last night

last night

I dreamed of you

under purple sky

holding my heart

last night

I remembered tears

I shed over you

in midnight blues

last night

I forgave myself

healing my heart

that was split in two

last night

I released nightmares

and cleaved to dreams

with bright promises

- The last post for Year 2024.  Happy New Year. 

at holidays

at holidays

I try to remember

the good ones

outnumber bad ones

let good memories

carry my heart

not allow bad ones

to sink it like a stone

allusion

we dance around the room

saying but not saying the truth

I can see it in your dark eyes

you can hear it in my soft voice

but neither of us will speak

the true words out loud – 

it’s over, we are done

bang

the bang bang from a drum

can be annoying at night

but not worse than the bang bang

from a gun, with people and blood

running in the streets

or the big bang from a bomb

dropped from skies when 

people can’t get along

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #214: Going out with a bang the last quadrille prompt for 2024. 

seasons

I.

I watch the trees

release autumn leaves

before dusk arrives

II.

snowflakes tumble

over frozen grass

trees blanket 

in white ice

III.

after the rains

flowers bloom in colors

under spring sun

IV.

summer sun 

kisses our skin

the ocean waves

sing melodies

- A collection of 10 word poems strung together.

with you

with you

I want to voyage 

across the lands and seas

and maybe

touch the stars

with my fingertips

with you

I want to taste

heaven on my tongue

and dream in love songs

but I have to ask

will you come with me?

- Written for dVerse Quadrille 213:With a little help...

this rising

be prepared

to witness

this rising

a phoenix

that ascends

from ashes

I will soar

above this

dark chaos

what if

what if I gave up the charade

told you how I really felt 

about things?

what if I said, the hell with it

and leave, chasing lofty dreams

that seem too far away

but what if I choose to stay

and love you anyway

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #212: What the What?

joy

your smile

dazzling eyes

brings such joy

to my life

I dream this 

love will last 

until we 

fade into 

light stardust

- A tricube poem written for dVerse Poetics: Choose Joy

I want to believe in promises

I want to believe in

every word you promise

I want to believe that

everyone has some

goodness in their heart

but time and time again

I’m left disappointed

in the action of others

yet I still believe that

goodness is still out there

- Written for dVerse Quadrille: Time for a 44-word poem

I don't want to forget

I don’t want to forget 

my mother’s perfume, 

my father’s steady hands

or my brother’s laughter

I don’t want to forget

the first kiss under moonlight

the way my heart quickened

under the gaze of his brown eyes

I don’t want to forget

standing beneath the Eiffel Tower

riding the Tube in London

or viewing the Caribbean Sea

I don’t want to forget

all the good times 

not allow them to fade due to 

heartbreak or disappointment 

I don’t want to forget

I don’t want to forget

- Written for dVerse Poetics: Of Mantras, Repetita Juvant

in all the lights

daylight breaks across

the autumn sky ushering

in a new day

trees of brown, red and

gold comes alive 

in the daylight

the crisp air tingles

our skin as we gaze

into moonlight

we whisper to starlight

before we close our eyes

to dream

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #210 - Let there be Light

reconciliation

rift between us

wider than oceans

being the adult

extending a branch

healing deep wounds

our words inflicted

still holding hope

sunrise in distance

string

how many times will I allow

your charming smile to string 

me along when I should be gone?

how many times will we fall 

for every white lie they tell us

slipping the wool over our eyes?

hopefully not until the end of time

- Written for dVerse - Quadrille Monday 209: Plucking Strings

as the leaves fall

under skies

cobalt blue

the leaves fall

in hues of

orange, red

yellow, brown

and my heart

thinks of you 

that last kiss

now fading

away like

summer’s bliss

- Written for dVerse Poetics: Fall (in) love

the vampire

she met him in the library while 

reading Interview with the Vampire

she would find it ironic later

when he glamoured her

with his charming smile

draining the light out of her

before she took back her life

plunging a stake into his heart

- Written for dVerse Quadrille#208 - Undead to the World

a ghazal for the sea

the sounds of seagulls greet us

as we drive closer to the sea

white foamy waves await our arrival

to dive deep into cerulean blue sea

children collect seashells on white sands 

oblivious to the mysteries of the sea

unlike fisherman casting nets to catch fish,

their livelihood dependent upon the sea

I dream of us under moonlight

listening to roaring waves of the sea

Maria tosses a bottle holding a message 

with hope to cross the sea

- Written for dVerse Poetics: By the Beautiful Sea.  I decieded to try my hand at the Ghazal poetry form which I have been reading about over the summer.  Let me know what you think.

spin

she wanted to take 

a spin around the moon

and see the stars while

her skin was still smooth

others told her she shouldn’t

wait too long, before she

would turn into a spinster

but she chose her own path

and followed her heart

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #207: Poem Spin Cycle

as the seasons change

late summer

the sun fades sooner

crisp mornings

turning leaves

I bid farewell to summer

as autumn arrives

rain in August

late summer sun slips behind rain clouds

I watch the trees bend as the wind picks up

raindrops tap against window panes 

while streets become rivers

in a blink of an eye the storm ceases

and the sun returns drying out 

the drenched roadways

- Written for dVerse Quadrille#206 - Around the Bend

we place dreams

we place dreams

in the full moon’s hands

count the stars

chasing sun

across the horizons that

beckons us to run

pennies in a jar

pennies in jar sat on 

the bookshelf for years 

no one can even remember

when the collection started

we took those pennies

to the coin machine and 

surprised at the amount

we buy ourselves a treat

at the coffee house 

enjoying the summer sun

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #205: A Jar Full of Poems

from grief to healing

the warm sun

does nothing to ease

painful grief

gripping heart

in time my brokenness mends

to find light again

- Inspired by dVerse Poetics: Picking up the Pieces

summer

in summer

I want the days

to go by slowly

enjoy the warm sun

and occasional breeze

against my skin

yet the days seem

to go by quickly

I blink and it’s 

already August

with only a few weeks

left to savor the season

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #204: Summertime

eclipse

we watch the blue sky

turn into midnight blue

as the moon pass the sun

holding hands we take in 

the beauty of the universe

imprinting it into memory

time seemed to stand still

then the sky lightens and 

the sun returns to our faces

- Written for dVerse Poetics: Writing "something beautiful".  This poem was inspired by the artwork "The Eclipse" (1970) by artist Alma Thomas, Smitsonian American Art Museum.  

taking a mental rest day in the orchard

I pick crab apples 

under the summer sky

without a care in my mind

this short getaway 

was much needed 

for my soul

I sip wine watching 

the clouds float by

I don’t want to go home

where my hefty duties 

await my return

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #203: Feeling Crabby

the "S" word

three small words

caught in throat

blocking the airway

valley between us

only grows wider

as silence lingers

in night shadows

guilt gnaws deeply

yet we still

cannot say those

magic three words

I am sorry

and the sharp

pain and scars

never fade away

vignettes of summer

under air conditioners

cold air blast against our skin

a cool oasis

chlorine fills the air

kids splashing in swimming pools

lifeguards sip water

we sit in the car

ice cream dripping down our hands

sun begins to fade

we chase fireflies

as the sky turns to violet

mason jars alight

- Written for Writers Digest Poetic Aside Wednesday Poetry Prompt #701: summer poem

special days

I remember the day we met and you 

had me intrigue with that first hello

the memorable evening when 

you whispered the first I love you

took me a bit longer to say those

words back but still recall that night

I still think of that afternoon a delivery

driver delivered those bright roses

and the night I knew my heart had

completely fell in love with you

the evening call when you it was you,

not me and my heart was shattered

the morning when I didn’t want to 

leave bed because I lost a good thing

despite the passage of time 

I still remember your May birthday

I still think back to that first day

and the last day we spoke

a collection of days and nights

I carry within a chapter of my heart

- Inspired by Writers Digest Wednesday Poetry Prompt #700

figment

you were a figment of a fantasy

a dream never to become true

a star I could never reach

in the blackness of night

I hear your soft whispers

and feel your gentle touch

I fell in love until the sun 

opened my eyes

- Written for dVerse Quadrille Monday

pose

she could feel

all their eyes

over her skin

the judgmental stares

imprinting false labels

to her name

in the dark

her heart broken

she shed tears

one sunny day

she found light

erasing her shame

her crown upright

and skin bare

she freely poses

Art by Catrin Welz-Stein

- Written for dVerse Poetics: Feeling a Bit Nostalgic Today!  My poem was inspired by the art piece shown above by artist Catrin Welz-Stein.

in the dark, I think of you

you were the one I could never 

reach like a star in the night sky

the muse in my love poems 

that filled my secret journal

in the darkness of night, 

I think of your velvet touch 

that is real and not a dream

- Written for dVerse #202: Hello Darkness 

passing dreams

blooming sunrises

softly kiss our waking lips

sweet morning hellos

afternoon smiles

quickening the heartbeat like love

swaying roses dance

cool fading sunsets

brush across skin like velvet

savory good nights

stargazing midnights

moon and stars beckoning us

we fall into dreams

searching

they go from house to house

city to city in pursuit of 

that perfect place to call home

they search for a serene setting with 

the warmth like a mother’s love

yet they find that there is no

substitute to fill such a void

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #201: Poems of Place

wandering

I wander the night sky

looking for that one star

to hold and cherish it

in the palms of my hands

in dreams I drift coast to coast

to find you, my true one,

in smiling sunsets waiting

to embrace my heart

- Written for dVerse Poetics: Pilgrimmage, Wandering and Walkabout 

until the sun goes down

let us not waste one minute of daylight

we can chase after pillowy clouds 

dance with turquoise waves

taste sweet strawberries upon our tongue

as the afternoon sun blaze upon our skin

let us drink in the purple sky 

until the sun goes down

- Written for dVerse Quadrille#200 and 2024 April PAD Challenge: Day 29

heart of the poet

she poems

with all of her heart

penning words

in notepads

with each line she feels closer

in finding her voice

- Written for Writers Digest 2024 April PAD Challenge: Day 23

Friday

Friday seems so far away 

on Monday mornings 

when the week stretches 

down a long path

even when one reaches 

the middle of the week

Friday is still that star 

you cannot touch 

when Friday arrives 

you find it’s sweet 

nectar is too fleeting

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #199: T.G.I.F. and Writer's Digest 2024 April PAD Challenge: Day 15

eclipse

Photo by Drew Rae

Courtesy of Pexels.com

they waited for hours

in anticipation 

moon crossing sun

day turning to night

for fleeting minutes

before daylight returns

- Inspired by Writer's Digest 2024 April PAD Challange: Day 8

first car

his first car wasn’t much

but it had contours that 

ignited his heart for speed

the bright color drew the eyes

of men and coy smiles of women

it broke his heart the day

it went to the salvage yard

but his memories remained

- Written for dVerse Quadrille Monday #198 - Fuzzy Frameworks

sevenling: spring blossoms

Photo by Brett Sayles

Courtesy of pexels.com

we lounge under cherry trees

in blossoming hues of white, 

light pink and reddish pink

we listen to sounds of spring – 

chirping birds, children laughing,

the ice cream truck’s jingle 

if only this season would last forever

- This poem was inspired by dVerse Haibun MOnday: first (cherry) blossoms.  I wrote my poem as sevenling rather than a haibun poem.  

we dance around

we dance around the
pink elephant in the room
trying our best to avoid
the sharp edges that threaten
to pierce our boundaries

we both know what needs 
to be said but our lips 
stay sealed as our voices 
linger silently in our throats

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #197: Look Sharp, Now! (Let's write a poem.)

love versus fate

beautiful eyes

like a golden dawn

lingers in his dreams

for so long

silver smiles

was a love call

to her yearning heart

from the start

fate’s sentinel

watches from afar

cuts the lines clean

with no regard

- Written for dVerse Poetics: Daffy for Daffodils, Sprung for Spring.  I used the following daffodil variety names: beautiful eyes, golden dawn, silver smiles, love call and sentinel

slumbering through the seasons

when the autumn leaves fell

the trees slipped into a slumber

before winter sprinkled the mountains 

with snow white glaze

when spring flowers burst through

emerald grass we chased after 

butterflies into summer’s gaze 

that held us enthralled until 

she departed with twilight kisses

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #196 - Let's have a Sumber Party! with today's word "slumber".  

leaping into dreams

she leaps into dreams

of golden sunrises

over a field of lilacs

she dances with butterflies

until blue twilight arrives

to carry her to songs

of moon and stars

- Written for dVerse Poetics Tuesday - 2024 Poets Leaping

daydream touches

you had taken my breath away

the moment I laid eyes on you

but I was too shy to do anything

yet in my daydreams I strut across 

the room and with a touch of charm 

I lure you into my arms and heart

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #195

the serenity before the chaos

as we await evening’s arrival

we stand along the riverside

I watch you toss gray stones

skimming across serene waters

I listen to nearby rustling trees

without exchanging words

we knew this was our ending

imagine

they stand at the bus stop

on a cold morning

icy breath escapes their lips 

as they wait for the bus

she closes her eyes to imagine 

she is someplace else 

a warm beach lounging 

under palm trees sipping 

ice cold cocktails until sunsets

- Written for dVerse Quadrille: Come play with me!

at the doctor's office

The exam room is warm, but there are no windows to view the falling snow.  I sit on the exam table as the doctor listens to my lungs.  I take a deep breath in and out as instructed.  I focus on staying calm to keep my heart and blood pressure from racing.  I try not to think about what tests I need now at forty-five, or whether the weather outside has worsened.  I leave the room with some sort of clean bill of health, but only time will tell.

 mild days
take a short breather
as snow falls

- Written for dVerse Haibun Monday: Breath

pinches

he pinches pennies

to save enough coins

for a new toy

she counted every last

dollars as she dreams

of college applications

the couple became frugal

to buy the house

of their dreams

we became stingy 

with our funds when 

the pink slips came

- Written for dVerse Quadrille #193: Poems in a Pinch

just the two of them

among the skyscrapers

that appear to touch clouds

the animated billboards and 

nearby Broadway theaters

where people act out dreams

he holds her hand and 

suddenly all noises cease

and it just the two of them

gazing into each other’s eyes

oblivious to the horde

of people walking by

- Inspired by dVerse prompt Poetics: City Love, though I did not follow the prompt completely.  

along the lagoon

beyond the sunrise
our eyes in search
of something we
cannot express in words

 
along the blue lagoon
I scribble letters
into golden sands
hoping God will
receive my prayers
 
from above the stars
whisper to my yearning
heart to not give so easily

- Written for dVerse Quadrille from the dVerse Lagoon

missing home

the warmth from the kitchen

the aroma of fresh bake

cookies and hot chocolate 

reminded her of home

in her high-rise apartment

skyscrapers in her view

her heart aches for the 

absence of such comfort