A cavalry of hopeful hearts, are riding in the night, atop their mechanical horses, a ride guided by dim moonlight.

The riders are swift and quiet to the center of the middle kingdom, a path that they all know. Their mission not for destruction, but only that they themselves may grow.

Through the city, they see history stagnant, it’s only they that pass, Tian An Men still standing, but the riders will breath their last.

The leaves were dancing in the wind, on that crisp autumn morning ushering me home.

A look of joy in my mothers eyes as she embraced me.

Her son was good on his promise to return, though just for a moment. The precious days made up for months away.

However, the call of destiny never did it cease, a distant land faraway was calling from the east.

The sun rising in the eastern sky, it was brilliant in light, illuminating my way. A way that is deep in my blood .

So I packed my bags and made preparation for the journey back to that distant place,

said my goodbye as my mother’s cry, lead tears to run down her face.

A misty morning brings fog so thick that blindness seems to float, the only sound that can be heard is the swallows melancholy notes.

The bird sings from the earthen home, that she labored over in the long past spring. Her home now is a dismal one, but still she chirps and sings.

As the yellow sun rises from the east, another song also can be heard , men chant another song, that sounds like fighting words.

The voices sing as one, strong in unity and power, and the tune of the bird is drowned out by every passing hour.

Gradually the men are too much, and the bird has no voice at all.

The men sing of being one with nature, but forget about the swallow.

Dawn passes, and leads to a red sky dusk, that will be a vestige of the marrow.

Under the Christmas tree is a present, and there's a presence floating in the air, I have a connection that pulls a way rare.

I see the stare.

If fate was aligning, I guess that it really depends on the timing. But at times, times are trying, and coldness enters my bones, I think it better to be alone.

Until I fix my gaze on the lights again, reminds me of not having lonely nights again.

The warmth I feel right there and then, under the Christmas tree.

Starry eyed lovers, on a star-filled night, from a distance so far, yet the lights are so bright.

Hot by day, and cool-blue by moonlight. I also see the owl that just took flight.

In the Earth Forest, I can feel the love tonight.

It’s funny how two jacks can make a good pair , or maybe a full house if lucks in the air.

Get a straight flush , but that sight is rare, going all in, now that's quite a dare.

No more bluffing and faffing about , put your skin in the game, get in or get out.

Hold the line, and bet with conviction , all on red sir , now let’s see how them dice hitting.

I'm going all in , no more doubts , knowing that she’s on the payout...

Love is a Gamble.

It was a single serendipitous spark, it lit our flame of love.

On a crisp autumns eve where the moon shone up above.

Bright in the night, a beauty below the clouds,

a shimmer in her eyes, as two others were making vows.

In the unexpected, there is always room for exceptions.

A single moment can change life’s direction.

Stretch out a hand can I take this dance, who would have known it was the start of romance

A spark is all it takes , for there to be a fire, there is something special about this admirer.

I can’t put my finger on it, or wrap my head around it, look how stupid I got myself sounding.

Love has me mixed up, I lost all sense of direction, such a simple thing can still be so vexing.

I’m lost in her eyes and I don’t want to escape, am I thinking too much, or have I made a mistake?

What is this feeling? I haven’t felt before. I thought I knew what love was, but this is much more.

There is a black sky, as the whirling wind wisps. Rainfall leads to an ashen mist.

But below me is a great abyss, my mind is calm but curiosity persists, in and out, it comes in fits.

Afraid of what is below in the great abyss.

Could there be a creature, the size of a whale? Or a fish as big as a fisherman's tale?

Beady-black eyes and red brazen scales; with fins the shape of a cutters sails.

And a powerful tail, that with great force, whips and flails.

On the surface things look calm and tranquil, but below seems dark & fatal.

As I dive in, the bubbles go up. No restrictions of gravity, but I still feel stuck.

I feel the water and the slight sting of the cold. The pressure makes my ears feel like they will explode.

I needed my bearings in this alien world, so looked up for answers but I found none, looked down below me, and I found one.

She was hovering at the lake bottom, beckoning me deeper. I obliged, and swam down to meet her.

We explored together this watery world, that is up so high yet is still so deep.

And in these deep waters what you will find, is the history and humanity as parts of ones mind.

The province of seven colors, south of the clouds. Southern hospitality, with a swaggered Western style.

Parched arid flats, with crevices and nooks, to mountains stretching high, where an eagle overlooks.

The waters here are deep, indeed like the history. The Dianguo Kingdom is filled with legends, and of mystery.

The rainforest is below and a blue sky is above, the sun just peeked out, and it's radiating with love...

And here, the snow capped mountains test the bravery of men, and the wisdom of the mountain, in reverence, we listen. Listen..

Listen to the song of the birds calling out at dawn, and the owls hoot hoot as a final call alarm.

The beat of the elephants making their march, and the quaking of the ducks, striking in the marsh...

And the yak in its stoic sensibilities, tries to prevail in cold silent chivalry.

The land here is sacred, and it wants us to know, that we must live as one, and as one we can grow.

A last sunset , a final goodbye, the warmth of your smile in the darkening sky.

My spirit lifting, ascending , it feels sky high.

In extasy, a state of nirvana, free from all stress, worries, and trauma.

If only this state would last a whole year, why is it the last day which brought us a cheer?

The changing of the season, reminds me this day, of the lesson and journey, as life makes its way.

翠湖边儿望雪花飘下来，吹着吹着慢慢来

翠湖绿，雪很白, 使我思考人生的奇光异彩。

Mint tea and cakes, on the banks of FuXian’s shank, where the western sun is on our backs, as I fix my sight forward on the northeast side, where the sailor’s ship-sails fly high. Cutting and jutting with the force of the wind, also describes the waves of the waters within…

One’s heart, has its highs and its lulls as well, quiet contention or monstrous swells. So a poet does as a poet knows, to write down the words as one’s thoughts flow.

In Qu Yuan’s fight for the cause of justice, he drowned himself to bring awakening, and even to this day, society is still shaking.

But the job is not done, the beat of the drum, thrusts the dragon boat forward, in its struggle for truth. Will it reach its destination or be forgotten in obscurity?

Will the glutinous rice cover the sour taste of historical corruption? or will someone stand up, and actually do something?

Why did the tiger leap? What was it he wanted to seek?

The turpid waters he had to transfer, the mountain across laid the answer.

On the rugged cliffs and rifting crags, a hidden treasure that this place has.

The tiger in your soul must take a leap to fulfill one’s goals and dreams.

We seek, seek…

To seek, maybe that is the key. Not a destination that is physically seen,

The answer is in the journey.

It is the jump that matters, and not necessarily where you land.

To begin you must take a stand… to take a leap of faith across the gorge.

Dear Indiana,

How have you been? I bet it's cold these days. I miss that sometimes. I run good on cold weather. Of course I don't mind having sunny weather all year either. It's always hard to get the best of both worlds. Life is sometimes like that; the balancing act of riding a bike up a mountain while simultaneously holding a highball with one hand, and gripping a hand of cards in the other. 

That was the scenic route to just saying, that, life is an acute balancing act of energies, desires, abilities, and opportunities. The body and mind need strength as well as endurance, and power as well as flexibility. The energy needed for life is long, it takes endurance and fortitude to go the distance, but when opportunity knocks, you better dexterously open that door and sprint like there is no tomorrow; after all we are never promised tomorrow , one must seize the day; anything less would be a waste of time. Go for it. 

But you know me, I'm just preaching to the choir, or maybe just preaching to myself; sometimes it's nice to listen to whats been echoing inside. In me, I've heard it's due time I make a trip to somewhere cold, where the weather in winter is snowy but can change on a dime...

Melt, snow, melt, snow; seventy degrees sunny or below zero.

Melt, snow, melt snow; welcome to the lands around Chicago. 

But to be more specific, somewhere that is known as, "The Crossroads…”, and always ends with that cliche joke that I won't bore you with. So I'll wrap it up here. Keep the coffee warm. 

Indiana’s dismal dunes,

what is left is only ruins.

The remnants of a thriving place,

That’s what’s left of this space.