Dennis S. Martin's Blog, page 35

Sashay

I could quote Carly Simon

From her song on vanity,

Visioning her subject as he

Strolls into a crowded room.

 

Or picture Dolly Levi

At the posh Harmonia Gardens

As she artfully descends the stairs

And grown men stop to stare and swoon.

 

Picture in your mind as

Travolta struts on Saturday.

All the ladies salivate

Just wishing he would look their way.

 

I had thought I’d seen it all

When Tyra hit the runway stage,

Made the perfect sashay statement.

Surely there was no mistake.

 

Then I see you tilt your hip,

Toss your hair, wink an eye,

Take a step into the room to

Leave all others in your wake.

Proclivity

“If you’re so inclined”, he uttered,

“You’ll find happiness on the edge.”

Though living on the darker side

Presents more problems than it solves.

 

Tried to answer, only stuttered,

Felt the leverage of the wedge.

Turned civility aside to

See what alternates evolved.

 

Winced a little, then I shuddered.

Should I step out on the ledge?

Put aside all guilt and pride?

Throw my life to angry wolves?

 

Should my mind be blank or cluttered?

I’ve a tendency to hedge.

This proclivity inside me

Does not have a strong resolve.

 

Lead instead into the light.

I will make the right decision,

Battle through the fiery fight,

View the world with perfect vision.

 

Emancipation

So, you think that you want to be free of me,

Believe that you’ve finally found the key,

Started to view things with clarity.

Well, that may all be very true.

 

I had been thinking along the same line,

Wond’ring about you and me for some time,

Thinking how everything used to be fine

Until somebody changed.

Was it you?

 

I didn’t think there was ever a doubt

What this relationship was all about.

When we began we were both so devout,

Committed to making it work.

 

You could have told me when things went awry.

I had no reason for questioning why.

We just sat back and let time go by.

No wonder I feel like a jerk.

 

You want your freedom?

Take it and run.

No one is stopping you.

Face it, you’ve won.

 

Ensconced

I’m not going anywhere.

This is much too comfortable

Sitting here like limp spaghetti

Waiting for the day to end.

A day from hell that took so long

Trying to unfold itself,

Now that it has trickled down

I’ve no desire to start again.

 

Perhaps a bit of mindless drivel.

Television, there’s the trick.

Or I could just drift into doze mode

Trying to read Harry Potter,

Sip a touch of pinot noir

To smooth the edges, soothe the soul.

I just refuse to add another

Single burden to my blotter.

 

You may think me selfish,

Even lazy to react this way.

Do not care.

Will not give in.

I am settled for the day.

 

Harbinger

Let the bells ring loud, ring clear

Heralding the crimson news.

Headlines speak in bold reviews

Announcing your arrival.

 

Flower petals pave the way,

Their luscious fragrance to allay

The subtle fears that fill your ears

And threaten your survival.

 

Be it known throughout the land

That tolerance has met its match,

Opened doors, removed the latch

That held it fast so long.

 

Free the light so it may shine

In places it has never been,

Set it free to sing again

And right unending wrongs.

 

You are just the harbinger

Searching, seeking out the truth;

All the lost imaginings

Forgotten in your youth.

 

Nexus

In our quest for common ground

Differences are often found

Too much to bear or overcome

Til all negotiation fails.

 

Like Montague to Capulet

The nexus was sweet Juliet,

Or at least she should have been

If better winds had filled her sails.

 

All can end so tragically

When clans or nations disagree.

Words and actions fail to grasp

The gist of commonality.

 

Warped opinion often lies,

Views the world with blinded eyes,

Leading lemmings to the edge

Where hope and reason all but dies.

 

It is you and you alone

Must solve this bitter mystery.

See the nexus. Find the link

Connecting destiny.

 

Serendipity

My good fortune

Finding you.

Sweet-souled serendipity

Smiling softly in your eyes with

Soothing sounds of sultry sighs.

 

Singing such seductive songs

Of milk and honey

Come what may.

Getting lost along the way

We stumble to our precious prize.

 

Seeking someday,

Stopping by to

Savor every saucy spice.

Happy growing old together.

Content in knowing

All is right.

 

Superfluous

Let’s stop all this drivel,

It’s just kibble for the addle-brained.

Try to simplify the mix

Without the tricks that drone and drain.

 

Finding words

Far less absurd

That will not curdle on the tongue.

Gently croon

A simple tune

That lingers after being sung.

 

Choosing words and actions

Built on traction,

Never slip or slide.

Keeping sails trimmed lively

Til arriving

On the other side.

 

Hack the excess, cut the blubber

Right down to the bone.

State the facts with certainty,

Leave the rest alone.

 

Uncouth

No sooner had his footfall played

Upon the threshold of the room

The truth smacked of the obvious,

This common soul did not belong.

 

I might have felt remorse about

His awkward and ungainly tone,

But feelings were all swept away

When first words formed upon his tongue.

 

Ravings of uncultured thought from

Such a boorish little mind.

Spewing crude and clumsy voice to  

Fill the room with fetid air.

 

Turn away and find a corner,

Hope that soon he’ll go away.

Growing small out on a ledge

Trapped in just my underwear.

 

Wilting from embarrassment.

Denying any blame.

Don’t know who invited him.

Don’t know why I came.

 

Phantasmagoria

Magic lanterns in a dream

Bending, blending, changing shapes

And sizes til they run together

Feather-lite and then to naught.

 

Bits and pieces, this and that,

Can’t remember all the story,

Scattered treasures buried deep

Beneath the sands of afterthought.

 

Rapidly the scenes are changing,

Grand illusions on display.

Heavily they layer one on one

Forever asking more.

 

Was it real or just imagined?

Will it ever come again?

Fearless flight of fantasy

Mesmerizing every pore.

 

Sleepless phantom of the night

Keeping dreams alive,

Dancing freely through my mind

That hope may long survive.