Sanctuary

Blades of grass and passive leaves
That lie beneath the stones
Rest on a breathe of mossy air
That now becomes my own

Place to find a quiet space
Of deeper ecstasy
The lines that mark the forest heart
Reveal a map to sanctuary

A well of life to feed the soul
Of those who bathe within its water
I cleanse the footprints I have left
Not stepping one stone further

Lying nearer the dwelling place
Of ones who came before
I take the vow of not looking back
And close behind me sanctuary’s door

bkmackenzie
copyrighted

Before Discontent

Before discontent
there was sarcastic laughter followed by smile,
coffee the mornings after; news without
headlines – before discontent
I could see promise in a winter day;
volumes written by candlelight,
fullfilment in a calendar of unplanned hours –

Before discontent
I did not notice – your becoming discontent
but all that was
before


bkmackenzie

Mississippi Raining

standing in front of the mirror
I watched as words
fell from a crack in the side of my head -
words that smelt
like a warm Mississippi summer rain
running slow – towards hot
like reading Faulkner
in the shower



bkmackenzie
copyrighted

A Lesser God

You can not fault me for loving
music, could I have known your ear
incapable of comprehending the octave
of my life song –

Should I, could I, forsake a Chopin
for a Tennyson? Would you, could you,
forsake a T.S. Eliot for a Bach?

Granted within the eyes of lesser gods
still resides a greatness, just not
the greatness of
the God we seek ----


bkmackenzie
copyrighted

Confessions: If I...

If I felt it possible to conquer you
I’d head right out to fight the war
But this being so far from the truth
I willing surrender you that privileged score

If I felt that I could pass you by
I’d give you not one solitary thought further
But with this being, but a blatant lie
I succumb to my contemplative splendor

And If I felt you were not worth the price
I’d leave this besotted world debt and burden free
But as the swallow sings freedom overhead
I know he is merely mocking, that fool who breathes in me

For to conquer you, would constitute my losing
Passing you by, this not even choice
And as for price, what price should not be paid?
When the heart finally comes to know - the lover’s voice


bkmackenzie 2010
copyrighted.....

Clocktime and Cocktails

1.


Clocktime and burnt candles
measure our affair
I prefer sundials and beeswax
you pillars of aromatherapy-
masking digital interests


Bees fill the garden-
the sun methodically kisses the dial-
scents linger;
It’s all borrowed time


2.


My heart landed in your
martini on the rocks
right as you screamed,
“I said blended”
dropping
the glass to the floor
shattered

my heart beats slow
wedged between
two cubes
I felt myself
slipping away
pleaing
as you
sliced your
olive

bkmackenzie

A Man and A Woman

She walked into the bathroom only to discover he had left his toothbrush on the sculptured ceramic shelf. Thinking for one moment that she should run to the window and try to catch him before he drove out of the drive, she held it in her hand and thought better of it. Then listened to the whine of his Porsche as it drove away. Taking a second look at it she became aware of the color of its handle, it was a magnificent gold almost transparent brown like the color of his Brazilian skin which she had the pleasure of knowing the night before. With it still in her grasp she sat on the edge of the king size bed still unmade from their sleep and recalled the question he had asked her through his naughty Portuguese accent.

"Tell me my love, when did you first fall in love with auto-racing?'

She answered rather quickly and if she had heard this question many times, "Well let me tell you my love, that it was when I was a very little girl and watched a movie. A French film called, A Man and A Woman. Do you know it?"

"Yes, very well." he replied. "Very, well."

That is when she sat up in bed and lit a cigarette looking down at him and began humming the films theme song bearing the same name. He looked up at her with his large brown eyes and smiled in approval.

"You know you should not smoke, it is very bad for you," as if she was going to really listen to him because he was so beautiful.

"I know that, and I also know, my love, that you are a race car driver and I am but a woman who adores racing and handsome race car drivers in that order. And... and tomorrow you will be on your way to the next the track and I... I my love will be praying only victory and the best for you."

The time had slipped away and realizing that was last night and this was this a new day, she stood up with confidence and walked to the bathroom placing the golden brown toothbrush next to hers in the brush holder. Then looked in the mirror and thanked God she was a woman, and thanked God for the passion of racing and once again began humming to herself.


bkm