Melvin Stratford, The Unsung Hero

(pending)

2 and 1/2 Poems of Loving Moments, Fallen Kings, and Modest Cynicism

MOMENT

Here again
We've returned
Finally
This is it
We're here
Together
Back in this
The moment
And it's good to feel the embrace
The warmth to the air
The sway of feelings still in a sweat after the naked tango
That, for us, is more than a dance
It's a transformation from two lovers
Into one moment
Lying here entwined
Do you know?
This is what all of those in love are looking for
The moment
An emphasis on "e" kind of moment
This is th"e" moment
With this lighting
Just able to see the shine of eyes
Over curves in the darkness
Looking on lovingly in the dim cerise
Of the sun falling or rising
Hands tightly holding
Clasping this close
And forgetting whose skin is whom's
Alighting with
A soft glow still surrounding
The twilight of time passing uncounted
In movements and breath
This is what people look for
To give their lives for
A sense of being lived
This moment
Here with you
This what poets are trying to talk about
And all the scientist of romance are looking for the secret to
The chefs of love seek the recipe
The fisherman of lonely hearts will tell you they saw it once
And it was this big
This moment
When you find this place
The impermanence is
Crushingly beautiful
And while none can stay
As long as love does
They can come back
And will
As often as life
And bedsheets allow
Along a timeline
Filling the inbetween
With as many of these moments
Possible
Is the goal
What we're all after
What we all have our eyes on
But you'll be lucky to even notice
The moment as it lingers
Before it passes
As your eyes
And thoughts will be
Held by the one holding you
And you can explain everything
You ever meant saying "love"
With just one more kiss
In the moment


BRILLIANT CROWN
(a working transinterpretation of The Pillow's song by the same name)

Not one person will remember
The night the monument fell
Only the belief in a flag
Even if torn, no one will say a thing
This day was sure to come
And although he was prepared for it
Whatever gets shown will get taken
So he'll leave it empty for anyone and nobody

A king with no court
Watches the moon from his castle
Hearing the distant voices
Of animals in the forest
Laughing

This decrepit hand
Holds the old-fashioned gun
Which served as a friend all these years
And without a word, it will be left behind
The cries of praise from throngs below
Was nothing but an ephemeral dream
Just praying and paying homage to an image
That's all he's known

A king without an heir
Shoots the stars from his castle
The stolen crown of jewels
Still atop his head

A king with no one
Watches the moon from his castle
Hearing the distant voice
Of animals in the forest
Laughing

A king who no longer sees dreams
Will pull the curtain closed tonight
The stolen crown of jewels
Still a top his head

For a time the dream was shining
Transient but believable
Only for a time, but of that dream, all that's left shall be
A brilliant crown


MODEST CYNICISM
(lyrical assembly of song quotes)

i'm sleepwalkin'
on the road to i don't know
going nowhere but i'm guaranteed to be late
i know where you're from, but where do you belong
live our lives on a sea of pain, don't know what's right but i know what ain't
i've got a girlfriend out of this city, i know i like her i think she is pretty
but we've already missed the boat
i know what i have but i don' know what i need
you were right, no one's running this whole thing
i'm trying,
i'm trying to drink away the part of the day that i cannot sleep away
this is the part of me that needs medication
the good times are killing me