child of the asphalt

in response to prompt here: readwritepoem

You found solace underneath the gargoyles
Eating the splash of saints off your back,
Once.

You let the wind separate your ribs
With heavy sighs and cries,
Once.

You cuddled with the concrete
Uttered the word “mama” with closed eyes,
Once.

But no more.
Little boys are tough
Like lead rocks echoing in asphalt valleys.
Like blood pouring out of cracked bones.
And no mother to wipe away the pain.

Tears won’t fall when nobody is there to catch them.

a mad dervish’s hot meditation

in response to prompt here :readwritepoem

I dance with you
Without containing you or
Possessing you.
You appreciate this
As you sing to me
With orange and blue tongues.
Resonating wind,water,and earth;
Symphony of the cosmic seed atom
As I spin you and revolve within you
And feel complete.

hair sprouting flowers

inspired by prompt here: readwritepoem

The smell of earth in your hair
Clover and trees about to sprout from your head
I hold you close and remember
Many many summers ago
I a girl-child
Rolling around in earth’s grassy arms
Hair catching twigs,flowers,and bugs
I breathe in deeply and smile

lycanthropy

inspired by prompt here: readwritepoem

I count to three       Moon shaking in my vision
Blink my eyes       Dancing in circles
Bare my teeth       Hungry for shadows

Poem Starting with a Line from Norman Dubie.

in response to prompt here: readwritepoem

Our clothes are still wet from wading
Our aeons together
Each year extra water weight
I can’t hold you anymore like this
It should never have been heavy like this
I want to reach the desert sun
To be dry and naked
Free from all false embellishment
And really see you

stories in the trees

In response to prompt here: readwritepoem

The hoary trees whisper with pulsating limbs.
We burn their arms and legs without hearing
Stories of bird children terrified to sleep at night.
Falls to the ground are not always quick and painless.
Trembling tree hands touch the clouds,
“We can see the sun and the sun is dying“
The truth of all fires; it’s just that some fires burn longer.
And the vulture flew to the sun;
Returned without sunburnt head.

little lotus

in response to prompt here: readwritepoem

I chose to be your mother
When I was sinking in the dark sea of chaos.
Almost drowning in sickly salt waves infested with hungry teeth.
I almost threw in the bloody flag of defeat.
It would have been my bones and your bones crushed together
On the battlefield of regret.
But you were that yellow lotus
Sprouting from obscure mud
Of despair, anxiety, pain.
Little lotus of joy and hope;
In my womb reached my heart.
Then you were born.
Showed me how to blossom strong
Like a tough dandelion mom.
But I think you actually chose me
And I am thankful.

on fire after 2 am

Inspired by prompt here: readwritepoem

Torch my octopus arms with your broom on fire
Drunk on lamp oil
I strum that rusty harp too much
And tasting the flesh torn from the sky
My eyes start to bruise with visions
Of a marionette choking her talon
Around my sinking lungs
Startle me with her tome of bones
I limp over that pumice rug
Bang that fringe of feathers onto my dusty head
I swallow bells and shake shake shake

On the shore

Inspired by prompt here: readwritepoem

I found you when you were stranded, lonely
Out of your element
I held you; impenetrable you were (at first)
And lulled you with the rhythm you knew
You spoke only when
I pressed you gently to my ear
And all my babbling ceased
In this way you
Commanded my full attention
I learned the songs of the universe
And how to dance with the stars of the sea

One of those bourbon nights

In response to prompt here:
readwritepoem
I didn’t follow this prompt completely as this wasn’t based on personal experience

I was wooed by the glow of her velveteen thighs
And the way her lips teased her cigarillos
I wooed her into my bed and quickly discovered him
She, I mean he, thought that I knew by the narrowness of his hips
And that imitation Nina Simone voice