Author: poetryfest

The tart green mottled apples
from my family’s yard feed me
in a way no store bought ones can.

With them inside me I take
root on my family’s small plot,
I travel back forty years to when

the tree was solid and strong
and its apples abundant.

I remember my sister’s blond hair
as a child,
our family together fighting
the fire in the corral
and the big apples we once had.

Now, I eat whatever small turnup
of an apple
I can get from this tree
and take mourning
in my mouth,
uncertain when its core
will finally
fully crack, severing the tree apart.

I tell myself I must plan
for the future,
plant seeds of this tree
so its memory
can continue to live,

its fruit forever in our veins,
filtering in from our tongues,
even if our feet
might no longer be
on the family plot.

Love like a river
flowing
nothing can stop it
from where it is going

up, over, under
rushing it seeks
It’s destination
where two hearts meet

coming together
the banks cannot hold
and the dam down stream
threatening to fold

hearts bursting
trying to contain
the river of love
that will not be tamed

so just let it flow
let it run free
and forever
is what it will be

Angel of mine
Embodied in a vessel
A reflection of God’s Spirit
You are much more than I can envision
Pot of gold is what you’ve been dipped in
That’s how God created you to glisten
You are one of His strongest soldiers
Come down to earth
Sent from Heaven
I know it because He shines from within
You
I sense it
From the touch of your hands on mine
As you grip them
Is it possible you’ve only come down here just to visit?
What if we live in Heaven together?
Just think of what could happen
As we turn this dull reality
We inhabit
Into magic
A beautiful fantasy,
Yet, our reality
You, me, and our mattress
Light it up like matches
We’re the perfect match and
We could set the world on fire
And we would never look back

teeth still shiny
as though his pink tongue has just
run them over
fat and bushy,
bursts of blood painting all around him
dead man’s belles bright purple besides
it was like he was sleeping, smiling
dreaming,
with no one around to watch

wings spread out
yellowed talons gripping the phone wine
he looked awkward
caught unawares
tips of his wings flutter gently
he turned his swivel head
to look back at me

we all watch each other
oh, sweet insistence

i slowed down, completely
to stare
dried parchment leaves falling around me
i can hear their slow dirge as they fall
of summers long since gone

i wanted to pick up the fox
reanimate him for a companion
to tell him i had slowed down
i had attended his funeral
and that i couldn’t say if there was anyone else there

but i was
and so was the hawk
we watched,
i promise

Let our souls talk
I’ll start
I’d like to say
Fuck you
Actually I was way too nice to you
Yes let our souls talk
So you can hear me
I want you to hurt
Thinking of when you did your dirt
You’re the reason it ended like this
So now you will suffer
Don’t know how long
You’ll keep your facade
You aren’t who you say you are
Memories of you i push far
To the back of my mind
I hope you never find
Someone as good as me
Bitch you were really lucky
Shouldve never let you fuck with me
You’re a trip
A whole ass flip
Wish I would’ve dipped sooner
But thank god i did
We aint got no kids
Saying goodbye to this

A man on the TV beachcombs
He finds treasures washed ashore
Buoys, shoes, and bottles
Collected and displayed

He combs in front of the tree-topped rock
Right where I took a picture of you
We left a trail of drawings in the sand
And a mango peel to decompose

That day is a memory indelible
Like a buoy washed ashore
It won’t erode, but holds its form
As my mind and the ocean’s currents roar

Till one day the beachcomber combs
Seeking items in need of care
He carefully lays each memory down
A journey’s end – it’s time to rest right here