Vanessa Shields's Blog, page 25

Poem 262 – Another Poem About Writing Letters

Another Poem About Writing Letters

the page is patient

ink is intuitive kind

words swarm a cluster of giving in your mind & heart

the words are also patient

I carry around her letter
it jumps in the corners of my sight
imprints on bag detritus seeps into nows
while I finish other things

a letter waits to be written so there is always something to say

I’m sorry I miss you You’re right Let’s do that Thank you

I love you, the letter always says
even when it doesn’t
it does…

the page is patient

Poem 261 – Didn’t All Day

Didn’t all day

didn’t open the laptop all day
chose the garage & the shed
lifted bins & swept steps

peeled & mashed potatoes
drowned everything in gravy

saw the harvest moon so large & luscious in the sky
it frightened me took my breath away & tucked it in a passing wind

now I reach for it let my fingers caress the keys ease the words out slip today’s truths
into the white as the dark kisses my neck pulls me to bed & dreamland’s poetry

Poem 260 – The Colour Green

The Colour Green ( for Jett)

a witch’s face – smiling
vomit violently releasing infection
algae attached to plastic lining
co-dependent

her pupils in the morning

Peas. All. The. Peas. Rolled on tongues
popped between enamel

mantis praying on the railing reeling at cicada

jogging pants with puffed out knee graves – stained

the sky in nap dreams

Poem 259 – Fall Night

Fall Night for Monti

the scent of orange
deep like change
burnt & crispy
like summer’s skin
peeling to cool
its tender bones

the darkness darker
layered like secrets
eigengrau & onyx
like shadow’s shadow
ripening to burst
its widening playground

these fall nights turn like pages in season’s grimoire –
leaf’s veins weeping the last of warmth’s wishes
staining sidewalks in goodbye graffiti

Poem 258 – Inside Patchouli

Inside patchouli

Autumn mornings in concert with crickets
cicadas

witnessing the sun’s forehead nuzzle dawn into day

the accepted repetition of arriving

the achievement of such repetition

the musk of knowing & choosing

the light –

the illumination of being a thing fully

this oil of my youth
lingers on sweater sleeves
lifts me like his kiss can

Poem #257 – Spreadsheet

Spreadsheet

pretzel c
pretzel v
cut & paste
make plain text
pretzel a
text size 12 font arial
borders black
text black
wrap text

repeat repeat repeat

chug coffee rub eyes
could be an import
could watch a video
how to…but….
arduous feels good
repetition is poetry
dry eyes bring the sandman

quicker

Poem 256 – One Thing At A Time & Reminders

One Thing At A Time

Hear the alarm
Snooze it
Finish the bizarre dream
Hear the alarm again
Sit up
Rub eyes
Hear the soundtrack fade in
The symphony of waking
The crackle of electricity
The churn of marrow
The waft of blood
The moan of muscle
All this and more led
By multiple conductors
Voices like batons
Guiding lyrics into now

Do this
Then this
Even though it feels like more
It is one thing at a time

Pick up the pen
Open the journal
Unwrap the words
Write the poem

Reminder! Workshops! Events!

You Have Until Tomorrow at midnight to submit!

Our poetry call on the theme of community closes tomorrow at midnight. If you haven’t already, do write a poem about what community means to you!

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES ARE HERE!

*Did you know we’ve had submissions from Poland, India, the United States and Windsor/Essex? Isn’t that a beautifully vast community?!

Embrace Your Voice Virtual Workshop this Friday!

The first of two free virtual workshop with Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario begins this Friday evening! Able-bodied allies are welcome! Let’s learn and embrace our voices together!

REGISTER AT:www.surveymonkey.com/r/ALSOEVWorkshopor contact Evelina 226-759-8014 or EvelinaBaczewska@alsogroup.orgRegistration closes on Thursday, September 16 at 4:30 pm

Youth Poet Laureate Reading This Saturday!

Discover the unique voice and beautiful melody of Windsor’s Youth Poet Laureate Alexei Ungurenasu this Saturday from 11am-1pm at Cafe Amor & Art (1557 Ottawa St, Windsor, ON N8X 2G3).

Poem 255 – haiku for night

Haiku for Night

this trampoline mind
thoughts bounce land bounce land – then soar
recharge on the moon

Poem 254 – Give This To Her

Give This to Her

Oh Dawn Sun!
I plead!
Forget the trees & oceans
Leave the bees & flowers
As you gather your light
Like skirts on hips of horizons
Glare all your power into
The dull scythe of Death’s horror dark

Give the arms of this day to her miracle
Embrace her fighting soul knotted in the
Devastated landscape of her war-torn body

Lift her life into brilliance once again – painless & pure!

Poem 253 – In the Park

In the park

The smiling stroll up
The join me
The this is a lovely surprise!
The two-sentence catch-up
The seeds of loaded questions
The forest of answers
The skin raised in connection
The golden silence
The eyes welled with tears
The raw emotion
The divine understanding
The gift giving
The energy exchange
The truth in see you again