Suggested by Sol's JE.

Truth and Bone

Sometimes I can feel you breathing into me.
And these hands I can feel them tugging at my sleeve,
I move through the day in the rhythm that I've known.
I've got this crazy dream of stripping down to truth and bone.

All of it, all of it, all of it stripped down.
All of it, all of it, all of it, to truth and bone.

My mouth is full of secrets I'm too afraid to tell.
My body's full of longing for you to know me well.
I move through the day in the rhythms that I've known.
I've got this crazy dream of stripping down to truth and bone.

All of it, all of it, all of it stripped down.
All of it, all of it, all of it, to truth and bone.

I think of sinking in way over my shoulders, let the water, the water take me in and I need you to cut through to where I'm hidden, I'm awkward and I'm too polite and I want two stars for arms like orion I could breathe in and breathe in and breathe out.
If I could only lose myself
I would lose myself in you,
I move trough the day in the rhythms that I've known.
I've got this crazy dream of stripping down to truth and bone.

All of it, all of it, all of it stripped down.
All of it, all of it, all of it, to truth and bone.

--Heather Nova; Copyright ©2003 Saltwater Ltd.

Beloved:

When you feel all alone
And the world has turned it's back on you
Give me a moment please to tame your wild wild heart
I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you
It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold
When darkness is upon your door and you feel like you can't take anymore

Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone

When you feel all alone
And a loyal friend is hard to find
You're caught in a one way street
With the monsters in your head
When hopes and dreams are far away and
You feel like you can't face they day

Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone

Because there has always been heartache and pain
And when it's over you'll breathe again
You'll breath again

When you feel all alone
And the world has turned its back on you
Give me a moment please
To tame your wild wild heart

Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone

--Savage Garden, Crash and Burn

From realm of the savage to the secret, Secret Garden's Hymn to Hope was thrown up by Winamp's randomizer just a few minutes ago. There is light after the darkness, beloved. I will be here for you.

I gave you true desire
I gave you eyes to see
I gave you wings of fire
So you could choose to fly with me

I gave your heart a passion
I gave your life a theme
I gave you all the actions
So won't you come and dance with me

Until the world has stopped revolving
Until the birds have left the trees
Until the winds have stopped from blowing
You'll be loved by me

Until the rainbows stop from shining
Until the fish don't swim the seas
Until the stars have stopped colliding
You'll be loved by me

I'll be the wind in summer
I'll be the sun in spring
I'll be the fire in winter
Cause I can be your everything
Cause I can be your everything

Until the world has stopped revolving
Until the birds have left the trees
Until the winds have stopped from blowing
You'll be loved by me

Take my hand - be who you are
I'll be your fire - just show me the spark
Until the world has stopped revolving
Until the world has stopped revolving
Until the winds have stopped from blowing

Until the world has stopped revolving...

Until the world has stopped revolving...

-- Dieter Barr, Peter Meyer, Andre Kunz and M. Hatwood; performed by ATC (A Touch of Class)

The words ring true to me, beloved. Until the world has stopped revolving... You'll be loved by me.

Reaching out
Across the dark
The depth of night
A searching heart.

Touching soft
Seeking its like
In dark of night
A questing heart.

Resting now
In warmth of night
In hope for dawn
A loving heart.

There's a place in the world for a gambler
There's a burden that only he can bear
There's a place in the world for a gambler
And he sees...oh, yes he sees...
And he sees...oh, yes he sees...

There's a song in the heart of a woman
That only the truest of loves can release
There's a song in the heart of a woman
Set it free...oh, set it free
Set it free...oh, set it free
Set it free...oh, set it free

There's a light in the depths of your darkness
There's a calm at the eye of every storm
There's a light in the depths of your darkness
Let it shine...oh, let it shine
Let it shine...oh, let it shine
Let it shine...oh, let it shine
Let it shine

-- Dan Fogelberg

You have made me so much more than I was. From the bottom of my heart... Thank you.

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up... To more than I can be.

--Brendan Graham and Rolf Lovland

All my love to you, Koria.

Beloved:

When I'm less than I should be
And I just can't face the day
When darkness falls around me
And I just can't find my way
When my eyes don't clearly see
And I stumble through it all
You I lean upon, you keep me strong
And you rise me when I fall

You are there when I most need you
You are there so constantly
You come shining through, you always do
You are always there for me

When life brings me to my knees
When my back's against the wall
You are standing there right with me
Just to keep me standing tall
Though a burden I may be
You don't weary, you don't rest
You are reaching out to carry me
And I know I'm heaven-blessed

There when I most need you
There so constantly
You come shining through, you always do
You are always there for me

There when I most need you
There so constantly
You come shining through, you always do
You are always there for me

--Secret Garden, from Earthsongs (lyrics by Brendan Graham)

I will be there for you.

...to have you at my side.

Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough,
A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse -- and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness --
And Wilderness is Paradise enow.

--The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (transl. by Edward FitzGerald)

Here I love you.
In the dark pines the wind disentangles itself.
The moon glows like phosphorous on the vagrant waters.
Days, all one kind, go chasing each other.

The snow unfurls in dancing figures.
A silver gull slips down from the west.
Sometimes a sail. High, high stars.

Oh the black cross of a ship.
Alone.
Sometimes I get up early and even my soul is wet.
Far away the sea sounds and resounds.
This is a port.
Here I love you.
Here I love you and the horizon hides you in vain.
I love you still among these cold things.
Sometimes my kisses go on those heavy vessels
that cross the sea towards no arrival.
I see myself forgotten like those old anchors.
The piers sadden when the afternoon moors there.
My life grows tired, hungry to no purpose.
I love what I do not have. You are so far.
My loathing wrestles with the slow twilights.
But night comes and starts to sing to me.

The moon turns its clockwork dream.
The biggest stars look at me with your eyes.
And as I love you, the pines in the wind
want to sing your name with their leaves of wire.

-- Pablo Neruda

I thought once how Theocritus had sung
Of the sweet years, the dear and wished-for years,
Who each one in a gracious hand appears
To bear a gift for mortals, old or young:
And, as I mused it in his antique tongue,
I saw, in gradual vision through my tears,
The sweet, sad years, the melancholy years,
Those of my own life, who by turns had flung
A shadow across me. Straightway I was 'ware,
So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move
Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair;
And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ---
'Guess now who holds thee?' --- 'Death,' I said.

But, there

The silver answer rang, --- 'Not Death, but Love.'

--Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Baby I've been searching like everybody else
Can't say nothing different about myself
Sometimes I'm an angel
And sometimes I'm cruel
And when it comes to love
I'm just another fool
Yes, I'll climb a mountain
I'm gonna swim the sea
There ain't no act of God girl
Could keep you safe from me
My arms are reaching out
Out across this canyon
I'm asking you to be my true companion
True companion
True companion

So don't you dare and try to walk away
I've got my heart set on our wedding day
I've got this vision of a girl in white
Made my decision that it's you allright
And when I take your hand
I'll watch my heart set sail
I'll take my trembling fingers
And I'll lift up your veil
Then I'll take you home
And with wild abandon
Make love to you just like a true companion
You are my true companion
I got a true companion
True companion

When the years have done irreparable harm
I can see us walking slowly arm in arm
Just like the couple on the corner do
'Cause girl I will always be in love with you
And when I look in your eyes
I'll still see that spark
Until the shadows fall
Until the room grows dark
Then when I leave this Earth
I'll be with the angels standin'
I'll be out there waiting for my true companion
Just for my true companion
True companion
True companion

-- Marc Cohn

Greetings.

Background. I was the cause of this journal entry. I was as surprised as she was at what happened. The pain in her words wrenched my heart. But speaking for myself, the gift that she has given me is priceless and joyful beyond measure.

It has been a strange and wonderful summer. I do not know what the future will bring. What I know now is that I love Koria with all of my heart and soul.