Venice125GilmoreNT

Although you created me I never knew you Although as a babe I was displayed in your arms oh so proudly I never knew you Although I carry the name that you gave I never knew you Although your face and mine, are exactly the same I never knew you Although my presence you briefly graced I never knew you Although as a child, once - maybe twice - I felt your stranger’s embrace I never knew you Although as a teen my life became suffocating I never knew you Although I grew weary of constantly fighting I never knew you Although as an adult - for a short while - I lost my way I never knew you Although the debt was steep that I had to pay I never

You have no power over me, I repeatedly said As you first struck my face, then my head I love you so much, you repeatedly said But rather than let you go, I’ll first see you dead I love you, you brutally beat out of me Now convince the world that I am the man of your dreams For too many years, twin ribbons of guilt and shame tied you to my heart While sledgehammers of fear and pain tore my world apart But like an artist, I airbrushed away each unflattering mark For too many years, I tip-toed through life trying to gauge Every word I said, every move I made Never knowing which would set off your untamed rage And as the world moved

There were days I doubted I’d make it through the storm And each trickle of shame, each moment of pain, each year the same, oh how I mourned But, just like the blind, I groped alone empty walls, hoping to find a light While in the dark, my weary heart cried out to give up the fight There were days when the battles raged so deep inside That I made a deal with the devil to be my guide But the emptiness of his wisdom only lead me astray And the sacrifice of his prize was too high a price to pay There were days I feared my soul would be consumed by the fires And my wretched tears would conquer my desires To escape such clinching woes Of

The cool winds of time change from day to day Yesterday to soon turns into tomorrow Today never twice the same In heavenly stars I search but have yet to find my way Still, as time marches on, my soul finds no resting place In the mist of this violent quake Of many dimensions of being I lie awake Until the hours of dark meet a brilliant day break leaving me to ponder an uncertain fate © 2014 Venice Gilmore

Sweet Music Melody lend a mid-night dance to me Oh what tender lips are these that lay sweet kisses on my cheeks Making my bashful heart sing...sing...sing Sweet Music Melody lend a mid-night chord to me Oh what beautiful notes your voice is to a lover's song beckoning a drifting soul home sweet home Sweet Music Melody never let your music end Play your seductive heart's song again and again Step by step, song by song, you and I are forever one ©Venice Gilmore 2014

Such as the colors of a rainbow so pure and full of hope A beautiful shrine encased in woven straw and pine Sits atop its pedestal as a symbol of life and love A wonderful gift of innocence from above Flowers are to a man’s heart peace, pleasure and love From enemies to lovers their powers are great Ladies wear its lovely fragrance to compliment their sweet face While poets speak her name in romantic grace Painters sketch her loveliness in pastels and soft lace Such as the colors of a rainbow so pure and full of hope A beautiful shrine encased in woven straw and pine Sits atop its pedestal a symbol of life and love © 2014 Venice Gi

In the dead of night I went away Under the cover of dark I made my escape No teary eyes or heart-felt cries or sad goodbyes or reasons why, did I make No backward glance or misguided chances did I take In the  still of winter I slipped out of sight On a cold dark night, I took my flight Leaving behind not one trace of my new-found fate © 2014 Venice Gilmore

If I had a voice, I’d cry out in pain Please…please! Give me a life, give me a face, give me a name If I could speak, I’d say to you, have mercy on a soul longing to be free If I could feel, I’d desire just one thing Your loving touch wrapping me in your dreams If I could argue, I'd want you to know, from beginning to end I am made of flesh and blood, skin and bones Yet, I am too innocent to understand why I must be punished for another's wrong I am too young to grasp why, with one choice, my life is gone I am too small to fight a world that refuses to give me light I am too weak to live before I say goodbye ©

GLASS CASE Yet another season's end I endure this cold and dismal place Of empty dreams my forlorn heart knows no easy escape As life slowly trickles by, mockery on its face My imprisoned soul yearns to know a world beyond this dreary glass case Not unlike a caged bird, silently my spirits rage Yet another winters frost, I mourn desperately to know Still! To dark a force hold hostage my brooding soul Its unseen restraints, a weighing toll And as these walls of glass gradually close in No remorse does its hunting voice hold Yet another season's end, winter's chill strokes not an enchanting grace As the world strolls idly by, teardrops of des