Garrymaddog

in her eyes liquid calm
striding on waves an ocean of confidence
beating in her chest the real beauty pageant

in a single seed a forested planet
in a column of ants the planets align
at the edge of the universe the rock wall begins to crumble

the constant scroll of phone screens our attention darkens
the molded body shapes in easy chairs deepen
dry potted plants stare outside at the rain-soaked weeds
discarded shopping trips now come to the door
failing to look back the path behind us disappears

the mortgage feeds the brown lawn
windows that always face inward long absent of light
once a week the car finds its way to the grocery store
remaining unfixed the faucet drips dimes
seeing the hole in the fence sanity’s vision widens
in a homeless shelter kitchen the slow wide smiles

a recent image time counts forward now
a wry smile at a picnic his strong shoulders
carrying all the weight a light behind his eyes

in the small house the distinct wear patterns of carpets
the dance of nostalgia’s hushed footsteps
tucked into the quiet a reminiscent pull

at half mast the flag hangs limp
inside the house a new portrait of black ribbons
clutching onto the church pew their blanched hands

salient spring ambient noise intensifies
sounds of colors picturesque bird songs
conducting the ensemble budding branches take the winds’ directions

in her hand the photograph
obscuring the sun clouds float in her eyes
hiding in the wind her heartache

at the comedy club bent over laughter
stone silent coworkers the repetition lacks delivery

napping on vacation losing time
perfecting the art of finding ourselves

planting concrete the suburbs grow colorless boxes
a dry taste in their mouth roots reach for water
passing boundaries the bees
find dandelions in fields with for sale signs

Dear Bluesky
I’m not changing the length of my poems to fit your fucking character limit. See my other stuff on Threads.
Sincerely
Garrymaddog

in spring the bees on apple blossoms
my teeth buzz with the tartness of firm red skins

the funny business of molecules
hydrogen oxygen the mingling of atoms
the dance they do wetting my hat

in the glacier’s art gallery
a study in white and blue

Crossing magma and lava, mamma

passing down oral traditions a glacier’s beard grows longer

fingered embrace of sheepskins a softness of lulled infants
nestled among the songs the soothing sisterhood of winds
a gentle rock of cradles quiet breaths

breathing out terrarium air the glass always turns foggy
frogs and salamanders inch further down in the mud
ineffective maps left by snails nothing but wrong turns
in a closed system the living eventually lose

her head in a certain pose the blue light of ice
in her eyes towers of crystal
shattering champaign glasses her presence

Thank you. This is a new form that I’m playing with.

In the canyons the echoes of grief
In the night sky the moon never rises

Thanks to @tala.rains for the inspiration

against the stone walls residual echoes chase exposed grief
drifting through ravens’ noses the benign sense of wind, aftertastes of copper
in truth born of war open mouthed wounds form tongues

Thanks to @tala.rain for the inspiration

thin waifs their empty palms
obese reflections stare back from glazed glass grocery windows

spread across a rumpled quilt lemon lines of moonlight
two pairs of eyes reflecting intimacy

This morning

sneaking in on slippers morning sun
high overhead stretching squirrels

fate tucked like lunch in his knapsack an old man sits on a park bench
out of the north a steady cold wind
clouds roll toward uncertain destinies

senior center 3# weights get a workout
conjuring sweat the 10 minute gossips between exercises

warring factions a battle of warm and cold
sweating buckets the maple trees