April in Melbourne
and the trees
are beginning to write Autumn
on the waters of the river
in a script of floating leaves,
briefly holding meaning clumped
within the grip of a few
fragile stanzas before
breaking apart.
There is something sad
in the dissolution, in the loss
of adhesion, the inevitable drift
towards an end where
what remains will become
pages of bottom silt.
I am not sure
if anything survives -
beauty, the loveliness
of this world, meaning itself -
all seem to pass away
and yet we write words
as if reaching out to grasp
something of the eternal
that is concealed behind
a camouflage of decay.
Dear Diary,
I woke up this morning feeling depressed
I don’t know why I have a lot on my chest
Laying here in my bed
I got a million things running through my head
I gotta get up and I gotta leave
Through all these emotions and feeling numb I gotta breathe
Sometimes I feel like I’m not worth it
When I rationalize I know that I don’t deserve it
Thinking of all my reasons of being here and my purpose
When I calm down and think about it I haven’t even scratched the surface
Beauty is pain….
Sincerely,
The dark side of my room
Tossing electronically-bottled messages
into the wild blue sea yonder
will they float like a boat or sink like a stone
it only makes me ponder
as optimistically-inclined
I often wonder why
some say, 'Send me an email,'
but then never reply
do my bottles circumnavigate the globe
or stay in the Sargasso for ever and a day
are they wrecked on the rocks of spam
while typing I waste my days and nights away
feelers extend from the heart
reaching out toward kinetic energy
an energy that emanates distant in the universe
far and free from terrestial vibes
feelers striving to link in to its celestial harmony
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Scissors
Cut cords in half,
Tethers binding gone, poof…
I do float through life reaching out
As new.
No You are not alone
Take my hand
I am reaching out to you
Through the darkness
that seems to lock you in
Know that there is light
That you hold a greater fight
Can you feel my hand
Pulling you away from the darkness
Closer and closer
Towards the warmth
Towards the light
When I'm in doubt
You'll see me reaching out
It's not for clout
It's words that I tout
I'm afraid of the debtor
But I try to do better
I want to be a record setter
Like a real go getter
When everything is falling
My lines are inane and sprawling
But this was my calling
And the rush I get is enthralling
And if I chew some mints
My rhymes will be fresh, it's common sense
But when the stanzas are tense
Maybe I should erect a fence
But as everything begins to taper
I'm staring down at this paper
Feeling like I'm a callous caper
And my words disappear like vapor
Something was stolen from me
A secret I held inside from which I can't be free
I'm still me but it's here for you to see
And I yearn to break free and flee
I'm a man so nobody will come saving
So into the darkness I'm braving
And it's a dark road I'm paving
But it's the light I'm craving
When I'm in doubt
You'll see me reaching out
But when you see me reaching out
That is when I'm shrouded in doubt
Can I ask you, Lord...why is there Cancer?
And Lord, why did you ever make this exist, And...
No disrespect, but this should Never
Come to anyone. Please Lord, if you Can...
End this, end this disease now, for-Ever
Reaching out to you, Lord...Respectfully
A baby in a stroller pointed,
Giggling, at me.
I waved and then he laughed some more
And grinned delightedly.
I also had the sweetest kisses
Blown my way from far.
My brother’s year-old grandson
Raised the FaceTime cuteness bar.
The urge to thus communicate
Begins when very young,
With smiles the currency employed,
Since words are yet unsung.
As children grow and fear kicks in,
That need to reach out slows,
Thus limiting connections
Only to the ones each knows.
I am reaching out to you
Why can't you see my hand
I know it doesn't look like the others
Why can't you see my hand
Please
Look at my hand
I'm begging you
See my hand
Please
Please
See my hand
the sun sweeps across the land
caresses hills and valleys
and all i see is the breadth
that separates me from you
i can't help but wonder
what lies beyond the horizon
AP: 3rd place 2022
wanting so bad to tell you
just keeping it a secret in my heart
one day will be too late
and you'll be taken by another
right now all tied up
confusion runs through my veins
my head pounding
wanting to reach out
Reaching out for you in that unconscious sort of way
awakening loudly in the moment of this night
traces of presence called you were no longer
as though you had erased yourself from the bed
seen or felt...feeling loss of your touch, laughter
kindness, irreverence...teasing me...
connecting with you is
Awakening
she made a desperate leap but once more missed the boat
had to absolve her failure by swimming in ablution creek
the water was murky and viscous but therefore she floated
the sheen on her skin blessed her strokes in polluted disguise
distant proximity posed a new challenge as she sifted the debris
of her sad heart punctured by thrash of emotions and feelings
as astern backwash propelled her journey back to its start
when she bobbed up and down to the bottom of her resolve
she felt the stagnant drift of many years by the ocean shore
where she had been unable to set neither sail nor cast an anchor
restless and yes apathetic she had watched her rusty engine
to stay close to the harbour of uncertainty and bracken water
like a bubble from sunken Atlantis buried deep in her soul
the missed ferry sank because of too many passengers aboard
who attempted to catch the same wavelength of rapid departure
and she threw them a lifeline for she knew about safe passage
dolphins jumped up and down to the applause of the lighthouse
keeper whose beard was so long as to serve as yarn for the rescue
sometimes missed opportunities deliver grace in selfless struggle
Captured
In the moment
When darkness erases our reason
We lose ourselves in the quietness
Deafened to the song of living
We drown ourselves with tears
Bent in two as we release the dread
Our heart in conflict with our soul
Buried
In the lightless nightfall
In the arms of empty hearts
Unearthing a hollow hopelessness
Stifling
The possibility within ourselves
As we are numbed by fear
Frozen and isolated
Sometimes
We are blessed when someone
With grace, kindness and reverence
Reaches
To catch our hand to give us
The strength we could not find
With hope that illuminates our faith
Lifting us
To be tall in our spirit
Be joyful in our love
To find our tomorrow
Bless the hands that hold us
September 13, 2020
Song I. - Cold - Quiet Now Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Rob Carmack
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