A crack of thunder makes me jump.
Lightning flashes through windows
illuminating the dark evening sky.
Rain hits the house, building to a low roar,
as the wind slaps the oak branches on the roof.
Finally, outside calms to a distant rumble.
I settle back in, adjusting my pillow,
while a steady rhythm of rain returns
lulling me to sleep.
I love rainy nights.
Frozen smiles plastered on lips,
Masks and Sunglasses blocking bloodshot eyes.
Messed hair tucked up into wigs and hats.
Let the Masquerade begin.
Frivolity, spinning, around and around.
Lovely clothes hang from corpse-like bodies.
Make-up cakes their ashen skin.
Let the Masquerade begin.
Hiding behind their masks, never letting it be seen.
Their exhaustion, their age, their wanting to leave.
They push through wondering when.
Will this Masquerade ever end?
Her little nose makes this sound,
Not a mew, but a wee little snore.
She curls against my leg,
Her fur warms my hip
As she dreams away.
She’s my little shadow
And sometimes she takes the lead,
Especially when she wants
water from the tap
Or a little fresh air
from an open window.
But tonight she is content,
licking the air as she sleeps,
off in her kitty dreamland.
Woosh…woosh…the rotating door goes round.
We’d play with the door to the darkroom,
Around and around. I remember.
Feeding the film onto the reel,
Click, clack, click, in total darkness,
Fumbling for the canister and the lid
Sealing it tight to develop negatives.
You helped me learn. I remember.
Running the water bath, pulling out the trays,
Pouring the chemicals, developer and stop,
Working in the red light. I remember.
Focusing, exposing, developing.
Long talks, close friendship,
Sharing our troubles and dreams,
You taught me so much. I remember.
Sometimes I wonder, do you?
Standing steadfast,
ankles chained to the ocean floor.
Unwavering against the crashing waves,
barely surviving.
But the water rises with the tide,
the waves continue to grow.
Her strength begins to falter
and her will and legs give way.
Struggling for air with the height of each wave,
until they inundate her with
only moments between to catch her breath.
Unable to release the bonds,
unable to rise above the waves.
Overwhelmed,
An ice cold tear escapes
and rolls down her face
as the ocean swallows her
drowning her in the undertow.
The barn owl is just one of my favorite birds. Here’s a little acrostic poem dedicated to this beloved raptor.
Beautiful bold bird,
Amazing in flight.
Regal when perched.
Nocturnal hunter seeks its prey,
Opulently covered by feathers
With a heart-shaped face, and
Love in its eyes.
Finally a moment of quiet and gratitude
With a little time to adjust my attitude.
Relaxing and watching Schmigadoon.
The musical parts make me want to croon.
However, I can’t sing, well on key anyway.
These vocal cords wouldn’t make others sway.
Lost amid my work overload weariness…
Excuse me for my moments of silliness.
The man frantically waved at the cars to stop.
A limo, a town car, and a hearse pulled out.
The other cars paused, a sign of respect,
For the grieving family mourning their dead.
The line of cars continued, at least 30 deep,
As the processional moved down the road
Then turned down a side rural street.
Off to say their final goodbyes.
She dances across the golden dune,
her bare legs, lightly kissed by the sun.
Her body, wrapped in translucent white silk.
She extends her hands to the skies,
fabric floating freely in the breeze,
appearing as if she has wings.
Her raven hair rides the wind,
and dark eyes pierce through.
A picture of beauty and grace,
upon hot desert sands.
A young lad or lass, hard to tell, frozen in time.
They watch over the garden by day and by night.
Their icy gaze chill all who approach,
Many move on, disrupted by the sight.
But to others, the figure appears serene,
especially when sitting in the light
Knees tucked up grasped by clasped hands,
The figure looks so right,
Hidden amongst the flowers.
Waiting on midnight’s showers.
Inspired by a statue found in the Temperate House at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Dawn Renee Writes 