Pelicans sunbathe
Tropical winter sea swim
Posing for pictures
I. J.’s Birds of the Week CI
Shadow of Darkness
In the shadow of darkness, I know not what I am capable of.
In the shadow of need, would I steal?
In the shadow of fear… or revenge, would I kill?
Light soars through my veins,
while life leaves me untroubled.
Should the shadow of darkness descend,
will I recognize myself?
This poem was inspired by Jaideep – W3 Prompt #144: Wea’ve Written Weekly poet of the week. I realize it does not conform to all of the requirements, but in the shadow of authenticity, this is what came to light.
Friendly
I met a friend today
He was kind in every way
Asked if I’d had a good day
As he rang up my groceries
Ovi Poetry Challenge 85: FRIEND
Featured image generated with Microsoft AI
Syrupy Sweet Surface
Go on with your syrupy sweet words
Embellished with a cool cherry on top
No fool am I
A hint of malice flickers ominously
Deep within those cold eyes
Perhaps they can see
Beyond the surface of my agreeable smile
A hint of distrust
dVerse Quadrille #216 – Can You Take a Hint?, hosted by Mish.
I hear a gnawing in the tree
What, pray tell, can it be?
I search each branch carefully
And find you there in front of me
Munching your nut indifferently
For Sandee’s Awww Mondays at Comedy Plus
Complementary Colors
Egidio is hosting Lens-Artists Challenge #333 on the theme of complementary colors.
A red and green winter blooming Nandina provides a nice pop of color in an otherwise brown forest.
Bright green grass and trees after a summer rain in upstate New York make the red kayaks all the more inviting.
A spent agave flower adds a dramatic pop of lime green against the blue sky and orange landscape of the Grand Canyon.
My first and only granny square blanket attempt. Orange, yellow and red complement varying shades of blues and purples.
Me Looking At You
Look at you
On the verge of womanhood
You hold yourself with poise and control
But the wild child still peeks through
A bittersweet reflection
My own teen years
Free spirited and fearless
But I do not wish that trouble upon you
Unrelenting desire for attention
A need to please others
The wrong kind of people it attracts
A whirlwind depositing distrust and alienation
It has all worked out fine
But the past lingers just under the surface
Peeking through like the child
I see when I look at you
W3 Prompt #143: Wea’ve Written Weekly poet of the week Tia, prompts us to write on the theme of “bittersweet, painful, or unsettling aspects of the past and its hold on the present” in the form of a “square.”
Sunday Morning
Sunday morning
I’ve waited all week
The corner stores are calling
The deli of Henry and Henry
Joe’s candy shop
Mommy hands me a few dollars
Off I go for the New York Sunday Times
And a half dozen bagels
A large load for a little girl to carry
Luckily, there is room in my pockets
For the candy
I return with no change
dVerse Poetics: For the love of the broadsheet hosted by Punam
Featured photo created with Microsoft AI
Buried Heads
Heads neatly tucked inside ourselves. Denial is our enemy; distractions are our downfall. We are soldiers neatly lined in formation, blindly following those whose heads are buried even deeper than our own. Where can we find light in this never-ending shade? It starts with a simple question. I steal furtive glances among my associates and find a few open eyes staring back. I see a question mark form in each pupil. A subtle glimmer emerges in each iris – kindling. It becomes clear that once the question is asked and the eye is opened, there is no turning back. The kindling ignites. Time to break rank!
dVerse Prosery: Finding the Light hosted by Merrill.
“Where can we find light in this never-ending shade?” from Amanda Gorman, “The Hill We Climb”
You Are Here
Simplicity
Ha!
Perhaps a daily reminder is needed
And a map…
As surely it is here somewhere
Hidden under the layers of complexity
JJJ Interactive Books 