i dreamt i was the moon, but the dream seemed real upon waking, so much so that i checked the mirror for craters and dark sides. i found nothing of interest–no man living there, no celestial maiden, no mochi pounding rabbits. the memory of that cold embrace of the dark sky, being held by nothing, floating and shining with an impossible weightlessness of being both far away and as near as a reflection in glass haunted me throughout the day and well into a moonless night.
Tag: dverse
without mediation, wolf takes matters into his own hands–20191201
only his head
is big enough
to fit inside
–you have a problem, wolf says
he takes a long drag
the cigarette coal glows and dies
like a highway patrol car’s lights
–you think time only moves
in one direction
–you’re hung up on a metaphor
time is a river, you think
once you pass over a spot
it’s gone forever
i push my back against
the dry cave wall
wolf followed me here through the rain
worst storm in fifty years
now his coat is ragged and sopping
while i have a small fire
a bundle of sticks
i beat him to the cave
by all rights
i get dibs on shelter
he gets the storm
–it’s all good
he spits the butt into my tiny flames
–i’ll be back ten minutes ago
let’s all open up (20180212)
i had to work the wound
to get it to bleed again
no amount of murmuring
would entice it to cease
once it freely flowed
these closed doors
flickering living room lights
the smell of half-eaten dinners
don’t fool me
you’re all bleeding
——
expectations adjusted, unmet (20171009)
autumnal orange light floods the parking lot
while soft snowflakes fall
even though these aren’t snowflakes
even though the greasy stink of smoke gives it away
hills burn
and wind pushes ash toward the sea
i hope the sunset–at least–
will be beautiful
——
tiny slivers of glass on a dusty floor (20171003)
the when of you
an exhibition of
my ten thousand pieces
–miss alignment?
–no, mrs
clocks offer offspring
wound/ed/ in the knees
and the stars
winkin blinkin and nod
off
my ten thousand pieces
brokered bartered battered
before the sun went down
when you were
——
Day 8/30 of the Tupelo 30/30 Project (20170808)
you smile
like i could pick the shadows….
——
Want to read more? You can. My poem toothpick is available to read at the Tupelo 30/30 project page. And don’t just read my poem. Take time to crawl over the whole page.
This prompt is brought to you by a wonderful poet who wishes to remain ANONYMOUS. (Actually, it was brought to you by Janice at On the Land. It just came in anonymously for some reason.)
This poem is also a response to:
dVerse ~ Poets Pub
Poetics: shade
Twenty spots left my fine friends. Don’t make me get al Dr. Suess. Go to Tupelo Press’ Project 30/30 page for more details.
what are you afraid of? (20170731)
we are all monkeys screaming in trees
look out for the eagles
look out for the snakes
all fears are now equal
life, death, children, resources,
sex, power, violence,
not being able to sleep
without the tv on
and sleeping with the tv on
——
shutting up (20170627)
sew my mouth closed
pack my tongue in
pickling salt and alum
i have no benediction
left
blessed are the hungry
they will be told to get a job
wire my jaw shut
pour fast-drying wet cement
up my nose
and leave my head in the sun
to dry
blessed are the infirm
they will die in misery
replace my head
with one of stone
use my vocal cords
for penny guitars
blessed are the other
they will be forced into corners
into alleys
into slavery of all forms
cut out of their skins
and trapped within them
——
untitled villanelle (20170622)
move along, there’s nothing here to see
broken bits like discarded crystal spheres
you should know i don’t care if you agree
my workings loosen, all at once set free
while you tell me, beg me, to persevere
move along, there’s nothing here to see
i’m no clock to wind with a secret key
much more like a badly hung chandelier
you should know i don’t care if you agree
the chain creaks and strains–then just debris
against the curling, faded veneer
move along, there’s nothing here to see
time reduces to rust these moons in apogee
an irritating hum of the inner ear
you should know i don’t care if you agree
i’ve had much practice as an absentee
all too soon this sorry shade’ll disappear
move along, there’s nothing here to see
you should know i don’t care if you agree
——
rule observation (20170620)
i catch fire and burn for you
but the flames scare you
and you retreat a safe distance
afraid to lose your eyebrows
though all the kids are doing it
you’ll be back when it gets cold
i’m certain of that fact
you were never one to enjoy suffering
you’ll be grateful for my radiance
and that I ignored the no smoking sign
——
Words and Feathers 