AN OPEN WINDOW IN DECEMBER

A window was open even though it was December

There were two or three of people there
But I still only saw you
As I sat in silence
Tears rushed to my eyes and rolled down my cheeks
In my mind I threw my arms around you
And cried on your shoulder
At that moment I found what I needed
And since then I have never been the same.

Paolo Driussi

 KISSING IN THE DARK

You kiss my lips

But you're only kissing yourself

You, my love, are my hidden 

Secret soul.

Paolo Driussi

 

HOME

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A pot of milk slowly warming on the stove

Soft music by Sinatra from the radio

My warm cup of cocoa and fresh baked cookies

I treat myself lovingly in the solace of tranquility

Wrapped in my warm quilt blankets

 

Paolo Driussi.

 IN THE BADLY LIT BAR

In the badly lit bar

There’s a young man,

His back to the jukebox

Swaying to the sounds

Of the Rolling Stones

“The play is run, my love

Your time has come, my love”

He sings along

With great passion

As pool cues strike

Billiard balls

And beer gushes

Into chilled glasses

As the song ends

He walks back

To his seat alone.

In the badly lit bar.

Paolo Driussi.

 SMILE

Smile

Keep grinning

Despite feeling

Less than a fraction of joy.

Smile

Keep searching, intently,

For some sort of distraction.

Crawl into bed.

Stare at the ceiling and then.

Finally be consumed

By the dissatisfaction of

Feeling nothing.

Paolo Driussi

 SILENT IS THE RAIN

The moon rises over the horizon

The night is setting its long shadow

We close our eyes to bathe in its essence.

Paolo Driussi

RAIN 

You asked if id dance in the rain with you

I did.

I took a video 

Because my selfish heart 

Couldn’t let this moment

Be seen by just my eyes.

The rain let up.

We found the road.

I held your arm as I looked at the sky.

It was a grey black that was so surreal,

If not for the cold drops falling on my face.

Paolo Driussi

 

The slice of apple we shared

Your voice when you haven’t spoken in a while
Your hands on my hands

The slice of apple we shared,
Mouths yearning the same glistening thing
And the finger you used to trace my shoulders

Two slanting arrows pointing to the heart.

Paolo Driussi

 November’s falling leaves.

It’s charming to watch you step gingerly,

To avoid the leaves.

That crackle below your feet as you proceed.

Delightfully, you turn to smile back at me

As if to imply foolishness, but with glee,

In the vibrancy of November’s falling leaves.

Paolo Driussi

 Into The Cold Black Night

The fire warmth stays in the room,

And the burnt coal goes up the chimney,

Into the cold, black night.

No light in the living room,

Just, the fire in the fireplace

With it’s heat flowing to me

Keeping me warm this dark, autumn night.

Paolo Driussi

 Shorter Days

Gold fish swimming in the pond.                                                                                   

Shorter days and a pleasant chill, 

The lingering aromas’ of autumn

Glide through the air.

Paolo Driussi

 Venezia 2004 

L’elettricità nella spazzola, nelle mani, in un pacchetto di sigarette

fumato in poche ore, nelle pagine spiegazzate di un quotidiano. I capelli.

Non riuscivo a dargli un verso. L’e-mail se ne stava lì, muta, nel rifugio

del mio computer.

 At Last The Sun 

The storm raged still

But there was shelter

Every raindrop a tear,

A cry

Louder and louder

Until there was nothing else.

Then there

A tiny spot of hope

Yes, at last the sun

Peeking through the clouds.

Paolo Driussi

Rome, Spanish Steps.

 In the pouring  rain on a cold dank night,

Black umbrellas darted here, there;

Trench coats' drenched sleeves, hems,

Trousers and shoes soaked in the pour

A blood curdling scream was heard ten stoops away.

Someone hedged swiftly into the dreary night

Running stealthily 

Toward his planned goal.

 

The policemen came, sealed off the area,

Ambulance siren screeched to the rescue

But too late, the young  man

Had already gone.

 

A passersby was  saying:

"He wore a brown leather jacket and blue jeans,

Blood dripped from his right hand".

 

The policemen began to inspect the scene.

A white line was drawn around that young man's body.

Paolo Driussi. 

 

 Let's sing along

Are we having fun yet?

Truth is I think I could love you.

What do you think?

Are you trying to be funny?

What d'you mean you need money not love?

Turn the radio up, let's sing along

I like the way that your voice sounds

When you sing along with this song.

Paolo Driussi

 SEPTEMBER

It’s something about the soft play of sunlight dappling sweet poplar buds balsam and cedar mingled in the light breeze wafting through my window. September I feel you coming. Paolo Driussi

 La mer des passions

L’amour qui se cherche,

L’étincelle de mes nuits

Je me perds dans ces moments.

Un petit radeau dans ma peine

La douceur qui chavire

Je me laisse bercer

Sur la mer des passions.

Paolo Driussi

 Vieilles cartes postales

Ce ne sont que des cartes postales

D’autrefois

Qui font rêver.

Le long des roseaux, 

L'ombre de la lune,

Le soupir du ciel exalte.

Paolo Driussi.

 In my dreams

In my dreams you ask to kiss me

I say yes, sweet as sugar.

I wake up and still feel

The ghost of your lips on mine

Tonight I’ll beg anything 

To keep you off of my mind

I can’t keep loving you deeply

I don’t have enough in me

To keep from falling apart.

Paolo Driussi.

 In the pouring rain

Head to head.

Face to face.

The two mirrored each other.

He broke the symmetrical pattern

Stealing a kiss

Setting her world on fire.

Even though they stood

In the pouring rain.

Paolo Driussi

 

One by One

Now your games are just collecting dust,

As an adult you don't play anymore.

You're getting old and that ain't no fun.

Another revolution around the sun.

Another year gone and another year come.

One by one never know when they're done.

Paolo Driussi.

 

Unknown Lake

I walked slowly through the empty lanes.

I sat by the little lake

And I cooled down my hands in it

As if it would help.

And I wished to be the force

That ran through the tips

Of my fingers.

Paolo Driussi.

 Many Years Ago

She’s smiling again today at the slightest thing,

Like a teenager at a birthday party,

As we drive through the forest,

She seems eager to view the mountains.

She's full of superlatives, questions and wonder,

And I rejoice in her joy.

She celebrates her happiness,

But she looks like feeling sadness

About leaving this place.

Paolo Driussi. 

Saturday Night

All boats docked 

A guy sitting at the bank of the lake

A raven at the end of the pier

All watch together

Until the stars are all lit

A humid embrace

And a slow kiss goodnight.

Paolo Driussi

The morning after

Not ready to leave the memories,

Not quite ready to let the water slip across my skin

I'll let the silence bewitches me, 

Filled with the whispers of the latest snow

and a kiss that still melts inside of me.

Paolo Driussi

 

Spring Showers

 

Under the blue skies

Seeds shall live to sprout anew

And the sun will return

After each spring shower.

Paolo Driussi

In the silent night

In the silent night you come to me

I sense your shape lulled by the curve of the crescent moon

Entranced by the soft caress of the murmuring breeze

And bewitched by the surging sigh of the sea.

Paolo Driussi

 Sunny Day

Given a sunny day to do as I please,

I'd climb every tree,

I'd hide in the bushes to never be found.

I'd let the blue sky fill my eyes,

And I'd gaze at the sun until time ends.

Paolo Driussi

 Till Spring Comes

Magical mirrors of lakes to skate

While we are tasting snowflakes

On our tongues.

Wintertime keep our hearts warm

Till spring comes.

Paolo Driussi

Poplars

I walked out to a poplar wood
And I decided I would stay
The poplars sighed and gently swayed
I rested in their shade.

Paolo Driussi

 Clouds

I'm looking at clouds playing as they change shape

At times it seems they come into collision.

Clouds are filled with joy and riddles

Their beauty lies within purity.

Paolo Driussi 

 ALL AT SEA

When I arrived, dark blue was the color

At horizon's line,

Where water and atmosphere kiss.

Minute by minute color shifted.

And then the day's light slowly

Turned the sky to pale pink.

Darkness travelled quickly from

The east covering the sea,

Overtaking me,

While another day breathed its last.

Paolo Driussi