For The Romantics – Remembering the Passion of You!

September 30, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 17 Comments

I’ve Only To Remember …

the shadow of your smile, and there’s a …

a delicious feeling of passion remembered – when held close in your arms.

I’ve only to hear ‘our song’ to remember …

intoxicating intensity from the rhythm of our love.

I’ve only to dream of you and I remember …

delectable ecstasy during shared intimacy.

I’ve only to close my eyes to feel your hands upon me …

and I remember the searing heat from your touch.

I’ve only to think about you to remember …

the exquisite passion we shared throughout glorious nights

– when we were together.

I’ve only to remember …

As I said, this is for all the romantics. And yes I do have a romantic soul – rather obviously. For all those in love, hold fast to what you have. To all of us “Others”, well, there are always the memories and the tomorrows to look forward to! Never give up being Romantic, Passionate, or believing in same – it is worth it!

with much affection,

~ Penny

NOTHING!

July 31, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 24 Comments

Nothing

No air left for me to breathe.
Did atmosphere disappear with you – when you left?

There is no feeling left to feel.
Was all substance removed – when you went away?

There are no tears upon my face
Despair so intense – all senses frozen in fear,
for to contemplate the loss of you
I shall indeed, dissolve into … nothing …

The nothing you left behind.

Love is so precious, never take for granted, and if you are one of the lucky ones, cherish. If you are still searching, be at peace, love will find you, and if you were disappointed and hurt by another, take heart. Wounds heal with the passage of time to make way for a new love.

Have an excellent weekend filled to overflowing with love!

Penny.

The warmth of your arms ~ paradise lost!

September 12, 2013September 13, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 63 Comments

Short short (flash) fiction – Friday Fictioneers, check it out! A wonderful weekly writing challenge for all writers, brought to you by the talented and gracious hostess (Rochelle). Click here and then – write!

This weeks photo prompt:

Photo credit: Jan Wayne Fields

Flash Fiction version:

(count – 100 words)

Paradise Lost

Remember my saying “when I am in your arms the world is a perfect place?” It was true. I felt loved, desired and safe. Three strong emotional needs we all share, I found in your arms. Isn’t that what paradise is all about? Shared experiences in the moment, our weekend in New York, wrapped in gossamer tissues of hopes, desires and promises.

Then our worlds clashed, private agendas displacing love with personal goals.

Now, memories of our brief happiness mixed with desire and longing. Loving memories of paradise … and paradise lost.

Missing the warmth of your arms.

The full length version:

Paradise Lost

I miss the warmth of your arms. I have for 6 long months now. But your agenda was different than mine. We did connect though, didn’t we? The long weekend we spent in one of the most romantic cities on the planet, New York, was heavenly in it’s perfection.

Do you remember my telling you, when I was in your arms, the world was a perfect place? I felt loved, desired and safe – all rolled into one. Three of the strongest emotional needs humans require. I found them all – in your arms.

But that’s what paradise is all about, isn’t it? What is experienced in the moment; wrapped in gossamer tissues of hopes, desires and promises. Such heady stuff.

And so we played, laughed and loved, reality continuing, all around us, while we lived our dreams. Then our worlds clashed, the love still there but overwhelmed by our individual game plans and our inability to express ourselves well – as you pointed out after you’d been gone for awhile and we were speaking on the phone – You asked why neither one of us had looked into the other’s eyes and said “I need you and love you so much” even though we both felt it.

Each, so insecure of self we feared the other’s open rejection and our own ability to be what we felt the other wanted – so we were silent.

But happiness was mine, for a brief period of time. Now I have memories of contentment mixed in with sensual desire and longing. Such loving memories of paradise and paradise lost.

I miss the warmth of your arms.

~*~

Thank you for reading, have a lovely day today and a beautiful tomorrow!

~ Penny

I wish you could touch me now …

July 27, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 52 Comments

I am vulnerable because of loving so pure and deeply, my walls of protection cannot keep my desire for you at bay.

and so … I wish you could touch me now. Not my heart, you’ve touched me there too deeply, it’s still bruised and bleeding. But my body still hungers for you.

I need your touch …

I desire the warmth of your caress, the closeness of your body, the physical contact of … you!

I wish you could touch me now …

… even as I understand morning light will illuminate the true reality of our relationship. I know for all your tender caring words, you would be gone and my loving soul will still be bruised … for all your promises said in the moonlight hours of sensual need and gratification. I know all this.

But the longing remains so …

I still wish you could touch me now.

I’ll always have our memories of the night time to sustain me, in daylight hours spent alone, reflecting on why you said one thing and did another. Belittling my efforts instead of supporting them, and yet still I love you. And wish you to be happy.

I am pleased to hear you are where you’ve wanted to be for so long. I am happy for you. Resigned, accepting and aware of some of the hard learned lessons of life, when one exposes one’s soul during love.

But now in these evening hours I dream of you touching me again, filling my sensual needs. Even, as reality has come full circle and comprehension of the cruelty of those who love and those who take in the guise of love, is complete.

Touch me … but let it be only the physical, my bruised soul cannot bear the mockery of a pretense at true love (yours were personal and emotional needs for yourself. I don’t believe you really thought of my needs – perhaps as an afterthought), but my body does respond to your loving body. So in that, there is truth.

I wish you could touch me. I’m prepared now for tomorrow … it hurts, but I understand. With all the love in my heart that I give so freely, I was so sure someone might love me the way I loved them in return … it seems I was mistaken!

Most definitely an unrequited love piece here. Not to worry, my next fictional piece is part two of adventure and excitement. Dry your tears and stay tuned for fun! Our fictional young lady in the piece above (p.s.- she’s the one trapped in the tunnel https://thewhyaboutthis.com/2013/07/22/alastairs-photo-fiction-the-tunnel-and-survival/ , although brokenhearted, she’s about to kick some serious a..!) More to come!

~ Penny

penny

Līgo Haībun Challenge – Peaceful Idyllic Vacation

April 22, 2013April 22, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 26 Comments

This week’s writing challenge was a choice of two equally lovely photos, thank you, Nightlake. Difficult to choose from between the two of them. So I incorporated both in the following story. For more information on how you can also be a part of this writing challenge, click on this link Līgo Haībun Challenge.

The beauty of the day was like no other. Soft soothing surf gliding across sandy shorelines; liquid sensation of motion and texture.

Waking to the rushing sounds of the ocean’s tide, Lily felt an overwhelming need to rise, explore her gorgeous surroundings. Beginning with the beautiful plants located just outside.

She stood on the patio her hand on the flowering plant, her gaze on the serene ocean. She shed a single tear, swiping it away with the back of her hand.

He had picked this very cabana, the one with the peace lily plants. He thought it a special touch, her name being Lily. Now, although she admired the beauty of the plant, peaceful did not match her feelings.

What should have been an idyllic romantic getaway was the unfortunate reality of a vacation spent alone.

“That’s okay,” She decided. “These things happen!” Lily was glad she’d chosen to come anyway. The change in plans weren’t his fault, his having to work.

The front door of the cabana opened. Hearing the laughter of his deep voice her heart sang with joy. Her decision to come now worth it. She wondered how he’d known?

She glanced affectionately at the peace lily and turned to greet him, her eyes filled with adoration and love.

He was not alone.

there is betrayal

it approaches so gently

one can’t be prepared

Thank you for stopping by, have a great day today!

~ Penny

Entice me –

April 10, 2013April 10, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 38 Comments

Sweetly, gently in the night

I wake.

longing for forbidden things

… entice me!

I, a woman … need!

Move me,

I am hungry with desire.

I await

intoxication,

contemplate in

silent repose,

these wanton thoughts

of hidden lust

will not depart.

I beg of you, this night,

tonight

entice me!

~*~

~ Penny L Howe, 2013

So the sensual muse decided to come out and play with her words tonight! I do hope you enjoyed!

Thank you for stopping by,

Penny

The perfection of an imperfect love!

March 25, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 21 Comments

Once again the muse is needful of expression, her topic today – Love!

True Love

Does it exist? Yes it does.

Does one know when it happens? Yes, in the moment.

Will it last? Yes, if both work together!

Can it be true? Absolutely!

Will this one every know that one …

… perfect love?

If one believes – it will be so!

~ Penny L Howe, 2013

Coffeehouse of Dreams II – Savoring Flavors!

January 19, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 59 Comments

A few of my fellow bloggers expressed a desire to revisit my Coffeehouse of Dreams and I am pleased to return on their behalf. This one with even more “flavors to savor”!

Languid … beguiling and bewitching, the aroma of coffee. I, seated in my corner table, inhaled; savoring the flavor through my sense of smell alone. Senses already heighthened by the familiar. The coffeehouse my home away from home. Not a hang out just a place where I can “be”. A comforting relaxing feeling.

Soothingly smooth and yet … there was a heightened sense of something more this evening! Yes …

…there it was! He was here again.

Standing just inside the doorway, searching the room for … me? Our eyes connected. His with mine. A special exchange.

An intimate look, beguiling but in such a gentle manner that I was disarmed before feeling any danger. The awareness there perhaps, but my senses were already intoxicated with the heavy aroma of freshly ground brewed coffee.

You know that luring blend of huskiness you can almost taste as you breath in. Confusing as to which is which, The coffee or the Intrigue. I couldn’t distinquish, not then and even today as I recall that evening … not now. Too much. A sensual overload of deliciousness.

No, I sat silently in the corner with my book and watched him make his way to my table. He’d already captured me with his eyes. The handful of people scattered around the room at various tables and booths a backdrop to the emotions I was experiencing as he approached.

He had asked if he could share my table, even had I wished him to leave in that moment I would have been powerless to refuse. Hypnotized by a sensation that was both familiar and foreign, I could not look away and just nodded, quietly answering “yes”.

He pulled out one of the empty chairs at my table and moved it nearer to me before seating himself. His eyes taking in my gaze during the entire maneuver. His hand reached across the table and covered my fingers holding my coffee cup with his own. Moving my hand along with his, he brought the cup to his lips sipping and savoring the richness. His eyes had never left mine. “Nice”, he said softly, placing his other hand over my free hand resting on the table top. “Very nice!” His voice seductive.

In that moment an incredible sense of déjà vu enveloped me. The known and the unknown merging into a thoroughly delightful wave of exotic blending, elevating the experience to well above anything I’d encountered before. Preparing me for something I would never have thought possible. Something undefined but exciting, not understood but accepting. My future dreams of love.

And as I’ve said before this, after all, is my coffeehouse of Dreams!

Thanks for the visit, hope you enjoyed,

~ Penny

Fascination … A key element for Romance!

December 6, 2012 / Penny L Howe / 13 Comments

Fascination – Romance

Holidays are always the time for romance and love, the holiday spirit sets the stage. But as with most romances or well written romantic stories there is an essential ingredient that is the key to an outstanding Romance. And whether it’s a story of your life or reading a book, or viewing a movie, it still holds true:

“The power to possess – that which is fascinating”

alluring

Those are strong and emotional words; the key here is that possession through love has a seductive and therefore alluring charm – captivation by desire.

If a woman is “desired” because she is viewed as fascinating and those feelings of attraction are mutual – the power to possess and be possessed becomes understood and highly desirable (by both).

There is a reason so many hundreds of millions of women (of all adult ages) around the world love well written romance stories and novels.

There is no negative when the desire to be possessed is understood as being an essential element of being wanted, needed and loved.

power of possession

So as corny as it may sound, it is still true – The more “manly” the man (as in, take charge, make things happen ‘kind of guy’ – even the quiet and silent type) and the more “feminine” the woman, as in viewed as sensual, some quality about her that is alluring, all the rest is for show. He can be almost any age and so can she if you build on the qualities of fascination.

Infatuation can initially be limited to a visual and physical one of course.

It often is, but is short lived without the understanding of the other needed elements which create an allure of fascination; the unique qualities of one that make them so fascinating to the other.

It’s what ramps the volume up, it’s the exciting bits where each comes to terms with the other.

Almost as combatants and yet with this nebulous quality of fascination always underlining everything.None of these words are to be confused with the implication that the woman must be weak, fragile, uneducated or dependent.

fascination – desire

Nor should these words be construed that the man must be a strong and physical man who by his nature takes what he wants. Both of these ideologies are dated and at error.

Today the essence of a good romance, once again is to evoke the imagination by having the partners attracted to one another by the strongest aphrodisiac imaginable – fascination and the desire for possession.

It works in real life too, by the way! Or so I’ve heard. I hope you enjoyed this brief class on Romance today, I enjoyed presenting it to you.

Have a great day, oh and by the way, this holds true with marriage partners as well. Fall in love all over again with the fascination of your partner!

~ Penny

Sensual Prelude 2 – Power of the Heart

August 30, 2012August 31, 2012 / Penny L Howe / 46 Comments

The Power of the Heart

The heart is the most vital organ we have. The one we rely on to pump needed blood flow to our body. The one that beats to the rhythm of our soul – metaphorically speaking (lol) And the heart represents one of the most powerful “symbols” both historically and today.

Hello and welcome.

As we venture through life with our senses, our mind is organizing and filing away each memory with the aid of symbolic references, like the heart.

Okay, this is where if you’re skimming this post quickly so that you can reach your quota of blogs to visit you can go ahead and skip to the last cool graphic and the poem unless you are actually interested in learning a little something new which will be a nice thing but either way…

This subset of activities goes on in our mind at an unconscious level. This is true for everyone. There are numerous symbols that our mind comes to recognize and use during this filing and sorting process. Sounds like a computer doesn’t it?

The mind takes its cue from the feelings we are experiencing during each event in our life, Creating a link with “symbols” through an emotional association, so whether we are having a happy or sad (or hurtful, angry, scary, romantic…the list goes on and on) moment subconsciously our mind is connecting this emotion to a symbolic reference.

This means when our senses are invoked, the appropriate “symbol” is already ‘there’ in our mind as a reference point to assist our senses in relating to that being felt (seen, heard, touched, smelled, tasted). If it sounds like I’m suggesting that our senses, memories, thoughts and actions are all interconnected -THEY ARE! (hello? One body here! So everything contained within is directly connected to everything else inside our body!)

I will use the “symbol reference” of the heart for my poetic illustration today. Pretty much all of our senses engage with this symbol for many reasons – my reference point will be Love. Don’t get all sappy on me this is serious stuff here!

I’d like you to feel the following poem through my words, if you will…

my beating heart

listen

do you hear,

come closer, please, my love

put your strong gentle hand just there,

touch the beat of my heart

beating a song for only you,

hear my desire, know my need

a million heartbeats strong,

the Universe hears – the beating,

listen to my heart’s

singing pulse

for want of you,

beating to the only rhythm

it hears – you my love,

I am

Queen and servant,

my heart beats for only you,

forever

So did you skip to the poem or did you read all my words, no matter, either way I’m hoping you enjoyed yourself, always my goal when I write, Take care of you my friends, Penny ♥