My old friend Fall dropped by today -
came knocking at my door early morning -
at first I was afraid -
thought maybe winter had come early -
but then as I opened the door
and the brightly colored leaves came blowin' in -
He whooshed through the door - "Just Me!" -
"A little cool today, but just me . . ."

I invited him in to chat but I wandered -
couldn't help thinking of where  Summer had gone -
or as far as that goes, the child called Spring -
seemed just an hour or so ago it had been raining -
washing the coldness of winter overstay to the depths -
cardinals and finches had chattered about my bushes
and I had just watched the first tulip's head poke through -
Fall is beautiful tho - painted leaves and little whirly winds . . .

I turned back to the conversation of ours
and found that Fall had grown old while chatting -
hoare frost covered his once colorful mane
and his hands were trembling with the last chill -
I hurried off to fetch the brandy and upon return he was gone -
and there whistling under the door came tiny white flakes
that grew tall as the sun shrank through the crossed panes-
I finished the brandy and opened the door to welcome winter . . . . .

w.g.maass
1977/copyright 1981

I heard you cry so softly
From a thousand miles away
And yet I was there
To wipe your tears away
To brush the hair from your face
To hold you in my arms
To fill you with my charms
From a thousand miles away

As you lay upon my chest
You put me to the test
Would it be honor or love
I asked the stars above
As I tenderly stroked your hair
And gently smoothed away your despair
As lovers often do
As you lay upon my chest

And then there came the dawn
I turned and you were gone
And yet your pillow held your tears
From all the forgotten years
For the things that slipped through our hands
For the broken wedding bands
I could not hold you close
For then there came the dawn

Had it ever come to pass?
Or was it just a dream?
My heart told me you were here
And on my shoulder lay your tear
I felt you so close to me
We had the night just for us to be
And yet I have to ask
Did it ever come to pass?

WGM 8/10/01

It’s March and raining – 
I miss the sun,
the sun That touched my mother’s forehead
That kissed my lover’s smile
That warms my own cold grave
That calls to me still
I miss the light . . .

Spring will be here soon –
This I know,
this I pray for
To see rainbows dance in the sky
To hear Phoebes in the woods
To watch the rebirth of life
To hold my darling and a flower
This I pray for . . .

Dreams like unicorns –
All lie in yesterday
If you catch one it’s yours
If you can hold one it’s real
If you can watch it grow,
it is beauty If it is,
it is life itself
All in a sea of ifs . . .

My tears of silver fall –
To precious to be shed
For memories I do not cherish
For dreams I cannot see
For loves lost but never touched
For poems sung but never written
Still they come tumbling down . . .
Phantom of the cold night –

Phantom of your dreams
Phantom at your side
Feel me next to you my child?
Passing through you
As the wind through the wheat
As darkness covers light . . .

I am but a ghost who walks –
Living in the shadows of yesterday
A man without dreams
A man without a cause
A man out of his time
A man with no love to hold
A ghost who walks – 
I miss the sun . . . . .

 Wgm 3/78 The Phantom

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