Sonnet 38 – Silent Night

I cut a sprig of mistletoe this year
from our dying walnut tree. Looking for
you and hoping to steal a kiss, I hear
your voice down the hall. As I stand in our

daughter’s door way, I see you, softly lit
by the bedside lamp, rocking her to sleep –
again. She won’t rest, so three times you’ve sat
with her, singing “Silent Night”, bringing deep

dreams and peace. You are a miracle to
me: mother, bright angel, temptress, and my
friend. Closing the door on childhood dreams, you
lead me to the couch; I drop the sprig. We

cuddle now and watch “White Christmas”. Kissing
you and snuggling close, I count my blessings.

Sonnet 37 – Small Time

I would love to write you in epics. You
would be bright glory, I would be your shield.
I’ve chosen sonnets for their limits, though,
not for their scope. I’ve learned that I must field

a finer phrase, try to capture moments
instead of ages. Words I choose to write
are vital – they must suggest the torments
and victories won, must people one white

page in one hundred forty syllables.
So I try to write of instants which can
communicate the whole. Whispers, troubles,
love words, Love’s ways and yours flow from my pen.

I may not write you a novel. But brief
scenes, bound by love and you, could write a life.

Sonnet 36 – Blue Athena, Variation 2

Openness is something men don’t really
understand the way you do. I am your
man and hope I would think differently.
I want you to be confident and sure

of my desire for you, my willingness
to learn any new depth or dimension.
In private, I’d be clothed in tenderness,
yet fierce, eager, avid - rife with passion.

In public, I’d be epic, larger than
life. I’d be thunder, sparks and fire to ward
you – there would be no threat my protection
would not deny; I’d be your shield, your sword.

My devotion, your generosity -
both conspire to make a new man of me.


This is the second variation on Lovely P’s sonnet for Blue Athena. Used the same challenge words, but went back to the cave for this one. We all want to be heroes to those we love. Her challenge words were tenderness, generosity, sparks, openness, passion, depth & devotion.

Sonnet 35 – Christmas Wish

I love the way you smell on me.  You rest
your head on my shoulder and, long after
you have left me, your scent lingers.  The best
moments of my life – those filled with laughter,

true love, and deep, abiding joy – are those
stolen moments spent with you.  It’s been too
long since I held you, kissed your lips, your nose,
your throat.  Home with husband and children, you

cannot know how I miss you, how I ache.
Believe that you’re the true bride of my heart,
the dream that I could never find in sleep.
I can’t endure another day apart.

If I had one Christmas wish it would be
that, this cold Yule, you would be here with me.

Sonnet 34 – Christmas Gift

It’s just past midnight, the children are asleep.
Santa Claus has come and gone - the milk and
cookies are long gone, too.  You wink and leap
into my arms to bite my lower lip,

then spin and run the hallway to our room.
God - I love to watch you move!  As I close
the bedroom door, you grab me by the arm
and push me back against the wall.  You lose

yourself in loving me and, in losing,
wrest sweet control.  Have I been a good boy
this year?  Never better than in moving
you to our bed, driving you down to joy

and through and on to one.  Your final cry
lifts me to final passion and frees me.

Sonnet 33 - Blue Athena, Variation 1

I wanted someone to laugh with, to share
tenderness and warmth. I wanted one man -
one true man - to hold me, tell me that there
would be days of passion; something more than

one night, false sparks. I could not have dreamed
it would be you - so disarming in your
openness, so quick to laugh. And it seemed
to be just for me. Both ready for more

and willing to risk all, you came to me,
dressed in sunlight – one man, all mine, so right.
Seems we’d never not known each other. The
depth of your love amazes me. At night,

sweet generosity leaves me undone.
You are my only name for devotion.


The Lovely P’s sonnet for Blue Athena. Took a risk here and tried to write from the woman’s perspective. Tough work for a caveman, but she told me to leave it as it is, so I will.

Sonnet 32 - For the Lovely P

Bright mystery and soul-mate – you’re all of
life to me, my heart. Time beyond time I
dreamt you. So long alone, denied your love,
I will not lose a minute more. The sky

was the only home to such beauty in days
passed. Empyrean fortresses barred the
way to lesser men’s questing need - their pleas
fell on star-stuff and dark infinity.

Blessedly unheavened, my one answer
to every desire – temptress, goddess mine -
you hold me, hearten me, warmly whisper
that we are one. Sensuous, luscious, kind

and all of grace, you urge me ever on
to sweeter striving and greater passion.


“This was written at the request of a dear friend for his fiancée (the lovely P). She’d had a diving accident at 22 and ended up in a wheelchair. When she turned 30, they found each other and love found them. Love’s not blind – it just looks deeper for its own reflection. And it saw itself in these lovers’ eyes. A heartening, hopeful, happy story and only one of many such waiting to be written…”

Sonnet 31 - Center of Our Storm

The rain is falling gentler now, the wind
a mere whisper of its former voice. You
sleep softly, head in my lap, and remind
me that all my dearest dreams lie here, too.

Dressed only in your over-sized fuzzy
sweater, you are a wonder, a marvel
of beauty, shaped and molded just for me.
My hand glides down your side. I let it dwell

just a moment at your waist, then hover
and rest on your naked hip. Hours ago
the leading edge of a cloudburst swept over
our home. Lightning filled your eyes – you do so

love the thunder. Two souls, one writhing form,
we found peace in the center of our storm.

Sonnet 30 - Now To Sleep

I want to fall asleep beside you, but
only after too much naughty, sweaty
fun. I want to watch your eyes slowly shut
against night as you slip into dreams. We

seem to fit so naturally, so
right. I love your face in repose, your skin
all silky soft wonder. Your jaw line, not too
distinct, invites kisses and you begin

to giggle and writhe, then push me away,
only to pull me close to you again.
We snuggle down now and you brush the gray,
straight hair from my forehead, kiss me, and then

roll over to let me spoon you. So fine
to know the woman lying here is mine.

Sonnet 29 - One Word

I want only one word for beauty and
would need no more. Your face was fashioned so
that I could learn glory and grace. Your hand,
reaching out to me, says that I should know

more of you and all of sweet joy, as well.
Your smile sweeps through me, clean and clear and bright,
restores me. Do you recall how we fell,
how you unshuttered me, taught me delight?

Love is far too small a word for what I
feel from you, but it’s all my lips can speak.
I hunger for eloquence, wonder why
my tongue must be so poor. And so I seek

surer speech for beauty, joy and love. Who
would have known that my one true word was you?