I saw your eyes deepen slowly
Like the pools of a desert oasis
When your hand first touched mine
As softly as a butterfly kiss.
Our warm-cool, hard-softness
Joined complete - eternal bliss.
And though Time must ever change
It will not dim memories like this.
For we'll always come together
Like shadows after morning mist
Reflections in a mountain pool
Or tingling warmth where Sun has kissed.
Will Love always be like this?
The tingling of the farewell kiss
The longing churning pain
Till I see you once again?
A thousand little love songs
Those old, sad and lost songs
Echo through my breaking heart
Now we are far apart.
Will Love always be like this?
The lingering farewell kiss
The longing aching pain
Till I see you once again.
Too soon, we loved as lovers do
Our bodies brushed, our warm lips hushed,
Except for "I love you".
Forbidden love, a case of what and who
Our feelings crushed, our parting rushed,
Except for "I love you".
One more secret last adieu
Our passions flushed, the hot tears gushed
Remember "I love you".
Time went by, our ways went too
But life goes on and feelings grew,
Another "I love you".
Two lifetimes gone, no time anew
But words once said are ever said
Forever "I love you".
And mem'ries come, as come they do
Of silent words and souls entwined ,
That told that "I love you".
We'll always know as lovers do
When bodies crushed and warm lips hushed
That we said "I love you".
My life is filled
With the tears of love songs
That haunt me
When I think of you.
The tunes that always linger
Words that tear a heart apart
For what cannot be
When I think of you.
Au Revoir, Auf Wiedersehen
Are words that make me sigh
But not half as much
As the saddest word,
The saddest word "Goodbye!"
Never say "Goodbye."
Never say "Goodbye."
Please babe,
Never say "Goodbye."
Now that we've said hello again
I sometimes think I'd die
If I heard once more
Your final word
Your final word "Goodbye."
Never say "Goodbye."
Never say "Goodbye."
Please babe,
Never say "Goodbye."
Too young, they say, but so bold
When our bodies need to hold,
And hearts beat hard as one
We know that aching feeling
That comes over us again.
When my body shows it needs you
And my heart cries out to have you
I cannot bear the pain
Of knowing I can't have you
Or kiss you once again.
When your body yearns I want you
And your heart cries that I need you.
You feel and share my pain
Of knowing I can't have you
To hold and love again.
I know I always want you
When my body cries out I need you.
And my heart breaks in pain
To know that I can't have you
To kiss and hold again.
If only time stood still
If only...
If only love stayed true
If only I still had you.
If only... if only!
If only dreams came true
If only...
If only I could forget you
If only I still had you.
If only... if only!
When I feel in pensive mood
I dare invite solitude
To help me know the poet's word
Or the many songs I've heard.
Solitude is like a cooling drink
Or safety when at danger's brink
It is the time for souls to rest
It is a time that I love best.
Yesterdays ago
Your cupped hands
Held a broken heart
That lay lonely
For so long
'Til you became
The words,
the words,
the words,
Of my new love song
I dared to love again
The only song I ever knew
The other "I love you."
Would linger on
To haunt me
Until I said
"I love you."
And I knew,
I knew,
I knew,
I really loved you.
Yesterdays are gone
Your cupped hands
Now hold
A heart that's
True and told
When you became
The words,
the words,
the words,
Of my one love song.
Who said when love should stop,
Who gave the young the hold on love!
I still see it as it used to be,
The magic spark of you and me!
Who counts the days and years,
Who looks at lines and hair of grey!
I still see it as it used to be,
That magic spark of you and me!
Last night I dreamt of Launceston
But 'twas when I was young,
Old mem'ries came through mists of time
And then, like youth, soon were gone.
Remember Nineteen Forty-four
When all the World was at the War?
The 'pitchers' cost you just a trey
And 'Hoppy', was king on Saturday!
I saw the Brisbane Street of old
With kids, like me, who were so bold,
Short pants, no shoes, urchins all
Who would not heed a mother's call.
We would then, at the bakehouse, meet
To try and feel the oven's heat
On walls we'd lean our skinny backs
For warmth that came thru' countless cracks
And smell that smell of new-baked bread
That filled no mouth but all your head
We'd feel our pockets - hopefully
Then wander off - mopefully,
But our pleasures, they were simple ones
For toys, we had no rocket guns
Sticks and cans and bits of string
They made do for everything
Any kid could be a King
We never needed anything.
I saw their faces, now a blur
Like Musketeers, we'd all concur
Jim and Bill and - "what's his name?"
Who once ran off to miss the blame.
And corner shops, who knew my name
Too bad it did not stay the same.
Where steel and concrete now hold sway
I saw the homes where once we'd play
It left me feeling slightly sad
That dream of yesterday that I had.
They do not heed my words, now
Just as I would not heed, then
Their young eyes see the newness, now
Like me when I was young, then
They marvel at their fledgling powers, now
And do the deeds that I had done, then
And they'll remember like I do, now
And tell of what they did , then!
Graeme's poetry © 2001 Graeme Petterwood