I heard a wilted flower speak

one morning, bland and weak,I heard a wilted flower speakof our future tribulationsof our far-off destinationsour technicolor tapestrylife’s seeming mystery to mea tightly coiled secret kepta trepid toil oversteppedthe whisper of earth’s voicea shiver scattered once or twicelike autumn’s petals in the windall our summer days rescinded This poem was written for this week’s Wea’veContinue reading “I heard a wilted flower speak”

Black spruce sentry

A century-old sentry, I’ve stood vigilantat the river’s edge.A surveyor of nature’s glory:the glisten of crisp iceand snowmelt that poolsat my roots,the flicker of the moon’swarm glow scamperingacross my branches,smoother than the boldstare of summer’s sunrays,or the wind that stirs needles and flowers culled from my shadows by deer and hare, or the eddies thatContinue reading “Black spruce sentry”

Taproots

Burrowed underthe surface,secreted shadowsthat swirl sandand flooded landwith God’s hand.I’ll masquerade as a poeta little longer,learning to findmyself beneath my words, expose my owntaproots. Shortly into remission from stage three cancer, I was joking with my primary care physician: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?” “Well,” she said, surprisingly hesitant. “It makes youContinue reading “Taproots”

Rain Dance

in one moment, the earth becomesbeauty in place of pain, levityin place of rain, heartbeat scatteredacross a blood-red sky. Life succumbsto the dance of earth’s frail gravity,the freedom of loose-limbed revelry,the earthquake’s reign that shatteredour peace, the touch of rain now free This poem was written for the Wea’ve Written Weekly prompt. This week’s promptContinue reading “Rain Dance”

Healthcare’s Downfall

Last year, I cried at my mammogram, which is cringeworthy for someone like me who abhors crying in public. Back in 2022, I wrote a post about a very positive experience with my 3rd mammo ever, but 2023 was quite different. The appointment built on several layers of issues, effectively creating a massive sandwich ofContinue reading “Healthcare’s Downfall”

Our Wide-Open Skies

wide-open skies and patriotic cloudsthe voices echoing through the crowdsa brilliant ember can stoke the hearteven when the landfall tears us apartthe sunset trembling with the soundthe oceans parted and mountains bowedwhen all our words joined in the roundwe took each other’s hands and embarkedon wide-open skies from flaring sun to fertile groundwhenever a weatheredContinue reading “Our Wide-Open Skies”

Musical Connections

bodies rippling in smooth rhythm, the crowd an ocean tide breaking at your feet, thousands of voices in harmony, soundwaves tumble and echo, embracing one another, as our arms lift skyward, lights outstretched, wave in synchronicity to the music on stage I think it’s safe to say that I was obsessed with music in highContinue reading “Musical Connections”

Hot Chocolate’s Embrace

We coast down hills fluffy with nature’s reminiscence. Rays ofsun scramble acrossthe tree’s fragilelimbs. Light scatters taperedshadows on our hands andfaces despite the frigid air.Warm mugs of cocoainvigorate ussend a soothing humfrom the first, rich sipto the final dregs. I wrote this poem for the W3 prompt from the Skeptic’s Kaddish. Despite the cold weatherContinue reading “Hot Chocolate’s Embrace”

Writerly Advice for a Confident New Year

I mentioned in the fall that I’d hit a sort of writing block. It wasn’t necessarily that I didn’t have the motivation to write or the ideas to write about; it was that I lacked the time to put my thoughts to paper (or screen, I suppose). My nontraditional NaNoWriMo helped to break that blockContinue reading “Writerly Advice for a Confident New Year”

Sconnie Love

Love is playfullike autumn’s trees,or da stop-and-go-lights,colorful, ever-changing, dancing in a sudden breeze.Love shimmerslike a squeaky cheese curd and evolves likea Brandy Slush sitting on a January porch,sometimes chilly but always warming.Love is as sweetas a couple-two-three Kringles with fruit filing, smooth and decadent, savored like a short-lived Sconnie summer. I wrote this poem forContinue reading “Sconnie Love”