Tag: Poetry

the boutique

she walks into the boutique
takes off her shoes

not wanting to be found
she walks barefoot
stealth

avoiding the sales rep
that is headed straight for her
she busies herself with a rack of skirts
camouflaging into the floral

the sales rep ignores all signs of engrossedness
‘can i help you with anything?’

no.
she sighs
puts on her shoes
and walks out.

To learn more about my 108 Poetry Challenge or to donate click here.

trees I know well

raj
cedars by the creek
fir above the beach

I sit
and try to write to you

the waves lap against the shore
the rain drizzles
I try to write to you in french

escaping the rain
I climb under a tree
and crumple up one letter after another
not
quite
right

I close my eyes
lean back
and surrender
to my unwritingness

To learn more about my 108 Poetry Challenge or to donate click here.

Prasad

for two years
I have lived
in the mountains

growing food
growing hearts
growing dignity

people started as strangers and grew into friends
an eclectic family
brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles

they understand
some matter of my heart

and we’ve worked and argued and come to agreement
we’ve been through our fair share of trials
emerging stronger, clearer, brighter

and as my departure draws nearer
a sweetness is emerging
of learning, living, loving
this people
this place

learning, living, loving
learning, living, loving
learning, living, loving

thank you.

To learn more about my 108 Poetry Challenge or to donate click here.

Why do I write?

there are stories in my heart
they want to come out

I know not of them
until the pen hits the page
and the words lead the way
to a story

some pain unseen
some desire unexpressed
emerges
for the first time

into the light

without writing there would be no story
no understanding
there would not be the healing that comes with sharing

the power of being heard
truth-telling for the first time

without writing
there would be no hope
no ideas coalescing
dancing together
creating something
fresh

without writing
life would be dull
colourless
unseen
un-understood
veiled by tragedy of never stepping back
and looking
at the world.

To learn more about my 108 Poetry Challenge or to donate click here.

grapes and cheese

and wine

he speaks with perfect diction
explaining the state of the climate

there are no solutions, he says
turning away
there’s no going back

a heaviness falls over the room
and so we eat more grapes, cheese and wine

great talk! says rich
striding over
eyes bright
his data is impeccable!

what’s the use of speaking
if there is no hope?
what’s the use of data
that spells doom?

I want data that feeds my soul
excites my mind
into drawing new connections

I want data that stirs me up
drives me forward
acting for a better future

I want data that changes the game
turns things upside down
in ways I’d never imagined possible

so I turn away from the wine, cheese, and grapes
away from the doomful data
and step out
into the night.

To learn more about my 108 Poetry Challenge or to donate click here.

Mink Mountain

DSCF1571

you try to light a fire
and I check to make sure
the conservation officers aren’t onto us
even though we’re 46 kms from anywhere

the walk begins
lake superior waves crash against the shore
I look out seeing nothing
but the horizon
an ocean of the north

the climb begins
and there’s a thick rope to help us
the rocks are slippery
but I have my fleece
and you have your flashlight

our friendship begins
appearing on a walk with strangers
coalescing out of thin air

and as the fire begins
I finally sit down
and tell you
what has been in my heart
all along.

To learn more about my 108 Poetry Challenge or to donate click here.

The Joys of a Veggie Dog

we sit
around the campfire
roasting not meat
but veggie
dogs

the brits think we are crazy
but then change their perspective
tasting crispy burntness
and homemade zucchini relish

they fall in love with our american ways
and we remind them that we are canadian
and move onto marshmallows

the sun sets behind the mountains
the laughter is light hearted
and we all cry out together as the perfectly roasted marshmallow nearly falls into the fire

saved
by our caringness.

To learn more about my 108 Poetry Challenge or to donate click here.