Kaleidoscope
His grey eyes fixed on mine
Not understanding my heart
Not comprehending my reason
He asked, and I listened
"How can you love me?
How could you even?"
Words were there but lost
Between my gaze and soul
Words were not enough
"I'm broken, he said.
Completely without anything
I'm not who you think I am"
"You are broken," I answered
"Not like an umbrella
One would cast away if so,
"You are broken like stained glass
Which after it is gathered
Becomes a Kaleidoscope"
- Jude Stringfellow
December 10, 2022
Raku
Choosing to
love him was not my choice
The fire
broke everything I believed I controlled
The air that
surrounded me disappeared
I was left to
smolder in the coals
Formed, I
was. Treated as mere thick clay
Never giving
my consent, only shown the end
Told, more
than asked. I was led, I was worked
Milled and
shaped, pounded even, hardened
Why me God? I
beg to know Your mind
Why should I
continue rolling in searing flame
To become the
pot, the vase, the urn?
Will
You use me then? Will I hold? Embrace?
You are the
Potter. I am your clay. I know this
You choose, I
listen. You will, I bow
The prayers,
the time, the years, the faith
I understand
You’ve planned, I follow
Until the
last pyre I remain incomplete
Knowing there
will be blessings, I agree
Knowing he
needs me to continue
To lift his
soul through the pain of my own firing
You are the
Potter. I am your clay.
My destined
colors will forge with time
Your strength
is given in my making
I am who You
have decided to create
If my mission
is to pray, I bow my head
Your command
is well within my power
Power given
by the One and accepted in whole
Raku me. To
be the vessel You desire
-Jude
Stringfellow
April 9
2022
Entreated
What colors
do I see?
When I think
of you?
Could there
be a shade
Sweet enough
to be expressed?
Am I bound by
a veil so lovely
At the very
sight of you?
Are you
captured by my
Heart’s eyes
– unimaginable?
What sound is
it that I hear
As your voice
dances on air?
As your
presence leans upon
My soul to
rest.
How I am
lured by the melody
By the
symphony, by the lyrics
By the chords
played evenly
By our
hands.
What anchors
my very being
To the
thought of you each time?
Each time I
am drawn without force
Held captive
by music, by love.
-Jude
Stringfellow
March 26,
2022
Him
I could tell you that I love you
Or maybe write it in a poem
I could wrap my arms around you
Or whisper a sweet hymn
Will you ever truly be mine
Is my soul to ever rest
My joy is the hope
My happiness – your bliss
Could I mention you in passing
Would it be of any use
I’m not sure if you could love me
So why go through the hurt
I could tell you that I love you
Or let the days pass on
I could be there when you need me
If that is all you want.
I wear the mask completely
No one would ever know
I must be like a sidekick
I may even be a joke
I could tell you that I love you
Would you even hear
Could you ever understand
My heart is not my friend
-Jude Stringfellow
November 29, 2020.
Empyrean
One, two,
three, four,
One, two,
three – fly
I chase the
illusion
Dream –
fantasize
Drawn to the
velvet
Thick the
motions scroll
Clear
floating breezes
Line my
heart’s soul
Oh, do I see
him
Is he here –
just there
Dance for me, kind king
Spin your
servant fair
Long I’ve
dreamt to find you
Entice, come
near I pray
Take my hand,
my every breath
Give your
strong embrace
Drawn to
this, my trance
An escape to
be with you
If only in my
visions
Until a day
so new
So new with
its beginning
Unearthed and
set above
Heaven holds
my waiting
How dare I
mention love
-Jude
Stringfellow
November 29,
2021
Reflections of the Eve
Pure, the
echoed silence
Forced to
hold its breath
Gently pricks
my soul
I resign to
your request
Touch,
creating motion
Heat moves
now within
Strong and so
assuring
Flow, caress,
we bend
Embrace the
swollen air between us
Let it linger
through the night
Tantalizing
spirits
Radiant as
light
Your
kiss, my cadence
Trails
between my lips
Your mouth an
endless river
Deep and
sensuous
Stay with me
forever
Day through
night we live
Devotion is
your heart’s beat
Ardor is
your gift
-Jude
Stringfellow
November 29,
2021
Shut Off – Shut Down
I look at
you, I see your walls.
So many
varied bricks
Layered
injuries stacked inside
Hardened over
time
I think I see
or feel a way
A way to
guide you through it
I hurt to
hope and wish I knew
A path to
show your mind’s heart
You don’t
deserve the world today
You’ve paid
your dues in spades
Each stone
upon the other paves
Protecting
you from freedom
If prayers
were chisels – only if
To break
through would be best
The sorrow
bound within your eyes
Reflects my
prayers for rest
-Jude
Stringfellow
November 26,
2021
Amethyst Sky
I lay beneath
Heaven at her dusk
Hues too vast
to hold
Lifts of pale
blue, turning mauve
Eventide
sings his song
Grace, for an
hour, accompany me
Teach me to
be still
Patient
evening bear with me
Let
conscience guide your will
Share all
manner of meditation
Finesse and
poise my thought
Ease your
gentle-mannered ways
Through
my senses, giving hope
Ornate vault
of heaven, gloss
Your hours of
colors pass
Amethyst
blankets hold each star
In place, in
time, en masse
Sleep begins
her soft barrage
Inviting me
to dance
Invasion of
the sweetest sort
Two steps and
I am gone
-Jude
Stringfellow
July 24, 2021
You
How can
I sleep when
Fairies are
dancing
When the keys
of your piano float
into
the sky?
How will I
dream when
Your touch
lingers in my soul
Your fingers
tickle my very breath
Each stroke new
Where will my
slumber take me
“Dancing
on the Light?”
“I’m Missing
You Now”
Touch is
deeper than your kiss
Air becomes
my song
Music,
coursing through my veins
I want you.
Slowly
drifting, slink into one
Our bodies feeling
every note
No words, soft saxophones
cry
We are one
-Jude
Stringfellow
July 5, 2021
My Jesus
Grace, grace,
God’s grace
Grace, I
don’t deserve
I peer upon
the King’s face
And to know
I’m heard
I come to
God’s throne
With bended
knee so low
I can know
He’ll always
Welcome me
back Home.
Faith, faith,
God’s faith
Faith
abundant, free
Held within
my heart’s heart
I know that
He loves me
Never will I
understand
The price He
paid that day
Why a King
would leave His throne
To end up in
the grave.
Erupting from
the grips of death
To put it all
to rest
No other name
lives on and on
The King, my
King, Jesus.
Praise,
praise, God’s praise
Blessings I
will sing
Endless days
of singing
Endless love
He gave
-Jude
Stringfellow
June 5, 2021
Dolor Dream
When you
are close, I lose control
"Hold
me”, (I wish), no, don’t stare
Protest
escaping into dream
Only dusk
can bring you nearer
I won’t
pretend I don’t pretend
Knowing fully, it
is my curse
Visions,
dreaming, wishing
So easy to
write each verse
Truth in
muffled whispered gasps
My pillow
holds my secrets
Etiolate into
bliss; (unrest)
I fade in and
out of existence
Touching you
– you holding me
Bathed in
fire’s dolor pool
Breathing on my wet
skin
I dare not
cool your soul
I dare not
stop my vision’s quest
Nor wake to
find you’re missing
If dreaming
brings your love to me
I’ll never
see the morning
-Jude
Stringfellow
February 15,
2021
Con Amore
“Con Amore”,
she called to him
Allowing her
intent
Though her
heartbeat brio, brio
He seemed
quiet, seemed content
His glance
toward her showed interest
Adagio, at
first
Perhaps
a furia waits beneath
The grey
steel stare for her
Unique the
subtle movements
Drone, a bass
beat lingered
Lifting slowly,
falling fast
Acceso -
burning
Bend to love,
sweet melody
Pick up your
voice in chord
Harmonious
beating, their two hearts
Dolce sweet
and strong
En retenant,
holding back
These notes
so fast so splendid
Hammer on,
slowing now
Decrescendo –
waning
Thunderous
chords strike again
Breathless
tempo rising
Plucking
every imagined chord
Music for the
writing
Silence now,
as music lives
Flowing
soft Calore
Muted
intonation as,
She whispers “Con
Amore”
-Jude
Stringfellow
February 14,
2021
As Dawn Wanes
Whispers
prick the belly of my ears gently
Sinking
deeply in their pools
Laughing
whiskers tinge my soul’s tongue
Lick the
steam as coffee brews
Morning lifts
her skirts, awakened
Dawn slips
away, he dares that smile
Robins sing
their distractions
Allowing Dawn
to hide a while
He will
return to rage the battle
Dreamers
fight within his snare
Clutches give
and thrust their bedsheets
Morning fears
Dawn’s final stare
Give to me
your hour so longing
Bring back
heaven, hold me fast
Care not if
the hour is waning
Squeeze my
thighs, renew your grasp
Grey-eyed
stare veiled delusion
Scrape my
heart and gouge my faith
A fantasy, a
reason to
Keep Morning
oh, so far away
-Jude
Stringfellow
July 17, 2022
Say Goodnight
There’s
something about this feeling
Something
untrusting, raw
Thought it
would be easy to resist
Again, I
failed myself – that's all
Not easy to
fall this hard and survive
Suppose I’ve
had practice before
What I wish I
could do is scream
Not letting
anything show
What I
wouldn’t give to smile
Simply
walk away - waving
Nothing lasts
forever, but this
This pain,
this hurt, this craving
You’ve taken
my heart
You don’t
even realize my ruin
Just a fool;
standing silent - alone
Knowing
you’ll never return
Could I tear
loose – break away
Hitch a ride
with my own future
A place you
won’t find me
A place you’d
never venture
Too broken to
ask for help
My noumenon
exposed
Too worn from
years of injury
Self-inflicted;
perhaps cursed
What could I
do with me anyway
Keep
sentiment wrapped up tight
Never sharing
love again
Smile, wave,
say “good night”
-Jude
Stringfellow
February 13,
2021
Sagacious Submission
I will never
bend
I shall never
move
Strength will
leave me first
This stand I
make will prove
All sagacity
held firm
I sense what
you are doing
My soul
rejects all lures
My veins
pulse with fury
Brave my
heart holds guard
Not moving,
no allotment
Stay from me
– be gone
The tearing
is but torment
Wisdom,
insight, vision
What good are
these tonight
Love has
tricked my very core
So lost in
you, my plight
Given to the
fear of loss
Abduction
from within
Loosen these,
damned lover’s chains
Forced to
yield again
-Jude
Stringfellow
February 12,
2021
Whisper in My Ear
Whisper in my
ear, love
Penetrating
sounds coo with each breath
I relax in
your arms, held bound without ties
Captive for you
without snare
Your words
hushed with anticipation
Half air,
half promise
No one near
but you love, no one closer
Swear these
words you use
Twirling
pastels in my mind
Your
lavenders within my lilac
My
imagination no longer alone to dream
You are my
spirit, you are my breath
Burning
without flame, consumed without fire
Leaning in, I
want to know you
Panting skin
against your hardened form
Racing heart
stop - I can’t hear him
Whisper in my
ear, love
Say all you
dare to say now
I hold
pledged your promise
I await your
silenced mouth
-Jude
Stringfellow
February 6,
2021
Lover
Endless
embrace!
The
night chills—I dream
What
could better calm me
Your
arms enclosed—love
Pale
fixed eyes
Gaze
into my ginger pools
Holding
fast this last twinkling
Dawn
threatens to steal
Whiskered
smile
Tickling
past my tender skin
Lingered
points—brief touch
Dancing
elves—each one
Awaken!
No,
let me lie with you
Holding
on to night
To
give in—to lose
-
Jude Stringfellow
November
11, 2000
Green
Green the grass rolls
yonder
Setting fragrance free
Breezes flower, blooming
Bursting at their seams
Honeysuckle, Daffodils
Roses, creep like Myrtles
Draping. Swing. Mad Willow
Bend and show the world
Bend and show to everyone
The Oak is not so strong
She holds her ground,
But breaks to Wind's harsh song
Sing your songs, sweet Sparrow
Counter speak the Doves
Listen Willow, feel them
Hiding in your gloves
Green your leaves drape covering
Busily sweep the air
Not for me to question
Not for me to care
Creep the Myrtles purple
Bloom and give to green
Willows kiss the future
Winter hands off to Spring
-Jude Stringfellow
March 11, 2010
Ruled By Heart
I couldn't ever start to know
The cravings of my heart
Her drum in me beats on its own
She lays out her own desires
I am forced to do her bidding
By fear that she may stop
If left alone she'd harden
Her need for me is soft
We fit together - harmonized
True, she rules us both
If she decides to fall again
If she desires to love
I won't fall, but have to wait
Wait until she frees me
I won't fall, but have to hope
Hope that she releases
I have but one heart to serve
She has but me to rule
Strange, our timing always off
Her silent beat abuses
Clinching to the next dreamt scheme
Silent beats - such thunder
Serve I will, devoted warrior
Pray she does not wander
-Jude Stringfellow
October 27, 2010
Symphony of Love
Is my voice
a symphony
Do I rage
with song
When our
hearts are melding
Two becoming
one
Are your notes of tenor
Forced with
breathless thrust
Are the
whisperings of woodwinds
Leaping from
my tongue
Quicken
heart! Hold time
Surround the
sound—silence
Mewl for no
one else to hear
My lover’s
lips shall thunder
Rage, lift up
my very soul
In crescendo—rapture!
Deep inside,
harmonious tides
Melodies—captured
Songs for only our ears
Sweet in
every note
Panting—exhausted
refrain
Music is your
stroke
Sing sweet
lover to me
Your song a
kind surrender
Symphonic
pleas, submission
Orchestra in
motion
-Jude
Stringfellow
Fire’s Breath
I arch my
body toward the stars
To feel your
hand in touch
To
whisper words you cannot hear
But words
transform in love
I reach to
hold your firm strong arms
To press you
even closer
To hold you
fast within my loin
I celebrate
my lover
Tonight resounds
within my mind
A
vision—impressions
Tomorrow’s
love soon foretold
With sweet
anticipation
Keep me
sheltered in your soul
Your thoughts
dear—caress
Strength to
carry through the day
I wait for
you—your presents
It won’t be
long until we love
Until we kiss
impassioned
Fire’s breath
shines through your eyes
Revealing
love—unquestioned
- Jude
Stringfellow
Me Mutter
No comments:
Post a Comment