"Untitle sketch" 2010 8.5x11 Pen and ink from my sketches during New Orleans visit

In the thin grey light of morning
Twelve roses lie down red and dying
Dampened by the drops of rain
That tap against my window pane
A killers soul that burns with fire
This dawn holds on to love's desire
A Street lamp glows, it's time grows short
While day awaits this night's retort
In the blanket fog and satin sheets
A clock breaks up the silent sleep
It ticks onto the beating heart
That watches from the distant chair
I disturb you from your deepest sleep
Make love to you soft and slow
For soon I must take my leave
For soon it is my time to go

"Dreams and geishas" 8x11 Pen and inks from the sketchbook of Terrence L Cope.

"Blue girl in New Orleans 2010" ; 8x10 pen, ink and pastel from the sketchbook.

Into my city's sleep

Day! Light casting shadow

A passerby walks discreet

This ancient road, this cobbled street

Standing water reflects the sky

It's stories rise above my head

Wicked things are not denied

As this city lays me down to bed

Cold and dark our life begins
A journey starts, a journey ends
Armies of the countless souls
Flash and wither like dust in fire
Ever so bright this Meteorite
Dies to give this darkness light
As soon as it was, it is no more
For few will touch these golden shores
So burn bright this glorious night
Together we light up the skies
With all the souls that are around
And all the fires that do abound
We form the sun, a star that shines
For it is our time...........It is our time

The lights are low and I can see the mirror ball dance in your eyes. There was not a thought in our heads to leave the dance floor yet. There was not a notion to let go of one another. It had taken a long journey of life's responsibilities, broken dreams and dead ends to get to the point where we are now. We were at last happy and in each others arms. On the dance floor, under the soft lights is where we wanted to be. Everyone had gone to their seats but we stayed and kissed for the world to see our love. We kissed and the band started playing .....

We stumble and fall past a once distant future

  Resigning to live out the rest of our days

Wrapped in thoughts, lost dreams we created

  Cold, naked, we shiver in the beds that we made

Blue-violet shadows a thin dust of snow

  Reflects in the din, the demise of the fall

Captured in ice that hangs on the branches

  Birds have long flown with the chilling winds call

And the water runs clear in this light of the dusk

  Washing our souls of the sins from within

A focus that shifts, my mind off and wanders

  With setting suns dancing like balls on the ocean

Its soft dying light paints this storm driven sea

  Surfing the swells as she slips ‘neath the white foam

A ghost wind cries openly … mourns to be free

  Footprints are wiped from the sand in its passing

For I must bear witness of God’s greatest gifts

 To stand alone in attendance, but not for the asking

As most of my life was this struggle within

  Yet I notice the beauty that’s always around me

That is frozen and barren by the cold cleansing rain

  And down the sidewalks and into the gutter

My crimson blood flows deep, dark and divine

  A cross bears my name, available in colors, assorted

I choose one that matches the sound of my dying

  I choose the sad song of the lone gull, high o’er the water,

No sight of the land, just the dark angry sea

  The winter winds tatter its wings seeking shelter

The ice tears its skin, shredded and boned

  As the car turns the corner a mile from its home

Wipers they strain to stay in the headlights

  There’s nothing on TV …… and I’m home all alone.