Shawn L. Bird

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

poem- honestly February 15, 2019

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:34 am
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If I were being honest,

(truth hurts, my love)

I’d say that while the quotidien care

powers an appreciative couplehood,

sometimes cares require more than chores.

Sometimes, it needs a hug (you first)

or cooking a meal (with vegetables) and setting candles on the table.

Sometimes it means holding hands instead of striding ahead,

and no sighs of impatience or vibrations of irritation.

(Yes. We feel those, when you’re pretending, and it spoils the effort).

Sometimes your diligence with household chores is enough to know you care,

but sometimes

we need more.

 

 

 

poem: The Game April 16, 2018

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:33 pm
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He serves: I’m working late

She returns: Sounds good. I think I’ll go out, myself

He lobs: Who are you going with?

She returns: Why does it matter?

He stretches, just manages: You might be in an accident.  I should know where to look.

She returns to the far corner: So I can stop into the office and see you this evening?

He turns too slowly, can’t reach far enough: Uh.

Zero love.

 

#NaPoWriMo prompt 16 about a game.

(Still writing poems that connect with my current novel writing project)

 

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-present February 18, 2018

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:33 pm
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A present for her

that’s really for him.

A present for him

that’s really for her.

Who needs a gift, really?

Presence is enough.

 

poem-steps November 6, 2017

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:37 am
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Three steps ahead

he strides forward,

in a rush,

as usual,

to get nowhere,

quickly.

He trails her behind him,

a fuming

sputter

of irritation,

gathering pressure,

ready to explode.

 

 

poem- pathways October 8, 2017

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 9:51 pm
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This is our path

We walk step in step

We’re heading in the same direction

Around us, the seasons change,

friends leave us with only memories,

reminding us that these days are precious

our hands are clasped together,

trusting in our

future.

 

poem-contemplating September 25, 2017

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:59 am
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I’m wondering

about the tension between your eyes.

Those two deep, etched furrows

creased vertically above your nose

that appear when you smile

that tight lipped smile

below eyes that do not laugh.

You say,

you can’t help the furrows;

they happen every time,

and yet

look:

in the moments when your mouth is agape,

grinning widely,

when laughter is visible,

erupting from your face

see

the furrows are absent.

I wonder,

why you hold yourself back from laughter,

why your eyes show only tension,

that you plough into your forehead,

when you could be planting joy.

I wonder

what hurts.

I wonder

whether I can guide you back

to joy.

 

poem-point of view May 5, 2017

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:39 am
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So often

what I think is a conversation about me

you think is a conversation about you.

My feelings

aren’t just feelings, they’re an attack.

But they’re not.

They belong to me

and they’re allowed to be

what they are.

I long for you to acknowledge

how I feel

what I wonder

what I want

isolated from your sense

of inadequacy.

I’m tired

tired

tired of your issue

always overshadowing

any of my concerns.

Mental illness

is annoyingly

narcissistic.

Please consider other points of view.

It isn’t always about you.

Really.

Sometimes it’s about me.

 

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.

 

 

invocation- strife November 1, 2016

Filed under: Poetry,Rotary invocations — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:33 am
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At this difficult season

When opinions impale reason

May we not divide

but warmly abide

within a strong fellowship

built on relationships

of respectful courtesy

as we serve our community.

May we rise as *votary

to the service of Rotary.

.

*vocabulary- a ‘votary’ is a devoted adherent.

 

For free use within Rotary.  Please credit Shawn Bird of Shuswap Rotary, District 5060 with authorship when you present the invocation at your club, and please leave a comment below so Rotarians know when and where it’s been used.  Thank you.