New Year, New Love

By Graham Hartley

A lot

There’s a lot……
A lot I wish I wish to understand
And a lot I’d wish to keep canned.
But I know that’s impossible
As my tongue is a water slide that people get a tad overzealous on.

A lot I wish to say
And A lot I’d wish to pray for,
But finding a trusted source of love
Is hard these days I’ve heard, not that I have looked.

Still, I find myself allured,
Chasing nonsense and knowledge
Until the two share a last name
And merge.

There’s a lot I’ve done
And a lot I still need to do,
But whether I am alone
Or in lieu of a crew,
The one constant will always be you.

I don’t mean for this to be a love poem.
Calling this a love poem would simply be untrue.
The truth of the matter is
I don’t even know what to call you

A friend, a lover, an idea
No matter what you are too me,
I envision you as my guiding light,
You illuminate my sanity.

There’s a lot I want you to understand
And a lot still too embarrassing for me to say
But know that well wishes will find your way.

You are a mystery,
But I still hope you’ll arrive one day.
Even if for long you can’t stay,
My life needs your clarity….
A lot.

Corners

The corners of the soul reflect a person and work like coal.
Their hobbies, loves, passions and goals provide stability to themselves and more.
Some are squares,
Simple and sure.
Others are fractals,
Endless and full of lore.
Circles, however, have little to show.
Waiting for you to indent their life,
And give them direction.
Even if the divot is shallow
They are waiting.

Couch

Resting your head on my chest,
You tell me you hear the sea.
Relaxing into my arms, the tide of my heartbeat,
Gently rocks you to sleep.

Resting your head on my chest,
I gaze into my future.
I see a home; I see a hearth.
I witness my everything.

Just as the shell is to the hermit crab,
And the conch is to the child,
You fill me with bewilderment
As we melt into our ocean wild.

Kindling

Our “I love you” needs no words. It is simply an understanding; a woven tapestry of belly laughs and bawls that forge us together. I have spent little time daydreaming about my future or my partner hand-in-hand, but you, sweet soul, have warmed my life, my hourglass’s sands. I’ll always embrace you in a stasis of bliss being, until the day I’m at your side kneeling. The person whose heart rivals the stars and whose laugh harmonizes with my own beckons my joy forth like the rising dawn. Your soft touch, my kindling, keeps me warm.

Skipping Stones

The skipping stones stare at me with newfound life. They squeal against the wind as they rocket from hand to their new world.
Rocks love adventures.

Do you feel loved?

A cascade of rain,
The sun after shade,
The joy with something you made,
A life or idea for gain.
Yes, I do.

My Prism

My heart your star
Here to play
Fueled by your love
ablaze it stays.

With the convenience of a light switch I’ll illuminate your pain, with the warmth of a hearth, my gamma your gain. Ah, my prism, to you my heart is sold, for when your light refracts to a rainbow is added gold. My home, my smile, my tenderest soul, my life, my mirror who reflects myself full. You remind me that my star brightly heats more than just those around me.

My heart your star
Igniting your day
My heart my star
My new love I pledge.

About the Author

Hello friends, my name is Graham Hartley and my pronouns are he/him/his. I am a student at Depauw University and some of my personal hobbies include playing the Handpan and writing poetry. I love competing in poetry slams and I cannot wait to share some of my pieces with all of you, I hope you enjoy it! Peace and Love.