I have roses on my tongue

Velvet kisses, words with thorns

I have magnolias in my eyes

Silver petals that mesmerize

Orange blossoms on my chest

Cover my heart with their zest

I have orchids for my navel

Like a sprite from woodland fable

Through my waist and far below

Hidden garden with its glow

My body, vase of stems and leaves

Ivy…read more

My heart says to love you

My mind says to leave you behind

My heart says you need me

My mind says I’m being too kind

My heart says forgive you

My mind says it’s for the last time

My heart says I’ll miss you

My mind says stop being so blind

My heart says that you’ll change

My mind says it’s just too late

My heart says there’s hope still…read more

Dear Unsealers,

I wrote this poem as an homage to our ancestors, when spirituality came before organized religion, when we viewed the world with wonder, and when we longed for understanding of life and death:

Primitivo

I worship the Sun

And his daughter, the Moon

I pray to the sky; morn, evening, and noon

The stars I will use as my guide and…read more

Living in shadows of my past

Roaming hallways of my mind

Afraid to turn corners too fast

And the memories I would find

Resolved to pause and change my stance

And shake the past’s dust off my shoes

I will give next year a chance

To see in color instead of blues

Those old walls become withdrawn

As fresh grass grows beneath my feet

This o…read more

I dedicate this poem to Gary and Morgan, loving partners for over 40 beautiful years. This month Gary passed away after a year long struggle with cancer, days before Morgan’s birthday and their anniversary. During his final moments, Gary only had the strength to whisper priceless words of encouragement and love to Morgan. This is a poem of hope t…read more

Sunset comes in muted hues

Orange fire and baby blues

Seaside skies, so vast in views

Birds pass lovers, two by twos

The day erased to bygone news

Sunlight fades to starry muse

Gentle flames from bonfires fuse

Bring restful bliss from daytime’s ruse

From sunrise lies to nighttime truths

Our life resets when dawn renews

Dear Unsealers,

Today I held the hand of a dying friend. We looked into each other’s eyes and I said the only thing I could say at that moment…”I love you”. Too weak to speak, he closed his eyes, puckered his tired lips, and blew me a kiss. I caught it and will carry it with me for the rest of my life.

I’m sorry if I embarrass you

Because I’m not like other dads

This thought often makes me sad

So I write to shake the blues

Shame and guilt have haunted me

As I’ve watched you learn and grow

And someday I hope you know

That you’re all I want to be

But I had to make a choice

Though it may never seem that way

To reveal my self one day

An…read more

Dear Unsealers,

I often fall into bouts of deep melancholy and sadness when I think about my life prior to coming out. I’ve learned that expressing my feelings immediately through poetry prevents me from sliding into a longer state of depression. I write, I cry, and I liberate the feelings from my mind. This has helped me so much over the last t…read more