in the middle of the kitchen
the cat sits
and watches while dinner is prepared
like the queen that she is
she only deigns to move her head
to track our movements
sometimes we address her
but usually we just
dance around where she
has planted herself
Category: Poems
Poem 20150113
her hair falls across her
face as she laughs
embarrassed by something
she herself said
though not louder than
a whisper
suddenly
all of the air seems
to have left the room
and my phone stops
keeping accurate time
Poem 20150112
the atmosphere distorts the starlight
—-twinkle
and what you see now
—-twinkle
is an image out of time, out of space
—-little
what you believe true about that light
—-star
may be old news
—-how i wonder
the star a dusty relic
—-what you are
long gone cold
Poem 20150111
there wasn’t enough room
or light
and my back wasn’t meant to bend
at that angle
though the attic was cold
sweat soaked through my shirts
and all the tools
felt like they kept
slipping
from my aching hands
and then it was time for dinner
which is the same time
as give up o’clock
Poem 20150110
it’s like this
an ant colony
a bee hive
a termite mound
a murder of crows
an unkindness of ravens
a colony of vampire bats
a kettle of piranha fish
a graveyard of skeletons
see, shove those into a blender
pulverize on high
and it’s totally the state of mind
that one of us is in
but i won’t say who
i may point when no one is looking
Poem 20150109b
The
Friday
Haiku
a thousand red eyes
we sit paralyzed, unmoving
traffic jam
Poem 20150109
refusing to wait for warmer weather
she walks barefoot through the grass
now sere and wet
showing off shining nails
the colors of wine and stars
drops of water cling to her toes
and to my breath
Poem 20150108
seven words are stars in space
seven thoughts, pearls of grace
seven deeds, working hands
seven secrets, grains of sand
seven hopes, dragonflies
seven fears, an owl’s cries
seven knives, words most cruel
seven balms, for i’m a fool
Poem 20150107
elusive as candle flames
angels smell of vanilla and cinnamon
and burning sage
their mouths drip
with the juice of pomegranates
and their hands crush
the beating hearts of men
Poem 20150106
after the fog lifted
we could see the damage
the car had done to the tree
struck a glancing blow
the tree lay on its side
uprooted
and fully intact
as if to protest its own doom
but the next day
city workmen
with chainsaws and wood chippers
reduced it to a noisy memory
the smell of resin
and a hole in the ground
Words and Feathers 