The Poetry Marathon

Two Halves of a Heart

Orion shines bright

though clouds try to dim

the darkness of night.

Wait on God. We plead

for so long, our eyes

grown worn with this need.

We watch the sun peek

its rays towards our sky,

pray it back under its brink.

Dynamic roars cross

hills so high, wishing

this duo won’t be lost.

When I draw my dying breath

I hope it clings

to your tongue, forgets

that it can let go

Dreams of staffs and lilies,

holds tight. Billows in our wind,

let’s go. Carpe diems

Fairies rest on mushroom chairs. Knock, knock rings

and who’s there echoes through the lonely tree glen.

They’re probably gonna have that big red truck again

Yeah. A lot of people are, are succumbing to this

Moving bodies

So if you haven’t, I suggest now is the time to do so

Wow that tree fell over. A pine tree in the snow

At the house towards the street

Man, I can’t wait to talk to him. My him

Even at Taco Bell there’s signs saying you can’t come in if you supply proof

Silence.

So he had Covid, right?

Yeah

So, did he get vaccinated?

No. Down there they don’t let you until after six months

So after six months is he gonna get vaccinated?

No. But he knows it’s filling up again

Don’t sneeze. Bless you.

God Waited

From the day we met, the stars always knew, one day, a lonely

womb would meet its match. We buckled up and drove small mountain roads

to watch our city glow. But as we went we didn’t know an empty

tomb stood before us. We watched as we fell, but knew: God waited.

How do we know that

wind chimes scattered in the wind

always signal storms?

How I Wish

your red truck would have barreled

across gravel roads, straight to me.

Your headlights would have shined

blinding beams to my skyward eyes.

Your seats would have held

breathing bodies hot with kisses.

Your hands would have waved,

have held, have traced, have lingered.

Your heart would have stayed

out of Heaven, close to me.

Across Barren Skies

TapTapTap! The worm wriggles through the earth,

belly turned up towards the sky. Hearts stop, chase

each other through sunflowers, fields riddled

with souls waiting to latch. But pavements grow,

barrel up through soil, nails poked into old

oak trees, ends protecting the hardbacks within.

Sometimes

the old willow tree

grows

as if hands reaching up

towards

the fresh autumn sky

From Across The Pool

And the fire burns

as the hotel shines bright

Six rescue trucks light

the way, pick-up volunteers.

Flash, flash, flash the window

screams, holding tightly.

Lightning streaks across the sky.

Old red trucks pile

in, water tanks poised

to aim, but nothing

ever comes, no men

to bear arms. Electrical

stairwell waiting to win.

And the fire burns,

screams holding tightly,

wisps of hope trailing high.