588. Shine

I recognize my suffering now,

As never I have before.

I will never again allow,

My soul to close its’ door;

For I am a bright being of light,

Trapped in a world of black,

Where the brighter of a light,

The more the darkness will attack.

Yes, I am light living in darkness,

But the darkness has not prevailed!

My light has become less and less,

Though it is not yet veiled!

No, the darkness may have dimmed my light,

But it endures nonetheless.

My soul emerges new and bright,…

A sun: Radiant and boundless!

The dark, it can not hold me back,

Nor cease my eternal spark.

I light a way through the pitiless black,

For those who hear: Hark! Hark!

You are made of stars and light.

Mortal only in time and place.

Your end is not darkness and night,

Just as all stars out in space.

You will always exist and emerge,

Triumphant,…in brilliant display.

So forever let your light surge,

And to light and goodness pray.

For in the end light will always win,

And the darkness must retreat in hate;

As the universe, time, and planets spin,…

An eternity of light and love awaits.

K. Aldaya, 7/18/22

Picture: By Olivia Bauso on Unsplash; https://unsplash.com/photos/nKWXb8EGzO0

507. Endless Joy

photo-1466690468488-763ee1537a64

Your presence brings me so much joy.

The smile on your face.

The stars in your eyes.

I can not place,

Such a prize.

You are my life and my meaning.

I wake to greet you.

Each day is a gift,

When spent with you;

And loads lift.

With you, time no longer exists.

It stands still,…waiting,

For moments to pass;

While the world moves on, debating,

Time’s length and mass,…

Which I feel justified stating,…

Is endless, with you.

K. Aldaya, 1/13/20

Picture: By: Matt Hoffman at Unsplash; https://unsplash.com/photos/vL300WiTaMs

460. Autumn Reverie

The leaves, they always danced for me,

Like ghosts at a haunted ball;

Maybe that’s why I always went,

For walks more in the Fall.

The ghosts seemed almost happy then,

As they drifted to and fro;

And I wondered if it was all for me,

Or they had some place to go?

Either way, it made me smile,

As they pranced across the ground;

Spinning the leaves in circles ,

As I lightly skipped around.

I liked to think they knew that I,

Thought about them often;

And perhaps they were smiling too,

To know not all of the world had forgotten.

For there they were, and there I was,

And although we could not touch.

I felt them, and they felt me,

And though it may not account for much…

The leaves, they always danced for me,

Like ghosts at a haunted ball,

And I’ve always been invited,

To attend each festive fall.

And dance, and smile, not just for me,…

….but for us all.

K. Aldaya, 11/5/18

Picture: http://wallpaperswide.com/autumn_walk-wallpapers.html

284. To My Children

Someday when you read these poems,

I hope that you will see,

That although I had ups and downs,

I never ceased loving thee.

Someday when facing ups and downs,

I hope you’ll think of me;

And remember that though life’s often hard,

Please fight and stay afloat for me!

Someday when your ship is lost,

And storms barrage and sting…

Thy face…it is the face of one,

Who gave my life meaning.

Someday when you read these poems,

I hope that you will know,

How much I want the best for you.

How deeply I want you to know…

That when you were born, my darlings,

I couldn’t have loved you more;

And when weak and tired from the long swim,

Your boat brought me to shore.

And on that shore we lived together,

For a time, in the home we built.

And no matter what the days, they bring,

Our time-built love will never wilt.

So, someday when you read these poems,

I hope you will understand.

How much joy you brought to my life,

From the first day I held each little hand.

For when you reached out to me,

I too reached to thee.

K. Aldaya, 1/22/15

Picture: “A Mother’s Love” By Dean Jacobs: http://deanjacobsillustration.com; http://theskunkpot.com/index.php/digital-hyperrealistic-illustrations-by-dean-jacobs/

247. Soar Higher

Into the world my child, she flies…,

Away and soars; but I am scared.

Will she be safe and always wise?

Did I teach her everything,

She needs to touch the skies?

And can I trust the world which I’ve never trusted?

To care for and protect one of my dearest treasures?

World of people through whose acts I am disgusted.

Who poisoned my heart until it broke and rusted.

Yet even I cannot protect,

Her, or him, or I from this life.

Control: an illusion’s inject,

So life we do not from the start reject.

If we thought about how each moment is taken,….

Stolen right in front of our eyes: so we close them;

We’d go crazy or mad, and sickness awaken.

So we say: “Reasons are not godforsaken!”.

Whether there’s meaning to it all,

I know not and I dare not say.

I only know what’s to fear therewithal.

I pray she’ll be able to fly when in fall!

—-praying: “Don’t be like me…., Please don’t end up like me at all!”

K. Aldaya, 8/6/13

Picture: “Tiny Dancer” by insanelaurenjane at Deviant Art; http://www.deviantart.com/art/Tiny-Dancer-352280439