Best Night Poems
_________
The sun-yellow house seems smaller somehow,
viewing it now, after all these years...
The street seems narrower, and the trees have grown tall..
And where once open fields spanned both sides of the road,
there are small tract houses, where fences have bloomed.
Neighboring orchards have all disappeared
But, somehow we knew the house would be there....
As if seen from a distance, edged by seasons, yet clear
There's the path that we laid one hot summer day,
in the yard of this house that sits at the bend
near the end of the road, where the sycamore grew....
Someone else left their footprints that lead to the door
There's a rusty-red bike, and a skate left behind
by the squeaky old gate, that tomorrow will find.
As suddenly as wind will spring from the dust
thirty years fell away, and flew into in the past
And quickly alive, all the memories rise,
like a whirlwind of leaves, in a springtime of lives.....
_____
...Our first Christmas trees, and our first holidays...
Anniversaries we spent with just pizza and wine
The place where I cried long into the night,
as the child in me grieved for a mother who died...
Long, starry nights, I was bathed by the moon
rocking my babes to a lullaby tune
_____
Yes....it is all captured there, in the small yellow house
Our very first house, with the snow-white trim
Strange, it may be, but I'm glad it's still yellow...
Still wearing the face of the warm summer sun
The sun- yellow house, with a flagstone path
Where old slate stones bring the sun to the door
It's a path we laid on a warm summer day
in a place that we knew as our very first home
Just a small yellow house, with its snow-white trim...
that sits 'round the bend, where the sycamore grew...
Black Diamond Night (a coal miner’s cemetery)
Where the ebony, we call “NIGHT”,
Old black rocks sit under the twilight
Diamond shape eyes unclear and lonely,
Sinister through hostile spirits only,
I stumble across these stones without a bone
A solitary confinement alone,
From a barren zone the light transcend
Only in time, our minds will mend
Endless valleys and limitless stones
These bones- these bones they sit alone
The abyss, of rotten cavities with no fill,
A system no power can unwell the drill
The blood that passed over without a spill
Peaks collapse into a spellbinding chill
They are trapped! They are trapped!
Another diamond in the rough
Is what they left
Obsessed with the dead without a death
A death that impatiently awaited their last breath
Gushing, into the gems of dead chemistry,
Diamonds holding its own intensity,
These lonely graves, on top of sycamore hill
Coal mining hearts that will never heal
If only shiny eyes could see?
These lonely bones inside of me!
Moving in every direction possible
Flowing in every direction noticeable
Sockets without eyes.
Stones hiding under the cobalt skies.
The mad sparkles, the madness dies.
Throughout this mess, we held in the blasphemous
Intervening lots of gems so miraculous
Into a stone of self-religion,
A black night filled of legions
Acknowledging the soul's capacity of free
Near the frail bones that sit alone,
Alone they sit in a morbid home.
Through a path unclear and all alone,
Troubled by the visions of my own stone
Where the night takes place in the dark
The ebony rides under the diamond bark
Along with the coal miners who never got to see the;
“Diamonds of another day!”
Like no one before, nor since
you painted that starry night in oils
superimposing your life story.
I feel I know this idyllic village
blanketed by tranquil rolling hills
embraced by calming olive trees
their very branches a symbol of peace
the steadfast church steeple
a sacred echo of the stalwart cypress.
But never have I witnessed
hills so inflamed - burning to tell the world their history
a moon so agitated - suffering from an incurable insanity
the night sky so frenzied - seeking answers to life's suffering
such undulating indigo eddies of despondency and confusion
or stars radiating with such feverish beauty - concentric circles of passion.
That starry night
you painted stars that, like you, are light years away from anyone else
looking on the serene village scene from an insurmountable distance
for you saw things, Vincent,
like no one before, nor since.
[free verse ekphrasis of the painting "The Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh]
Written 5 Jul 2020
Teardrops, bagged eyes, a way of sin
The mirror reveals a lost eternal soul
A conniving move against tonight's phantom glow
Voices circle the insomniac moon
Like magic and beauty, "She's Gone With the Wind."
The idea of love,
broken like yesterday's wishbone.
She is leaving today, her arms, my shelter
Her wings are now immense.
Beauty --- she's gone forever!
Never will she suffer-
Never will she return-
All I have are lost memories,
tracing what is left.
One final deep breath
tequila vice to wash away the pain.....
At Last, Now I See!
Under the drunken stars
I had an epiphany
Stricken like a match
A sunken treasure
At Last, I Knew
You did not belong in there,
you were there for the taking
Frail and sick, no longer sane.
Memories lost, no longer - her
My Mother!
What has become of her?
You're a demon, who played us all
Made us cry, while she slowly withered away
The way you laid waste to her body
Nipping both legs, feeding her through tubes
She rapidly forgot our names' our faces'
I hate you, Alzheimer
I hate the way you took her the first time!
I hate you, Death
I hate the way you claimed her final days!
Sleepless nights and pillowed feathers,
Caress a precious moment around my tender skin
Pretending my mother tucked them in
Anything to help me get past my sleepless nights
*Secreto de Medianoche*
~On this very Night~
I found myself in a
FANTASY
Camouflage in lace,
I run my hands all over the place
Wet whispers drop in between
In a soft stroke,
I touch the tan on my skin
Pure sweetness unfolds
The perfumes in the air - Arouse
every sexual intention inside
Without a care,
I'm lost in the moment,
Every feeling at this point,
feels erotically insane,
In a seductive way--
the night whispers my name,
A freedom flight - into the night.
(Like the wind)
Caressing my breast, my legs tremble
Beyond the haze, into another world
Never pointless - A new sensation
My fingers slither, a play tonight
Circles in motion,
Vibrations and self-soothing lotion,
I touch myself gently,
Thinking of you relentlessly,
Looking around,
The night echoes a whimpering sound,
Embracing the Secrets Inside
I squeeze the dark damp sheets-
Moaning and moaning, repeatedly.
Holding my silk pillow, groping my knees,
I run my finger on my lips -
Satisfaction complete!
Back into the realm of dreams.
~Tonight~
:)
Untroubled is the quiet night
How peaceful is a world that glimmers white
Frost and moonlight have whipped a silver glaze
And silhouettes of trees are black as ink
The only sign of life are whiffs of breath
I stand transfixed beneath the sky,
to rest my mind with reverent eyes
upon the silky wonderland of snow
Among these masqueraded hills,
the night's aurora soothes my soul
Winter has dressed our world in alabaster white
Familiar landmarks wear a new disguise
And yet, we'll see the sky remains the same
where a thousand thorny sparks have kept their flames
burning low to light the dark
They welcome us like longtime friends.
These polished stars against the sky,
are brilliant new, with points honed thistle sharp
How peaceful is a planet that shimmers bright,
that to stand in voiceless wonder and gaze,
If we were to speak, the crystal world could shatter,
too fragile to bear the weight of words
~Poetesses and Poets, Divine~
All over this great planet we live,
Penning our thoughts, and love to give!
With our hearts, as lanterns so bright,
Writing with hearts into this summer night.
Pen thee, then, of nature’s fine beauty.
Quietly, we are world Muses on duty.
Creations we form of happiness and sorrow.
Moonlight and dreams, on which to borrow!
A hug from me, now..close your eyes.
Tomorrow is both a gift and a surprise!
Hugs,
Panagiota Romios
California….USA
8/15/2022
~1~
Softly and sadly
Up on the knoll;
The vesper bell
Begins to toll.
Lock all the doors
Blow out the light;
The hour is late
Sleep comes with the night.
Close all the windows
Smother the fire;
Sound slips into silence
When mortals retire.
Downstairs is deserted
No one in the hall
Nirvana of sleep
Rules over all.
A day's work completed
Now done like the day;
Rest is now needed
For those made of clay.
How soft is the night
Where dark shadows fall;
The seduction of sleep
Captures us all.
lights weave through snowflakes
teasing and twirling about
distant stars dancing
a brilliant display
wearing only hand-me-downs
the moon steals the show
~FJ Thomas
01/01/2020
On the edge of silence
beyond the mossy-muffled stone wall
a wind chime chants — faint, like falling sparkles of stars—
honeyed musings of a wind spirit on the move
from west to east a bridge of broken chords.
Cosmic animation stirs my domestic pulsation
in a supple sweep from beyond the western dusk fallen,
soft notes jangle in sweet saunter — so like you,
an angel’s riff on an airy whiff —
O wind chanter, I hear you
and I linger in my undying love for him – for I hear you, singer!
Sing to me of his approach!
For alone, on the cold stone of a lifeless dusk,
I mourn the most.
Like powdered night wings looping the lantern’s glow,
I feel the brush of your touch amid the moments’ flutter
a flirtation with a long tress and frills of my nightdress —
O bittersweet enchantment!
O wild yet tender wind — O miraculous visitor!
But how do I hold you? How do I hold the wind, my love?
Always, always! You slip away on blank paper wings!
My human nature aspires to fly but my every heartbeat caged
ironclad in mortal armor obliged in the grasp of gravity’s greed.
Damn this bane of my spirit’s capture
and this coupling yoke of love that did not die with you!
Damn this bane of my lifeblood, bound to its streambed!
Though my wilted river rises with the throb of a tide robbed
not even a river’s rapture can compete with the thrills
of your unbound freedom — oh death’s freedom!
The ringing sleigh bell singing of spring peepers intrude —
O wind chanter – distant wind chime – your tinsel talk fades.
Alas! He is lost to me again—lost! lost! lost!
Painting by Edvard Munch, 1895: "Moon Light"
your soft hand trembles in mine
no words are spoken
we observe our ascending full moon
as we have every month for forty years
empyrean empress rises to her throne
queen regent of the night sky reigning
over brooding blue bay and melancholic mountains
as predictable as death
we again sit in our folding chairs
whispering under our favorite tree
anticipating the coming light show
enjoying her long bridal veil
shimmering in the existential ripples
a nocturne of nebulous narratives
stopping at the shore line
stopping
she inevitably will descend
the shroud of shadow will cover the land
comforted that tomorrow will awaken
to a resplendent sun
and next month will bring another full moon
the doctor said three weeks
so this will probably be our last
your soft hand trembles in mine
no words are spoken
written 11 July 2023
In swoon ‘neath golden moon and sable sweep
let bathe with hues upon my canvas soak
romance a mingle, brush and pigment sweet,
enrapture me your passion’s hungry stroke
explore an aura, fluid colors blur
imbue the skies of empty eyes a soul,
in deepest purple daubs a midnight stir
as lover weaves a dream to make me whole
caress the edge to fuse desire and shapes
lay a layer one atop the other
a throb of contrast, feelings free to traipse,
smoothing over yearnings with a flutter
starlit glaze and silky graze artistic
awaken chroma crave for drama shades,
mood’s aglow, aroused and optimistic
before the painter’s lusty palette fades.
Susan Ashley
April 7, 2020
~ First Place ~
Premiere Contest: Brian Strand No 1165 Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Brian Strand
~ Third Place ~
Premiere Contest: 2022 Poetry Marathon Mile 5
Sponsor: Mark Toney
~ First Place ~
Standard Contest: Your Fave Poem 2020 Not Written For A Contest
Sponsor: John Hamilton
STARRY, STARRY NIGHT
I often look up towards the sky at night,
And wonder who or what is there,
I shout out loud, if you see or hear me, I love you,
I do this every night, the starry sky, an absolute delight!
I drive out of the city to the Kruger Park,
There, not only am I close to nature and serenity,
But to the universe, I look up, no pollution,
I stretch my arms up high, excited, it is very dark!
No street lights, or cars headlights, or any noise,
The moon is so bright and full, it smiles at me,
Quite rare, for normally the moon looks a little sullen,
The stars, I’ve lost count, as they twinkle with such poise!
The Milky Way so clear, I feel I want to reach up high,
As it allures me, and weaves across the sky,
Milky, so graceful and silent, as it, and I watch
Sparkling stars, and planets rotating, unknown
To mankind, yet to be discovered in our eternal
Galaxy to which I want to fly!
Our universe has constellations of stars, named mostly
After mythology’s gods, who beckon, tempt and wink
And entice me, but I am on planet earth, how near
Could I reach this flamboyant display, body, soul
And mind, holistically!
So maybe if I look up into our never ending
Sky at night,
And wish upon one star, with imagination
That runs rampant,
I will see above and far beyond with breathless anticipation,
What I could never imagine, an explosion that blinds me,
An aura, translucently bright!
Distant prayers echo through a lilac sky
light flickers brilliantly in angelic eyes
a yellow crocheted blanket falls to the floor
and a growing heart winks inside.
Kindness breeds kindness in a precious heart
and a kindred spirit lifts and flies free.
helping our fellow man in need
forgiving selfishness and greed
Open up your heart and mind
another child feeds a hungry soul
for one who loves to love, the greatest
blessing of all, is seeing the one you love, love
Whisper soft into the night my dire want
let the rains wash down a growing grace
carry off grandeur into a sequel led estate
as a simple smile adorns a very humble face
'Neath umbra skies I seek a mirrored moment
the breeze a capricious charmer
blows serpentine sways to life
a ballet of tall switchgrass dancers
sweeping edges raspy green
dulling in the ever dimming light
their brassy symphony a soft cymbals’ siss
lure my thoughts to ramble a willowy maze
mesmerizing my mental landscape at sunset
whispers lulling my linger
moon-shimmer lends its voice
to chanting chimes in magenta magic
dropping notes afloat on aging August’s currents
like a sprinkling of stardust
upon a cradlesong
hymns of Venus vespers soothing me
my silhouette glides
a twilight shadow an astral body
with a vitality all its own
as the unwed wind ushers
my air brushed footsteps
to where wild whimsy wafts my sighs
free from fetters
a fading breath liberated to dusk
vibrations in violet call my name
I have found the echo to my essence
a spirit aswirl in a whirl of charcoal veils -
I seize a sylph’s escape
and amidst the darkened veils.. we dance
Susan Ashley
August 24, 2019
~ Fifth Place ~
Premiere Contest: A Brain Strand Choice No 1185
Sponsor: Brian Strand
~ Third Place ~
Premiere Contest: 2022 Poetry Marathon Mile 8
Sponsor: Mark Toney
~ First Place ~
Contest: N/A Rerun 3
Sponsor: John Hamilton
~ Poem Of The Week ~
Week of September 1, 2019