Shawn L. Bird

Original poetry, commentary, and fiction. All copyrights reserved.

poem-return February 26, 2016

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 8:00 am
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Two geese fly

over the lake

bringing spring

with each flap

of their wings.

 

poem-trained February 25, 2016

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 2:07 pm
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Eyes forward

Seeing what he wants to see.

Ears closed to cries or criticism.

Fill out the forms

Check the boxes.

Everyone must fit somewhere,

conformity is the only rule.

Follow the tracks.

 

poem-popcorn haiku

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 8:40 am
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The popcorn maker

called the scavengers to feast,

now only I eat.

 

 

 

poem-journey February 24, 2016

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:47 am
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There is anticipation

in the preparation

equal to arriving

at the destination.

 

poem-hopes and fears February 23, 2016

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 8:32 pm
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You know everything

at least you think you do

and constraints of adult expectations

are irritation to you.

So that older guy on social media

successfully calls you

offering freedom and attention

and you leave confidently,

but we fear your bravado

will crash into a predator

and send you cringing home

your security crushed

forever, by the wisdom gained

too late and too painfully.

 

poem-fake out February 22, 2016

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 1:31 pm

They mandate learning

You must be here

You must go to this website

You must explore

And they are so unprepared

their website crashes

no one can reach it

and we just shake our heads

at the irony

of the sad reality

of their expectation we rely on this technology.

 

poem-ashes to ashes February 21, 2016

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:03 am
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I feel you curled against my back.

I stroke your warm body.

I gaze into your soft brown eyes,

that gaze lovingly back to me.

I wonder whose ashes are in the box:

Conspiracy theories.

Painful realities ring with the alarm clock,

and my contentment turns to ashes.

 

poem-floor level February 20, 2016

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 7:21 pm

Floor level is less interesting

Fewer blankets and pillows are piled into corners

for you to collapse upon.

Crumbs aren’t cleaned up by a searching tongue.

No floor level greeter welcomes me home

No floor level sniffer seeks a snack of his own

Floors stay cleaner: no foot prints at the door,

no water puddles down the hall.

Sometimes I still see you from the corner of my eye

and once again, I say good-bye.

.

.

An unconventional art hanging spot, that feels just right.

2016-02-13 20.23.11

The print is by Zefi Famelis of http://www.zefiart.com.  It’s called “Eyes of Love.”  I’ve had it for several years, but now it’s in the living room.  Here’s a closer look:

Eyes of Love by Zefi Famelis

 

poem-7 February 19, 2016

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 2:12 pm
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The ancient Greeks formalized education.

Men should seek the seven liberal arts.

They must know grammar,

rhetoric,

dialectics.

Then move on to

music

arithmetic,

geometry,

astronomy

and always consider the tenets of philosophy.

You must begin knowing how words connect,

how to persuade others,

how to think logically and analytically,

then explore

sound,

numbers,

shapes,

and stars.

 

poem- hovering February 18, 2016

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 9:47 am
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It’s a shadow

she can’t quite see,

just behind her head.

A sensation of suspicion

quickening between

her shoulder blades.

A darkness settling in

a midnight coloured cape.

Oppressive premonitions

that demand she hides, fades away.

No energy for fight or flight

when confronting the black horror

of night.