Title artwork by Kenzie Miller. Click image to visit her studio.

 

 

Listen to Live Reading

 

 

 

Whatever my pains
I will never give up
Cannot ever give in
Too much still to be done
Others hurt too
I’m aware I’m not exclusive
Thus, while right now relief appears all-inclusively elusive
This smile of mine is not about to slip

 

And how can it?
When all I see around me are a sea of gentle waves
All I feel are reasons to be endlessly brave
All I ever wished for is to be a part of something true
Found just that in every one of you

 

Realised I am not alone
Regardless of the fact that I have been known to ease back on my own
Got no bones to pick
Never been my style defiling
Much prefer conferring as to why we should be thriving

 

We all have pain
For some, it’s chronic
Others astronomic
We all feel shame
And shoulder blame for hopes and dreams which seem to go off-topic when we chase them
We all have ways to cope
With the filthy hands that grope and choke us
Doesn’t mean we need provoke embrace from them
Demons may be scary but the threat declared is less severe when we’re prepared to square them up and face them

 

My heart is broken clean in two
Not about to lie to you
I’m in the darkest place I’ve ever been
However, this is one storm I have been informed will pass and to my very last it shall be calmly weathered
For I am never any less than seen

 

One tiny gesture
All it takes
To guide me to my safe place
People say the sweetest things
The soul that’s deep within me sings
May not know what the future brings
But know I’m in good company

 

We’re all in fated custody, postdated to recovery
Ongoing is our plight and showing no signs of subsiding
We can spend our lives in hiding
Should backsliding seem the answer
Or we can take a leap
Even if that means we’re flirting with disaster

 

My heart it knows not who to trust right now
My soul is crystal clear that one-for-all translates to all-for-one, the sum of which means I will be alright now
I am at peace
The breeze serene
From simply being seen
The leaves may blow about my feet
But I have found the sweetener for bittersweet
I’ve tracked down the source of love
The origins of hope and faith
These rivers where the frail prevail
The singular location I set sail in mighty fleet

 

Each one of you possess a soul
I often warm my hands upon their glow
Learn to lead by second brain
A better place won’t seem so far to go
By all means make your getaway
Should shadow outweigh light
Maybe ask the universe to guide
But when you lay your heads each night
The cosmos can be found inside
Providing shut-eye tends to second sight

 

Whatever my pains
I will not give up
I cannot give in
Race not nearly yet run
Others are hurting
Indeed, I can feel every mind-numbing pain
But mark my words for they will never ever be in vain
This smile of mine is not about to slip
And I will be made up if only we can do the same

 

I’m not present to snatch any one of you away
Will not leave a trail of destruction in my wake
Made that oath on one fine day
Shall see it through no question
Simply wish to see us love again
Appreciate the tiny things
Enlarging dreams
And leaving hate for those we hope will find a way to breakaway from that which has them bound
Thus, while my heart may well indeed be broken clean in two
Thanks to all of you, a soul long waylaid has been found
Through hopeful verse, will always be around

 

Those I’ve lost stand by my side
With mighty Viking pride and ever dignified
To battle through the blackest night
Towards the distant lights that guide us
Souls confiding
Burning bright
Transcending space
Upending time
These eyes can’t tell a lie
We shall arise

 

 

 

 

Richard Charles Stevens