Nightscape

All cities twinkle like each other, but
Go down into the streets and they will seem
As different as a famine and a glut:
Some cities glisten like a dewlit dream
At every level; some expose a seam
Dank and festering beneath the skin;
Some float upon their worser parts like cream;
Some dive into the steamy depths of sin;
And some, unlike their cousins, welcome in
The poor, the rich, the every kind of man,
Combine what ought to make a dreadful din
And make a melody worthy of Pan.
In these the twinkle truly glistens in the dark
Both natural: the black fuel and the spark.

Bread

Preach thou thy word, and I will not convert
And yet respect each syllable you say
Nor try to make thee other than thou wert
Nor from the listening attempt to stray.
The certainty that sends thee on thy way
And brings thee comfort in the days ahead
I would not for the wide world take away
Though I in that direction am not led.
And when, in our near future, I thee wed,
Be sure I will not follow down that road
Yet neither shall I preach to thee instead
Or try to tempt thee from thy heartfelt code.
Rather, as I do now, I shall prize
Thy firm belief, because in thee it lies.

A Building

There always could be somewhere else, I guess;
Another place, or even this post-change
But still I fear you never could arrange
To make me feel at home there. You could bless
Another house, and import my whole mess,
Taking careful care to disarrange
Each piece of paper; still it would estrange
Me from myself despite your artfulness
For in this place I have accumulated
Such memories, and such a sense of home
That nothing can replace them 'til I build
Brick by mental brick another, weighted
With inner meaning, like a palindrome
Mirroring the sense with which it's filled.

Positivity

Do not imagine anything but good
For in imagination only lies
The possibility of might and would
Which falsely claims to deeply sympathize
And whispers fondly 'you must realize
You cannot do it, and your hopes are vain;
You and I both know this; we are wise;
We know you, and we know the dismal strain
You put upon yourself; let your hopes wane,
Not hoping is the safest, surest way
To minimize future potential pain;
Doubt like us; it's hopeless anyway."
But doubt is self-fulfilling. Be secure:
You're better than your doubts whispered you were.