I have no poetry tonight... *
(reflections on the eve of the PIttsburgh massacre)
I have no poetry tonight for the life blood
spilled of the eleven souls at prayer -
I have no poetry tonight for the shopping
grandfather shot in the back of his head,
no poetry tonight for the murdered
grandmother in a parking lot -
All massacred for their "audacity" to draw
free and safe breath in the gust of fetid
toxic, lethal lunacy -
I have no poetry tonight for the hate-hand
that shook
the locked church door
I have no poetry tonight for envelopes of
destruction mailed to free thinkers
No, I have no poetry tonight for hatred, nor
intractable ignorance - Pretty words will
not warm the bodies now cold.
An explosion of poetic lyricism will not
bring forth another song, or shout, or sigh
from the dead.
Tonight, I save poetry for the spark of
humanity that flickers in the darkest
night and flames in brilliant conflagration
when united in common cause.
Tonight I save poetry for that bright
shining arc bending toward justice
....smelted in the white heat of our
collective outrage.
Tonight as tears choke -
I hold fast onto
the poetry of possibility...
Always and forever - light shall follow
darkness.
It is our mandate to shine.
Now.
Thank you to Sherry Marr for tonight's Pittsburgh Poems - I am honored to be among the beautiful offerings of hope.
http://poetryblogroll.blogspot.com
Monday, November 5, 2018
Thursday, April 5, 2018
Day 4. PAD Challenge 2018 Case ---- "The Pleading Suitor"
The pleading suitor
Little sister sits on the couch
the boyfriend now exed pauses
at the door – eyes wet – pleading
to her sister’s now gone back
the boyfriend now exed pauses
at the door – eyes wet – pleading
to her sister’s now gone back
“I don’t like the way you
walk, I don’t like the way
you talk, I don’t like you”
walk, I don’t like the way
you talk, I don’t like you”
and off she’d gone – leaving
a sparkly ring on the kitchen
table –
a sparkly ring on the kitchen
table –
Case Closed
Day 5. PAD Challenge 2018- Intelligence Poem
Intelligentsia
would be member of
the intelligentsia -
taken to mean that
longing to inhale
the NY Times in
its entirety long
before its sheets
could be held in
arms so small -
would be member
of that intelligentsia
dreaming of tall
windows and mantels
carpets on lemon
oiled floors and
people nodding
sagely exchanging
some of their all
as chamber music
murmured - moving
through time gathering
parchments one after
another and still the
intelligentsia shimmered
elusive as a Buckingham tea
as wisdom intrudes in gentle
pokes and prods and inner
nods - in marches and linked
arms and babies born and
suckled and lost and found
a united intelligenseea begins
would be member of
the intelligentsia -
taken to mean that
longing to inhale
the NY Times in
its entirety long
before its sheets
could be held in
arms so small -
would be member
of that intelligentsia
dreaming of tall
windows and mantels
carpets on lemon
oiled floors and
people nodding
sagely exchanging
some of their all
as chamber music
murmured - moving
through time gathering
parchments one after
another and still the
intelligentsia shimmered
elusive as a Buckingham tea
as wisdom intrudes in gentle
pokes and prods and inner
nods - in marches and linked
arms and babies born and
suckled and lost and found
a united intelligenseea begins
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
There is something about a New Year...
There is something about a New Year ...
For all the excitement and anticipation of what is to come ...
for all the enchantment and grief and glory and embarrassment and pride and disappointment and ruts in the road and sweet grassy fields sprinkled with sweet daisies - for all the blue skies and dark storms for all the babies born and some inexplicably incomprehensibly lost - for all that we have come to understand and that we realize we have yet to learn - for all who have departed in all sorts of ways and all who have arrived both unexpectedly and awaited - for those on bended knee in prostrated plea or protest and those standing tall in resistance - for the burst of good health and the recognition of fragility - for all the loving, messy, pristine, powerful punch of life in the gut and tickle in the deepest part of heart, mind and soul. Embracing, recalling, archiving and releasing it all. Bon Voyage 2017 and Welcome to the wonders to come in 2018. To each and all of you my friends in all dimensions - may we summon the strength to cope and the courage to enjoy and the good sense to never conflate the two. Wishing all a happy, healthy, peaceful New Year - you mean more to me and to others than perhaps you know. With Kindness and Love..
for all the enchantment and grief and glory and embarrassment and pride and disappointment and ruts in the road and sweet grassy fields sprinkled with sweet daisies - for all the blue skies and dark storms for all the babies born and some inexplicably incomprehensibly lost - for all that we have come to understand and that we realize we have yet to learn - for all who have departed in all sorts of ways and all who have arrived both unexpectedly and awaited - for those on bended knee in prostrated plea or protest and those standing tall in resistance - for the burst of good health and the recognition of fragility - for all the loving, messy, pristine, powerful punch of life in the gut and tickle in the deepest part of heart, mind and soul. Embracing, recalling, archiving and releasing it all. Bon Voyage 2017 and Welcome to the wonders to come in 2018. To each and all of you my friends in all dimensions - may we summon the strength to cope and the courage to enjoy and the good sense to never conflate the two. Wishing all a happy, healthy, peaceful New Year - you mean more to me and to others than perhaps you know. With Kindness and Love..
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