Another side

Oh, but he was handsome,
with his dark eyes,
sparkling teeth,
and ready smile upon his cheeks.
And yes, I kind of envied him.

*

Pommie joker back in 1954,
I, along with others,
soon was settling down,
learning a trade along with Jeff,
saw another side of this man.

*

He was married, with a child,
his wife, good looking, wanted more.
Other guys offered, were accepted.
Jeff became worn and much neglected,
tried so hard to reach his objective.

*

Each day he struggled to maintain
a smiling face, make home a base,
and rumours false, some maybe true,
said she was an angel or a shrew.

*
And oh, I felt so sad for him.

I was not close enough to support him.
Said not a word lest it should throw him.

*
He lost his family and occupation,
then laid with pad between his teeth
was shocked and convulsed as medication.

I saw him sometimes after his therapy,
hardly recognised the shuffling effigy.
Gone were the things I once had coveted,
sadly wondering how this could be tolerated.
And oh it was so sad to see him.

 *

I was quite a young man then,
yet I can't forget my friend.
He had so much of what I wanted,
good looks, dark hair and sparkling teeth,
a lovely child and so-called help-meet.

 *

Dennis Crompton © 1998

(first published www.denniscrompton.wordpress.com 2013)

Lost love

I still have so much to learn
about myself, the wonders of my being.
I claim to be myself,
no want have I to imitate another.

*

Yet how shamefully some treat me,
they care not for my tears,
with words that sear they penetrate my soul,
and laugh derisive seeking to destroy.

*

They think I do not care, think I do not feel,
that because I'm quiet then I must be weak…
but I am who I am and they do me a great wrong
dismissing me with sarcasm and their belittling scorn.

*

How else can it be, my outer form betrays me …
hides the deepest longings of my heart?
My failing spirit weakens my resolve,
I cannot lift my face to look at you
my weeping eyes, they blind me,
and you cannot see how deep the love lies there.

*

My stuttering lips, they fail me,
and so I speak not how I yearn for love…
and if I could my voice would break with sorrow,
the words are there, but locked within my breast.

*

Alone amidst surrounding throngs
I sought the eyes that maybe searched for mine.
I had so much to give,
to share with someone else who cared.

*
I sought a warm embrace,
and lips to kiss and our desires to share.
I sought a loving heart,
one with mine that to the heavens might rise.

Once, an ecstasy flowed through me…
her eyes on mine did set me all aglow.

*
Her smile, her voice, her touch,
her presence near, with rapturous delight
did make my spirit to the heavens fly.

*

She was an angel, I a mere mortal, and with
all my senses captured at her feet I fell.
Sadly, as the sun's rays kindle life in spring,
alas will also blind the one who looks too long.

*

So the heart that careless of my love outpoured,
lost love, of the one who to the end adored.

*

Dennis Crompton © 1998

(first published www.denniscrompton.wordpress.com 2013)

The heart that once...

The heart that once beat warmly
awakened by love,
the eye that gazed so fondly
moved by love,
the joy that filled
the smile that shone,
the lightness in my step,
all gone… all gone?

*

My look, her voice,
her look, my voice,
the daily thrust and parry
tore apart our explanations
attempting reparation.

*
Outward tears searing,
bitter sorrow feeling,
heart-broken for the
broken whispered words…unspoken.
Sorry my love. My love?

*

Only the past…the lying,
deceiving past did know
what now we both do hold…
Love made not nor held
by piece of paper, band of gold…

*
If made in heaven, then by heaven bemoan,
as passing months or years would prove
how easy then to say or feel…I love;
so difficult now to sing its song?

*

Miracle…a beautiful haunting
devastating human word,
with so much promise,
hope extended flaunts.

*
If only…so we dream and pray,
dream and pray, perhaps another day,
another plan, another woman or another man,
one day the right one will surely come along,
or…did we love the right one all along?

*

Dennis Crompton © 1997

(first published www.denniscrompton.wordpress.com 2013)

Cleaving

I won once, when I was younger,

a partner warm and loving,

who cheered my heart,

changed me, and different I became.

*

Her feminine influence enmeshed in mine,

a different aspect brought to my then limited view,

enabled me to see much more of life

through her more gifted eyes.

People and places, manners and graces,

accessible then in new facets living,

blessed and enriched my every day.

*

Opposites, we were yet a match,

working, seeing, learning,

enjoying time together.

These we did ... a while.

*

Later, finding ourselves,

strengthened then hardened our differences,

too much, it seemed, to continue on together...

the joining parted...

*

We have moved on since then, no blame attached

to self or former lover. It must needs be.

For cleaving brings a time of separation,

as at full term born of necessity

leaves behind the womb where so much had begun.

*

© Dennis Crompton 1998