The Hangers-On (To Her Glory)

If love is a religion, god is a woman, and this is the story of how I found a faith that lasts.

The Hangers-On (To Her Glory)

I have seen The Icon
I was not asked for my devotion,
But I gave it freely

I knelt before The Epic
When asked why I worshipped,
No words did my reasons justice

I saw the beauty of living Art
But all art has beauty
For beauty alone I would not go half as far

A pilgrimage to Mecca
To look inside The Heart
With The Icon’s gaze averted, I can safely start

I pray at Your Temple
At two every morning
And find there a thousand other hangers-on to Your Glory

I basked too long in reverence
At The Icon of my age
And took all my devotion up, confined it to the page

I will speak freely of Her Majesty
From my tiny, private stage
Even though I whisper, my tongue is un-afraid

I must have been a fool to think
I was the only blind man who could see
The light that shines from angel’s eyes does not shine only for me

Though I am blessed still, in Her company
The Redemption Song that She will sing
Will not be sung for me

I am not made whole in idle worship
This is no great tragedy
The Idol that refuses, now can be set free

The Pilgrim tells the story
Of the endless joy of being
One of the multitudes of hangers-on, hanging from Her Glory

The High Priestess set forth rituals
And She, and I commenced
To burn the candles, Fear and Love, with the flame of desirelessness

Before I left, I took The Vow
And every word I meant
There are others still, in Her Temple, let them pay the rent

I took with me a golden statue
And on it carved The Name
In between the missing letters, read all the ways we are the same

Into the shrine I etched a diamond
One for every way I forgot to Love
Then I scratched a million lines, for all that I did wrong

I am a humble, devout servant of The Heart
The Icon has divined for me
The lines between Life, and Love, and Art

My longing was acknowledged
My heart seen in a truer state
In new light my flawed desire seemed so out of place

I bow before Your Alter
Light a candle that will burn as bright, as long
As this humble pilgrim will go wand’ring on

Though my midnight serenade will fade, and then be gone
I’m grateful to have dwelt in a Holy place for so long
I will cherish the small salvation that has been granted me

While employed as a hanger-on to Her Glory


Sonny Giordano, Valentine Media(c), 2010

What Would You Do For Me?

Ever been codependent? Asked too much of someone? Demanded more than you deserved? Tried to choke out every last ounce of love?

What Would You Do For Me?

If I lose my way,
Will you lead?
If my voice is gone,
Would you speak?
If my heart slows down,
Can you keep the beat?
If I lose my rhythm,
Can you get us back in sync?
If I lost my mind,
Could you think?
If I say I’m thirsty,
Will you let me drink?
If I’m caught,
Would you be free?
If I live this way,
Will you die with me?
When I am blind,
Can you still see?
If I leaned on you,
Would you be my crutch?
If I never asked for anything,
Would you still give too much?
When will I ask you to stop doing everything I ask you?
When will I ask you to make me start doing things for myself?

Sonny Giordano, Valentine Media(c), 2010

Bad Thief

This is a true story. Generally, the way it always goes. If you've ever tried something, and not been very good at it.


Bad Thief

I stole someone’s pen
To empty my head
Of its thoughts

I stole everything in the world
But, my girl, you’re still
The only thing I really want

I stole a bad line or two
I swear I meant them
When I said them to you

I stole an angels wings
They molted at my touch
They didn’t fly or do anything

I stole the launch codes for the bomb
But just like it always goes
Lost them after not very long

I stole the shine from the sun
In a brief moment when I forgot
That I like it all dim

I stole the purr from a cat
But there wasn’t really much
I could do with that

I once stole the smile from your face
And I’ve been trying my damnedest
To put it back ever since

I stole the feather from a bird
Dipped it in ink and wrote
Over and over again just one word

Then I tried to take control
It can’t be stolen
If it can’t be owned

I stole a kiss, but it was from her
Got caught, sent to prison for life
But it was worth it

Sonny Giordano, Valentine Media(c), 2010

Between Nightmares

Short. Not at all sweet. A musing about both sides of "love". I guess.

Between Nightmares

I’m alive in the
Nightmares between
The times you come true
Like a dream

Shave my face
Cut my hair up
Wash the car and
Show off the scars from my love

Sharp and ugly
Ever present
It’s the dark cloud
It’s the sunshine
Always above me

I’m buried
Beneath the weight
Of the wanting
Love and pain

I’m crushing
Under the wait
Of the desire
To grow wings

To kiss your face

Sonny Giordano, Valentine Media(c), 2010

To The Things That Never Left

Loose rhyme scheme, and erratic meter. I'm okay with that.


To The Things That Never Left


I feel as though you’ve left me
That our rocky course is run

If, that I have lost you
May it only be this once


I’ll miss the future, mostly
The sweetest songs unsung

We endured all we could
We burned so close to love

Each memory is perfect
But still not good enough

If, that I have lost you
I’m relieved it’s only once


Never thought I’d have you
More than that, I knew

Self-fulfilling prophecy
In all our lies, come true

From holding on too tightly
I’ve lost my grasp of you

If this is your leaving
May it be once that I live through


As awful as it seems to be
Teary eyes will smile when it mends

Someday, some time from now
When we recall the things that never left

Forever mine, in limited time
My dream, my lover, my friend


If it’s true, I’ve lost you
I won’t have to lose you again


All the good, and all the bad
Can never be undone

For better or for worse,
It will be exactly what it was

I’ll take the blame, you take the credit
For our failed attempt at love

If it is, I’ve lost you
I could only suffer it this once


Sonny Giordano, Valentine Media(c), 2010