Shawn L. Bird

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

3 dimensions of art April 22, 2014

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:59 pm

I love the way this black out poem is formatted, so I’m reblogging so I can find it later! So nice!

 

poem- opinion twist

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 4:21 pm
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I thought

t’was so simple:

It’s not like that;

It’s like this.

But I’m reading

and discovering,

there’s information

I’ve missed.

It’s quite a bit

like that, surely

but it’s also

like this.

That’s a problem

with learning

one cannot dismiss,

Neither black, nor white,

it’s one

great

grey

abyss!

 

 

 

poem- expansion April 21, 2014

Filed under: Poetry,Pondering — Shawn L. Bird @ 3:44 pm
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We grow

to fill the space we have.

Over time, each room fills

with things that we could live without

but gather like memories.

If the deadline is far away

we stretch to fill the time,

break the project into small parts

or forget about it until the final moments

We should expand

into our opportunities

while we have time and space

to grow.

 

poem- and

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 1:00 pm
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She saw it in his eyes

and

tilted her head modestly

hiding her smile

while he tried desperately to

catch her attention.

.

She saw it in his eyes

and

extended her left hand

to accept the ring,

the sign of promise.

.

She saw it in his eyes

and

handed back the ring

letting him go

no regrets.

.

She saw it in his eyes

and

welcomed him beside her,

his fears conquered,

stood at the altar,

moved into the future.

.

She saw it in his eyes

and

held the babies close

while he gushed

about the woman he admired

.

She saw it in his eyes

and

let him grieve the loss

as they left behind

wishful thinking

.

She saw it in his eyes

and

embraced their passion

commitment

longevity.

.

She saw it in his eyes

and

each time he was broken

she brought out the glue

to piece him back together

held him tightly

.

She saw it in his eyes

and

let him be,

let all enfold,

and

it was

fine.

 

 

poem- Easter chimes April 20, 2014

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:46 am
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The wind chimes

on my back deck

honour the day

intoning like sonorous church bells

calling for celebratory worship.

 

poem- one word April 19, 2014

Filed under: Poetry,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:29 am
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My mentor says

there’s only one way to write:

one word at a time.

She’s right.

There’s only one way to finish

a project though,

and that’s to keep putting

one word at a time onto the page

until the page is full

and to keep doing that

day after day.

If you want to finish a

100,000 word novel

You can do it

in a year writing

just 274 words  day,

that’s not even 2000 words a week.

It’s about daily diligence.

You eat a banquet

one bite at a time.

Develop a habit,

commit a little each day.

30 minutes will do it

so long as you keep doing it,

writing one word

at a time.

.

.

.

(113 words)

(Or you can join NaNoWriMo next November 1st, write  1668 words every day, and have the 100,000 words done by the new year.  That’s a whole lot more stress, though!)  🙂

PS.

Writers Digest is on my wavelength today.  Here’s an article on Writing Routines.  #1 is ‘Write 500 words a day.’ How’s that for a coincidence?  http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/7-writing-routines-that-work

 

poem- dreaming in the tub April 18, 2014

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 3:51 pm
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In drenched sleep

dreaming

computer rests across my knees

I’m writing

with neck crooked awkwardly

of you

and what happens next

in my favourite novel

and pondering the universe

until wisdom unfolds.

I type it all down,

in my dream

take dictation

from the subconscious

but when I awaken

there are neither words

nor keyboard

and all wisdom has evaporated

in the steam,

or drizzled down the drain.

 

poem- Misty’s shoes April 17, 2014

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 1:21 pm
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I’m wearing Misty’s shoes;

her ghost clings to them

billowing behind the clicking heels

in the hallway.

Misty set these shoes

on the foot rest of her

wheelchair, but I’m dancing

to her memory down corridors,

blowing kisses to the sky

through windows

wide with wishes.

.

.

.

A few years ago on eBay I bought a pair of black and white Fluevog Harlows:  T-straps on towering spool heels .  Misty’s sister told me about how they were selling her shoes after her untimely death from cystic-fibrosis.  I was so impressed with what she told me about her feisty sister over a brief correspondance, that I created a shoe-oholic character called Misty in the Grace books 3 & 4.  The manuscript is sitting on a shelf, waiting for polishing.  Someday you’ll get to meet her fictional namesake.  In the meantime, you can admire her excellent taste in shoes:

John Fluevog Harlow (Black/White Crackle) - Spectators Dress Shoes :  heels blackandwhite spectator

 

poem- talking April 16, 2014

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:38 am
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Number one

occupational

health hazard for

flight attendants

is falling

during turbulance,

for hair stylists:

hair slivers,

for  teachers

it’s vocal damage.

Today,

my throat concurs

and longs for Ricola

and honeyed tea.

Today,

teaching hurts.

 

 

poem- quilted drive April 15, 2014

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 3:42 pm
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I drive a lime aphid

along a grey ribbon,

through rippling hills

and valleys of

green velvet

along teal satin waters

beneath a blue silk sky

dusted with tufts of batting fluff.

.

.

(The aphid is actually a Beetle, but the colour is right). 😉