where my heart lies

at the bottom of the staircase

lies my heart that took the

wrong step, tumbling down

each one collecting bruises

until it reached the bottom

where it waits patiently 

for me to pick it up again

holiday magic

freshly baked cookies
aroma filling up rooms
igniting taste buds

hot chocolate mugs
steam tickling our noses
warming our tummies

warm colorful lights
brighten the cold winter sky
holiday magic

if I ever

if I ever

let go

toss away

memories

we promised

to cherish

until our

undying days

hold my hand

so tightly

help me

remember

our sunrises

instead of

the storms

but if I

still let go

release me

and let it be

glow

she would glow

like the moon

in a clear night sky

her inner flame

brighter than sun’s

rays in summer

despite naysayers

and mobs who
tried to tear her

limb from limb

she held her head

up high, keeping

her eyes on the prize

- Written for dVerse Quadrille - There's a Shine to the Season!

sweet kiss

a sweet kiss

I would be remiss

to dismiss it

as just a fling

when my heart sings

your name into praises

midnight sky

midnight sky

will you undress me

with bedroom eyes

one last time

before sunrise returns

our illicit affair

slips into shadows

where hearts burn

wherever you are

wherever you are, love,

I hope you find me soon

before my heart turns

to snow and ice

take me in your arms,

just like in the movies,

stare into my eyes until

sunsets kiss away tears

let me slumber in your

shadow, until I get lost

in dreams filled with love

and are never-ending

- Inspired by dVerse MTB: O Apostrophe!

the orphans

they tried to lift

the children’s spirits

with candy and toys

but melancholy had

a grip on their hearts

they missed the warmth

of home  and kept

promises of peace

not cold like the road

being shifted from

orphanage to orphanage

without a pause

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #93: Spirited Poems
Although I was blessed to not been an orphan, I can imagine the heartache once must experience when left alone in this world without a parent to guide you.  I dedicate this poem to all the orphans in the world - keep your head up.

gratitude

I am grateful

for the silence

of mornings

letting my mind

rest before the

grind of the day

I am grateful

of the serenity

of nights

fall into dreams 
to recharge 
for tomorrow

- Written in response to Poetic Aside 2019 November PAD Chapbook Challenge Day 28

meal ticket

he thought

his b-ball skills

was his meal ticket

out the hood into

millionaire status

but hoop dreams are

achieved by so few

she believed

her thin frame

would gain her

model fame

but one must ask

is the price

worth the pain

you and me

had faith that

our degrees

were the keys

to upper class

then they changed 

the game

- Inspired by Poetic Aside 2019 November PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 25

dare

I dare you

to tell me

the truth

no matter how

it might

break me

stormy music

lightning bolts

illuminate the sky

thunder cracks

across the ground

raindrops pound

against windows

under darkness

it is this music

that lulls me

to a deep slumber

into dreams that

seem endless

the only thing

better is holding

your hand as

the storm sings

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #92: Take a crack at poeming and Poetic Aside Nov 2019 PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 18

myth

at first she

did not think

this was real

he was a dream

too perfect, a myth 

too far-fetched

to believe in

but he proved

himself true,

time and again

he was not a

fickle promise  

or an illusion

to soon disappear

slowly her heart

opened and she fell

in love with him

- Written in response to WD Poetic Aside November 2019 PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 14

prime

am I past my prime

and now must live

with regrets after

missing the boat

or am I just starting

after marinating

in this seasoning

that is now ripe

- Written for WD Poetic Aside 2019 November PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 11

Chicago Bulls jacket

a Chicago Bulls Starter jacket

still hangs in my closet –

after all these years  still keeps

me warm when cold, though

I rarely wear it outside anymore

but it still holds cherish

memories of days old

- Written for WD Poetic Aside 2019 November Chapbook Challenge: Day 7

Photo by Arcadia Maria

11/7/19

night life

when young they were the

keeper of the night’s flame

dancing under disco lights

the deep base vibrating

under feet

tossing aside their burdens

they partied until sunrise

with no thoughts of when

the night will come when

flashing lights won’t hold

such sway

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #91 - Keep and WD Poetic Aside 2019 November PAD Day 4

sevenling: ghost

I believed we had a spark:
the way you smiled, the morning
texts, long walks in the park

when I asked to level us up:
texts ceased, no more dates
or just because flower gifts

I guess it was easier to ghost me

belladonna

they were poisonous but cool

she wanted to be a part of them

so she swallowed that pink pill

that would rot her insides, but

at least she will be seen as pretty

but the euphoria never lasts –

before her eyes she found herself

on the outside looking into the

dollhouse where she once occupied

that never loved her back

Photo of Belladonna Plant by DerWeg

Courtesy of Pixabay.com

my wishes

my wishes

dangle upon

my tongue

like leaves

on trees

in autumn

that will

soon fall 

and slowly

be forgotten

a simple kiss

who knew a simple kiss

could make my heart quiver

like a naïve teen falling in

love for the first time

I thought I had become too

cynical to fall so easily for

such romance but life always

has a way to surprise me

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #90-We're all a-quiver

majestic

his majestic smile

honey brown eyes

lured me in like

a sailor listening

to a siren’s song

I should have

been more careful

not venturing out

into deep waters

like mom said

now I’m immerse

head under water

by his alluring magic

that now has gotten

a total hold on me

- Posted for tonight's dVerse OLN

naive hearts

we had naïve hearts

as young children

that knew nothing

of broken promises

or love’s pain

we learned hearts 

could be broken

beyond repair but

also mended back

if done with care

water bottle

you, aluminum bent

into a bottle form

refreshes my tongue

with ice cold water

helping me reach

my daily goal

that not so stylish

at least I know

you won’t be sitting

in a far off landfill

taking up space

suppose I’m doing my

part to save the Earth

though she may end 

up burning anyway

set in stone

there are days

when the rain

won’t stop

other days I

can’t get enough

of the sun

this roller-coaster

can be draining

at times yet,

nothing is set

in stone

things change 

like the seasons

so I know

this phase will 

soon pass away

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #89-Are you Set?

chocolate

though I try my best

to stick to the plan

once that chocolate

touches my tongue

I just can’t go halfway

but all the way in

Photo by Tina Nord

Courtesy of pexels.com

if I say

if I say

I love you

will you say

the words back

will you leave

me on edge

thinking I

scared you off

or repeat

those three words

as my heart

burst in flames

extinction

I still remember a time when

you had to find friends in person

but now by simply pushing buttons

on phones one can connect with

so many others far and away

I fear that real friends face extinction

as social media friends take over

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #88

autumn

autumn came

just when I was

getting used to

summer’s breeze

she stole my

evergreen view

and turned it to

brown and gold

when I adjusted

to her crisp air

she departed like

a broken whisper

as winter came

with icy blue eyes

and claimed her

throne once again

- Inspired by Poetic Aside Prompt #498 - autumn poem and Twiglet #144: a broken whisper

these old walls

these old walls hold such memories

it is at the witching hour

ghosts come to play, cleverly

I sit still like a wallflower

lost in mystical sensory

moonlight

it was

young love

shared kisses

under moonlight

the softness

of lips

upon mine

brought bliss

even after

years passed

no longer

your favorite

memories of

your eyes

in moonlight

remains clear

blood on porcelain

I was so gentle with the razor

sliding across delicate skin

removing unsightly hairs –

it’s what ladies do they say –

I still managed to nick myself

I watch small droplets of blood

fall onto porcelain sink

the things we do to be

considered desirable

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #87-Quick! Nick us a poem!

first day of school

Facebook filled

with first day

of school pics

not just proud

parents but

grandmas too

me, single

and alone

just scrolls by

changing

I wish things

stayed the same

but all things

change like

trees in autumn

switching to

golden hues

I follow ocean

tides wherever

they go

finding words

I tried to find the 

right words to express

what lied inside my heart

but I struggled with

forming correct syllables

making coherent sentences

so I stammered through

awkward lines and pauses

hoping you understood

but when you smiled

at me I knew that

it all made sense

tranquility

to be in this place 

of tranquility 

is to be free

from all worries 

to lounge under

blue skies void 

of gray clouds 

how I wish 

I could spend

all eternity there

for my mind 

and body is 

drained from 

this rollercoaster 

called life

- Written for dVerse Quadrille: and the most beautiful words are...

after the party

it is all fun and games

letting your hair down

tossing worries aside

when everyone leaves

you find dirty dishes

and a house too empty

out of love

I gave my all

though in vain

the sky still fell

so many changes

did I fall in love

with a stranger?

the face before me

is not the one

I met that day

a love now lost

I walk under stars

memories in arms

rumor

rumor has it

that you stole

my heart

when you gave

me the moon

and stars

rumor has it

I’m in love

head over heels

and I must say

this time

they are right

- Inspired by Writer's Digest Poetic Aside Poetry Prompt #493

at the winery

we sipped wine 

tasted chocolates

under late Spring sun

enjoying each other’s

company away from

work’s bustle

if only every day

could be so simple

they were once misfits

they were once misfits

that stood out against

a sea of suburban faces

they were working class folks

no parents with college degrees

or pretty white houses with 

lush green backyards

when teen years arrived

they tried to fit in those boxes

but only one succeeded

leaving the other behind 

but she is still a misfit

walking to her own drum beat

not caring what others think

back and forth

two steps forward

three steps back

it is a slow dance

I find myself in

way too often

the color of the

sky at dusk

makes me hunger

for your eyes

lying beside me

but this tango

we’ve been dancing

never ceases

always leaving me

with two left feet

in my dreams we

are a perfect harmony

one day I’ll need to 

let such dreams go

but not this night

painting the nursery

she imagined the nursery

as a tropical beach oasis

she painted crisp lines

in cool pigments

the carpet a sandy beige

the ceiling in cerulean blue

colorful dots freckled

her summer white dress

covering a growing belly

that will soon birth

the new inhabitant

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #84 - freckle

grandma's kitchen

three layer cakes

so thick and soft

those succulent 

sweet potato pies that 

brought tears to eyes

since you been gone

the kitchen no longer 

holds memorable aromas

those cakes and pies

just don’t taste the same

unattainable

I dreamt I was the moon

you were the stars

I chased across night skies

you were the fantasy

I slip into each night

I was the pauper yearning

for your touch

but like the galaxies you

were unreachable to my hands

forever eluding my chases

then one night I dreamt

I was the sun, you was the sea

that I shined upon each sunrise

and kissed softly at each sunset

this too was just an illusion

of my mind, for you will

always be that unattainable star

- This poem was inspired by the line "I dreamt I was the moon" in the poem entitled "Full Moon" by Alice Oswald.  You may read the full poem here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/49193/full-moon-56d22b0c02d2e