Shawn L. Bird

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

poem- parenthood September 26, 2013

On a non-stop eight hour drive,

we paused for fuel.

“What?” you asked

As you intercepted smirks

passed over your head,

when you climbed into the back seat

after the gas station bathroom break.

“Nothing,” we said, as we pulled

back onto the highway.

Even though your sister had been

traumatized when I left her

standing in the driveway as we tore off to the bus stop

that time,

while you waved at her from the back seat

and waited for me to notice,

this time

when your dad slammed the car door,

buckled up,

and drove away,

destination in his mind,

she was the one who said,

“Missing anyone?”

so when you climbed into the car,

you never even knew

you’d ever been left behind.

 

haiku poem- Oregon coast September 8, 2013

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:25 pm
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The scent of salt tousles

hair and jackets.  It paints waves and

caresses the dunes

DSCN0132

 

poem- whispering September 5, 2013

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:54 pm
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Soft words

across my pillow:

promises,

light,

dreams,

on the breath

of possibility.

 

listening on the lake August 15, 2013

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 4:37 pm
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A lone loon

intones a poem

lingering long

across the lake.

Its echoing call’s

a prayer chant.

Summer song

whispered on the water

Lonely loon

listens for his lover

lost in

melancholy memories

of sun sambas on waves.

Haunting ghost calls

as cabins close

and summer dies.

.

.

If you haven’t heard a loon call, here is a nice video that captures the mournful quality of their song:

 

haiku- on the journey August 8, 2013

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 9:23 pm
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Gentle jade waters

leap in frothy white tutus

and wear down mountains

.

.

As I was driving to Calgary today over the Rockies, I passed all sorts of lovely waterfalls with the prettiest pale green water.  As I drove along, of course I composed a poem!

 

poem- swimming against the current August 2, 2013

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 6:56 pm
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I dive into a dream

through sloughs of doubtful inheritance

with sure strokes I slice the pool

of the possibility.

Doubts ride the boat beside me

but I swim in imagination

toward the shore of a tomorrow

where anything

can be

 

poem- you July 29, 2013

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 1:29 pm
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You are illuminated cranberry glass

the glow of a molten sunset

the iridescence of hummingbird wings

You are the dance of kite strings

the song of a mockingbird

the quintessence of possibility

You are all I long to be

the dreams of a millennium

the hope of eternity

You are innocence in a cradle

the wisdom of the elders

the infinity of the finite.

You are bubbles of laughter

the effervescence of everything

the reason.

 

 

More from the amazing spoken word poet Sarah Kay July 19, 2013

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 3:04 pm
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A TED talk about writing poetry.  Some beautiful examples.

http://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_kay_if_i_should_have_a_daughter.html

 

zinnia night July 2, 2013

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 4:36 pm
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Black night around us

you slice into my dream

and I see zinnias:

exploding  fireworks,

vivid petals raining down,

Colouring our embrace.

 

on being thoroughly mused June 30, 2013

For Outlander author Diana Gabaldon:

.

You

were not

just kissed

by the muse,

Diana, huntress,

goddess of the moon.

You were ravaged.

You were embraced;

your buttocks clutched

and hoisted high,

as the muse impaled you,

roughly pierced your soul,

raised hairs the whole length of you.

Seized by such  divine  inspiration,

you stretched, back arching,

and received the pulsing

thrusts of

.

w

o

r

d

s

,

w

o

r

d

s

,

w

o

r

d

s.

.

Excruciating

ecstasy

that  called forth

rippling quivers,

left you heaving,

complete,

replete,

and pregnant

with story.

.

Diana muse

.

This post began with a random comment made on Diana Gabaldon’s Facebook page yesterday, and here we are!  My first erotica!  ((blush))  lol

.

For those who wondered, yes, Diana has seen this, and I even have a recording of her laughing lustily about it, as we were wrapping up our blue pencil at SIWC 2013. 🙂  Her comment, should you not be able to read the image is, “Wow! That’s a GREAT poem Shawn! I’m truly honoured #mindIusuallyhavetodomoreofthework”

 eroticpoetrypostOnBeingMused

In August 2013 she dedicated her Daily lines to me:

ThisonesforShawnLBirdpoetess

The daily lines in question can be read here:

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1rlp46l

And if you’re a fan of Outlander and are now watching the TV series, you may enjoy the poem Dear Sam Heughan from August 2013 when Sam was first cast to play Jamie:  Diana has seen this one as well, and coached me through some necessary vocabulary alterations (see notes at the end). 😉