I dream that I am awake
talking to you
when I wake
alone
see the dormant
phone
it’s as if falling
from a great height
and the big black crow
out the window
he yells “fool”
but I know better
very soon now
the phone rings
(D James)
I dream that I am awake
talking to you
when I wake
alone
see the dormant
phone
it’s as if falling
from a great height
and the big black crow
out the window
he yells “fool”
but I know better
very soon now
the phone rings
(D James)
sometimes it is silent
and sometimes it is loud
sometimes we think it
needs attention
sometimes we want
more
sometimes we give it
and sometimes we take
but really
all it
needs
is to be
(D James)
this thing
that runs through my heart
like a freight train
knocks me down
and lifts me up
at the same time
brings me joy
and reminds me
to stay open
be vulnerable
this thing
unnameable
random
vast
deep
it knows no bounds
reaches deep inside
blows me away
scatters the pieces
to the darkest edges
of the universe
and somehow
makes me whole
again
how do you do that?
(D James)
it is the nights
that are most difficult
waiting
wanting
for the morning
that brings your voice
it is the nights
that are long
sleepless
restless​
hoping for a world
where 1+1=1
it is the nights
it is the nights
it is the nights
when darkness
grips my heart
renders me incapable
until the dawn
returns you to me
d. james
all the yesterdays
behind you
leave them there
all those unfulfilled
wants and desires
let them go
the worries about tomorrow
and tomorrow’s tomorrow
forget them
whatever supposedly came before
or might happen later
is not now
right now
is perfect
right now
is present
right now
is all we have
be with me here
right now
in the only moment
we have
bring your true self
the one of love
compassion
peace
into this moment
watch the leaves dance in the breeze
the birds take flight
feel the earth turn
be one with the 7 billion
who share this place with us
experience life as a single entity
can you feel it?
(D James)
everything is everything
and the world
will not stop turning
until the stars
fall from the sky
and the universe
collapses in on itself
but they say
that won’t happen
for another 5 billion years
or so
and before that
though the planet may unburden itself of mankind
like a wet dog shaking off water
we have a little time
so
hold on
spread love
and laugh
long and loud and hard and often
because no matter who you are
how much money you have
the color of your skin
your gender
or what you think and feel
in the end
we all become dust
(D. James)
right now
somewhere
a child is breathing
its first
and someone somewhere
is taking their last
right now
somewhere someone
has fallen
and another has risen
somewhere a storm rages
somewhere a gentle breeze
right now
someone is speaking hate
and somewhere else
someone
is falling in love
in this moment
all over the world
life is happening
and all the things
before
and all that will come
after
from before the big bang
to after the big crunch
is all connected
whether we experience it
or not
we are everything
and everywhere
all at once
(D James)
each morning
the task
is to get present
the day cannot really begin
without being present
to this very moment
I’m aware of being present
when a smile
stretches across my face
for no reason at all
though there are plenty of reasons
to smile
there are equally enough invented reasons
to frown
the smile I wait for
is the smile for no reason at all
the smile for this very moment in time
when I am connected to being alive
not the world
and my place in it
but all life
yours
mine
the 6 billion others
the trees
the bees
every blade of grass
as well as
the life we can’t see
underneath this one
the cells
and their nuclei
and who knows
perhaps even life
on another planet
in another vast galaxy
far beyond our imagination
or the reach of current technology
this is what happens
when I get present
life expands beyond comprehension
and my worries, fears, judgements, and opinions
all fall away
and I am left with nothing
a blank canvas
to create anything I want
in this very moment
(D. James)
and this is not
my life,
is it?
worrying about goals
and hitting targets
making my numbers
for the month
this can’t be
why I’m here
this isn’t my life
being in debt
and fretting
over back taxes
my life
is about art
and culture
and friends
and family
and love
mostly love
my life
is for fun
and adventure
and taking big risks
my life
is to be used up
so that I don’t die
leaving behind
just debt and struggle
but something
of greater value
than that
something
much more lasting
or at least more fun
(D James)
to dance
like the bones
don’t ache
to run
with the speed
of a panther
to laugh
with the abandon
of a child
to work
and play
and love
as if
I cannot fail
to sleep
like the dead
and dream
as the mystics do
this is how I wish
to spend
the days and nights
before returning to dust
(D. James)
if I told you again
would you know then
if I laid down and died
would you hole up and cry
if I loved you forever
would you do the same
if I made you my dream
would you sleep through the night
(D. James)
flame under
black kettle
waiting for you
to come through
the door
the sound
of water
about to boil
your scent
permeates
the apartment
the water
whistles
everywhere
reminders
of you
this
is what I
came here for
(D. James)
counting the days
until
we are together
this
the last time
we will be separated
seems longer
than all the others
how can twenty years
apart
seem shorter
than
the next four days?
(D. James)
talking
through static
for hours
about life
about love
the past
the future
everything
and nothing at all
of all
we could do
with the time
there is nothing
better
than this
(D. James)
there is a hole
where my solar plexus
should be
a missing part
of me
left behind
like something
I forgot
to pack
a piece
of my soul
resembling lack
hold on to it
I promise I’ll
be back
(D. James)
another day closes
and my heart
is elsewhere
being neither
here nor there
stumbling
from sunset
to sunset
just waiting
to board
the next plane
to you
(D. James)
cup of tea
on the table
burning cigarette
in hand
remembering
a gentle touch
a particular look
a simple word
realizing
it’s the small things
that make you miss
the one you love
(D. James)
waking with
thoughts of you
longing for
next time
dreaming
of the day
when the distance
is measured
by the length
of a room
instead of
the miles
of a country
(D. James)
messy business
this thing
called
life
no straight lines
or perfect circles
unchartable
unpredictable
erratic
like a riff
beauty
between
sour notes
brief
unyielding
amazing
painful
joyous
full of love
and contradictions
it couldn’t be
any other way
so why look for
what isn’t there
(D. James)
years ago
skinny kid
thought he knew
everything
full of bravado
and half-believing
how is it
we lived
through all that
and have come
to this
desire
still tugs
at us
reaching across
the years
the miles
our lives
converging
this path set
before we walked
upon it
no idea
where it leads
only where we’ve
been
maybe
this time
we’ll get it right
(D. James)
counting
the hours
between
here and there
more than
time
and greater
than mere
geography
wondering
how long
how far
before it all
comes together
(D. James)
https://bpoetry.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/distances.mp3%20telegraphing
overt messages
through the ether
like talking
to you through
glass
none
but you
knowing their
true meaning
I wonder
what is
to be done
or should
I simply
be more
patient
waiting for
a reply
not an answer
for now
that would
be enough
(D. James)
waiting
wanting
you
just you
but this damn waiting
feeling spun out
lost
knowing you’re there
somewhere
too far
then I close
my eyes
and listen
can see
your smile
almost hear
your laugh
feel you
right here
with me
(D. James)
standing outside
in the rain
throwing stones
against your window
waiting for you
to open the door
(D. James)