Ice and Fire by Zachary Gibson (distant reading .TXT) 📕

pooled,
With nobody fooled.

I no longer lie,
I no longer try,
I lie in my emotions, my own flood,
Now I lie in my own tears of blood.

“A Finale to Remember”

Sooner or later everything shall come to an end,
Some shall be small, others shall rend,
There will be one final play,
One last memory to stay.

The universe will one day have its final song,
When this comes, not a note shall be sung wrong,
It shall hold the melody of a siren,
The grand refrain shall be untirin’.

There will be one final performance,
A drama impossible of such conformance,
An amazing sight to be seen and remembered by all,
A play worthy of memory even at its final fall.

Remaining, shall be the glorious picture of the final glow,
No jewel left worthy to - on this crown - bestow,
The universe shall be left in all its heavenly glory,
But sadly, there shall be none left to hear the story.

The retaining sensation for all to feel,
Shall be the rending of the universal seal,
The warmth of the universe colliding upon them,
The splendor, left of the last gem.

The unending beauty for none to see,
For there shall sadly be,
None left to revel in the universe’s final height,
None left to see the last glorious sight.

Everything is reaching its grand end,
To the heavens we all pray to send,
The last step of the talented actor,
The universe’s last glorious factor.

The song reaching its last note,
The last line this poet wrote,
Now the universe left dim,
Everything dust, even in the outermost rim.

Chapter 2: Thoughts of Fire

“Phoenix”

Bird born of ash,
A flaming sash,
The fire of new life,
End of aged strife.

Creature of no death,
Brought to life in one breath,
Starting consumed in dark,
Covered in End’s mark.

A small flicker of light,
Still dark as night,
From the ash comes a faint glow,
Nothing remarkable, though.

Then sparks a flame,
Of which, lifelight came,
Spreading slow, burning soft,
Light moving into Darkness’ loft.

Crawling faster,
Moving outward from its caster,
The fire quickly grows brighter,
Light becoming mightier.

The bird nearing rebirth,
Almost burnt out of its hearth,
Darkness relenting by fire,
Truly a sight to admire.

Flame still burning,
Life still learning,
Light empowering,
New life flowering.

Thus it is reborn
From ash and death it is torn,
Finally at its flaming zenith,
Lives the resurrected phoenix.

“If Tomorrow Were Forever”

If tomorrow were forever,
Could we not do whatever?
We could go somewhere and stay,
We could be with our friends and play,
We could spin around ‘til we fall,
We could all go out to the mall,
We could be with each other,
We could stay frozen with one another,
We could show our true love,
We could show our faith in God above,
We could sing our hearts out,
We could let out a loud shout,
We could be together without a care,
We could have love that would never tear,
We could all live in a world made happy,
We could even get into something sappy,
Forever is a long time,
Forever is a big climb,
But if tomorrow were forever,
Should we say, “Never.”

“A Simple Romance”

Two hearts,
In harmony they beat,
Soon everything starts,
Each waiting for whom they’ll meet.

Everything starts normally, a usual day,
They each start their routine, doing what they’re accustomed to,
Then they leave, welcomed by Sun’s ray,
Their day begun, their minds nag for a clue.

These two-to-be have already met,
Though they do not know it,
Each now owes the other a debt,
Do not think it as negative, it’s a part of life, a small bit.

They meet again at their everyday place,
They see their friend and greet one another,
They’re going somewhere, where they hope they’ll meet, and the day will go like a race,
Arriving at their destination, they go separate ways leaving the other.

Through their day, they each proceed,
Their hearts aching with every passing beat,
One another’s souls screaming for their need,
Each waiting for their end-of-day treat.

Lunch comes and they both rush,
They meet once again and chat,
Other people came and went, and with glances catch a blush,
The bell rings and they both scat.

Still their day continues, seeming forever long,
In their final class, their hearts going mad,
Their willpower slowly getting less and less strong,
The final bell, still no one, all they feel is sad.

They each ride to their stop,
They don’t notice each other, too lost in pain,
Getting off they both feel their hearts drop,
Once off the bus they turn to leave again.

Before they leave, their eyes lock
Caught in each other’s dreamy stare,
Stuck staring, not returning even at a knock,
They came together slowly becoming a pair.

Lost in each other’s eyes,
Their wish slowly coming true,
Both staring, each release relieved sighs,
Closer they move, unto fruition, they do what they have wanted to.

They capture the distance and kiss,
Neither passionate or deep, merely chaste,
Finally content, with nothing amiss,
They end their first without haste,

Their hearts now a symphony of joy,
Subconsciously moving in a total trance,
Their hearts singing, noticing how they had been coy,
Just a simple romance.

Crown of My Heart

Before you it was dark,
My heart was cold as ice,
I bore the Exile’s mark,
Solo, my great entice.

Empty were my eyes,
Devoid of life,
I had lost my prize,
Just tear-shedding strife.

My life was Hurt,
Drowned in Pain,
Ignored every passing flirt,
Forgot everything vain.

Then I left all that behind,
And tried to start anew,
Old body, new mind,
Watched in a different hue.

Yet again, I fail,
I gave up, I quit,
Emissary of Lost hail,
Come deal me the final hit.

I was at the brink,
The last step off the bridge,
Ready to sink,
And fall off the ridge.

But I stopped,
I saw something,
Kept me from being dropped,
And what did it bring?

I saw another chance,
I saw something new,
Who holds this stance?
It is you.

You give me light,
A second hope,
A new sight,
No longer can I mope.

I was deathly afraid,
Cowered in fear,
Did all that you bade,
Just wanting you here.

You were struck,
I was there,
To give you luck,
And help you bear.

I wanted you to see,
Died for you to know,
Who I could be,
What I could show.

But I waited,
Ever-patiently by your side,
Told you, you were not hated,
Not once I lied.

Then came my turn,
I showed you how I felt,
Made you to learn,
And your reaction had my heart melt.

I said, I love you,
And I smiled,
You said, I love you too,
And we cried a while.

You are my love,
Beside me in joy,
My heavenly dove,
So sweetly coy.

With you, I see light,
Near you, I have hope,
Beside you, it’s so bright,
Along you, I’ll always cope.

My beloved mate,
My only desire,
Please be my fate,
Please kindle my heartfire.

Others may say you’re impure,
But you’re my virgin so-sweet,
Together we’ll endure,
Misery, we’ll defeat.

‘Til Death do us part,
Mate, purer than divine manna,
You are the crown of my heart,
My dearest Hannah.

“Midnight Meadow”

The sky made of colors, rich,
Stars shining high in the night,
Finally found our own little niche,
At last everything is all right.

I hold you in my arms now,
Whispering soft words of love,
My heart to you, I vow,
Thanking the Trinity above.

Lay your head over my heart,
Hear every gentle beat,
Nothing will tear us apart,
My love, my sweet.

I lean down and ask for a kiss,
You pause and brush my lips,
The one love I could always miss,
Across your cheek, brush my fingertips.

I pull away slowly,
A content smile lights my face,
I am yours wholly,
No longer need you chase.

We lie down in the flowers,
Holding each other, so warm,
Around us the trees tower,
No more emotional storm.

I hold you close,
My soft breath against your neck,
My delicate rose,
We no longer a wreck.

I sigh I love you,
Curling my fingers in your hair,
My love so true,
My heart, I’ll always share.

With you, I’m sure I’m safe,
I am secure,
Love no longer a wraith,
Our hearts so pure.

Lie your head against my chest,
Close your eyes and dream,
Now let your body fall to rest,
As I watch the stars gleam.

Together we shall live happily,
Following in Bliss’s shadow,
So won’t you join me,
In our midnight meadow?

“Star In The Dark”

When I came here,
I had nothing, was nothing,
Lived in constant fear,
Just wanted to be something.

I had no more will,
Awaited death,
Thought about that pill,
That final rest.

The world was bleak,
Mere shades of hate,
Chased away the meek,
Yet one light could abate.

One gentle soul,
Faint glow,
Could it make me whole?
Or deal me the final blow?

I chased after it,
This golden ember,
So darkly lit,
In that dreary November.

Followed the dream,
Saw it flame and saw it fade,
Ripped at the seams,
Still I stayed.

Stepped in faith,
Through months of waiting,
No longer a wraith,
No more agonized waiting.

The glowing light,
It was and is you,
Nearby, I’ve no fright,
One of so very few.

I asked for your love,
You did not reject,
Nor did you shove,
Both of us, less wrecked.

I asked your hand,
Please be my mate,
Beside you I’ll always stand,
To protect and to sate.

You are the light of my life,
Whom only I shall mark,
With you, there is no more strife,
You, my star in the dark.

“To Wolf”

Oh, why am I writing this?
For no unseen purpose?
It's just I simply don't know,
Any other way to truly show.

You've spoke and I learned,
You've heard and I yearned,
To find some kind of elegant praise,
To your amazing and simple ways.

I know I'm supposed to be good with words,
Buy my mind shouts like a thousands birds,
So here I am, desperately trying,
To voice without sighing or lying.

It's so much, these ways I feel,
It's been so long, it's so surreal,
But I'll try - I swear!
To put it all right there.

You mean so much, dear God,
Leading me where I thought I'd never trod,
Yet here I stand,
With you telling me that I can.

And here, of course, the words do stop,
So immense my mind might pop,
All I ask is read what's next,
All I ask is simply know this.

I love you so much - I love you infinitely,
I love you sweetly - I love you gently,
I love you fully - I love you dearly,
I love you, I love you...my sweet, tender Wolf.

“Blazing Love”

A searing tempest of joy,
Of happiness, and people coy,
Where harm is hope,
And to hope is to cope.

A