once in a lifetime

once in a lifetime,

or perhaps twice,

you will see a face

that will stop you

in your tracks

your heart will flutter

drawing up a symphony 

of daydreams filled 

with a perfect love

until your mind brings

you back from the clouds,

and see that fleeting star 

a bit more clearly

- Written for dVerse Poetics: Once in a Lifetime

painted lady cafe

inside the Painted Lady Café

we sip coffee while a man nearby

devours a stack of pancakes

outside the sky is a Miami blue

on this August late morning

before we continue our journey

we leave a tip for the waitress

on the green marble table

to enjoy these last summer days

 

- Written for dVerse Poetics: But no, a butterfly

I used the butterfly names: painted lady, miami blue and green marble.

at night

at night she walks the streets 

listening to the stars

a man nearby puffs on his pipe

a couple walks arm in arm

she can hear the footsteps

behind her in search of easy prey

the poor soul doesn’t know

this lady has bite

- Written in quadrille form for dVerse Poetics: My God, It's Full of Stars.  I also threw in yesterday's Quadrille #251 prompt using the word "puff' in a poem. 

let them

let them say what they want to say

let them believe their words hold power

let them build pretty boxes to sort us

let them try to rule the moon and stars

let them think they have the last laugh

let me speak the words inside my heart

let me follow the road less taken

let me break free from those pretty boxes

let me chase after the moon and stars

let me write the ending to my own story

-Written for dVerse Poetics: "Let Them" Write Poetry

where does love go?

where love goes

when its kiss

grows ice cold

does it sink

like ghost ships

lost at sea

or sleeps in

hearts until

it awakens

- A tricube poem written for dVerse Poetics: Where does love go? and WD's 2026 April PAD Challenge Day 14,

false spring

she fell in love with his smile

he was enamored with her eyes

they both held on to hope that

love this time will stick around

but slowly things fell apart

he stopped coming around

she fell into bitterness

their hope withering like 

a blooming rose covered in snow

perhaps they fell in love too soon

maybe they should have waited

for their connection to fully bloom

before taking the deep plunge

- Written for dVerse Poetics: False Spring

love eternal

things that told her he loved her –

he greets her with coffee each morning

he brings her flowers without reason

he holds her hand on the bad days

dances with her on the good days

things that told him he loved her –

she makes his favorite dessert on holidays

she watches sports she doesn’t understand

she cheers him on when he seizes the prize

lends a shoulder when he needs to cry

when the sunrise she smiles

knowing his heart will always be hers

when the sunsets he smiles

knowing she will be his rock for eternal

- Written for dVerse Poetics: The Evolution of Love

enchanting eyes

enchanting eyes

caught mine

they shimmered like moonlight in winter

I fell in love too quickly

hearts split

love faded

not memories

- Written for dVerse Poetics: The Smile in a Simile.  The poem is written in trinet poetry form that I'm experimenting with.  Find out more about this form here at Writer's Digest

sevenling: snow

as a child snow meant

no school, making a snowman

and hot chocolate drinks

as an adult snow means

slow drivers, shoveling sidewalks

and interrupted schedules

but fresh snow’s beauty never fades

- Written for dVerse Poetics: New Year Snow.  First of two posts today from different prompts. 

gathering

I want to gather

the warm memories

scattered across grass

let me bind them

into photo albums

to remember these days

let us watch another 

sunset before darkness 

burst the seams

- Written for dVerse Poetics: Come Sew With Me.  I used the terms "gather" and "seams".  I also borrowed "bind" from "binding".

a love story

one glance was all it took 

two hearts to beat together

three nights we spent in paradise 

four months this love became gold

five years passed us by quickly

six weeks we saw the sky fall

seven hours our shouts filled rooms

eight memories were all you left me

nine love songs keep me up at night

- Written for Writer's Digest Poetic Aside November 2025 PAD Day 25 and dVerse Poetic: 1,2,3...Go! 

don't fall asleep

whatever you do, don’t fall asleep

don’t get pulled into whimsical dreams

that make only promises they don’t keep

stay out of darkness and search for light

chase after sunrises and rainbows

don’t linger under gray storm clouds

I’m standing here waiting for you

to join me in the lavender fields

please stay awake, don’t fall asleep

- Written for dVerse Poetics: I'ts Not That Scary

My inspiration came from this horror movie quote: "Whatever you do, don't fall asleep" by Nancy Thompson, Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).

late summer at the pool

late summer sun

children at play

their laughter loud

their forms reflect

across blue waters

sipping cold lemonade

lounging by pools

she savors relaxation

before autumn’s arrival

with her routines

- Written for dVerse Poetics: Reflections, Reflecting

in the woods

Photo by Lillian

rays of light

break through trees

morning sighs

forest green

grass awakes

our senses

it is here

we find peace

in our hearts

 

- A tricube poem written for dVerse Poetics: Let's Take a Walk in the Woods

can we...

can we paint the sky

in starburst hues

can we forget the worries

that dots our daily lives

can we slumber with stars

as the moon razzles us

with her beauty one last time

- Written for dVerse Poetics: Who has a sweet-tooth?.  I used the following candy names: Starburst, Milky Way and Razzles.

estrenar

the old clothes and shoes

she peeled off and put on 

her new spring dress to

match her glowing face

when they saw her as 

she estrenar down the street

they were enamored by

her mesmerizing perfume

she simply smiled as she

collected their compliments

into her heavy purse

- Written for dVerse Poetics: I Have No Word in English For.  I chose the word "estrenar" which in Spanish means to premiere, or to wear or use for the very first time.  

no door will hold me back

Georgia O’Keeffe, A Piece of Wood I (1942), oil on canvas, 

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, gift of The Burnett Foundation

small brown circles 

stand before my eyes

letting my mind drift 

into haunting questions

I had toiled and pour

my heart out completely

reaching this moment

a hard-fought battle

I know deserved the 

praises and gifts

despite what other said

a person like me doesn’t 

deserve to be here

but I have shattered 

glass ceilings that had

been cracked by others

I now stand tall before

this door that will not

hold me back

- Written for dVerse Poetics: In other words  Poem inspired by "A Piece of Wood I" by Georgia O'Keefe.

what lies within truth

I have been writing poetry for years

I dye my hair constantly

I sometimes second guess my decisions

I loathe all politics

Covid has dampened my traveling muse

I am always the life of the party

I still have hope in this crazy world

- Written for dVerse Poetics: April Fools

time

time

is the train that you always

seem to be chasing

time

is the blooming flowers that

in time will wither away

time

is the laughter of children

a reminder of youthful days

time

is the deep ocean waves

that carry us far and away

time 

is a kiss sparking a love story 

you never want to end

- My attempt at dVerse Poetics: Personifying The Abstract

washing dishes

she stands at the sink

filling the dishpan with 

hot water and Dawn soap

he is siting in the living room

falling asleep watching the news

she scrubs each glass and dish 

the moon her only company

the water runs down the drain

but she doesn’t see the suds

only the years that are now gone

- My attempt for the prompt at dVerse Poetics: Reimagining the Familiar

Funny enough this is the second poem I wrote about washing dishes for a prompt.  My previous poem was posted in August 2018 here entiled "as she washed dishes".