The Reservation

The Reservation

Lost amidst a sea of tents,
beneath a baking sun
Sift through memories long spent,
panning for the ones

The ones where I can stop, reside,
the fields where I dreamed
Where pieces fell in place just right,
and puzzles strangely seemed

Seemed so simple, solved... complete,
a jigsaw's picture, clear
An image flawed, lost in defeat,
floored by someone near

Pieces running free of frames,
from edges, corners, straights
Images bereft of names,
with peace found in fugue states

A place reserved for things we choose,
… a place to simply be
Faces found, in time we lose,
some things you can't unsee

Some things stick... imagined,
despite having the chance
To see through fronts, to have them,
despite an offered dance

Underneath a canvas bold,
impressive to the last
Days and weeks and months, they fold,
as years, they fly so fast

Marching on, time takes it all,
it leaves us with the pearls
The memories the grit swirls round,
as stories stride... unfurl

Unwound through the Winter's beats,
the narrative grows cold
Stories rooted till Spring seats,
as doubts, long held, unfold

With life too brief, in short supply,
the wake up calls alarm
When speaking of our souls, we lie,
it's just ourselves we harm

Wishing that we took that step,
shown someone else that trust
Afraid to be ourselves, we crept,
round truths and paper cuts

… and when such truths stay buried, hid,
we never dig, ourselves
Simmering beneath our lids,
… too afraid to delve

with others doubting where we stand,
whilst marking where we fall
Such trust held blindly in their hand,
mute from our hearts, we call

Silent in the wind and rain,
that marks the Winter's rule
Reigning over sacred plains,
a sunset lower... cools

A catalogue of colours drawn,
a different beat, a different noise
Whispered over winds of change,
through wind chimes, woodland's poised

Our stories, leafing from the page,
so painless, some conclude
Masked in ourselves, such wars do rage,
it's there our faces feud

In reservations, lost and found,
where deepest fears play
Beyond my station, out of bounds
… I wish I'd lost my way

I wish I'd garnered one more night,
to settle in a groove
With fire shows, displays of light,
round people who had proved

Their place amidst a picture, new,
their face amidst the crowd
Space for glittered scripture, skewed,
… confetti cannons proud

Fired in flirtation, fun,
a shredded vibrant sea
Off the reservation, run
is where I long to be

Still maybe when the rain resides,
when the wind winds down
In regrets the soul subsides,
in “what ifs?” you can drown

It boils down to sink or swim,
that's really all it takes
Sometimes I'm sure I'm set to win,
'fore confidence, it breaks

In many pieces, scattered round,
a picture broke?... complete?
Confused, re-used, both lost and found,
ascetic, spent... replete

Gifted on a balmy night,
a shroud to summer skies
With fire bunnies burning bright,
too bright for naked eyes

A poison I drink often, still
… but never for too long
A beverage that softens will,
a will restrained and strong

Yet memories of green blue pools,
can hold a mind enthralled
These old things? She queries, calls,
marking time asked, stalled

As twin tides pull me deeper thence,
'neath waves of beats and sound
Lost amidst a sea of tents,
… I pray I'm never found