On the second day of spring

I watch the glass windows-

Streaking snowflakes, relentless

As overflowing river, bursting white rage

A cup warms my hands

Every day I pour myself into its mouth

Tulip-shaped, familiar lips, predictable as a

Spoon spinning to swirl the cream,  

Its aroma rises like a tongue, fickle as a season-

Laving my skin,  chilled cold  

By ever-changing wind,  this cup  

Waits, stretching narrower & smaller 

As if wanting to swallow me-

I linger on its precipice-

Thinking of leaves-

Thinking of spring-

and you- 

Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Meeting the Bar - Negative Capability

Picture credit:    Artist Rosie Hardy

Better than I am

Red lights at the bar flickers smoky flame  
I order wine & cheese, savoring flame   

Slow music brings strangers to dance sweet &
tangled kisses -- but I drift, waning flame      

Moonlight gleams on my ordinary face 
Anxieties mothballing, snaring flame 

Heat soaks my hair into knotted brown ropes,
I pen words -coarsely pale as dying flames 

I might look better if you dim down lights
To candle tap, softer flowering flame 

My dreams bring me wading out to the sea   
Weaving a storm with fingers - snapping flames  

You gaze at me with awe, breathless, inflamed  - 
Here I am, better than I am - beautiful flame   

Artist:   Rosie Hardy

Posted for D'verse Poets Pub:   Poetry form - Ghazal Sonnet - Written in 7 couplets, with flame as a refrain in each verse (pentameter, mostly).  I didn't follow strictly the last couplet. Smiles.  Please check the link for other poetry guidelines and to read awesome poems.  

Title & Inspirational post:   Corey's Better than I am - His last verse:

My dreams have me pushing a boulder up a mountain
And jumping from the top to the bottom in a single leap
She’s waiting at the bottom, looking at me with admiration
Here, I am better than I am, here I am more, manly.

Close your eyes and fall

Artist:   Rosie Hardy

the wind rushes to embrace me
like a lover with wings
a kiss-death, softer darkness
to recede, shape and birth  

words that move, dive & splinter,
brushes light and bronze,
now shading crimson & midnight blue--

i fall headlong, unabashed with passion  
towards your voice, whispering my native name
from my gut, deep within, i hear you--

let go of your fears
and inhibitions--
trust that my arms will catch you-- 


Posted for Imaginary Garden with Real Toads  - Sunday's Challenge - We are to take the last line from our previous work and use it as a first line for a new poem.  
and Poets United

The title post is taken from my previous poem On Wings:  Theme is Creativity. 

Before you, a forest speaks your language.

The moon tide is calling.  A flare leaps like a

Signal from a distant mountain top.

Close your eyes and fall. 

Aftermath

Artist:   Rosie Hardy

the night drowned    
blue, silver and black ash
under quartered moon

honey-sipped, the waves 
quickly swelled into a tsunami
drained of salt

bittersweet like grapefruit
sucking tears, words and flesh --
i drifted, swallowed       

dry by sea -- 
shattered shell, deranged of memories 
from your leaving  

Update:  I am pleased to share that this poem will be published by Emerge Literary Journal by Fall (Sept.) 2013. 

Posted for OpenLinkNight of Imaginary Garden with Real Toads (every Monday)

and D'verse Poets Pub  (every Tuesday)

Poetry form:   3-5-3 word Collom lune 

One Shoot - Insomnia

voices in my head

growing louder and angrier

unforgiven sins, past guilts

looming larger and darker  

i painted my face and wore a wig 

hoping that the shadowy fingers 

will not recognize me

and go away 

Author's Note:  This post is for the last One Shoot Sunday of OSP.  Interview and photography credit by the talented Rosie Hardy.  Thanks Adam and Chris for all your hard work and best of luck.


This is also my contribution for Poetry Jam hosted by Jessica Maybury.    I have decided to write an "insomnia poem" for the challenge.   Happily, I don't have this problem as I fall right into sleep once I hit the pillows.   


Shared with Thursday Poets Rally (July 14-20, 2011).   
Thank you for the The Perfect Poet Award of Poets Rally Week 48~