A naked soul
Freshly laid open
Raw & exposed
Tease out the secrets
Make her yearn
Discard false modesties
& allow me to finally see
Your heart
Release what you hold dear
For they are safe with me
Remain vulnerable
Feel joy without
Trying to control
Just be truly free
As God intended
Not content with common thought
Moved to feeling in the handwritten form
Translating the Siren’s voice
Higher levels of not tolerating the norm
We need to break free of these doldrums
Return to where truth spoken with the quill
Compassion in community not a fragmented society
Where we’re doomed to remain at a standstill
Intellectual mistresses
Words & ideas laced with stimulants
Coaxing my mind from sullen thought
Pulling me free from these malcontents
She caught me watching laundry dry
And imagining what’s underneath
Thinking to myself, how much more beauty
Lies hidden from view
That she might bequeath
We were brave to love that way
So young & so devastatingly free
Before we knew the harsh realities
Of how the world doesn’t want us to be
I’ll allow you space to grow older gracefully
You are free to live however feels just right
I’m not one to interfere nor infringe
Just remember me before you blow out the lights
Let us not count, pluck nor dye the grey hairs
I’m going to love you long after life permits
Our souls commingling in the afterlife
With all that said, I’ll still think you have great tits
Veering away from mainstream society
Never trusting faces on the news feed
Sensory overload from these endless reels
Algorithm demanding it knows what you need
Don’t try to overthink for yourself
For we have standards to maintain
Get in line, wait for your turn to be free
You’ll go numb; assuredly there won’t be any pain
Slow dancing in only our underwear
Together our souls are completely free
Flawed, but love overriding all
This is the only way I’d ever hope to be
Please don’t question my reality
You’re pandering to a common goal
I’m eradicating acute boredom
Freeing another fractured soul
Redefining fantasy on a personal level
The subtle witness under the veil
Finding happiness outside expectation
Wishing our dreams weren’t so frail
Riding out these rough seas
Trying to shield our shipwrecked daughters
Storms moving in on us rather quickly
Feeling Hell’s heat & it’s only getting hotter
From port to port, not knowing where to go
Remaining free & clear is the only way to live
Every day out on this cleansing ocean
I pray to the Lord, in the chance He might forgive
I’m a solitary figure these days
Although I’m too old to play the fool
Sometimes alone, through rarely free
No longer applying someone else’s rules
Quietly dancing solo these days
Who are we supposed to be then
You disdain my attempts at life
But it wasn’t God who sainted men
I’m not a joiner
I’m deliberately choosing not to join your group
Breaking free of these inconsistencies
Past sins & missteps on an endless loop
I inherently distrust any gathering of people
Seeing we’re doomed to live out the follies of youth
We lost our way & never came back
Now spurned forward by the allure of truth
In defense of the outcasts & weirdos
Those strange fellows who demand to be free
Exposing thought & sincerity to open air
To live one’s own life & forever reject conformity
Counting oneself amongst the abnormal
Involuntarily immersed in thought & deed
The action of creating poetic existence
For some days, that might be all we need
I have no right to her intentions
No claim on her attention
The pure choice of how to be
She always was & should be free
Autonomy of the soul, if we forgot to mention
I’ve been to the city
But I didn’t like what I saw
There’s no air to breathe
Such congestion of humanity
Infestation should be against the law
Authoritarians canvasing your timeline
Dourly grudging along in their jackboots
Manipulating digital ledgers & statements
Nothing worse than those savages in suits
No, I’ll stay here where Divinity is clear
The minor sophistications are plain to see
Occasionally sidestepping hillbilly nonsense
But at least my soul is still free
I once had a chicken that went meow
I need to go I need to get out now
They’re after me, you must understand
Please help me, gimme a hand
I’m constantly having to watch my back
To keep them from giving me the smack
Soon I’ll be taking flight
I’ll be gone before the night
The moon still shines in the day
It’s part of their sinister plan
When they get me, I’ll say
Who’s you, man?!
Sun, beaches & waves
To save yourself, you must be brave
I must not make a sound
Or else I’ll be found
They’ll torture me till I’m blue
I’ll cry & scream out for you
Would you come rescue me
Would you come set me free
My childhood comes wanting to play
How long till oppression they will ban
Soon my mind will stray
& I’ll say, who’s you, man?!
Circa 2000
(An old poem that reminds me how simple life once was)
Breaking free of rigid structure
Protocols & procedural nonsense
Finding time in our engorged week
Sidestepping timidly, awkward & tense
Requiring a cold shower & stiff drink
To Slowly mitigate the rising stress
With a wink while no one was watching
You surprised me in your yellow sundress
Remaining free & open to exist
It surely shouldn’t be this much of a hassle
A teetering balance of confused souls
We lost it all once the Puritans stormed the castle
Coffee’s the right temperature
A casual moment in my nook
Perusing over my copious notes
That one day need to be a book
Not for my sake or the world’s
But these characters yearn to be free
They’re tapping upon my mind
My course to sanity & their right to be
Dodging trains with the Lost Boys
Feeling free in the midnight hour
Nothing can keep us on the ground
Laughing in faces of those who wish us dour
Freedom begins with your own soul
No matter the toilsome tasks or nautical miles
I’ll smirk & continue to play
For there’s a revolution within my smile
Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay
She’s not hurting anyone
What’s your inherent need to control
Let her be to live her life free
Treating her like there’s no sovereign soul
She’s young, trying to have fun
Release her from your archaic notions
You fear unbridled joy & autonomy
Unable to handle her natural range of emotion
Time to hand the world over to the youth
No need to continue your attempts to entrance
We had our time & we failed miserably
With their fresh blood, we might have a chance
Dissipating quietly on a warming shore
Seeing lightning strike off the coast
A subtle snapshot to something more
I think I’m free, but still haunted by her ghost
There’s a storm is coming this way
You can feel it heading from out to sea
We’re gonna get a bit of a blow today
Teeth to the wind; no place I’d rather be
They promised a life of adventure
All I wanted was to be free
But the beach isn’t always home &
I’ve got sand where sand shouldn’t be
Seeking a spiritual remedy
For my soul isn’t quite whole
Burnt out & emotionally drained
Tea cup’s empty & I’m no longer in control
Midcentury motif & I’m peeling paint
Shrinking violets & closing in walls
Pushing back against our growing pains
Energy to create, but my life remains a free fall
Look what the tide brought in
Floating back in the summer sea
Standing forthright upon the shore
Escaped, though equally free
Our lives governed by morality
No matter the direction of the days
Finding solitude a noble quest
Amidst the breeze, the palms sway
Finding the energy to jump up
To start the day in the sunshine
Collecting smiles from fresh faces
& always returning to the love that’s mine
Pouring another coffee to revive my soul
The blacker the better; deeper than the sea
Knowing secrets which youth will always deny
That happiness is real & it’s forever free
Nonsense & miscalculations they always spew
For they see glitter & everything they never tried
But experience will tell you simple is better
& anything worth fighting for is kept on the inside
Image by Alexander Belyaev from Pixabay
Finding the sunshine
Feeling the glorious heat
Remembering the time
Our lonely lips did meet
Saving me from despair
A slow march to the sea
Loosening of our tongues
Another chance to be free
Getting our bodies outside
A good stretch in open air
I love your everything, but
You’re best when you’re bare
Sorry, but I can’t stay here any longer
It’s once again time to return to the sea
Home aboard that damned iron boat
Sold my soul, so now I’m no longer free
Fluttering hearts on a broken trail
Do you know your own soul
Too many nights
Too many sad songs
Your mind sent off balance
Thinking cursed thoughts
Can you cleanse yourself
Any way to be free
I reject most of society’s notions
With no desire to live by the sword
I feel no need to prove myself
I shall put eternal trust in my Lord
I follow my own path these days
Oscar Wilde said I could only be me
A world of distractions & hate
But, only through love can we be free
Collecting fragments of free thought
The missing pieces of a discarded word
Unknown & forgotten loves in innerspace
Unfortunately time reduces us by a third
Intellectuals hunkered down – protecting wisdom
Throwing bones, sharpening knives & wit
Critical theories to counteract
The cultural elite reminding me I ain’t shit
But I continue down my solitary path
Creating worlds out of the persistently intangible
I return- baring all for artistic intent
But alas this vessel’s no Michelangelo
I’m still a child
I don’t care for your haughty tones
Such an upright citizen
Plugged your soul into your phone
But I’m still telling stories of Neverland
I’m the Pan – crowing wild & free
Not living within your societal realms
I wouldn’t want you to forget I’m forever me
Image by Steve Bidmead from Pixabay
So you think you want to be wild
But you’ve never left the city gates
Living within such structure
Organizing a lush, manicured fate
Pushing forth the semblance of influence
Yet, outwardly needing to create a scene
Dreaming of an adventurous existence
& what breaking free could possibly mean
Watching the paper soak up errant coffee
Spillage; correcting the bland, empty page
Blocked before you wasted the elixir of life
Words summoned now like a pensive sage
Freely letting loose a volley of images
We are released to our new mode of narration
Blinded aesthetics on a crisp winter morning
Forever allowed to remain alive in short bursts of inspiration
I don’t have pretty eyes to attract
Nor a beautiful body to distract
A middle aged, middle class white dude
with no street cred
With charm & gentlemanly conduct
instead
I’ll have to choose the proper words
To prevent from being misheard
Where did our youthful exuberance go
Closed off from a litany of feelings of truth
But I don’t want to be like them
Not worried about a bent halo or tarnished tiara
Angst of foregone conclusions
I want something of substance
Never tamed by society’s expectations
A slow, smoldering strangeness
Embracing the stature of being a little weird
Impervious to judgements of being bland
For through and through, I can only be me
Never standing for someone else’s brand
I hope to always be wild enough to be free
Tamping out the excess inspiration
Shake the thoughts loose & free
Don’t care for your learned quips
If they don’t allow me to see
I’m tired of all the accusations
Yet there remains nary any proof
Let us return our quills to the muse
& turn the future over to the youth
Break free from all your interlocking rules
Unsatisfactory way to start your day
Too fatigued to suffer gladly these fools
Waiting for a sunrise in an errant way
I’d rather return to my bed, closing my eyes
No other way to explain how I’m so damn tired
Can’t get my life together after all these tries
My number always called, but I’m feeling expired
What will it take for me to finally see
Time to stumble forward for that pot of coffee
& so I taught myself
Digging deep into classical books
Borrowing from their bright words
Until some knowledge overtook
Then I broke free of their grip
Slicing my own path & charging off
I sit by the fire, gathering my wits
I block you out – you merely scoff
I don’t care for your opinion
You regurgitate falsehoods & lies
I’m running through the wilderness
& now I’m the Lord of the Flies
I wish to whisper elegant tales
They’ll allow you to follow me
Through the transfers of light
These are moments you’ll be free
I know you have never believed
In what I forever sought & dreamed
We could have been truly great
You always wanted better it seemed
Liberation granted by the morning alarm
Still alive; this body aching with rippling fatigue
October visions, yet I’m safe from obvious harm
Visions dwindling; remnants of horrific intrigue
Seeking out coffee to loosen this slumber
A stretch & chance to deliberately mourn
These dreams encrusted in burnt umber
Sworn to abide by the wisdom of Nat Hawthorn
The terror that befalls us when we’re unaware
Soon free from the slow tolling of the funeral bell
Needful sleep caught us within a nightmare
Unconsciously breaking from a manufactured hell
Visions of dropping acid with William Blake
Dawn is our escape; returning to peace as we wake
We are here to be free
Rise; for it is time to wake
Walk tall among your fellow man
Fill your soul with love for its own sake
Do not pluck flowers any longer
For it merely condemns them to die
Uplift all creation; we’re here as one
Carry hope with you in the morning sky
Her loveliness pressed against the glass
Chained by all my opinions
It is me who should be caged
Monster
I wish to free all that she is
Please help me to release
She’s a grown woman
A fine woman
At least could be
Someday
I could say I love you
But you stopped listening to me
Searching for another way
Though we’ll never be free
For love has trapped us
Cupid shot me through the shoulder
I don’t know how he got you
But I’m dying & you’re growing bolder
Focused on your insignificant flaws
In which no one else will ever see
Characteristics making you unique
Unchain your conscience & live free
Allow someone to finally love you
Let them express how they truly feel
No longer settle for defective models
Expect a beautiful life to always be real
With Summer’s moonlight shining down
We’re not alive to merely appease everyone
Reminder to exist for your soul’s own sake
Basking in the fickle warmth of the rising sun
Released from those winter storms
Contending with heat & humidity down there
Be comfortable in your sovereignty
& thus release yourself from their stares
Do not double back & suffer fools
Stretch to become your complete ability
Expanding your mind to finally believe
& thus be fully & truly free
I want to touch you
Taking in your hips, nips & lips
Forcefully; against the bookshelf
We keep making the record skip
There’s no quenching this fire
This passion burning inside me
I want this life to last forever
Keeping pace with the love setting me free
Asking questions when you know it’s not the time
Answers come, God willing, once we’re free
Released from the expectation of perfection
Quiet responses when you allow your soul to just be
Locked behind the chauffeur’s key
I know you love me, but can’t admit
Thoughts trampled itinerant words
You’re unfocused & ashamed by it
I don’t have any sex that sells
That’s not an option for guys like me
The car’s musty & you’ve lost the scent
& you’re looking for a way to break free
A dancing, twirling girl
Caught up in the bedglow
Free from the concerns
A proper lady to surely know
Chamber chorus versus Jazz
She couldn’t guess where I’d be
That’s what kept us apart
Improvisational styles she couldn’t see
Cocktails in the early afternoon
She liked her whiskey neat
A traditional, proper beauty
But couldn’t meet when it came to the sheets
Striking poses within silhouettes
Admittedly swooning from my words
A wry smile & another sip
We sit naked, listening to ‘Trane & Bird
Our fragile egos remain outright
Yet still free – not compelled by those
In the trenches we find disaster
Inspired to richly & sullenly compose
How do we heal? How do we grow?
Absorbing vibrations & her headspace blues
Redefinition of cool among the vulnerable
Rising morale since she turned off the news
Erratic dreams of dismantling love
The early signposts to the apocalypse
Gentle rise becomes glaring to our eyes
Summer mornings feel fresh on our nips
Ground control to juxtaposed fallacies
Squandering purest moments we’ll know
With no intention to rattle a dull saber
Paradise; when I only wanted a cup of joe
A love that’s only known to me
Weigh anchor – Sail with the tide
When I’m off exploring the sea
A lass that’s sassy & steadily free
Couldn’t forget her, Lord knows I tried
A love that’s only known to me
When the winds cry like a Banshee
The ocean will be my endless guide
When I’m off exploring the sea
Venturing off to a land of palm trees
Needing to nurse my wounded pride
A love that’s only known to me
In spite of life, still merely a latchkey
Waiting for when my sails have dried
When I’m off exploring the sea
A pirate – all I ever wanted to be
I’ll forever hold who’s on my side
A love that’s only known to me
When I’m off exploring the sea
Dancin’ on the dew drops
Behind the magic of the unseen
Lettin’ the sun shine through
Another morning light & serene
Duck & dive past negativity
Run free; barefoot on the grass
Soak up all of nature’s joy
I’m gonna go pinch my woman on the ass
Image by Olichel Adamovich from Pixabay
Red lipstick & a tight ponytail
The pretty piano player; a punk rockette
The domestic goddess with a need to be clean
Living on the edge of the cosmopolitain set
Hoarding her guilty pleasures fiercely
The moral ambiguity is a stubborn crutch
Ignoring nature’s perfectly placed laws
But she’ll only accept the light’s soft touch
Wearing an evening gown at her elegant leisure
Within her mind, no better way to take a selfie
She’s blunt with her standards & expectations
But lucky for us all, my poems are gluten free
Image by Kelsey Vere from Pixabay
Don’t be afraid to get dirty
A little sweat will be good for you
Emerging out into the world again
Shining bright like only you can do
Don’t be afraid to be crazy
Some of us might already be
They’ll try to control you
When you were always meant to be free
Endless hours of love on café sidewalks
The world was beautiful & we were free
We were together; we were holding hands
& we were as happy as we could be
But then we were separated & deprived
The days are not so lovely & bright
I shall never let them get the better of us
For I shall spend every day in this fight
When they ask me why I can still smile
‘I know what true love is’ will be my reply
This world is weak compared to my love
Know that you are always the gleam in my eye
I’m trying to live free & clear
While you sit around watching C-Span
Glorifying the criminals on the Hill
I refuse, I say no, I say, “Damn The Man!”
Bluer than words allow
God’s great oceans set free
Not to be contained
You cannot own the sea
Technological advances
Now seem so moot
Driftwood without direction
A sailor has no roots
Longboarding in a sundress
Unusual, yes, but don’t complain
She’s free within her soul
A spiritual moment in the rain
Do not hinder
Those who are not afraid
Let them live as they please
For you motivate when you forbade
I’m trying to find the rhythm to life
The way for our souls to feel fresh & free
Purging the endless stress & strife
Standing open in the sunshine, just you & me
I’m trying to find more substance in life
While being cleansed by the Lord’s cool sea
Forever embracing my beloved, beautiful wife
Together; is the only place I’ll ever want to be
There’s something to be said for going outside
Wallowing in the dirt, smearing it on your skin
Returning your soul to the Earth, to be truly free
There’s only one life; you’ve got to get it in
Remove society’s reign over your instincts
Dance unhindered; strip & frolic completely bare
Be at peace with the natural world’s glory
Stand proudly and let your nips feel the Spring air
Blue skies are returning
We’re running headlong into Spring
Shake out all these Winter cobwebs
Let the sunshine wake my soul to sing
The flowers are returning to the earth
Seasons change and its turning warm
Let’s smile as we head outside
Time to stretch out your glorious form
Your dress looks lovely upon your skin
Alas, its time to remove some of these clothes
Let them fall away with Wintertime sadness
A blessing of rising mercury, Heaven knows
My thoughts are strikingly inappropriate
I suggest we blame it on this stifling heatwave
We’re in need of getting into the fresh air
To be free and once again unabashedly misbehave
Willfully getting lost in the woods with my woman
Far from the hordes of the sick & infected
Shutting doors & leaving society behind
Once away, fresh air & peaceful intent detected
Outside, I can find the crispness of nature
& my pure, unencumbered path to be free
Wrapping my soul within Winter’s chill
These unharnessed elements might be the key
Never to be released from these institutions
Saving our own souls is the remedy for us to see
Before they forever lock us behind the parlor doors
Setting fire to their house is the only way to be free
Returning to simplicity
Tossing out these fledgling fates
Stunted growth increasing these days
Hindered by our technological rates
I don’t want to watch my soul wilt
I want to break free & soak up the sunshine
I’m through with this culture of victims
You’ll hear the dial tone & know its mine
I want to know the secrets
The ones you have buried deep within
I want you to whisper your love
Kiss me so long they’ll think it’s a sin
Running away from sunsets & goodbyes
Feeling the lead of stained windowpanes
These houses don’t hold strained memories
Washed away in the softening of Winter’s rain
I’m freely exposed in these dimmer days
Wrap me with the sound of rigorous hymns
I listen, but don’t fathom your parlance
I can’t keep up with your acronyms
Lost in a deteriorating moment
What more can we do to be free
Close our eyes to the darkness
Tiptoeing quietly, down to the sea
Searching franticly for the answer
But the obvious truth is often a ghost
False memories are unruly traipses
Inclinations leading me, down the coast
Is there a way to be clean again
To bathe in the ocean’s gentle roar
Hope against hope; possibly a way
To find sunshine that might restore
Looking past clear stars
Each universe has a split seam
Stretch your fingers wide
Leave behind your American Dream
Be easy & think yourself free
Our minds hold us back in chains
Silently slip through the hole
Never following you with their pains
I’ll send you love notes throughout the day
Explaining how much you mean to me
Instructions for the coming nightfall
Details & negotiations for once you’re free
We need to get rid of all the day’s stress
Let us forget about tomorrow’s obligations
I’ll start by removing my clothes first
It’ll be a beginning to your eventual inspiration
A privateer’s heart & a silver tongue
Everything she wanted me to be
This duty upon my shoulders
But a man in love will never be free
Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay
The indoctrination is complete
They molded you just right
Removing the will to struggle
Stripping you of the desire to fight
You work for them these days
A concise, common goal
Gone are the thoughts of freedom
An iron fist smashing your soul
No longer an individual
Lost all your character traits
You belong to the system now
Let your bones fill with hate
Perfect tags & titles
Simple little names
Fitting nicely into a box
You should be ashamed
How long did we fight
For the people to be free
You fold under pressure
Not the way it’s supposed to be
I don’t want your descriptions
For they mean nothing to me
I refuse to be your inscription
I’m gone – I already set myself free
I won’t impress you
Doesn’t matter who you are
I drink cheap wine
But enjoy Cuban cigars
I won’t play that game
There’s no benefit to me
This heart is not for sale
Honest, humble & eternally free
Captain Q 