When You Least Expect It

Its easy to miss
The steady hiss
Of gases poison-
Us
Grief, Anger, Helplessness
Fill the skin
Till it becomes thin-
ner
Explosion sudden potent
Creates a vacuum
Sucks the air out of
The room,
Her lungs and heart
Escaping barely in-
tact
Return to darkness
And confusion
Shun of reconciliation
Moving through the day
Fragments of soul shattered
Clatter re-
Mind her of sorrow
Another night
Collapsing on her pillow
Yet, familiar fingers seek
And find
Intertwine
With cheek pressed to cheek
Warm breath whispers
Love, Apology
Tears soften broken edges
Allow her to
Stitch together the pieces
With a thread of hope

This is written for Poetry Pantry at Poets United, poetryblogrollblogspot.com. A bit of the dark side this week, but as MLK said  "Everything that is done in the world is done by hope" and as the Beatles say "All you need is love" :-). Wishing everyone a healthy dose of both this week.

A Week of Stumbles

Little toes press to tippy toe walk
Moving before we can talk
Never seeing those dangers that stalk
Our steps, making us stumble
Falter, yet keep us humble
Years, tears, we reach and fumble
Seek joy, make sense of life's jumble

This is offered for Mary's prompt about steps--poetry jam--poetryjaam.blogspot.com; and for Poetic Bloomings form challenge to write a Saraband--really how could I resist that? And for dversepoets.com who are honoring fellow poet Dave King, who passed away this week and I'm honoring my friend's son who at 19,  passed away last week after an inspirational life--he was born with a defect in his liver and survived 5 liver transplants.  Sigh.  Cherish the days and the people you love--I cherish all of you :-)

It Remains To Be Seen

My hands wished to
Draw a leaf
Not words, with a pencil
No color, just graphite
Like a "B" or "2B"
Soft, to smudge
And glide
Not scratch the paper
I was striving for lush
Instead shadows eluded me
And I got bones
A leaf skeleton
It's not really finished
But I am
Finished
With the drawing
For now

For now
The drawing is finished
But, I am not really finished
It's a leaf skeleton
I got bones
Instead of shadows
That eluded me
I was striving for lush
Not to scratch the paper
And glide, soft to smudge
Like a "B" or "2B"
No color just graphite
A pencil, not words
To draw a leaf
Like my hands wished

This is offered for Laurie's intriguing prompt at poetry jam, poetryjaam.blogspot.com, to write a poems and then rewrite it "backwards". I love cycles and refrains so I really wanted to do this.  I think I like the backwards version better (figures...).  Based on a true story, happened today.... 

The Fight to Write

As
Soon as I
Finish
Washing this pan
So
I can stir fry these vegetables
That
I bought while grocery shopping
And
Take those socks out of the dryer
So
I can put on my tennis shoes
And
Walk the dogs
And
Then do 20 minutes on the Elliptical
So
I stay healthy
And
Can go to work
So
That the electric bill gets paid
And
My laptop has power
So
I can write this poem

This is offered for the "Battle" prompt from Peggy at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com and for Joe at OLN where he asked us about (snort, guffaw, choke) "balance" at dVersePoets.com.  It's an every day battle for me, finding time to write.  The happy news (for me) is that I have been able to manage at least one day a week. :-)

Loved Not Lost

Put me deep into
Wilderness
Let me lose myself
Digress
And be inspired
By Bryce's sandstone spires
Yosemite's glacier
Carvings, sing
Sea songs
With the Pt. Reyes surf pounding
Out a backbeat
In front of me
Give me the Keys to drift
Lazy in aquamarine
While the full moon reflects
A path of peace
Across the twilight sea

This is offered for Mary's fun "Lost" prompt at poetryjaam.blogspot.com and for Kim at Poets United poetryblogroll.blogspot.com who asked us to write about places we love.  And those are places where I lose my burdens and find myself again--:-)

The Philosophy Of Broken Bonds

Decay
That can shred a fingertip
FE-
Eling  slick when coated
But naked
A sliver drops
Skin sheds, flakes,
The mind chases itself
A stray black kitten
Trying to catch its tail
Seeking the ending
Or the beginning?
We circle our answers
And our wagons
Hope for safety
Yet know that
There's always oxidation
Those elements that
Betray us
The bonds snap when
There's something more
Attractive -
Positive or
Negative
That we can
Hitch our wagons to

This is offered for Laurie's prompt at Poetry Jam poetryjaam.blogspot.com. to write about rust and texture. (FE is the periodic table symbol for iron)  A very late night mindflow poem, not my usual flavor, but a little variety...don't want to get staid and...rusty :-)

B is 4

B is for birthday cake and
Brian EVERywhere
A virtual comment ninja
He must warp time
It's the only way he could be
At every website I see
EVery singLe One
Faster than a speeding mouse
Click, he's there
Able to write every day
And visit everyone too
It's magic, it's talent
And I thank you

It's Brian's birthday dversepoets.com and he challenged us to write a 55 word story/poem. I think this is more like a greeting card... it's the thought that counts right?