.

He stripped me naked, took my clothes, and chained my legs together,
And he teased me with his blindfolds, his ice cubes and his feathers.

I gambled all my savings to buy a pretty man.
His heart was rogue and counterfeit, his faithfulness a sham.

He built our love on shifting sand, cracks in the foundation,
Electrified me with his fingers, drove me to distraction.

Drove past all the barricades and crashed into my yard,
Hurling past the watchdogs and the sentries standing guard.

And with nothing set aside, alas, for rain soaked April days,
He came and with his power wash dissolved my soul away.

-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2007
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

KEEP THIS IN MIND

KEEP THIS IN MIND

Keep this in mind, in these days of fading glory
That you and I have just begun to write a lasting story.

That I would be lost without you.
You and your disorganized checkbook,
You and your bedtime workouts,
You and your Debbie Harry,
You and your Blondie songs.

Keep this in mind, before you dance with other men.
That we have barely scratched the surface and that I’m a jealous one.
Whose wrath can be awakened faster than a loaded gun.

That I would be cold without your touch,
You and your distaste for germs
And your disregard of my beautiful feet.

You and your love of soft serve ice cream
And after dinner your something sweet.

That I would hunt you down and find you,
If ever you should wander far
And bet my life upon our love,
And the alignment of our Zodiac stars.

Me Scorpio, intense and loyal,
And you Pisces, sign of the fish.
The love I’ve always wanted, fulfillment of my every wish.

Keep this in mind, my lover dear, when you think your days are done,
That you are both my night and day, my rising and my setting sun.

-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2008
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

LAST ONE IN

LAST ONE IN

Life’s a wondrous smorgasbord, a glorious experiment.
Life is made for celebration, custom built for merriment.
Life’s a swimming pool to dive in, delicious cool right off the bat.
Brace yourself for sweet refreshment, last one in’s a dirty rat.

There’s no time to spend in sorrow, lost in memories of the past.
Fix your gaze upon tomorrow, do not be downcast.
Life’s a kiddie pool to wade in, cool, clear water bathes your feet.
So brace yourself for pure delight, last one in’s a parakeet.

Life’s a Rubik’s cube of mystery, unfathomable to ponder.
The more you try to solve the riddle, the more you sit and wonder.
There’s no time to nurse your wounds in endless hours of worry.
Brace yourself for a dream fulfilled, last one in’s a creature furry.

There’s no time to moan and mumble, lost in all your fretting.
The sun may grace the evening sky, but soon it will be setting.
Life’s a fishing pond for schemers, the rod and reel rest by the tree.
The fish are jumping in the lake, daybreak beckons you and me.
So brace yourself for a day of joy, good luck, go break a leg.
Life’s a swimming hole for dreamers, last one in’s a rotten egg.

-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2007
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

GLORIOUS MORNING

GLORIOUS MORNING

In the daylight I come face to face
With the demons in my mirror.

The camouflage of night dissolves
And vision becomes clearer.

The dew is on the morning grass,
The sunrise violet paints the sky.

A glorious morning rises forth
And fear and anguish fly.

You are in my thoughts this day,
With every thorn there comes a rose.

You are with me in my labor sweet
And in my soft repose.

I tremble deep in the restless night
And pray for evening clouds to lift,
As murky darkness lays its trap,
Powerful and swift.

Not illness nor infirmity, nor the ravages of age,
Can dim my eyes from the Book of Life,
Each frail and yellowed page.

Your love I carry with me, your countenance, your smile.
Your grace, your class, your eloquence,
Your dashing sense of style.

In the daylight I face down my demons,
Like David fought Goliath,
And angels hearken to my side,
To join me in my triumph.

Not death nor terrors unforeseen,
Can overtake a joyful soul,
A glorious morning rises forth,
And hopefulness takes hold.

-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2007
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

ANOTHER PRECIOUS DAY

ANOTHER PRECIOUS DAY

I limp along the bowered path, I trip along the trail.
A power bar for breakfast, yet I’m sluggish as a snail.

Another restless night goes by, I’m hungry for the morn,
I wake to gentle music, eyes open in the dawn.

I dress and then I’m out the door, blessed music fills the car.

I scan the papers, sipping coffee, sunrise fills the rear view mirror.
Cinnamon and hazelnut, the caffeine hits my brain.

I down synthetic dopamine to soothe and calm my shaking,
Then rain or shine I’m off to work, life is for the taking

I see my friends, I take my pills and try to get some work done,
To see the humor in my plight, the mischief and the fun.

Lunch comes oh, so quickly, blessed music fills the car.
I close my eyes and meditate on what else lies in store.

The afternoon progresses and six o’clock draws nigh.
My true love waits at home for me, his arms are open wide.

We go to dinner happily, to hear his sweet voice soothes me,
And later as we lie in bed, he knows just how to move me.

His every groove is magic, a tune my flesh remembers,
Our love a brilliant phoenix arising from the embers.

We kill the lights, our bodies spoon, I kiss the hairs upon his neck.
Fingers intertwined with his, I cherish every second.

It’s more than I could ask for, as I limp along the way.
The sunset melts into the sky, another precious day.

-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2007
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

STILLNESS

STILLNESS

Be still and know the planets vast
Align for you in harmony.
A gentle meditation will take you by the hand
And wisely lift you out of this strange and troubled land.

You are one with God and you harness your power,
Joined with the forces of spirit and fire.

In sacred communion with angels and saints,
Caught in the crossroads of hope and desire.

You are home in your mansion and learning to trust,
The lessons you learn light your way,
And when the flesh weakens and turns into dust,
The spirit survives strong and brave.

In the stillness I find him, the Buddha, the Christ,
He helps me to soar, my soul taking flight,
Crossing the thresholds in vistas of light,
Into celestial gardens sublime,
Hurling through space and soaring through time.

Be still and know the planets vast
Unite for you in harmony.
A gentle meditation will take you by the hand
And lead you to the simple truths,
Those precious grains of sand.

-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2007
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

THE NOVELTY OF YOU

THE NOVELTY OF YOU

The newness of it all, like a sparkling Christmas
That shines in memory
Circles my heart in a rosy glow.

From the first time I saw you on a hot day in August,
You tripped a breaker in my heart and caused a fuse to blow.

And even now some eight years later, staring into the rear view,
The feelings still robust and fresh, my passion soars like new,
And it should be fading but it’s not, the novelty of you.

When you come to me, the long day done
And wash up at the bathroom sink.
I sneak up behind on noiseless feet,
And like an impulsive schoolboy,
My desire erupts and smolders,
And I kiss the hairs of your sweet neck
And place my hands on your bare shoulders.

And later as you pay your bills or surf the Net in earnest,
I watch you when you’re unaware, my heart a raging furnace.
It overheats and bubbles over, molten lava on the floor,
Your soul a house with many rooms,
I linger breathless at each door.

To see your naked backside, dripping wet from a long, hot shower,
Your bare feet soft upon the carpet stoke the simmering fire.

The newness of it all, like a shining diamond
On a young bride’s hand,
Envelops my heart in a rosy glow,
And I struggle hard to understand.
How what seems like eons later,
When I gaze into the rear view,
My devotion still unquestioned, my passion ever true,
How it should be fading, but it’s not, the novelty of you.

-Bruce Potts
Copyright 2007
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED