Taking a moment to be in it, as nasty squalls are due. Stroking an old dog who’s ridden a storm, but still doesn’t breathe ’till they’re through. *** This is the sixth poem of my personal 30-day poetry challenge to break away from the machine to think about things that don’t matter. I have no idea what I’m doing. – Jim
the room is dark, except for the clock. it’s spilling the color blue, screaming 2:27, silently. i roll over to stare at the wall. a blank wall, plain. the blanket is soft, and smells of use and love. i run hands over a loose seam, making the hole, into a gap. the wall lights up, shortly followed by a clap of thunder. noise moves the room, windows shake, a dog jumps in bed. i…
She wore her life on her face like a heavy mask forged from hard days and sleepless nights worrying about navigation Her strong shoulders and broad hips testament to a woman a real woman who had fought hard since grade school to make the grade. Flaxen hair begging for a brush pulled back in a ponytail looped through the restaurant’s branded tennis cap chin up chest out I’m Terry. How can I help you? her name tag read I…
Waking up in a bus station on the floor next to vomit Probably mine. A ringing in my head gives way to the steady march of commuters bustling past, who don’t even know I’m there. I light half a cigarette saved from the night before and watch as the world goes by Someone throws a dollar at my feet. A cop kicks my backside and staring ahead following some hot ass from Jersey he orders me to…
A brief reprieve from the spinning wheel A dog prompting me to play on the soft grass at the end of the day A ball some wrestling then lying on my back Staring up at an impossibly blue sky deeper than the ocean A constant canvas I forget is there Above the trees a balloon appears the letter V its red skin sparkling as it twists its way into the blue I think about a boy a boy named…
assessing the challenge one considers whether there’s enough poetry in each day or whether we have the eyes to see through the lead wall to the other side where time slows down and birds stop singing a single light your only guide a place void of happiness void of sadness where a solo base beats with the rhythm of your heart from the corner of the room where the light can’t reach catching only flashes of vibrating strings peace ……
