Poems
1
Smoke over coffee, lit by Sun's morning flare,
with anticipation and urgency, it asks questions of today.
What will you dare? How will you fare?
It queries, slowly, dissipating as it may.
Will today be the day when your words and actions pair?
Or will the Moon meet you with an empty stare?
It queries, slowly, dissipating as it may.
The smoke has but one thing to say:
Do not let your spirit too, dwindle so away.
---
2
The universe shrunk into a few feet,
two souls, ablaze with rhythm and flow,
on the wooden floor meet,
eager for music to set them free,
and let out their lively glow.
The melody goes low,
movements grow slow,
and tender,
in the vibration’s surrender.
The melody soars ever high,
bodies merge and part,
hands reaching for hands and sky,
their timing a skillful art.
The crescendo breaks the air,
and it is not one bit fair,
that the moment will pass, fleeting,
and only leave two hearts, in haste beating.
---
3
The wheels roll on the asphalt, below a metal tube,
green light, reflected on the windows,
blue hues of dusk against the black landscape,
sitting, still, stiff, stuck,
resting without true rest,
breathing without true breath,
on the way,
from far away,
waiting to once more,
breathe in and bound,
on home’s firm familiar ground.
---
4
Whirlwind of motion,
Break stop,
Evade elbows and heels,
With skill, vigilance and will.
Turn, catch, release,
Freeze.
Slide, turn, stretch.
Turn, hand missed, reset.
Connect, calm down,
Shuffle, shuffle, hold.
Prepare to be bold,
Once again.
Spin, turn, spin,
Tension, breathe, tension,
One two three four,
Out,
In,
Out
Final tone, gentle glide,
Pause and PAM!
Done.
---
5
I see a man, reading,
absorbed in his world.
What does he see?
What does he feel?
I don’t know.
I see a woman, listening,
foot tapping, head nodding.
What does she hear?
What does she feel?
I don’t know.
They see me, seeing them,
as our gazes briefly join.
Who do they see?
What do they think?
I don’t know.
But I know what I feel.
A sense of wonder,
a sense of sonder.
So many faces,
so many universes,
unique, yet united,
in living lives,
full of roses and thorns.
The doors open wide,
Forward, I take a stride,
and the doors shut again,
sealing worlds inside,
as I step into the night.
---
6
Feet shuffling staccato,
Bags bouncing here and fro,
Lungs working overtime,
Cobblestone underfoot.
Will I get there in time?
There’s hope.
I see the building, tall majestic,
I hear the screech of wheels,
The murmur of many,
The robotic voice citing times,
Times and times again.
Final push, with last strength,
Seven is my goal,
And the child in me wishes,
for two and three quarters more.
But there isn’t time.
I scale the stairs.
It’s there! I board,
Agitated and yet bored.
The chase is over,
The pause begins.
It’s a game as old as life,
Each round, stress and strife,
Rush and stop,
Till win or drop.
Hurry up, and wait.
---
7
Weary,
Aaaagh,
Heavy bones.
Warmth, but not good,
Like steps to the first circle of hell.
Not much to do but wait,
Breathe,
burrow in the bed,
Not much to do but wait.
Breathe in, breathe out,
Let the cells wage their battle.
This too shall pass,
And the pizza now arrives.
---
8
Steps silent as snowfall,
Swish of a tail,
Situation assessed,
Slow head tilt and scrutiny.
Precaution postponed,
Predatory pounce,
Preparatory pivots,
Powerful purr.
Memories of past,
Merry quietude,
Mutual contentment,
Manifested once again.
---
9
The delicious exhaustion of a night well-lived,
a tired joy coursing through my veins,
the echo of crow-like laughter,
in a throng of entranced bodies.
A debt of unconsciousness catching up,
last slow beats of blues,
slow steps home of feet almost numb,
weak end to a strong weekend.
---
10
Same day, same tasks,
Same people, with same masks,
Boring days of boring lives,
Monotony, foe without knives.
Safety vests and safety hats,
Regulations and welcome mats,
Coaxing us into false lull,
Like mindless herds to cull.
No, my friend, roll the dice,
Dare to add a bit of spice,
Let loose a risqué quip,
Your heart deserves a skip.
---
11
Plug in one charger after another,
wishing one simply charged me,
watching the day pass by,
without my assistance.
Mild pain, mild fatigue,
mild annoyance in my veins.
Patience and stillness,
cures and tortures in one.
---
12
Air crisp as the snap of a whip,
reflections of yellow gold on the roofs passing by.
The mind at long last lighter,
burdens left behind with a sigh.
Sheets fresh as softly fallen snow,
memory of a purr keeping me warm.
Change in the air and I breathe in,
ready once more to scale the walls of life.
---
13
A circle of eyes, shining like the spotlights above,
a silence before the storm of swing sound,
Anticipation heavy in the breathless air.
The first familiar tones trill,
And with them, a full body thrill.
Audience disappears in a blur.
Music, follow, lead,
heart and drum alike beat,
Kick, step, blink,
Chorus over.
Haze.
What’s next?
Brief interlude.
Parched throat.
Mental countdown.
One, two, you know what to do!
Tension, release!
Tension, release!
Tension, release!
Around we go!
Lightning of inspiration.
Flash of teeth,
Pause…
AND GO!
Whirlwind of motion,
Burst of emotion.
Last move.
Dip.
Done.
---
14
Fast song, I look around,
there she is standing,
impassive, cold queen.
I brave the question,
she says yes,
begrudgingly.
Panic sets in,
I hear no beat.
How to step,
if I don’t know when?
After eternity,
I hear the beat,
but it’s too late,
Oh well.
The end arrives,
I thank her,
she walks off,
I stare in the distance,
and walk away,
dazed and annoyed.
---
15
Thousand golden globules gently glowing,
above a see of smiles and stomping shoes,
base walking, drums thumping, melody rising,
a geyser of joy released to the world.
A question, a couple tiny steps,
feeling the connection, gauging levels,
beat locked in, first turn,
delight alight in my heart.
Figures blend and flow,
arms grasp and let go,
etherial beats and accents,
become material in motion.
Tension builds up, movements slow,
a coil of energy compresses the core,
to be released with a single chord,
unleashed in furious flow.
The song ends, the last pose struck,
a thank you and a show of teeth,
I would be stricken but I know,
this is not my last dance,
nor my last breath.
---
16
Pineapple in the air,
clothes drying,
music playing,
soft yellow glow,
illuminating notes,
work cut out,
evening about to begin,
order in my domain,
I sit, at peace.
17
Her eyes, piercing,
Through any untruth.
Her eyes, watching,
Closely, every move.
Her eyes, smiling,
Wells of glee and ease.
Her eyes, desiring,
Hungry for touch and squeeze.
Her eyes, closing,
With a sigh of peace.
18
Welcome to my humble kingdom, O my queen,
Take it in, with your eyes oh so keen,
This is my domain, this is where I dine,
Till now it lacked luster without your shine.
But finally you see my hall, my throne,
And it’s yours now too, every branch and stone.