Dawn

The waters corral me, quicksand
I am slipping, and not a strand
Nor knot can lift me up, sorrow
Drowns me, beneath bed of yarrow

Then sky clears, danger pressed in cask
Darkness - just a rose with black mask
I toss away this blight, see dawn 
Casting soft light, pale pink and fawn

Port Credit, Mississauga

Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - OpenLinkNight, hosted by Mish and Poetry Form, Quatrain, hosted by Frank Hubeny.   Thanks for the visit.

Midsummer

The brightness of the sun
burns my eyes
sandpaper red
I bite on my anxiety
instead of bread
Midsummer comes
ailing me with despair
grey as storm clouds

Dusk came, full of moths
and beetles
I was oppressed by the velvety
gleam of moon
emptiness of the world
and swathes of soft grass
Then the silence of the night
lulled me to sleep

When I woke up,
I was covered by dewdrops,
smell of honeysuckle awakening
the hunger in me


“Darkness came, full of moths and beetles. I was oppressed by the velvety emptiness of the word and swathes of soft grass. Then the fumes of the night put me to sleep” (As I walked out one Midsummer morning)

Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Literary Alchemy with Laura Lee, hosted by Laura Bloomsbury.

Yellowness of our days

The color yellow brightens my day.   Brings me sunshine, sunflowers and carefree balloons even when a sudden storm would dampen our bright sunny days.   The child in me is happy, walking with a spring in my step.  

Spring is my favorite season.  And for the first time in a long while, I nurtured perrennial blooms and several herbs like rosemary, basil, thyme, mint-orange, lemon grass and chives.   I love cutting the herbs fresh and adding them in my cooking.   I also learned how to regrow them indoors so my supply does not ran out.  When I eat my herbed-drizzled food, I taste earth's gifts and magic of the sun.   


sky is serving a plate-
daffodils, dandelions
with bluebells & birdsongs


Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Lost and Found - Nature's Magic.  Hosted by Merril D. Smith.

garden of dreams

i don't want to be still & yellow, a thing in blue
light, no, i want to run into the fathomless sky

i hear the heart beats of agile wild cat
beneath city lights, my breathing catches windspell

my mind is a distressed canvas at end of train ride
but by night, i garden words under spell of moonflower

i write down a word or line, let it sit & frolic 
in clouds, climb trees - carrying my cup of yearnings

it may seem like a little thing, but it's no secret-
walking with flowery hat brings out smiles, sudden sunset

Flowering Mindscape

Art by Jackie Hurlbert

Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Meet Jackie Hurlbert, hosted by Charmed Chaos, Linda Lee Lyberg.  

the local market

we come here at crack of dawn
with baskets
ready to scoop the freshly
shaved coconuts, tropical fruits,
yams & quail eggs from harvest bins

this is the place
to buy newly caught fish & shells
iced but still moving in the pile
you can ask the vendor
to clean, cut and fillet the fish for you

at the chicken and meat section,
flesh are whole or bigger pieces,
hanging from tenderhooks
still red
tender
from butcher's knife
you can also ask the vendor
to chop, grind, clean the
cuts & even debone the whole chicken-

this is the "dirty" market
under 1 roof,
with each market stall
a unique cornucopia
you can't escape
the smell of sweat, salt & earth
mingling with calls by vendors

to try their sample wares -
from prepared sauces & tins
to simple breakfast fare -
small freshly baked buns
with local coffee - black
strong with aroma of sun


Posted for the dVerse Poets Pub - Market, Market, Hosted by Sarah Connors.

Thanks for the visit.

That memorable trip

She inhaled the sea wind.  The sands were soft on her feet.   Afternoon sun was ebbing away, giving her a tangerine glow  

When I saw her, she was bouyed by the place's serenity.   It is not often that the company is spending money for an out of the city management conference.

"Have a good night, Vangie", I smiled at her.   "Don't forget to set your alarm at 7:00 for breakfast tomorrow."

"Yes, I will".

I was chatting with another guest, when far away an interrupted cry was heard.     We ran to Vangie's room.   She came out, deflated  jellyfish with arms blanket-wrapped.  

"Can you please call the doctor?".    

She had vomitted the "fresh" clams that she bought from the fisherman with a boat that afternoon.   

She missed the day's conference & went home.  She left her sandy collection of sea shells & coral stones.


Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Prosery, hosted by Bjorn Rudberg. This is a flash fiction of 144 words with the line:

 When far away an interrupted cry 

taken from the poem acquainted with the night by Robert Frost.

Better than I am

Red lights at the distance flickers smoky flame  
I inhale deeply - sunset's hues - dying flame   

I swallow my pills & the last of my drink 
as music echoes, I drift, waning flame      

Moonlight gleams on my ordinary face 
Anxieties mothballing, snaring flame 

I might look better if you dim down lights
To candle tap, softer flowering flame 

There are nights I despair, fretting in shame
But you give me hope, fierce as warrior's flame

My dreams bring me wading out to the sea   
Weaving a storm, my hands are birthing flames  

You gaze at me with grace & breathless awe 
Here I am, better than I am - divining flames   




Posted for Dverse Poets Pub - Poetry form - Ghazal, hosted by Gay Cannon.  This poetry form will be discussed in detail when the pub doors open at 3pm EST.    This form follows the traditional ghazal (an edited version) and I will attempt to write a contemporary one in the coming days.  Mr. Linky is open for 1 month.   

cake

i watch rain clouds roil the sky
then knead & butter the soil  

birds and small creatures honey- 
comb & sword-peck on seeds, grains

it's a feast-
specially the cake's throne topper-

spring maiden rules
dotting dandelions, daffodils, daisies

i soup & eat 
slowly, richly 

Dandelions by Grace@EverydayAmazing

Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Quadrille, hosted by Kim Russell.  This is a 44 word post  with the chosen word, RICH.  See you when the pub doors open for poetry reading at 3pm EST.   

distance is relative & love is everything

I squint
but I cannot see the light 
year travelling at speed of 
186,000 miles per second or 
about 5,880,000,000,000 miles!

It boggles my mind that between falling 
cherry blossoms
a galaxy is revolving
a cluster of white stars are born
a supernova explodes
and nothing escapes the black hole

Against the heavenly sky
We are only stardust 

Yet, in our own world
we are stewards of this enormous 
blue planet

If we will do our job well as kingmaker
it is possible  
a bird nesting site is saved 
a river roaring back to life 
a forest rising from destruction


My eyes are myopic
I don't want to miss the hues of vanishing 
sunlight, the folded wings of 
butterfly, smile of innocent child

I put too much meaning 
on an empty cocoon
broken feather on ground

and the miracle - watching that dew-
drop
on a blooming tiger 
lilies 



Posted for dVerse Poets, OpenLinkNight -  This is a late post for poetics of Theory of Everything and Anything - hosted by Merril Smith.   Come and join us for OpenLinkNight, when the pub doors open for poetry reading at 3pm EST.

Elemental

Within me, new moon rises
with horns and head of the bull

That I am stubborn yes
But my late father says it is my strength

When journeys are darkly stark
I dig in, plowing & building lamp posts  

I am metal
Strong, steady as a bedrock

A home, with my nest egg  
pleases me.   At my core, heart of 

dragon's mother when the 2nd child 
was born in year of blue-green dragon 

I see Luck in my palms, 
specially during Autumn season

Venus rules me
Pining for deep kisses

Sensual as blood red flower
nectared by bees

And stitching contentment
with my love, scents of memory

delicate as white gold threads 
and sounds of violin strings at night  

Though gravity ties me to earthly concerns
I harbor words luminous by water's reflection

Painting images kited by air, I offer
not emeralds, but peace & kindness to friends

And if my Luck holds
My actions will be blessed by Full Flower moon 

Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Poetics - In My Elements, hosted by Amaya.  Sharing a bit of myself using Chinese astrology, dominant elements and horoscope.  Please join us when the pub door opens at 3pm EST.  Thanks for the visit.