HEART OF FALL’S KALEIDOSCOPE
Poem written for and submitted to “Tanka Triptych” Poetry Contest, John Anderson, sponsor.
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air shifts, faint changes
autumn’s clockwork ticks softly
the turning of time
air rich with scent of damp earth
the ground breathes in the brilliance
swirling, dizzy leaves
kaleidoscope canopy~
autumn’s gentle reign
life thrives beyond the branches
under gaze of watchful sun
autumn in mind’s eye
thoughts of aging and decline
innate downshifting
beauty of transformation
heart of fall’s kaleidoscope
Categories:
downshifting, 12th grade, autumn, introspection,
Form: Tanka
Running on fumes for too long
Ready to take on a transition
Downshifting out of high gear
Making a move to pole position
We all travel down different paths
Weaving through obstacles as we go
Steering our souls with purpose now
To remodel ourselves as we grow
The time has come to refill our tanks
Instead of always running on E
Navigation system set to discover
Who we are truly meant to be
Reserves no longer depleted
Actually the opposite is true
Swapped out effort for ease
Outdated parts left in the rearview
Categories:
downshifting, analogy, encouraging, inspiration, metaphor,
Form: Rhyme
a broken bottled oasis flashes in the distance.
bent waves of light whether the skies
burnt skin.
Some kind of desert revival whose chapeled
steps are cindered bones Flashes and fades
buckles and lies down.
Shed the skin and rattle turn the throtle
speeding faster by to leave no trace.
slant mouthed informal mirage.
whispers in canyons and red rock hollows,
echos in between the spaces of staggering
footprints.
parched tongue ravens bleached black
feathers lift and carry from wire to wire
the news of the iron horse.
reflective tape along the side of the road
turns the vascular gravel roads into
beautiful waysides.
markered movement in the evening
flying by with the cactus and the sage.
the vast skies retinas dilate and expand
and i am dry but i am not sick says the air.
breathing downshifting, speeding so fast
heading south but never down.
Categories:
downshifting,
Form: I do not know?
warehousing men gather like fish in the hulls of ships,
with carhart's for scales. they steeltoe streamline down to the docks,
each in turn with camel ciggerettes in thier gills.
mechanically downshifting through diesel juggulars
saturated in thick black coffee, they speak in tongues of angels
choke.......cry...... and curse.
breathing cold air mixed with the smell of dusty wooden pallets.
stacked unevenly like crooked steps in jacobs ladder,
that do not lead to heaven but maybe another smoke break.
inhale.. exhale... import.. export...
they offer thier prayers to the rain soaked sheetmetal gods.
down where watery ports corrode away railways the rust
is crushed and sold as healing balm for the nations.
early in the morning you can see them the
iron origami cranes folding cold and hollow,
beautifying the mens heavy industrial brows.
Categories:
downshifting,
Form: I do not know?