“Sort Well”

A coin-operated laundry shop just opened
nearby—
I think I’ll have a look;
should find a mighty fine
piece there.
worn out, dirt-covered jeans
I watch the suds cover
like frothy ocean waves
gentle hum of drying machines
mingled with anxious whirls;
it’s clean here
I can cleanly launder my things here—
my unmentionables; gasp,
The woman behind the counter shoves a box of soap powder
across the counter to a man in checkered flannel sleeves;
he seems pleased with the quality,
drops the coins into the drawer
Kerchunnk!!!
throws in the soiled garments, his quality soap powder
and
drops the lid
Such ease and without the care
I take
sorting
perfectly folding in the end
corner to corner
must have absolute clean lines—
He steps out for a smoke
I’m folding my panties into perfect squares;
he steps out to the lot and turns to face me
our eyes meet briefly, then
back to my squares
That man with the smoke,
he saw my damn underwear.
Fuck it.
I’ll leave here with my pride in check
and he will have pink boxers.
The ills of improper sorting.

photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/97402086@N00/13501786684″>Frama Coffee Shop and Tumbleweed Laundrymat</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a&gt; <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/”>(license)</a&gt;

“Warmth”

The warm southern breeze lifted
her hair straight to the sky
Her freckled nose cringed
as she let out a satisfying shriek
She could hear the waves crash below
The salt air pervaded and
Stepping nearer the cliff,
she looked down upon the couple
there on the beach;
their bodies tangled together in a mess
of sea and flesh
Love lifted up to her and
she sensed what they had
She longed for that—
to have that moment of
stolen embraces
sand and sweat
warm rays of sun
that wind whirled around her once more
just enough to bring her back;
she looked up to the heavens
and praised Him for this wondrous moment in time

photo credit: A pre-sunset sunset via photopin (license)

“You Saved Me”

Echoes.
Did you hear me?
I spoke under my breath
huffed—
Pretended to be careless
Feigned disinterest
I wanted to try
The first in a long time
Hope
A glimmer, and I knew—
It wasn’t reciprocated.
Stood tall and strong
Statues admired my stone face
I thought,
If I keep this curvature to my upper lip
You’ll think I’m happy
Not dying inside
Not wondering what flaw made you run,
Or are you just not the one for me?
Perhaps you know something of yourself
Something wretched. Unloveable.
So you run.
You save me.
From you.

photo credit: Nature makes me feel alive. via photopin (license)

“My Faith Will Abide”

In the stillness,
I think all things
I wonder and hope;
I believe that, the path,
once I choose,
will lead me right where
I need to be
Yet—
I am fearful.
They say to just “decide.”
Decide to move on
Forward.
Ahead.
Towards.
Never stop.
I am still afraid.
Yet—
My heart beats so loud
Like a drum erupting inside my chest
My ribs, they push out forward
Nearly to the point of breaking
All to allow room for the
fullness.
Thump. Thump.
Move.
Decide.
Choose.
And so I do.
The fear will subside.
My faith will abide.

photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/11574896@N03/3920209837″>grow and stretch</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a&gt; <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/”>(license)</a&gt;

“Illumination”

Is it a wonder why I wander
around here looking for you?
I guess I thought I might
have seen a sign.
It flashed for just that one
moment.
My breath danced in the frigid air before me
I exhaled deeply,
smiled a sheepish grin,
and with pouted pink lips,
pulled my fingertips to my mouth
and pretended
to smoke.
The juke box bellowed
one sad tune after another.
Soft sexy melodies pushed their way
through the doors;
I leaned back and let them wrap me up
One more exhale and “I’m out.”
Time to bring these bones to life.
Shattered hearts filled the bar stools
and cheap cologne reeked into the stale air
The lights illuminated the dust
and faces with eagerness
rushed and smiled and eyes lowered then lifted
to see
beauty
there.
Love doesn’t live here,
illusions of us do.

“High”

And when I am alone

I dream of who I want to be

Who I want to make this journey for me

The love I hope to give and receive

All the beauty in this world

Too much for one soul to believe

I long to spend every moment

Getting lost in it

Never forget that you are perfect

to me.

Leaves will start sprouting forth their

New golden colors,

and like kings and queens,

they will shimmer so bright

I will adorn my head with

A crown made of the last flowers

Some dull, some bright,

Those that have held tight to the earth

I will praise them for their fortitude and

Honor their loveliness

My arms, like wings, will dance

and sway in the cooling breeze of autumn—

and I will forever find joy once lost

high up on those mountaintops.

photo credit: <a href=”https://www.flickr.com/photos/nathanoliverphotography/8124995320/”>Nathan O’Nions</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a&gt; <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/”>c

 

Waiting for the solace

I’m still waiting

Here

Right where I was

Right where I always will linger

Waiting for you

Your heart and all you will ever be

To grow inside my heart

Softness of your fingertips touch my skin

We lie there

Sheets wrapped around and beneath

You are my solace

I will rest in you

All this I dream

All this I cannot wait to know

Please manifest soon dear love

Patient- I am still waiting

Because you are worth the wait.

photo credit: <a href=”https://www.flickr.com/photos/seyyed_mostafa_zamani/5737106423/”>seyed mostafa zamani</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a&gt; <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/”>cc</a&gt;

“Your spirit within me”

You are like a dream to me;
In this sleepy little town
we met again after so many years
Singing songs and wandering about,
I gazed upon the gentle sway of the trees;
They danced their magical dance for me
and every star in the sky twinkled down
upon my skin.
My heart was restless for you
I longed to be in and around your spirit
And to lose myself in the wondrous musings
all around me.
My skin was pricked by the cooling breezes of autumn
I felt you all inside me and in every place in between
I now carry you with me and hold you close
I will spend all my days loving you
And this beautiful spirit you’ve poured inside my chest
My life is for you now and always

photo credit: Bev Goodwin via photopin cc<a

“nothing more”

Sparingly in the way I let go—

how, when, and if I will allow other souls to get close

to my fire and its tumultuous blaze

I am disillusioned by the cleverness in your ability

to feign sentiment and sincerity

I could let myself erupt over it,

but, oh darling, even volcanoes know their place!

Understanding of their destructive nature,

they vow to simmer quietly in a beautiful and wondrous trance

Your mindless quips and playful banter

only succeed to charm when wine glasses overflow,

and even then,  you are really just a pawn,

something lovely to adorn the confines

of my mind.

a delightful muse, and nothing more.

 

photo credit: <a href=”https://www.flickr.com/photos/elsombrerodepensar/3274415902/”>Alba Soler Photography</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a&gt; <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/”>cc</a&gt;

 

 

 

 

 

 

“turbulence”

I’m only going to stay here a little while
Long enough to let you pretend
to care when I depart this place
You did that little move where
your arm magically appeared around my shoulder
I sat back in the bench and could feel you there
Don’t pretend that we have a chance;
We are on ships traveling in two
different directions,
and mine is steered straight on course
I won’t let it budge
Rocky sea salt water will spill over my edges soon enough,
but I will relish every moment
Find pleasure as it dries my skin
makes my hair tacky and tangled
I will wrestle with the waves,
and their turbulence
will uproot every last fear within my withered soul—
and for once, my love, I will finally be free

photo credit: Taraji Blue via photopin cc