I sit, pen poised before a blank white canvas
My mindful muse now mixing words of hue
That I might paint some ageless mystic mantras
To conjure forth pure images of you;
So here a dab of light to crown your grace
And there a glint of brightness on your smile,
A splash of blush across that peerless face
And shadows soft to every soul beguile.
A touch of crimson moistens loving lips
The richest chestnut strengthens arching brow,
A grand collage to launch a thousand ships,
Sweet bowsprit set to best all beauty’s prow,
And so upon the palette of my mind
I blend by love what painted words enshrine.

© Loubert S Suddaby. All Rights Reserved.

Where beauty comes to light through praising eyes,
Assails the soul and leaves on poet’s breath,
Condensing yet into his quiet lines
To still shine on beyond a mortal death;
So may your murmured worth bide on in rhyme
To linger in the minds of those who read
And dream that once there was a place and time
That such a matchless beauty walked and breathed.
Of virtue you engrace, who dares to write
Where judgement of pure worth rides on a pen,
And to that challenge who bestows the right
That runes such proud legacies attend?
Would that the grace of God now guide this hand
That in blessed verse your memory ever stand.

© Loubert S Suddaby. All Rights Reserved.

You, quintessence of femininity —
Unabashed and unafraid, pure woman;
A beauty true which every eye may see,
So proud to be that gifted rib from heaven.
Soft to the eye and softer to the touch
Yet with an inner strength that bides in stead,
God manded mate no man could love too much,
Right complement of heart when two are wed.
You are the cradle of the human form
And by design do calm that mortal beast,
Give moral compass to the sinless born
And comfort so all suffering souls ‘til death.
Demure and meek, yet with a mighty power;
The pride of Eden captured in a flower.

© Loubert S Suddaby. All Rights Reserved.

So driven wild by your winsome form,
The devil’s hound bent on a scented run,
Raging in raw purpose, a bestial storm
There not to be denied ‘til prize was won.
Fearless, ferine, clear not by reason bound,
Courage purloined from some primeval past,
Logic undone tight spindle there unwound,
Web tangled twine but to the soul entrap.
Folly divine, dared not to be denied,
Malevolent madness mocking piety,
Desire unchained, no conscience to abide—
To have, to hold…to conquer utterly.
Then spent of passion, done, sweet glory gained;
Brief spate of pride, but now by guilt arraigned.

© Loubert S Suddaby. All Rights Reserved.

So close to life he lay, so close, still warm
His lids stretched wide, eyes bright as morning sun
Straw hair disheveled, begging for a comb;
Red mouth agape as if paused in a song.
Still he was dead, I knew, forever gone;
Dried crimson on his chest betrayed his fate,
A tattered nosegay pinned red rude in scorn,
Stained wilted joy that mocked sweet yesterday.
What must I tell his mother….he was brave,
Not that I heard him whimper in the night,
What should she treasure of the life he gave?
Not that he cried for home with failing sight.
What shameful sin, that patriotic lie —
That innocence yet for false honor, die.

© Loubert S Suddaby. All Rights Reserved.

Those precious tears that rise up from your eyes
Now let me know that I have been forgiven,
An hour ago my soul you did deride
Fair with the very right and weight of heaven;
I am not worthy for I have deceived,
Ranged far from heart and home and all I loved,
Not sure of even yet what I believed,
A prisoner by lust and pride enslaved.
But I have broken free those bonds, yes free;
Bashed through the sordid gates of living hell
So that once more your visage I might see
Before pronouncement by that surly bell.
My tears join yours, I touch that precious face
That through black venery I so disgraced.

© Loubert S Suddaby. All Rights Reserved.

So was her proof of virtue there not given
There on that marriage bed ‘neath eyes God,
Her eyes upturned toward absolving heaven
Full knowing she did lay a scarlet fraud.
No honor there could stain white linen sheets
Save tears that fell for breach of piety,
That crumpled white did fists of guilt there pleat,
While love was consecrated solemnly;
In act ordained, now she a licit wife
Dubbed pure in heart in deference to sworn faith,
Yet husband true did note the tears of strife
His visage shadowed in a smoky wraith.
But God stayed silent, she relaxed her grasp…
Praying that in time, he’d never ask.

© Loubert S Suddaby. All Rights Reserved.

Gold and vermillion here the colors run
Heralding retreat to whites and greys
Marking sad surrender of summer sun
Whose lowly flight does now the land dispraise;
Leaves blush, the world ablaze, sweet summer lost
And now great fortune burning up in flame,
That verdant wonder that did hills fair gloss
Now pyrrhic plunder doomed to fallen shame!
Here still that final charge though brief was grand,
Though gold and crimson spill upon the ground
As blood and treasure strewn on conquered land
Stain sore the heart of vanquished king discrowned.
So kingdoms rise, so shall they meet their end;
The glory of new life shall life defend.

© Loubert S Suddaby. All Rights Reserved.

My resting place shall ever be your heart
When mortal dust to dust does thence return,
Ensconced in bosom true, never apart,
Together yet we’ll walk upon the brome.
When you look out across a prairie grand
Or at rough ragged mountains purpled grey,
Boreal forests vast in proud command
Or golden fields mute temperate winds do sway;
There you will see me, face to burning sun
Or softly melting into stands of trees,
Near lofty summit, victory nearly won—
Or wandering foothills like some errant breeze.
Your quickened breast will tell you I am near,
And we together have but god to fear.

© Loubert S Suddaby. All Rights Reserved.