Shawn L. Bird

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

Review: Shadow Between Us March 6, 2019

Filed under: book reviews,Poetry,Reading — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:36 pm
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I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley.

I have read all of Carol Mason’s books, so I was delighted to have the opportunity to review this book which is scheduled for release the end of March 2019.

Carol writes “Women’s Fiction.” In other words, stories about women’s lives, beyond a basic romance story. In Shadow Between Us, she explores her deepest fear.  What if the worst thing you can imagine happened to you?  How would you cope?

Protagonist Olivia copes by abandoning husband and home in Seattle and holing up in the charming port town of Port Townsend, WA, where she meets a young veteran maimed in Afghanistan.  I was glued to the e-reader working out the clues.  What has happened?  Why has Olivia left her husband?  Will they get back together?  Why isn’t her daughter talking to her?  Will she stay in Port Townsend?

So much mystery! So much tension!

No spoilers here.  Let’s just say, I didn’t see it coming, which is always great.   It was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I am an Amazon Affiliate, so if you buy from that link, I get a commission.

 

poem- breaking March 9, 2018

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:49 pm
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For Danielle, with love

.

Breaking heart

Taking future

Making mockery

I doubt the happy start,

wrapped in a painful ending,

rending all I believed,

feeling deceived

by the life we’d conceived.

Paths onward wending,

sending me,

setting me free.

Taking me,

creating me,

letting me

be,

Breaking past,

Taking a stance,

Making me dance.

 

 

 

 

 

poem- love letters March 23, 2017

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:22 am
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They’re talking love letters

and I hold my tongue

but not my lips.

The tilting corners betray me.

The envelopes with your distinctive hand writing

my name like a caress

glued down like a kiss,

all our hopes and dreams scribbled onto foolscap

by a fool to a fool

giddy from hormones.

And now love letters

are notes on the counter:

“Turn on the crockpot at noon”

“Running errands. Back around 3.”

Messages that mean you still

love me.

 

 

poem- resourceful October 6, 2015

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 9:25 am
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I tied the sheets around the bedpost,

dropped out the window out of sight,

followed you down to the River Styx

with the water dark as night.

I leapt.  You bet.

I swam against the current

bumped against all those lost souls

but I was going to find you, and I did.

I tossed a coin to the boatman as he poled  along his way, I crawled into the boat

and I did say,

I told you

and I told you

and I told you.

I don’t care how black your night is

I don’t care how deep the pit

I will follow you and pull you back for air.

I will follow through the darkness

I will swim the River Styx

I will do it because that’s what marriage is.

It’s sticking when your hearts in little bits.

Kharon shrugs his shoulders, pulls us up to the next dock

He doesn’t care if we should choose to walk.

I wrap my arms around you and I drag you to the light,

because you’re too precious not to fight with all my might.

If I must be the strength then so be it,

let’s do what we can to make you fit,

I promised I’d be there for better or for worst

and Baby, I’m not driving with that hearse!

In sickness and in health, In poverty and wealth

I told you

and I told you

and I told you.

I don’t care how black your night is

I don’t care how deep the pit

I will follow you and pull you back for air.

I will follow through the darkness

I will swim the River Styx

I will do it because that’s what marriage is.

It’s sticking when your heart’s in little bits.

And I’m sticking so let’s hear no more of this.

I’m strong this time, and you’ll be fine

We all suffer those hits.

I’m strong this time, and you’ll be fine

in time.

In time.

In time.

In time, Baby you’ll be fine.

.

.

.

.

I had no idea what that was when the first lines came, but apparently it’s the lyrics to a country song about dealing with a spouse with depression.  Who knew!  

 

poem-I do July 17, 2015

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 9:50 am
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Yes.

No.

Maybe so.

I love you, but

I love you,

but,

I love you, so

I will.

Do you?

I do.

.

.

.

.

If this poem had a ‘gag reel’ it would include

I love your

butt

(cough)  But it doesn’t.  So pretend you didn’t read that.

Happy Anniversary #30 to my long-suffering man. 🙂

Five years ago, when this blog was only a couple of months old, I posted this anniversary thought, complete with sepia toned wedding photo… 

 

poem- NaPoWriMo- Rush & Hurry April 18, 2015

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 4:57 pm
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Today’s NaPoWriMo.net prompt in honour of the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere is a poem on a theme of rush and hurry.

(and today I was delighted to discover I am the Day 18 featured poet for yesterday’s social media poem.  How lovely!)

.

.

When it’s true

there’s all the time in the world.

Slow down.

.

They say

“Marry in haste, repent in leisure.”

.

I remember seven months

when time stood still

and you were the air I breathed.

.

In haste, married,

then filled a house with babies.

Now they’re gone, but you’re still here

Our leisurely repentance

is luxurious reward for our haste.

.

.

Happy 30th engagement anniversary to my love. (4 months after meeting and 3 months to the wedding!)

 

poem-made February 9, 2015

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 2:43 pm
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Here

Soft light.

Glimmering.

Singing voices.

Dancing embers flash.

Kisses, flowers, chocolate

Is that what love looks like?

Romance on demand?

Trustworthiness.

Commitment.

They last.

Here.

.

.

.

This is a formed poem.  Each line adds a syllable to 6, then reverses the pattern.

 

poem-repentence December 23, 2014

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:33 am
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‘Marry in haste

repent in leisure,’

they say;

we repent

in long embraces,

loving looks,

and thankfulness.

We repent,

wrapped leisurely

together in sleep.

We repent

in steadfastness,

temperance,

and patience.

 

 

 

poem- former lovers October 20, 2014

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:05 am
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They speak of gifts

from former lovers:

vases

or black eyes,

rings

or babies.

They carry

former intimacies:

horrors and tragedies

traumas and ecstasies.

I have no

former lover,

I  carry only

years with you;

no horrors mar our history,

just monogamous longevity–

our effort at ontogeny.

.

.

(Definition of ontogeny here) 😉

 

poem- rumbling October 7, 2014

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 5:00 pm
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She arrives home exhausted.

“Ooh,” he says, nose curled.

“Those pants are terrible.”

She stares at him, deposits groceries on the counter,

heads down the hall,

and collapses into bed, too tired

to discuss appropriate comments,

respect, and positive encouragement.

She sleeps.

Hours later, she awakens, hungry,

makes some toast.

He comes upstairs.  “The kid is out,” he says,

heading to the bedroom.

Ah, she thinks.  That’s code for ‘Apology sex.’

Wise of him.

She bathes, listening to him preparing

in the other bathroom.

She climbs into bed,

to find him snoring.

She wishes she had eaten beans,

cauliflower

and cabbage for dinner.

She ponders delivering a two footed

kick to his backside, propelling him out of bed,

and into the wall.

(An easy task, since now she probably outweighs him).

Instead, she rolls over,

and sleeps.

 

 
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