Sunday, July 1, 2012

Compliant Child


                (Google Images)               

Too eager to please
somehow knowing
the key to survival
is submission
stuffing want and need
far far away

growing wiser
means understanding this:
being silent
ignored
avoiding notice
is far easier on the soul than attention

learning to bend will
to others
selling control
for lack of upheaval
a deadening but necessary
choice

lessons learned in childhood
and youth
recreate the compliant child
into one ripe
for relationships
unmerciful

Heat




Heat
visible in waves coming off the street
baking my body to its core
a consuming sadness
competes for space stolen by hot hot hot
sadness
at searing summer days
making me prisoner of
cooler rooms
and dreams of yellow orange red
autumn days

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Somehow I've Been Away




This sky, a picture of storms about to break out, is me.  Inside there have been struggles so strong, so intense, that even writing has not been possible.  It is healing taking place, sometimes an excruciating process. I have not abandoned my friends, my blogs, my writing.  There has just been a pause while I learn and remind myself again and again that I am strong, I have survived great pain, and I will be victorious over the cruelties, torture, and control so suffocating they threatened to take my breath, my life.

So bear with me, please, as I work on healing.  For now, I believe I am ready to come back to writing.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Two Tanka Poems


Mint spreads like wind blown
leaves filling my garden bed
with round leaves climbing
toward sunshine   ready for
hot   honeyed   light morning tea









Cornflower blue sky
heavy with cotton ball clouds
changing from castle
to ghostly cattle grazing
in a periwinkle sky
 
 
 


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Dessert Too


 (Cupcake and photo by Stephanie Pride)

It should be something that
announces itself in the baking
enticing aromas
infusing the air we breathe
creating a longing
for the taste
texture
moment of bliss
as we hold each fork full
to our lips
on our tongues
just for a moment
enjoying it to the fullest
before we swallow
and it is gone



Sunday, May 20, 2012

Dessert in the Desert



These despised hot days
here in the desert
collecting cacti
with my camera
heat dripping down
from my scalp
to the soles of my
crispy baked feet
all I can think of is ice cream
mint ice cream
cold
soothing to my
lips
tongue where heavenly flavor rules
In my imagination I ate
the entire carton
then went back to work
with heat dripping down
from my scalp
to the soles of my
crispy baked feet

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Five Poems


These are written in response to a prompt by Robert Lee Brewer in his Poetic Asides column.  You can find it in Writer's Digest Magazine and online at http://www.writersdigest.com/ .    As always, thank you, Robert.

The Sun Fell (The Sun Also Rises)

That day he admitted his
crimes against you
against God
against me
against family
His words boiled in
my belly until
I needed to vomit

I did not know where
to turn what
to do
my mind spun out of
control I couldn't think
all I know is that evening
the sun fell



Emma's Wonderland (Alice in Wonderland)

Wonderland made of night dreams
day dreams
imaginings
passages from books
lines from poems
brush strokes from paintings
stippling from charcoal drawings
verses from songs
instrumentals in their entirety
poem song stories built in my soul

No matter what part of Wonderland
I am visiting you are always there
I wake with you travel by your side
give you sparkling silver kisses
or deep red kisses never ending
you play my heart like a piano
late late night or early morning together
waking ends with you by my side
no matter what land one thing remains
I will always love you



Lord of Lies (Lord of the Flies)

Something is not right
way inside the core of you
truth is what you decide
it is
at that moment
lies are only explanations
or evidence of
the problem being with everyone else
never you
not your fault
ever
because you know
what real truth is
an insight no one else has



 
A Good Soil (The Good Earth)

Shrubs gone
wall built
weed cloth laid

now
build a good soil
to feed my garden

potting mix, organic
so much better
than what they sell as topsoil

light compared to heavy
lets roots grow
instead of suffocation

peat moss
compacted treasure of the ages
holds raindrops

giving drink to flowers and fruit
veggies and herbs
long after a thunder storm

compost black gold
feeds continuously
coaxing growth

from stems leaves buds
in turn gifting us with
blooms in purples pinks yellows whites

fruits red blue green purple
vegetables enough for
now Thanksgiving bounty saving for winter

it is with love
I build a good soil
joy comes with harvest





Invisible Child (The Invisible Man)

Wake up to mother's general call
to all brothers sisters
Time to get up

Sit at the table
behind the row of cereal boxes
spread for each to choose

Eat in silence
Dress for school
Walk alone thinking alone

Take my seat in the classroom
saying nothing
following directions

Walking home thinking alone
come in the door to my
shared room without hello

Pick up a book
lie down on my bed
to read my mind's adventures

Dinner nervous time
dad is intelligent stern aloof
mom sighs too often

Back to my room
to read in peace not even
wondering how many words

I have said
or not said this day
of invisibility