Alex has been a photographer since he was in grade school. He thoroughly enjoys various arts, and he participates in some of them at times.

In the valley of tears,

rivers have turned to brooks.

The tears of the gods were necessary,

in order to make the body houses of consciousness. *

Inside of the void,

the darkness has begun to dry up.

The dark places were indeed very needed,

in order to display the radiance of the good light.

In the halls of reality,

the angels cry and weep and moan.

A saint should hold the angel and keep her tears,

perhaps and just maybe her tears will be needed to create something greater.

On the stairs of memory,

those tears already shed cannot be.

For only the living can ever be alive,

outside of the realms of the real moment what is there for me?

The difference between the child and the man is simple.

One screams and one remembers years of screaming.

A woman is a girl with the assistance of addition.

There is an incredibly complicated equation,

and it cannot be completely solved so long as growth grows.

I will hold you with my words,

so long as you hold me with your warm breath.

My heartbeat is jagged,

and your teeth are sharp.

All I want is that want goes on,

and all you want is likewise.

Even if you don't remember,

we are a leaf and a flower.

The world is the tree,

reaching forever the heights of the mountain.

There is unity like "la ilah ha ilallah".

The taste of the lips don't taste like candy,

they taste like the fruits of the earth.

The earth is not clean and spotless,

but her fruits are necessary for our every breath.

My body would be dead without his roots within her depths.

Your sweat and warmth is my Nibana.

Please permit me to rest under your bodhi tree.

Joseph Smith and Jesus needed pain to fulfill the love of all goodness.

Thus all tears are but generous gifts for the dry and thirsty earth.

My words are sweet foods offered before the alter of the Father of my soul.

I can only hope that the smell entices Him enough to eat of it and pass it to Her.

* Clay needs to be wet before it can be easily shaped by the hands of the potter.

© 2018 Alexander James Guckenberger

Patience Kosko on December 28, 2019:

I very much connect and enjoy your writings

Alexander James Guckenberger (author) from Maryland, United States of America on December 01, 2018:

Thank you for your thoughts Mark. :)

Mark Tulin from Santa Barbara, California on December 01, 2018:

You can’t have love without the pain, I guess. Indeed, sad. Mark

Alexander James Guckenberger (author) from Maryland, United States of America on November 16, 2018:

Thank you so very much.

Nithya Venkat from Dubai on November 16, 2018:

Beautifully expressed, great poem. Lovely photos.

Alexander James Guckenberger (author) from Maryland, United States of America on October 19, 2018:

Flourish, I am glad that I could communicate something from my wordless self.

Alexander James Guckenberger (author) from Maryland, United States of America on October 19, 2018:

Lora, thank you. I love photography. ^_^

Lora Hollings on October 19, 2018:

Interesting poem with some lovely phrasing and striking imagery. Your photos make a wonderful complement to your poem.

FlourishAnyway from USA on October 19, 2018:

Several parts of your poem really spoke to me, and your photos are simply stunning.

Alexander James Guckenberger (author) from Maryland, United States of America on October 08, 2018:

Thanks John. :)

John Hansen from Queensland Australia on October 08, 2018:

Good poem and wonderful accompanying photos. Well done, Alexander.