Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
I light the fire to dance so high
Arms open and stretched out wide
Voice raised to the barren sky
For my beliefs I would gladly die

Bittersweet sounds on the blowing wind
Messages someone wanted to send
My thoughts always drift away in time
Perfect harmony for the soundless rhyme

Swimming in the clouds of thick smoke
I wear it close, like an embracing cloak
Calling out to the darkness for reason
Give me hope, a sign, a bright beacon

The feel, the taste, of Summer's last kiss
Sits on my tongue in sweet, Heavenly bliss
The promise of Winter and longer days
Follow on the footsteps of an Autumn haze

Rain washes over the earth and cool air
A cleansing of my soul has left me bare
I will lay down this eve on deep green
Sleeping under stars that were made for dreams.


- - -
Stacy Maddox lives, dreams, tends her gardens and writes in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS. Indulging her time in the outdoors, connecting with nature, walking the Kansas River trails and discovering new writing and photo opportunities, is one of her greatest pleasures in life. Stacy has been published in over 25 books, print and online magazines and websites. She has been passionate about Literature and Visual Art for over 30 years.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
This August summer's eve closed
Quickly sinking to the West
With the slanted shades swinging
In a blast of turbulent vent air
Sun peeking through the holes
Casting light shapes on the walls
Like dancing fireflies in night

Outside a whitewashed window
Dry cornfields wait for harvesting
Dust runs in circles over rock
Jumping and swirling, twisting
Like small tornadoes in a storm
Leaving behind lazy, buzzing locusts
To call to the Moon's beams.


- - -
Stacy Maddox is a varied hobbyist & artist, living in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS USA. She loves to soak up the sun by the river and feel the water rush over her feet while spending time with her family and friends. Stacy has been published in over 20 books, print magazines and websites.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
Steal the sheer, tempted quick breaths
From these offered, longing, crimson lips
Tantalize deep, dark coveted corners
Hoping for a sweet and salty taste

Savor slowly, ripe, flushed silhouettes
Linger, caress, shamelessly explore
Kindling that glittering, lucid flame
Shimmering in its full, intense desires

Create embracing ecstasy, secluded paradise
With that blessed, first flourishing kiss
Set fire to this tempestuous, lonely being
Ready to arise, phoenix-like, and waken anew

Claim this euphoric, arousing, stimulating dream
For a few captivating, suspended moments
Surrender an incited, fervent, wandering soul
To a consuming burning passion, forever untamed.


- - -
Stacy Maddox lives, dreams, tends her gardens and writes in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS. Indulging her time in the outdoors, connecting with nature, walking the Kansas River trails and discovering new writing and photo opportunities, is one of her greatest pleasures in life. Stacy has been published in over 25 books, print and online magazines and websites. She has been passionate about Literature and Visual Art for over 30 years.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
Stay, give me one more loving night
Just hold me close, til morning light
Whisper your secrets, kiss my wanting lips
Let us sail away on colossal ships

Leave the shores behind, we'll fly by
Over waters deep and star-punched sky
The sun won't break through, unless we've seen
Beauty inside the dream of a dream

We'll taste the sweet nectar in the air
Delighting of a fragrance we both share
Tangled in the moonbeams, silver streams
Raining down by uncharted means

Feel the sounds immortals will roar
When through their heavens our bodies soar
Souls entwined on golden wings of lore
Glorious visions never known before

We can ignite the all-consuming blaze
Radiant illuminations and fantastic displays
Leaving behind a memory meant to amaze
Give me one more loving night, stay.


- - -
Stacy Maddox lives, dreams, tends her gardens and writes in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS. Indulging her time in the outdoors, connecting with nature, walking the Kansas River trails and discovering new writing and photo opportunities, is one of her greatest pleasures in life. Stacy has been published in over 25 books, print and online magazines and websites. She has been passionate about Literature and Visual Art for over 30 years.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
Oh, captain of my heart
You have captured my love
Sailing on your bountiful sea
How I long to see you again

I adore you my handsome man
With your soft blue eyes
And sweet, sincere smile
You are the maker of my dreams

I have waited here for you
Standing on this lonely shore
Listening for your sailor's song
Always to come back to me

Gold and silver you bring as gifts
After your endless weeks away
A kiss or two upon your return
Until you venture out on your ship once more.


- - -
Stacy Maddox lives, dreams, tends her gardens and writes in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS. Indulging her time in the outdoors, connecting with nature, walking the Kansas River trails and discovering new writing and photo opportunities, is one of her greatest pleasures in life. Stacy has been published in over 25 books, print and online magazines and websites. She has been passionate about Literature and Visual Art for over 30 years.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
Thought I could honestly say
I was over you
But my lips cannot suppress
A whisper of your name
From passing through

Memories flood every crack
Of my broken heart
Loneliness creeps around
In the quiet moments
There is no escaping its depths

You will never know
What it meant to love you
Now I'm falling apart inside
Because losing my dreams
Is the hardest part of all

Silence darkens the doorway
At last, I have seen the truth
So I turn my eyes away
From the day you never came back
Leaving too many things unsaid.


- - -
Stacy Maddox lives, dreams, tends her gardens and writes in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS. Indulging her time in the outdoors, connecting with nature, walking the Kansas River trails and discovering new writing and photo opportunities, is one of her greatest pleasures in life. Stacy has been published in over 25 books, print and online magazines and websites. She has been passionate about Literature and Visual Art for over 30 years.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
In the quiet moments
Buried in the depths of darkness
You are right there beside me
Surrounding my every sense
Whispering your truths from lover's lips

My soul is at peace with yours
Reassured of the promises made
From the man who cradles this heart
Never to let it slip away and break
I have needed you for so long

You speak my very name
It is the sweetest sound
Of love I have ever known
A fire burning so brightly
The beacon to call home

One with you, in harmony
Feeling your presence on the wind
Taking me higher and higher
I close my eyes and I am there
Wrapped inside your golden wings

You are all that I know
Taking me to those places
That only dreamers have seen
A song playing low and slow
Collected in the memories of our story

In the quiet moments...


- - -
Stacy Maddox lives, dreams, tends her gardens and writes in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS, USA. Indulging her time in the outdoors, connecting with nature, walking the Kansas River trails and discovering new photo opportunities, is one of her greatest pleasures in life. Stacy has been published in over 25 books, print and online magazines and websites.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
Please be mine and set me free
Let truth fall, from whispering lips
Unveil the way you covet solely me
In a caress of longing fingertips

Keep me close with the awakening of dawn
Murmur dark secrets, kiss me with fire
Weaken my senses, until I am gone
Tantalize my needs with every ounce of desire

Blazon my dewy skin with a slow hand
Leave a burning trail where bliss explores
Your pleasure is only my greatest demand
Falling as a feather, suspended over the floor

Tempt me over and over, from my liquid dreams
Tangled in white linen and gossamer pillowslip
Dancing languidly between slanted moonbeams
Quivering breathlessly where passions drip

Seduce me...


- - -
Stacy Maddox is a varied hobbyist and artist, living in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS USA. She loves to soak up the sun by the river and feel the water rush over her feet while spending time with her family and friends. Stacy has been published in over 20 books, print magazines and websites.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
A hundred, even a thousand years
Would never be long enough
To be in love with you
And to look into the bluest eyes
That possess your radiant soul

Resting in the circle of your arms
Listening to your steady heartbeat
I am touched by the very essence
Of a past and future
I did not know could exist

Loneliness no longer creeps around
Stealing the hours at midnight
And holding my heart prisoner
Whispering secrets that bring no light
With the new threads of dawn

It has always been, only you
That I have waited a lifetime to discover
To hold, to touch, to feel, to know
And to need, with a passion unexpected
My lover, my friend, my forevermore.


- - -
Stacy Maddox is a varied hobbyist and artist, living in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS USA. She loves to soak up the sun by the river and feel the water rush over her feet while spending time with her family and friends. Stacy has been published in over 20 books, print magazines and websites.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
You asked if I had seen the pain
To your brave and troubled past
The hungry need in your eyes
Truth revealed at last

My heart cries out
Your broken soul bleeds
To touch the sting
And know what it means

Suffering has been no stranger
Haunting every dark door
It comes as relentless waves
Like tides chasing the shore

The sun has set too many times
Leaving no sign of light
All hope bitterly lost
Closing in for the night

Love has come and gone
Lonely paths and unshed tears
Unfinished and never forgotten
Timeless, through passing of years

I want to take away
The hurt that you feel
Show you a genuine love
That is more than real

Come soft to my waiting arms
Lay your head on my breast
Safe at home, sleep sweet
May you always rest.


- - -
Stacy Maddox lives, dreams, tends her gardens and writes in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS, USA. Indulging her time in the outdoors, connecting with nature, walking the Kansas River trails and discovering new photo opportunities, is one of her greatest pleasures in life. Stacy has been published in over 25 books, print and online magazines and websites.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
I feel your tender lips upon my soft skin
Retracing the trail where you fingers caressed
The flames lick higher, bearing your name
And I hear your voice whispered in my soul

I close my eyes and the darkness surrounds me
But you are there, seeking every one of my senses
Tempting my desires and holding me prisoner
To the passion ignited in our lonely bodies

I taste the pleasures lingering on your lips
Salty and sweet, capturing my breath inside
And as I find the warmth of your waiting arms
I pray for this moment to never end.


- - -
Stacy Maddox lives, dreams, tends her gardens and writes in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS, USA. Indulging her time in the outdoors, connecting with nature, walking the Kansas River trails and discovering new photo opportunities, is one of her greatest pleasures in life. Stacy has been published in over 25 books, print and online magazines and websites.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
I took a blanket of stars
And blew silver dust
To remind me of your eyes
When they shine with hope

I made them the color white
For the innocence of you, my love
Pure as the dawn at sunrise
When you are so near

I molded the shape
For the number of years
One hundred times eternity
Of the days I need with you

I cast them so far away
To show the extent
Of this love I hold for you
In truth, there is no measure

I placed them against
A black cosmic canvas
To show you the light that glows
Through the night as I dream

I kissed to them, an enchanting magic
Displaying throughout the heaven's
The way you make me feel
And all the things you are.


- - -
Stacy Maddox lives, dreams, tends her gardens and writes in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS, USA. Indulging her time in the outdoors, connecting with nature, walking the Kansas River trails and discovering new photo opportunities, is one of her greatest pleasures in life. Stacy has been published in over 25 books, print and online magazines and websites.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
Standing alone on the edge
Of a thousand wakeless oceans
Secret messages from past deities
Voices guiding to sound harbor

Grasping for the smooth melody
Dancing freely through grazing wind
A vessel of truth and hope, stretched
To glittering sky and beyond

Legs entangled helplessly, winding
Gently insistent, in satin garment
Swirling with a grace, easing
Through body, mind, spirit

In honor of a timeless arrival
The air is heavy and charged
A night for shining blessings
Offerings of peace and harmony

Fervent expressions glide caressingly
From whispering lips, ruby red
Enchanted memories riding effortlessly
Invisibly woven currents, finality

Ancient magic transcends on threads
Constantly pure in its amorphous form
Beautiful visions illuminate obscurity
A bond has entwined earth with soul.


- - -
Stacy Maddox is a varied hobbyist and artist, living in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS USA. She loves to soak up the sun by the river and feel the water rush over her feet while spending time with her family and friends. Stacy has been published in over 20 books, print magazines and websites.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
She still doesn't see how exquisite she is
Nothing I could say would compare
To how I feel about her every move
Grace and beauty shines through her soul
The embodiment of a perfectly sculpted mate

This woman I took to wife fifty years ago
Is still the young, shy girl I met one summer
When just an unseasoned boy of twelve
Now a man of seventy, I am more than enamored

Little did I know of secrets behind green eyes
Or strength and understanding in a simple smile
Innocent today, as she was when we wed
And the moment we marveled at our newborn
Only long, silver hair tells truth of her real age

She laughs at a joke, turning her head to me
I catch my breath, watching, meeting her gaze
An eternity will never be enough time to love
To create memories, to adore, to cherish
Giving, becoming who I want to be, because of her.


- - -
Stacy Maddox is a varied hobbyist & artist, living in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS USA. She loves to soak up the sun by the river and feel the water rush over her feet while spending time with her family and friends. Stacy has been published in over 20 books, print magazines and websites.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
Tonight... Steady rain drips from overflowing gutters
Helplessly echoing sounds of a gray shattered heart
Betrayal and bitterness beat in unfettered rhythm
A perfect rhyme deafening in its melodious embrace

Cold and lonely quiet world muffled outside
Pain grips its icy fingers, memories are frozen
Empty promises and lies kept closely guarded
Speak loudly through clear window panes

Leaving made way for hard truth blindly following
Lifting shadows and darkness from unseeing eyes
Hope fleeted away as days passed endlessly by
Crashing to hard ground on its final end journey.

- - -
Stacy Maddox is a varied hobbyist & artist, living in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS USA. She loves to soak up the sun by the river and feel the water rush over her feet while spending time with her family and friends. Stacy has been published in over 20 books, print magazines and websites.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
A heart knows not the difference
Between what is wrong or right
No mind of its very own to think

Voices cannot be audibly heard
Yet, it listens for another's pitch
Hanging on tightly to every murmur

Beating to a rhythm out of control
It can feel the tenderest touch
Becoming softer if given a chance

Pain makes it wary and jaded
When it has been broken or marred
Even though it has blind eyes

Its uses will never have bounds
Creating memories to last forever
At any given moment in its time

It is connected to every living soul
Inhabited by only one body of flesh
Amazing with its ability to love and receive

A heart can speak any language without saying a word.


- - -
Stacy Maddox is a varied hobbyist & artist, living in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS USA. She loves to soak up the sun by the river and feel the water rush over her feet while spending time with her family and friends. Stacy has been published in over 20 books, print magazines and websites.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
She tries to be brave, when speaking of him
But her voice cracks, swollen lips tremble
Looking wistful, as if in some faraway place
I watch the emotions passing over her face

Arms crossed for protection, her pulse quivers faster
It dances on her neck, she thinks I won't notice
Her shoulders stiffen slightly beneath a timeworn shirt
Shifting her position, she quickly wipes lucent tears.


- - -
Stacy Maddox lives, dreams and writes in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS. She loves to soak up the sun by the river and feel the rush of water over her feet while spending time with her family and pets. Stacy has been published in over 15 books, print magazines and online websites. She has been passionate about Art, in all forms, for over 30 years.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
This is not the first time, or the last we have shared
A lifetime as mates, passing through the Cosmos
From world to world we have danced and loved
Laugh and cried, daring to live life untethered

Do you remember the ghosts of the Civil War
When I was your girl, with a newborn babe
You had to do your duty for your country
I never lost hope for your safe return

Have you thought about the nights at Court
The dangerous games we played in secret
A roaring fire licking over our naked skin
Our bodies entwined in passionate loving

I often dream of our days in the Sun's rays
We were born in the same Clan, six months apart
Friends, lovers and destined to be married
We were the happiest with our ten children

We ruled as King and Queen in the Water World
Where peace and harmony thrived through our reign
For five-hundred cycles there was music and joy
Generations to come will carry our names to heart

Our longest and richest years were spent in the skies
As Dragon-rider and Dragon, our spirits were one
We rode the wind on your silver-tipped wings
Bonding in a way only a chosen few know how

They are just now uncovering our small village
Long forgotten symbols in the depths of ice and snow
Artifacts we left behind when our Tribe died out
We were a proud people braving the harshest conditions

We shined the brightest as lights in the Heaven's
Traveling to the farthest and darkest reaches
Through glass prisms as rainbow beams and colors
There to guide the dreamers and star catchers

Sometimes touching for only a brief moment of measure
Assured by the recognition and knowing each other
That we will be together again, maybe under the Moon
Be it land, sea, or air, our destinies are always meant to be.


- - -
“Stacy Maddox lives, dreams and writes in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS. She loves to soak up the sun by the river and feel the rush of water over her feet while spending time with her family and pets. Stacy has been published in over 15 books, print magazines and online websites. She has been passionate about Art in any form for over 30 years."

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
He says he likes my bare feet
The way they make footprints in the sand
Or when they are covered in mud
After I've been walking in the garden.


- - -
Stacy Maddox lives, dreams and writes in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS. She loves to soak up the sun by the river and feel the rush of water over her feet while spending time with her family and pets. Stacy has been published in over 15 books, print magazines and online websites. She has been passionate about Art in any form for over 30 years.

Contributor: Stacy Maddox

- -
In the first week
Of September's arrival
I started listening for
The lonely mourning sounds
Of Scotland's bagpipes

From across the park
I had waited weeks to hear
The sole musician
Only to realize one day
He wasn't coming after all

I missed him
It had been too long
Since last I felt the sorrow
Drawing my wanderlust spirit
To another time and place

The steady rain tonight
Reminds me of what
His far-away home
Must have been like
In his notes and melodies

How I long to see
The heather that he speaks
So fondly of lying upon
His kilt a warm blanket
In the rare sunlight

I wish to immerse myself
In linns and lochs of mystery
He has built his life around
Bathe in the cool waters
Of healing and promise

Doorways of abandoned castles
Hold deep secrets for me
Where once heroic kings
And beautiful queens once roamed
The dark and cold hallways

How different his world.
Will always be from mine.
But his song will always
Inspire me to dream
Of memories from his past


- - -
Stacy Maddox lives, dreams and writes in the fast-paced city of Lawrence, KS. She loves to soak up the sun by the river and feel the rush of water over her feet while spending time with her family and pets. Stacy has been published in over 15 books, print magazines and online websites. She has been passionate about Art in any form for over 30 years.