William Martin - Poems

Dark Drama

5/31/2017

Dark Drama

Dark drama passes me by,
Like gray ghosts
Hanging on a whisper.
Wish they would
Pass you by too.
Want you to tell me why
You can’t let it go
And let what will be,
Just be.

There’s no hope in
Clinging onto open wounds.
No one else can see the rapture.
There’s a reason why
Everything was born to live
And die within this endless arc
Of vaguely voiced forevers.
Living in that other place,
Where no one can retrace
Goodbye.

So I’ll see you on the other side,
Where all things fall away,
Displaying all the lies
That ruled so many lives today.
And we’ll infuse as one living
On the faith that what we’ve done
Was simply dark drama
Passing by like wisps
Of smoke trailing
On the wind.

--William Martin

Dying Star

5/25/2017

Dying Star

Madness run rampant
If we’d only let it be
Star burning brilliant
In spite of
Life’s expectancy

Sitting so complacent
Amid the ifs that won’t see
Or feel the intensity
Of a heat radiating
Encompassing all yearning
Needing the warmth
Of free.

It may be a bursting light
Arcing through minds, life;
Yet settling into
An individual coal
Among the many
A lonely aching warmth

Life’s expectancy
Empty of
Madness run rampant

-- William Martin

Under Construction

5/2/2016

Under Construction
(Your Daddy Didn’t Die)

Ignore the news reports,
rumored whispers of what’s gone by,
sad whispers amongst the sighs…
Blood still continues to course,
though broken and hoarse,
your daddy didn’t die.

Weep not for what might be lost.
Look instead for the gains.
Blood still beats in my veins.
Don’t look to the final cost,
the final spoken lie,
because your daddy didn’t die.

Do not mourn over vacant signs,
the corpse faded years ago,
hoping for new life to grow
amid ashes grow the vines.
Your daddy tried to fly,
Yet fell…
but your daddy didn’t die.

He’s right here and he knows
he made you hurt,
yet he had to claw through dirt,
had to make a show
to leave of him what lies
Always here…
Your daddy didn’t die.

--William Martin

So What

4/13/2016

So What

The breeze billows age old trees
and will long after I’m gone
Dispersing, distancing the dust
Echoing, so what

The sun seething for centuries
time immemorial, future unforeseen
Certain uncertainty for now
Screaming, so what

A speck, a speck, a speck in time
along with billions more
In surety each one unique
Fervent whispering, so what

Eyes looking within and without
searching, seeking through shades
All hoping, some thoughts of finding
Some proclaiming, so what.

None truly knowing
So what.

--William Martin

When We Were Immortal

3/8/2016

When We Were Immortal

Our bikes flying down,
A treacherous hill,
Dirt roiling off the wheels.
Rattle and bounce,
Legs absorbing shocks,
Wind watering our eyes,
And we smiled.

A split second of flight,
Leaping from the roof,
Hit ground, tuck and roll.
Ladder shakes and slips,
Scrambling up for another go.
Imaginary “S” on our chests,
Our fists planted firmly on hips.

An unknown concept,
Change.
No, we would always stay that way,
Adventures waiting each day,
And dusk came too quickly,
On the kids’ dirt streaked faces,
Arms circling shoulders,
As we walked together,
And we smiled.

-- William Martin

When Adelia Smiles

2/15/2016

When Adelia Smiles

A heart can feel so heavy,
Overwhelming confusion at it all.
Try to stay so strong and steady,
Confronting an emotional wall.

Impotent frustration,
While ‘why’ is a spectral foe.
Opaque, veiled information,
Fails,
As anxiety with love grows.

And then Adelia smiles,
And the sun seems to rise anew.
Goodness captured in a split second shine,
Pure radiance bursting through,
When Adelia smiles.

Normalcy becomes illusive,
Yet its importance completely clear.
Condescension is abusive,
Only feeding unneeded fear.

Misunderstood perception,
As others attempt to console.
Please allow our commiseration,
For,
It entwines our common soul.

And then Adelia smiles,
With the heart of a lion’s roar.
A strength not given to submission,
And a heart that’s ready for war,
When Adelia smiles.

And when Adelia smiles,
Humanity infuses us all.
We experience a greater understanding,
A singular strength,
From one so small.

When Adelia smiles,
She smiles for us all.

-- William Martin

Gone Too Soon

2/13/2016

Gone Too Soon

Seeds fallen from the tree,
scattered along cold cement.
No purchase found for free;
A short life already spent.
A "wake-up" left lying there for all,
gone, so long, so soon, so very small.

Leaves skitter down the road,
swirling in currents unseen.
Death’s dance paying what’s owed,
crackling brown replacing green.
Motion pulls attention to attest,
fleeting moments before final rest.

Snow muffles sound and soul.
Some return, while some are lost.
Crisp air echoes the last knoll;
Ours despite the final cost.
We fight on though the battle is done,
not knowing whether we’ve lost or won.

Yet,

In death’s last gasp we will clearly see,
all of our life’s possibilities.

-- William Martin

February 13th, 2016

2/13/2016

Extended Sonnet Number One
(Will Echoed)

Love, forebear allowing me to outlive
thy grace. As it shines before me, I know
radiance brings life, continues to give
so long as thy heart continues to glow.

As petals drift from the flower, my time
passes in expectation of thine own.
Yet deprived of thy life-giving love I
count friendships, count loves, count all time alone.

Thrust off this heavy, mortal cloak I bear,
allowing spirit uncoiled to ascend,
gazing down o’er thy heavenly share
with eyes knowing all and all that transcends.

Yet let not life above prove false in deed,
pulling down death’s darkness that cloaks the day
into a murky loveless sea. My need
for you outlives, out-loves the heavens’ play.

So forebear allowing me to deny,
as it shines before me, your loving grace.
A hollow heart would arc the endless sky
seeking only to glimpse your love, your face.

T’were a burden upon this earth-bound place
and my time upon it an empty space.

-- William Martin

You Are the Poem

2/13/2016

You Are the Poem

You are the poem I’ve always wanted to write,
The story I’ve longed to tell.
Devoid of armored cynicism,
Omitting my trips through hell.

A poem arcing through all emotion,
Showcased in an effortless grace.
Lines crafted with an easy eloquence,
Transcending hearts, time and space.

A poem complete in simply holding you,
A heart held in the warmth of your trust.
The rhyme whispered in soft, warm breaths,
The rhythm felt as sacred blood rushed.

It was to be a poem of soul and of love,
An experience of lives touching lives.
And although pen never caressed the page,
The poem was there within your eyes.

Just waiting to be discovered,
Within the warmth of your loving eyes.

--William Martin

If They Never Knew

2/13/2016

If They Never Knew

We touch so many lives
During a lifetime
How can we not help
But fracture a few?

We try to mend
Before our end
Yet we wonder…

If they never knew
What we knew
How much stronger
Would they be?

Yet we touch them
Nonetheless
And it’s an unkind
Selfishness
A way to give meaning
To the meaningless

We make amends
Toward our own ends
A soundless thunder…

And if they never knew
What we knew
How much stronger
Would they be?

--William Martin