the evening is alive with promise
dogs lie on their porch, loving the breeze
chimes are tinkling in a happy manner
there are two sounds – the air conditioner and crickets
the wind picks up strength; leaves rustle
one dog’s head comes up; he gulps some wind
in the distance a dog barks. My two dogs are on their feet.
They run up the hill barking with serious intent.
There is a need for quietness today,
I listen to my neighbor's toilet flush,
it takes a long time for the sound
to drain away and refill,
I hold seconds inside my mind
between that rise and fall.
There is space for listening,
the trash compactor chews on
when switched off.
I hear conversations
filtering through the air conditioner,
words both distinct and garbled.
Yesterdays hurried meal
speaks still, moments explore
newly opened pocket.
This is not silence
sound moves upon carpet slippers,
yet steps are heightened
by being audible
in a lower registry of depth.
It is I who creates this lengthening,
this processional unwinding of
of unremarkable moments,
a distance between
and marked by blank labels -
every note,
an eavesdropping deliverance.
Dedicated to Stuart A. Staples
I want to break someone's little finger
In three places
Give me strings on a hollow wooden body
Crumpled suits and apprehension
The warbler, the jongleur
The slur, the trill, the quaver
I can only serenade in that way
Without drop z tuning
Barmonies and mashed taters
Send in the French horn
Alone in the living room
The air conditioner remote
Engrossed and enthralled in the music
The dog watching me
I do not bother God
with too many questions.
I watch with sardonic interest
as ants continue to terrorize nations.
The ugly I have found to be beautiful
the root
the gnarling trunk - everything
under my hands and feet.
What I see - I am.
Writing poetry
keeps me light-headed,
I break words open to free their souls.
I am crazy for all things broken.
The air-conditioner is a hive of humming minds,
most pillows are stuffed with whispers
I know this
as much as I know your restless dreams.
Gulls scream their savage songs
because the sky is all theirs.
Ghosts do not bother me
what does not seem to change -
that,
that alone bothers me.
Moist sheets tossed aside
soaked pillows
Side by side single mattress
She was exposed drippings
Dime sack and tree rings brittle snowcats
Green sight meet brown peepers
Plumb late April Boreal Plains humidity
Abittor Unami eau de cologne electricity
Thin plain pink blanket on the window
Air conditioner recirculating
Salmon rays preen her face
Noon spring afternoon
the rain stopped the sun peeked in
Bare cucumber blooms sticky seeds
Hanging over pickled
The lard on her belly
She didn’t bathe
Just left my bleak studio apartment
Erotomania sweat,
Womb vacant,
Minnows swimming
Contraceptive implant
Wedding ring manufacturer.
Moist sheets tossed aside
soaked pillows
Side by side
She was wet
Dime sack and tree rings
Green sight meet brown peepers
Plumb late April Boreal Plains humidity
Abittor Unami eau de cologne
Thin plain pink blanket on the window
Air conditioner recirculating
Salmon rays preen her face
Noon spring afternoon
the rain stopped the sun peeked in
Bare cucumber blooms sticky seeds
Hanging over pickled
The baby fat on her belly
She didn’t bathe
Just left my studio apartment
Erotomania sweat,
Womb vacant,
Leprechaun semen leaking,
Birth control implant
Wedding ring manufacturer,
Laconic
Air conditioner is loud and steady
Wind chimes prove the wind is ready
Balmy spring day bringing us March
Limber and lithe, not a bit of starch
Dogs stare at me on this lazy day
Loving the country in an appreciative way
Not a single sound, no tweet, chirp or peep
The kind of day I could do a lot of serious sleep
a labyrinth of feelings twist me up
Covid shot put me into a semi-dead-zone
warmth of sun gives me a glimmer of hope
whirr of air conditioner annoys my dog ears
I am fearful of my giant charging pony dogs
they both weigh more than I weighed as a bride
I feel refreshed by the coolness of this October day
Other feelings felt simultaneously refuse to take the lead.
weird bird tweet
cheep cheep cheep
traffic in the distance
barely perceptible breeze
rooster crow
dogs chase squirrel
his get away is lickety split
up a hickory tree
wind chimes a merry melody
smell of autumn leaves
a far off conversation
drowned out by ambulance siren
motorcycle engine revs
trill of another bird
I soak up the sunshine
feeling safe in Vitamin D
dog’s gruff bark startles me
his pal runs off the porch
air conditioner kicks on
the only sound now except the wind chime
gentle sounds of an October day at noon
climbs up porch railing
sets on air conditioner
peaks in through window
Feeling summer's heat- air conditioner too is overheated
"When Silence Speaks" poetry contest.
Sponsor: Craig Cornish
2nd Place.
Date Submitted: 07/05/2024
the air conditioner soothing my heated skin
fire brick curtains with their red dyed orange
bumblebee rays peeking through gaps in between,
they have so much to say
so much to say to me
ghosts of muffled laughter snuggling my ears
crinkled edges of faded eyes and scratchy rugs beneath my feet
labored breaths running after a face resembling my own,
your lingering warmth has so much to say
so much to say to me
a hand in mine and a skip in my step
wandering, marveling at street vendors, the bustling market
lavender dreams blooming under our eyelids,
that quiet understanding has so much to say
so much to say to me
heaving shoulders in a dimly lit bathroom,
tear tracks melding into the glass of a splintered mirror
this lonely silence has howled its piece,
now I have nothing to say
nothing to say to me.
I could not relate to the carols;
about jolly, happy snowmen,
when I sculpted in the sand.
I could not relate to the carols;
about riding sleds through the snow,
when I was riding my bike, in the sun.
I could not relate to the carols;
about sitting by a crackling open fire,
when I was sitting by an air-conditioner.
I could not relate to the carols;
about gliding over a pond of ice,
when I was swimming in a cool, blue sea.
I could not relate to the carols;
about lands of winter wonder,
when I stood under a raging sun.
I could not relate to the carols;
about falling snow and freezing cold,
when the land I saw was dry
and
I was sweltering hot.
it all seemed bazaar to me;
that Santa wore a thick fur lined coat,
but our sun gave off a blistering heat.
xmas characters wore overcoats, beanies and gloves,
but I was wearing shorts, T-shirt and thongs.
ice and thick snow covered the festive ground,
but I looked upon a dry ground covered in dust.
sky`s were cloudy, grey with no shining sun.
but I stood under blue sky with a blazing sun.
they slid over freezing snow and ice
I was cooling off in the deep blue sea.
The season’s trees were lush and green.
but the trees I saw were dry and brown.
when they were out looking for reindeers,
I had to look out for slithering snakes.
they placed the yuletide log to the open fire,
I turned on the air-conditioner way up to high.
people drank steaming cups of egg-nog,
but I was adding ice to my soft drinks.
even though the temperature was over 30 degrees,
we still had that hot, cooked lunch.
Finished off with warm pudding and hot custard.
Between the roads & the politicians,
Oklahoma is a bumpy, jarring,
and EPIC FAIL...
A no improvement,
where improvement is needed, hell.
At this point,
they ought to consider
FLUSHING it out with Fleet...
And while I'm talking about bull mess,
Watch how you talk to me,
in this HEAT!
Because I'm not wearing socks or shoes,
and I'm still sweating from my feet.
Because it's TOO hot for
ANYTHING but salad,
but my body needs MEAT!
Because we both might melt,
but I'm willing to take it to the streets!
And, Because I'm the sweet one,
I'm encouraging you to have
several SEATS!
Because the air conditioner
is doing its yearly hot mess,
And the heat waves are so crazy,
they look like PLEATS.
Look!
Just do us both a favor,
and watch how you talk to me...
In This Heat!
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