I tell myself,
In the process of creation,
her art fulfilled its purpose.
If the family has chosen what to keep
Freeing the rest to the universe
is just extending its mandate
not a betrayal to her
memory.
poem-siren call September 3, 2020
It used to be
a howling ambulance
made me hold my breath
waiting to hear if it flew to you.
Now you’re past their aid,
so I send a blessing
to the stranger in need
and into the sky in memory
of you
poem-special delivery August 31, 2020
Two raw hazelnuts on the back deck.
Delivery from a rat? a squirrel? a passing crow?
I guess that’s something we’ll never know.
poem-fuel August 29, 2020
Inspiration:
green mountain sides
blue skies
spruce scented air
Danger:
summer lightning
immolation
devastating beauty
Prescription:
diamonds dancing
mountain lake
water-bomber
Metaphor:
change
desire
this
Poem-growing August 28, 2020
One small change today
One gift of time
One contribution to a cause
One life-lesson contemplated
One old idea reconsidered
One step toward wisdom
won each day.
Poem-sisters August 27, 2020
Three bitter sisters
Decades
Decades
Decades
What planted those seeds
That swelled with pain
Wound* roots
Those wounds** rooting
around around
deep deeper deepest
Shoots spread painful shots
cruel words
Bloom with false faces:
kindness for friends
peevish pieces for families,
never words children
needed to hear.
Three bitter sisters
Broken spirits
planting bitterness
for decades,
seeding
so many sad
children.
*(past tense of wind)
**(synonym of injury)
poem-the dark side of the moon August 24, 2020
too much new
tensions wrapping around psyches
tugging
we’re choking on the changes
fruitlessly fearful
waiting for someone to hear us
Relief.
A sensible plan
Workable ideas
Deep breath.
This might just work
poetry-evening August 22, 2020
frog serenade
swish of wings
whine of mosquitoes
aimless clapping
beside the bonfire.
Snippet from Josh Pantalleresco’s Alice Zero August 13, 2020
Yesterday I posted an interview with Josh Pantalleresco about his book of narrative poetry called Alice Zero. Today, Josh shares a snippet of the book for your enjoyment.
———————————————————-
II
(You are late.)
quiet
can I just sleep?
Dream my dreams
for in them I see…
The loud clanging of the cell
brings me to attention
I am here
I see him and go pale
Ace watches me
his black heart etched on his sleeve
Letting me know
he is in charge
(I want to punch him on the face)
Shhh
he’ll hear us
(I don’t like him looking at us. Do you?)
I shudder
my meal is delivered through the small door
(I wonder what drugs are in here)
I don’t argue any more
some days just blur on by
others are just nightmares
rage and pain and anger
unjoyous madness boils inward
I have to eat the food
I need to drink the water
so what if there are poisons in here
(Lithium gives you nightmares)
It does not!
Oh no!
I said that out loud
he is staring
before long I see the men in white
wearing hearts on their sleeves
carrying needles on their sides
and sticks on their backs
I shouldn’t fight
should be quiet
meek
they’ll go easy on me
(Fuck that.)
But…
(If you won’t fight for you, who will?)
But…
I say no more
the first one tackles me
Eight shoots for my legs
and trips me
the ground feels unyielding
I hit it and struggle to breathe
I am turned onto my stomach
hands bent behind my back
I brace myself for the liquid
dreamless sleep
I hear a voice stop them
halt! She booms
the guards stop
and salute
I gasp
I know that voice
and shudder
(Out of the frying pan. Into the Fucking fire.)
my hair is pulled
blood trickles from my face
I look up and see her
she wears red
her lips painted black
her raven hair braided
her eyes cold and merciless
my jailer
my Queen
she grins at my moment
relishing my torment
she nods
I am swarmed by white
I feel the prick of a needle
and see a shade of crimson
before all goes black.
—————————————————————-
Ooooooh! Did it give you shivers? Here’s the link if you’d like to read more!
Alice Zero
Shawn L. Bird 