Milk and Honey Rhapsody

A novella that melds into poetry. About true love

I

Being with you

            Milk and honey rhapsody

Demystify infatuation with you

Then enters love

And by you

            I am mystified again

Mature as art

Like fine wine

Without love,

We:

            Aged vinegar

Flavors arise regardless

Via time

Disrupt the onslaught of self destruction

            And choose, daily, to grow young together

We grow and welcome this third entity

            This love

Binding us

How about that endeavor

            To decipher the language

            To study the art, to

Become the connoisseur

Squander one’s self when

            Giving to the emergent

 

II

Emergent tremors betray

            Leading to quakes that decimate

Is not what you seek in the 2^nd

            What you sought in the 1^st?

Parting from this life together

            Without you

            Then my being would be departed

Your softest safest spot invaded

            Into your heart

The endeavor devoured me,

            Consuming my all

            Assimilating into your all

 

For true love is between two

To split is to divide that love

Unrequited delusion

I have been deconstructed

            Now redefined

You gave me heart

            I was intoxicated with purpose

Now not detecting much flavor,

            Merely maintaining in this era of neglect

Am I my own single admirer, nurturing my wounds

No consultation to the third entity

My question turns me rhetorical

Answering self, soliloquy

“Seek another?”

 

III

I hold you as you weep

With your sorrow

Your tears roll down my cheek

Your tears become my tears

The opposite of love

Is the guise of love

What is the purpose of the wayward glance?

A quick read, for what information?

Instinct over intent

Something other than you

Driving you

Body facing me

Face turned aside

Effort doubtless partner- appreciation, love, and care

You may like flowers, but have mercy

Your starving garden

You December like frost

End this wicked season

The flowers produced

From that entity created between us

The communication, the connection spills

Confusion sets

Why can she no longer see?

Show her sight again

 

IV

On hypocritical loins

One leaps to another anybody

All the while expending that effort

That investment squandered

Can never have that dirty laundry laundered

Every action leaves an indelible mark

Be it pure or stain

Must we reconvene in our minds and remind our eyes?

Expose its farce:

“Once lost, forever lost”

Not to reconvene, but to convene again and again

Anew and always anew

In those first days, when mystery marked our ways

Unfamiliar to one another’s days

And so there was that union

That crept in our hearts

Out of our eager eyes

Slept in our bellies

Life is hard, love softens

Love hardens when mismanaged

Through self preservation

I connect with her eyes

Then I approach the rest of her being

We take this recognition of each other and cradle it

Considering the great struggle

Coming home from battle

So comforting to return to the sole duty of rest

At home to the arms

Invited by the heart

Binding self to obligation frees me

I am fidelity

            I have faith in us

Every pearl has its price

            What ransom more worth while?

 

V

Physical love is accounted through acquisition

Amalgamation accounts for the spiritual

So to love in this world

We acquire through coming together

Both giving of self

As love has restored us as nebula stars,

Our obligation-

To restore the light when it wanes

Restorative, ever new

Awake in this

Glorious morning

Patiently your passion grows

Energized into the art

And it draws your love closer

More than glittery and glistening, she is luminous

There is a physical manifestation of our third entity

Our love, our life

Replete, let our brackish spirits rise

Through our time together

Your name changes with me

First “enigma, desire”

Eventually “destiny”

And through so many more “Lover”

All these and more

By the day

This final chapter

Is the first of ours

In the break of every day

Turn toward your touch

            Sprinkle petals without thought much

The rapturous fortune

Let us be the everlasting cadre of love

I pledge all this forever and

Ever Afterglow

Reviews

[Khloevhr]

Wow! This careful study of a relationship,... of love is eye opening. The kind that not only wipes away your sleep as you arise,... but also the kind that cannot see straight. Blurred at times, Blind at times, Tearful, Red with hurt and betrayal. Eyes Rolled, sideways and back again. I thoughtfully pondered and enjoyed this poem. I know this is a poem I would definitely want to experience again. A known love revisited is sometimes worth the try. Especially, when the heartache is not just there when apart but aches just as more with every feeling, every carefully crafted thought in hopes of reunion, and is just ever so more devoted upon return. I hope to experience this someday.

[Khloevhr]

I forgot to address that I like how this is a Novella that melds in to Poetry. And most importantly, the Smile and Laugh lines at the outer corner of the eyes are a tell tale sign of Truest Love.

[Brad Dehler]

That is really sweet of you to say Khloevhr. Your name here is a combo of clever and lover? Thank you for the compliments! Something you would want to experience again, that is very nice of you to say and at the same time as it builds- leaves you with a sense of what for which to Hope. Many many thanks

[Khloevhr]

Oh wow, interesting view on my Pen Name. I like that better than the fact it was me trying find a nickname when I was dating a guy in a motorcycle riding club over 12 years ago. It's the name of one of my mom's dogs... Clover. The "the Nickname" never stuck. That's why it's best for others to come up with it. Like my Dance Name: XENA, Warrior Princess. Given by a friend from a legit dance crew that I "practiced" with. I am always up for a battle even though I can be defeat. I usually set out with a Battle Cry for anyone to dance with/at/or against me. Anyways, I like the origin story you made for Khloevhr better! I also intended to write under my other pen name here: Khammuh Elle AKA ,... That will be reserved for my attempts at spitting bars lol. I used to be in a Facebook Group for Rap Battles. But anyways: my creativity has manifested itself once again. So, I am back. I also plan to embed some of my poetry and RAPS?!,... on SoudCloud links. I just have to work on my voice; I sound 1/5 of my age lol. Sorry again long comment. but Anyways,... Clever and Lover! Amazing read of my name and style!

[FlatDaddy]

Brad, after the very nice review you gave me for,"I Saw a Lady Cry Today," I felt I owed you a few words. I chose this piece at random (but will return for more); however, I must confess I feel like I unexpectedly wandered into the deep water while trying simply to wet my toes. I don't know if you have read any more of my work, but if you have (or not), you know (or would/will?) that I write with an ax compared to the well-trained pen you employ with such grace and aplomb. While you write with a well educated mind and heart, I merely wandered in off the street and began pontificating with the bellicose attitude of a street performer and child of the stage that I am. I bow to you, oh Mighty PooBah, purveyor of words crafted for a poet's desert table.

This piece is quite delicious, is what I mean to say, and I feel unable to comment more when so many others who have left their wisdoms have said all that I could possibly say and more, and I read most of them just to get a better understanding of this piece. Yes, yes, "poetry can mean different things to each reader." Well, that is true only to a small degree, but when someone "deciphers" one of my pieces in a way that is 180 degrees from what I meant, it just pisses me off -- both at them (for being so obtuse) and myself (for being so obtuse). By the way, so far, you are the only "reviewer" who knew who The Lady was in my poem, and I thank you for that. See? I am deeply obtuse. Well, this has gone much longer than I intended -- but it was a damned long poem, Brad. I will read more of your work, because I liked this one; however, if they are always this long, I'll need to make sure I have plenty of coffee. Nice work.

[Brad Dehler]

Wow sir. FlatDaddy. I am so heartened by your thoughtful and edifying comments here. For one- You absolutely have an excellent style, though different than I, that belongs on the stage. I quite enjoy having so many different ways of writing (and reading). I now feel like I am ranting on and on... I am humbled by your incredibly gracious feedback. Thank you for reading my longest published poem. It was originally going to be a novella but trying to convert it into that genre stalled it and I took it as a sign to conduct it naturally. Cheers good sir. I am really grateful for your review here, thank you, thank you, bless you.

[FlatDaddy]

Wow sir, yourself. Frankly, I am blushing now, nonplussed by your comments about MY comments. I am amused, too, by your remark that my style "belongs on the stage." I spent many, many years on the stage, sir, in theater and music, followed by Poetry Slams and readings. So you see why I got a chuckle from that. :)

[Brad Dehler]

lol very well! I could see that being very entertaining!

[Lisma]

I've read them all, but I keep coming back for this one.
There is beauty in pain. The light can only truly shine when there is darkness and sometimes, we need the tears to wash away the things that clouds our visions. We need to fall so that we can learn to stand up. Thank you for your words.

[Brad Dehler]

Thank you for reading them all! I need to add more for you. So true. And you are most welcome!

[Writergurl]

Wow! This is very good. I liked this write a lot.
I find it kind of uplifting too. Beautiful write.

[Brad Dehler]

Thank you so much Destiny!

[Fabian G. Franklin]

Bloody fabulous says I! The descriptive prowess of your pen shines in this and I feel the truth between your lines. I can tell the verse is born of experience and life and those are always mortal attributes worth studying. Different lives and different experiences allow the reader and the writer in us to grow. Love is such an inspiration worth visiting. I enjoyed this.

[Brad Dehler]

Thank you sir. I am humbled by your beautiful words. So appreciated. I will re-read your review again and again. You are inspirational

[W. Barrett Munn]

The final 9 lines are the ones I like best. I think it is a stirring conclusion.

Winston

[Brad Dehler]

Much appreciated Winston. It is a building poem, as is our love life as it depicts... I like your commendation for the "stirring conclusion". Made my day sir

[Bhuyanshi Talukdar]

Your poem is a beautiful tribute to the power of love and the beauty of a life shared together. The use of vivid imagery and sensory details is particularly effective, with the "brackish spirits" rising and the "petals" being sprinkled creating a vivid and immersive experience for the reader. The idea of love as a transformative force is emphasized throughout, with the speaker finding new meaning and purpose in their life through their relationship with their partner. The final lines of the poem are particularly poignant, with the speaker pledging their love and commitment to their partner forever. Overall, your poem is a beautiful and uplifting tribute to the power of love and the human experience. Well done!

[Brad Dehler]

Thank you so much BT. It was written from the heart and I feel you feel it. Thank you for this glowing review. Much appreciated!

[Dave Brown]

I appreciate your friend request but from what I read, your offerings are considerably more polished and sophisticated than anything I have to offer which makes it difficult for me to appreciate or comment on your efforts.

[Brad Dehler]

Thank you sir for this compliment. I hope you have a great weekend and keep up the good fight.

[Perdition]

Can't help but think about Neruda and what he might say about the aspect of love in this poem. Novella yes but love falls and pours onto the page and gallops over metaphors and senseless frustrations but not reasoning unless it is the loss of reasoning. It dances to its cause with blood in its teeth. I believe you're after something deeper in the explanation and some lines here are just simply incredible but overall this is one that needs time, wine, deciphering, and commitment to try and find the higher understanding (which is also a love), and the one thing that I was looking for which was the passion. I will give it more reads and as I said, some truly wonderful lines in this one. I'd just hate to see them lost in the overall structure and deciphering or perhaps analyzing what cannot be analyzed. Now, where is that wine :) Thanks for sharing it!

[Brad Dehler]

Really appreciate your thoughts on this. By all means, yes please re-read and I would love to hear more from you about the context.