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Best Poems Written by Juliette O'brien

Below are the all-time best Juliette O'brien poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

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Sea

Clear at the edges, I can see every ripple of sand on the bed of the ocean as I swim.
Towards the centre of the beach the sea becomes opaque,
The sand churned up by the waves and the greater depth obscuring the bottom.
Then, as I reach the far end of the bay it becomes clear again:
Small shifts in the miniature dunes beneath 
With each gentle wave
Flurries of sand, stirred up then settle down again
Tiny fish the colour of the sea bed, zip along the bottom
Zig-zagging in groups of two or three
Visible only because of their small black eyes

I raise my head and see the small cape rise above me
The rocks the same colour as the sand beneath
And the same colour as my skin
The deep dark greenery covering much of the face of the rock
Lush and impenetrable, to me at least
Though I know that snakes and ground birds and insects thrive there

To be surrounded by this much joy and life
To feel permeate my being.

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Flamenco- Duende

Joy and sorrow in staccato
Feet strike the floor
Heel and toe
Pounding from the knee
Kicking up the skirt

Hips sway
Spine arches
Arms encircle the body
Wringing and unfurling
Elbows raised
Wrists and fingers twist and rotate
Hands fling high
Eyes cast down

Cante and compas
Toque and palmas
In passion and anguish
Duende

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On the River

Morning, the river belongs to the geese
Who congregate on the bank
Poke about in the grass
Run, take flight, and land on the water
Heave their wings to skim the surface
Noisy and honking, splashing
As they inhabit their domain

Afternoon, the river belongs to the people
Who gather as families and friends
Lying on the grass
Swing out on a rope and land in the river
Or climb in from the bank’s edge
Shouting and calling, splashing
As the inhabit their domain

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Nature

Details make life beautiful
Nature knows this
The addition of a line
A contour
Or shade of colour
The bass relief of vines
Mosaic of leaves
Embroidery of flowers
The details make us slow down
Stop, really look, see

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Dervishes

They begin to turn
Slowly unravelling
Arms unfurling, 
then skirts,
Spreading outwards
Lifting upwards

Softly stepping
Grounding down
Their feet repeat 
the pattern 
On the earth
One around the other

Whirling round
Their circular orbit
Expanding out
ascending through
Sama and devotion
Ecstasy and love

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Sun

The sun begins to bite my skin as the sea water evaporates
The last drops of moisture on my shoulders turn to salt
I squint in the bright light that bounces off the sand 
The warmth on my back and my legs