A mountain of sorrow is
ahead of you
we have only tasted a sprinkling of it
but it is better to suffer together
than alone -
Love is willing

to go through pain, if needed

How could I make you see
that I too have the same selfishness, weakness,

N C Wyeth

ignorance, negligence,
that yours doesn't make you any worse?
Please do not be weighed down
by the thought of your darkness.
I can't pretend to love it,
but you have a spark of light
within you;
that is what I love.

Call me foolish, thoughtless, mindless,
rushing into trouble
but I am not afraid
to go deep into you, deep into this love
even when the next step
might be separation,
emptiness,
then a crushing plunge into a lifetime of grief
made all the worse
that I now contain you, and you, me.

May this mountain of agony
be transformed into a terrifyingly beautiful
work of art
Yes it is my life
but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

Variations on Starlight

1.
If your light is extinguished,
so will mine be
hope withering,
darkness and grief dressing
my heart and soul in mourning.

Sinking deep
into the depths of you
I don't care if
I get lost because you disappear
suddenly, unexpectedly, too soon

Gabriel Ferrier, Evening

sinking deep
into this love, fast, urgently
melting
into the sad space of waiting
melting
into not knowing
not being able to change you
melting into your grieving arms
what if soon
I will be embracing only starlight?
God, I won't be able to bear it.
I want nothing, nothing;
I only need to not lose him

2.
Once, you gave me a secret name
Now I have one for you too:
Starlight

Sunrises whispering mysterious dreams,
nights filled with endless asking
Where are you and How can I find you
Will I have time to love him more, better
Will it make a difference?
Straining and straining to hear your voice.

Your tears are like
my tower crumbling,
the foundations of me shattering
yet it cannot be any other way.
I fought for your heart and gained it;
so did I gain your sorrow and suffering
let me now love you through it
because there is no other earthly light

3.
Give me nothing;
no earthly comfort, pleasure,
happiness or ease.

I can do without them.
Oh God, I would gladly
live a hard life

Kay Nielsen

of toil, pain,
even poverty
torn by unforgiving winds and storms
forgotten by all
nothing growing in my land
sick and tired
never warm or particularly convenient.
You could do anything
with my life, God,
just,
please,

please let me keep him

4.

You walk
without falling into darkness
your footsteps full of starlight,
your form made of sunlight,
you endure and persevere
you have protected your innocence
and the powerful goodness of your heart;
you hold my hand firmly
your determination is a strong gentle wind,
your embrace divine love

I come to you
and I withstand
the horror and the pain
of my illusions

In reality, there is only
kind encouragement
patience for those of us who are dark
love never ending,
powerful mercy,
knowledge extracted from anguish and despair.
We are only asked to walk the half way.