Give  me your hand darling
Rest it lightly near me
Place your cool fingers on my cheek
Say gentle words as we lie together
Let me hold you close and feel
Your body relaxing muscle by muscle

Close your eyes and pretend
Pretend that sleep has overcome you
Breathe deeply and rhythmically
I know you have had a busy day
Don’t worry my love I know how much
You have felt this peace and wanted it to consume you

You are beautiful in your stillness
The arc of your mouth describes the way
Oh how much I can feel those lips and want them
Your eyelids quiver as the remnants of the day leave you
Then as your cheek calms and rests so do they
Lashes still, as you drift into rest

Delightful baby you are mine so completely
I picture you and see my love reassured
A tumble of dark hair framing your face on the pillow
Enjoying the magical senses that caress and protect you
Whilst the darkness engulfs us
Peacefully and with tender soothing

In the half light I hear your little sleepy noises
The darkness seems to magnify each sound
A bird outside in the distance calls it’s mate
It is met with silence
I place my hand on your midriff yet cannot feel your breath
Then, the mantle of the night caresses our faces
Our bodies give in as it keeps us in love as we sleep

Desperate light eases through the curtain
Gentle moon gives way to dazzling sun
Gorgeous baby sleeping with streams highlighting her hair
Lashes tight and dark, windows shuttered and mind forlorn
Somehow sleep seems impossible as the wings of birds beat outside
Suddenly the night has gone, it's over and passed
Everytime I glance, my eyes scan the face of her
Peaceful with regular breathing, slowly rising and falling
Breezy and cool so very typically morning
It feels good but the warmth of her body is intoxicating
More comforting, relaxing and serene

I dare not look at the clock
For even in this short period it will have moved inexplicably
As the gesture of the sun traces a path across the wall
Filling the room with a lilac presence
The tinging of the wind chime reminds me of gentle cows
Moving to and fro on the Tyrolean mountainside
Their bells swinging on leather bands
Closing my eyes again I imagine green fields
The aroma of the air coming through the open window
Describes a distant place of calmness and peace.

Jan is still sleeping and I gently touch her hand to find it cold
Having been outside the covers for some hours
She does not stir
Above me the crystal at the window is sending tiny rainbow spectrum
Dancing in mad little circles, alive on this wonderful day
I feel so at rest, so in love and fortunate to have and to be
Mornings are fresh starts and gifts for us to savour
How lucky we are to have them

Sometimes I miss you in a way that it hurts
Sometimes I so need to hold you when you're not here
I pick up your pillow and hug it
Sometimes you're here holding my hand,
Your breath kissing my cheek
Sometimes I feel you in the room silently keeping me safe
Sometimes a message reaches my soul from yours that lifts my spirit
Sometimes I can't go on without you and yearn for your return
Sometimes love is a mistress
That takes you and throws you against the wall but never lets go
Sometimes my heart overflows with so much love
It drenches me
My body soaked and heavy with emotion, passion
And a longing for the brush of your lips on mine
Sometimes this life is a mass of lost thoughts
Competing with a reality of the day
Sometimes I wish I could lift you up in my arms
Take you to a field of buttercups, poppies and cornflowers
And just lie and stare at the sky with you in my arms
Sometimes,  sometimes,  sometimes

Capture your dreams and keep them safe
Nothing is between them and you
Tell the world your heart’s desires
It’s a wonderful place  to be
Let no-one say that there is no magic
In every day or every night
You can prove the most special things
If you capture your dream
Hold them close and make them real
Imagine you are there
Close your eyes and count to three
Spin around and round
Look up to the sky above
The clouds move by and clean the blue
Azure and brightly lit
Mornings come but dreams live on
I am sure of it
Love is but a state of mind
Just a dream for you?
Then someone comes and  holds you close
And makes that dream come true

Whatever went before is passed
Strictly turning away I disregard its hurt
Never before as now have I experienced
A comfort zone of love

Falling down was easy before
But I had no blanket, taut and safe
No hand to hold when times were tough
No shoulder on which to cry

Now and onwards all is well
Complete and carefree, away from the pain
Not lost as I was in a deep crevasse just trying to look up
Sinking in despair

I have you my love
All is transformed into calmness and serenity
No concerns of tripping up or falling
Because you are there to hold and care

My sanctimonious smile can be written as that
Casting adrift the boat that was hopelessness
For today I am free to live and love
You have given me so much

Some time ago
In lands of mists and cloud
Our eyes claimed a space
Above the deepest gorge
Overseeing the depths of our hearts
The span of time since then
Has melted into brilliant sunshine
Completely we have come through
Eons of revalationary idylls
Backwards and forward we rock
Whilst we gather our thoughts
The fleeting time holds us
Moving our visions from whence we came
To our place now
Swirling, dream-like

Facing you I catch the light
In your eyes and focus
But dazzling me with your mind
You lay back on the cool grass
Arms outstretched
Stooping I collect your hands
And bring them close to my face
Softly kissing your fingers
The scent of your skin
Excites me as the warm sunlight
Suddenly bursts through the cloud
Strokes my back and lifts my spirits

As I stoop further
And gently take you in my arms
Lifting you, as light as a dry feather
Swinging you round
Making your hair stream outwards
Curtain-like
You laugh and I laugh
Hysterically we collapse
And lay holding hands staring at the sky
Bodies heaving as the laughter subsides
Electric passing through us
The spark of life invigorating

Simply lain your hair sits proudly, cut
Creating a crown of beauty
Feathered, the strands which pour
rivulets down your smooth neck
Your shoulder shelving the resting place
of curls
the deep dark light now kinder as you sleep
still but vibrant ever full of sweetness
merry as the moon shines
lighting the room as dreaming
you are complete and at one
with the world
Your brown hair
rests whilst you slumber
waiting to become the glory again

Claim the right to be mine
Discard the old notions
Feast your soul as we speak
Listen to your heartfelt rhythms
Clone your passions and keep them
Next to you and available to touch
Mother yourself and resist the temptation
From everyday door to door tedium
Even now you don't need the plan
You require nothing but vision
Look as we walk and stay focussed
Our hearts are much greater together
Our minds phenomenal
If we fall we rise above the left-over threads
Because home binds us and caresses us
The silent notes of winter
Frozen and hollow we disregard
Their implications and welcome
The spring and all it brings us
Manifesting fraying in the cold passing
And firming the winds of summer
The bright new year is at last
Holding hands with our souls
Eternally warming between us

Dear ancestors hear my voice
On this Samhain eve I have a
Message for you
Be sure I have found my love
A love that releases me
The version of me you may not know
The one that I have became
It is true that this love has grown
Grown into a perfect and lasting covenant
Love that is rare and true
She is the embodiment of me in a
Special and all seeing person
She has given me sight to see the world in its glory
The Vision of which I have never known
She has given me heart to carry on when all seems lost
Courage to face each day
The tenacity to make the most of my life and of hers
The soul that we share is complete in the extreme
It is extreme as it is perfect and as one
She gives me more than this more than I could ever
Ever ever say.
I found her just six years ago
She came to me in a rush of circumstance
Something unexpected and yet hoped for
I can say much of this but all I need to say
Is that I love her so dearly it hurts
It hurts because life itself is so fragile.
I hold this love in my hand and cherish it
Cherish this day as we walk together into our
Seventh year through the mist and veil
Of Samhain, oh Samhain,
This is our time  

Max Hale
Dedicted to my Jan on the anniversary of our meeting six years ago.

Remembering that day
The first sight of your little face
Rounded cheeks and beautiful mouth
Eyes tightly shut.
How proud I was to have
a daughter
Since then I have continued
to be proud and thankful
How many Dads have such beauty
****** into their lives that lasts?
Not just beauty of a visual nature
But one that is from the core
Throughout body and soul.
You have never given a second
of disappointment or sadness
No anger, no worry nor concern
Just happiness and joy
Perfection is an over used hyperbole
In this case not
Thank you for giving me and everyone
the love and steadfast care
We may or may not deserve.
So on this special day
From my heart and from
every fibre of my being
I want to tell you that
There is no-one like you
You have a special place inside me
My love goes with you always
May you feel the energy of the cosmos
Caring for you and the life blood
Of our earth supporting
Helping and keeping you safe
Amongst the trials of this mortal life
And as the winter solstice approaches
When the sun is reborn into our world
May you have health and love always

For my special daughter Vicky

Dad ***