A gentle and kind love. Did not find us. And a beautiful Janiva Magness song.

A gentle and kind love. Did not find us.

(First new poem in a long time.)

Once upon a time I adored a ginger hair beauty with eyes of hazel and

a voice so sweet. She could steal my heart with every word she spoke to me.

She was so young and I was so old in my mind. She made me remember the kisses could be sweet

and how lonely I was.

She came to me on a cold Winter night and she wanted me to hold her tightly deeply into the night.

I told her often. She was a warm beautiful Spring Day and I was a Winter spirit now.

She laughed at my words and she told me. Love is cool, love is nice and love can be heavy.

I need someone to make me smile and they understand. We don’t need love.

We need whiskey and sin. We need a safe place to rest.

I wrote on her bare back and legs, poetry.

” A gentle and kind love, we did not find.

Pretty words, pretty face, we were.

Few words we are.

We find each other in the 2 am hours and

we never speak of love.

We demand to know the ambrosia of body against body and

we want and need more.”

I told her often. Dear Jennifer. You will break my heart,

I have no safety net.

She would kiss me. She would tell me.

Johnnie, Johnnie. Me and you, we love the whiskey, we love the sin.

Love will never bless us.

On a warm Spring Day, my ginger hair girl left me for the last time.

Leaving lost clothing in dark corners and me.

Wishing for one more 2 am dance and more kisses.

40 years later. I still remember her.

She became a pretty memory and a poet’s wish.

Now I sing with Janiva Magness.

You were never mind.

John