taste of cheesecake

red cherry cheesecake

stares back at her from the fridge

her resolve falters

bites into the creamy slice

her hunger finds its release

the next journey

under a starry sky

I let my mind drift

to memories long ago

that faded in time

I look towards the moon

it's alluring light warms

my heart as I seek the

road to my next journey

dream walking in snow

Photo by Cameron Casey

Courtesy of Pexels.com

  

 

snow crunches beneath his feet
as he follows the warm lights
guiding him home

wolves howl in the distance,
stars pepper the midnight sky

night air chills his bones
but all he thinks about is
hot cocoa and her smile
waiting at the door

- Written for Quadrille #191-Let it snow

from November to December

shadows of November
turn into darkness
of December evenings
autumn has lost her grip
lady winter will soon
make her arrival

the golden leaves
have gone away
naked limbs now dance
outside my window
frigid air knocks on
my door to be let in

sketches of heartache

where did the time go?
it seemed like it was only yesterday
that we met

in a blink of an eye, years have passed
we have become different people
our bond now looser

today I found your sketchbook
on the table and silently wept

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #190

 

letter to my first best friend

dear friend,

do you remember how we became
friends in elementary school
sitting in your bedroom listening
to Debbie Gibson, camping in a tent
in your backyard or riding in the
back of your mom’s van

do you remember riding on the
bus with me on a Friday afternoon
we played with dolls in my bedroom,
mom taking us to see Batman movie,
or staying up late so I could expose
you to Showtime at the Apollo

these are things I try to recall
instead of how we drifted apart –
you were held back a grade
we both started making new friends
before you moved away without
a proper goodbye

I wonder where you are now
what adventures life has brought you
maybe one day we can reconnect –
perhaps Facebook could help –
or our friendship will remain
a long ago memory

- Written for dVerse Poetics: For the love of letters

dark side of the moon

under orange crushed sky
I watched you drive into
sunsets with my heart
still in your hands

on the dark side of the moon
I collect stars into mason jars
their light guiding me home

in dreams I reminisce of
your last promising kiss

- Written for Quadrille #189:Poems Most Mad & Moonly

better to know, or not know

is it better to know
where the cards lie
to know who the heart
truly belongs to instead
of living in dreams

or is ignorance truly bliss
shielding the heart
from pain and sorrow
to look into the mirror and
see perfections not flaws

- Inspired by Writer's Digest 2023 November PAD Chapbook Challenge Day 6

 

 

falling in pieces

a mother watches
her baby fall to sleep
into peaceful dreams

falling in love
wasn’t on her agenda
yet it still arrived

he watches his phone
fall down the bridge
in spectacular fashion

their fall from grace
brought humility
to their once cold hearts

 

- Written for dVerse Quadrille Monday 10-30-2023

 

tumbling like leaves

we tumble
        like autumn leaves
outstretched hands
        attempt to
catch us before
        we hit the ground

yet we glide
        around the trees
sing melodies
        as the ground
grows closer

we lie in piles
        of red, orange
and yellow stars
        crisp blue sky
stares down
        at our sighs

to ask mom a question

I wanted to ask you a question
but my nerves got the best of me
you said I could ask anything
I was too shy to cross the threshold
so I just stood beside you
quietly folding warm laundry
the afternoon sun shined bright

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #186 - Fold

warm soup in autumn

cool rains in autumn
chases away hot summer
chicken noodle soup
fills our bellies with warm thoughts
at the leaves change to brown

- Written for dVerse Poetics: Time for Soup!

when pretending

they saw the writing on the wall
but chose to ignore those
slanderous words

they knew the sand in the hourglass
would soon run out
but they still pressed on

he wore rose-colored glasses
she brushed everything under
the rug pretending all is fine

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #185:Brushing the Dust Off

the bridge that lies between us

in dreams I run across a bridge
to fall into your waiting arms

I thought love would be enough
to bridge the gap that grew between us

but those valleys run deep and
your voice echoes against the
high cliffs that now separates us

- Written for dVerse Poetics: Building Bridges

smashing the box

let us smash the box
that people like to
place us in simply for
our race, sex, gender,
social class, zip code,
marital status, having kids,
not having kids,  
being a social butterfly
or a wallflower –
we are all too complex
for simple labels

 

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #184: Smashing Poems

signs

in search for a sign
she gazes upon the sky
studying the stars

even in daylight
she questions blooming roses
which path she should take

watching the sun set
she whispers a prayer that is
answered at sunrise

- Inspired by dVerse Poetics - Semiotics: Reading the Signs

in the sky of fading summer

we take in the stars
in the sky of fading summer
we catch a sliver of the moon
in between the clouds
I wish we had more time
to spend in this moment
but autumn calls our names
and we must obey her song

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #183 - A Sliver of a Poem

a sibling bond

my brother and I
two of a kind
on opposite spectrums
yet still have a bond

when I was younger
I often made wishes
you were normal and
not the strange one

but in passing years
I gained to accept you
just as you are –
completely special

when we enter twilight
I will hold fond memories
to keep my heart going
when you are gone

- Written for and inspired by dVerse Poetics: Siblings, the ties that bind and gag

among the pine trees

Photo: "Empty Forest" by Anthony

Courtesy of pexels.com

 

when she needed to get away

she would take a solo walk

in the park

under a warm sun she found

peace and comfort among the

pine trees that softly whispered

wisdom into her yearning heart

she returned home smiling 

with a revitalized soul

 

 

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #182:Are You Pining for Poems

late August

 Photo by Rajesh Rajput

Courtesy of Unsplash.com

 

late August evening
we catch fireflies before
summer drifts away

- Inspired by dVerse Poetics: August Transitions

pop

in darken theater
we snack on popcorn
waiting for the movie to begin

on the bus ride home
I hear the girl behind me
popping gum until the next stop

at the riverfront a man
gets down on one knee
to pop that question

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #181: Pop Goes The Quadrille

moving away

the moving van sits before
the house as people carrying
many boxes under a summer sun

from my front step I watch you
pick up your life to start anew
someplace else

I pretend it doesn’t hurt but
my heart still breaks in pieces

taking in the view

Photo by Sean Oulashin 

Courtesy of Unsplash.com

  

we sat on a blanket
taking in the view
of aqua waters
beckoning us to dive inn

you take my hand
as we approach the waves
never in fear of getting
lost in the tide

together we could go
beyond the sun and stars

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #180: Pouring Out Our Poems

 

 

vacation

vivid memories of car rides
and ice cream on hot afternoons
cerulean sky over beach sands
and the aroma of saltwater
tickles our noses until dusk
I take in the stars that reach
off-beaten paths I yet to explore
now becomes my bucket list

- An acrostic poem written for dVerse Poetics: Vacation reminiscences

flipping the switch

round and round we go 

not knowing where to go 

even though we know 

this song all too well

 

looking for something new 

yet we take in the same view 

wondering why the sky 

never changes its hues

 

I take a leap of faith 

not worrying about fate 

I finally flip the switch 

to chase unknown horizons

 

 

- Written for Twiglet #333.  This is the last Twiglet prompt by Misky and I thought this poem was fitting.   Looking forward for new prompts to inspire my writing.

 

twelve o'clock

we dance under stars 

one warm summer night 

I can see moonlight

in your eyes making 

everything feel right 

 

we glide across the

dance floor as my heart

flutters from your kiss

 

when the clock strikes  

twelve I am pulled away 

from this dream

 

 

 - Written for dVerse Quadrille: Happy dVerse Twelfth Anniversary

 

 

seeking peace

it was the peace

that her heart sought

in the stars above

in the summer’s sky

 

it was loneliness

that brought her here

in the vast garden

wishing upon the moon

 

it was only her voice

that echoed back to her

when she spoke prayers

into the blackness of night