One day while in Maine I went for a hike on a sunny September day. I had often driven by the head of the trail but always had some other plan. But this day my goal was to trek to the end of the trail that captured my heart. Called Little Moose Pond, the trail wound on and I soon found my breath coming hard. … Continue reading Forest Magic
After we parted Having said our goodbyes With breaking heart And taste of metal In my mouth I walked Unaware of everything but you Through the afternoon Into evening Nighttime breeze cool On my wet face Never noticing The sun had set When I looked up and Through the blur There you were The first one I saw The first one I loved My Cassiopeia … Continue reading Susanna
No trace left behind As footworn path slips away Forest echoes past Continue reading Primeval
Lonely and alone You are seeking to atone For sin not yet borne Continue reading Mental
Black or white or blue Observed without reference Unframed, unafraid Continue reading Frames
Pond grass bends in breeze, Contentment rippling water, Minnows nip my toes Web image from pexels.com Continue reading Peace
Blackest before dawn Off the cuff, tally the score Dead men tell no tales Continue reading 177 Over 88
Happy Mother’s Day to my mom, Margery Lucille Gillard, and to all the moms– neighborhood, church, school, little league, Air Force–who raised me. I am a little piece of each of you. Continue reading Moms, All of Them
Draft opening of chapter one of my novel, Olongapo. Black and White On the other side of the brown river the gray town trembles in a dull watercolor of shimmering heat waves. He’s crossed this bridge dozens of times and though the view never changes, it feels like he’s seeing it for the first time. Smog, dirt, and dust mix in a loose conglomeration … Continue reading Olongapo
Touch me Touch me Thrill my soul Thrill my soul Sing a song upon my tongue Whisper words into my lungs Fill my longing heart with the romance of your dreams Sing the words you yearn to share Sing the words and take me to the place you cry your tears. Give me Give me Hear my plea Hear my plea Hum my song upon … Continue reading Tell Me
My family invaded Holland in June, 1964. I have heard that The Beatles invaded America that year, too, but I had no idea who they were and probably would not have cared had I known. At four years old, I cared only for the ice cream freezer in the lobby of the old hotel we took rooms in, the cheese-man and his horse, the walk-in … Continue reading Huis Ter Heide
The truest test of patience is waiting for the pizza to arrive… (it’s here 🙂 ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ Continue reading Patience
(The 2nd and 3rd lines of each stanza are read rapidly.) Smiles are bright on brown faces I have known, eyes crinkled against the sun; Home is a shack with thatch for a roof and a barrel that caches the rain as it runs; An old woman sifts rice in the shade of acacia as her husband and sons fish from a boat not far … Continue reading Lamao Limay – Unfinished
Even the Navy knows good grammar rules. I pulled this from the Navy Correspondence Manual at work. Continue reading Aaaaaargghhhh, Matey. Write Tight or I’ll Keelhaul Ye.
O, you winsome devil, you Grinning face turned skyward Round about your flaming head Laughing rays around you rise Seeding smiles in your eyes I cannot escape your sight Tho heaved my girth across the sky Your taunting likeness follows Aboil with rage and callow Berating heat upon your face You laugh and turn with me In coy defiance of my dread In darkness is … Continue reading O, You Winsome Devil You
I wonder why, after all this time has passed, I still find the need to write of you. Your voice has faded and your face has dimmed into an outline, but when I concentrate, I see you clearly though for less than the blink of an eye. Not long after we parted and I returned to my own land, I walked past an orange grove … Continue reading Susanna XII, A Prose Poem
Pressed against glass, face down, born again in the cloud. Another memory retained for…what? “Marianne loves Bobby. 12th Grade. 17 Years old.” That lasted nine months before ending in bruises, abortion, and divorce. Yet, the photos remain, reminders of erstwhile lovers and friends, a past suffused in shade. Sadness the emotion as album pages flutter by, the memories that began in happiness later viewed from … Continue reading Honey
I peered through a telescope, to infinity it seemed, but nothing behind the eye to see, no focusing that way; Day by day I peered, each day the distance shrank, but now behind the eye, a lengthening distance grew; A length of twine unwound, stretched to furthest end, I began to roll it up, seeking the distant end. I turned the telescope, to look behind … Continue reading The Telescope
I look for you in the white feather that floats from nowhere, the light footfalls that pause when I pause, the whisper over my shoulder while I read; I read your message in the flash across the night sky and breathe your orange blossom fragrance when the nearest orange blossoms are miles away; You hover in shadow, your face like the cover of The Beatles, … Continue reading Hide and Seek, A Poem by Will
I don’t have the pain of some I know, though Blood flows rather freely from my wounds; Piercing the blister releases the fluid inside as Pressure drains away and brings blessed Relief; no, I tread that rocky, winding path Atop the jagged, knife-edged mountain, the Path that shows me either side at once– Arid on one hand, thick lush vegetation on the Other; occasionally, I … Continue reading No Holds Barred; Poetry by Will
What began in fellowship of open arms, broad smiles and welcoming words soon fell into routine. The wonder of the inchworm’s humped-back crawl faded as attention drifted elsewhere. Like a prairie dog village, heads sank into oblivious existence as curiosity waned. \ I could not describe the Bavarian village, framed by towering Alpine mountains and last seen as a child, well-enough so you’d know it … Continue reading The Filing Cabinet. And a Poem
She’s a tough nut to crack, Nevertheless, I plug away, I plug away Though my key resists the lock no Matter which way I twist and turn and push. I consider the lock and whether my key is Round enough at the edges, if I am Thrilled enough to push on or if my Pocketful of keys is lackadaisical and Lacks the verve to ignore … Continue reading Poetry, O Poetry
Still, unmarred, nothing spoils the tension of its surface; no disturbance in graceful spreading waves, no waterbugs to dance, entrance, engage the eye, no underneath, no rules exactly scribed to guide the cutting shears; Perfect in shape and thickness, intended as a tool, aged in desperate need, useless as a fool; Spilled upon its surface then, in circles, cuts, and symbols, springs from mind, craving-driven … Continue reading Craving – Poetry by Will
Please love the next chapter in Jackie’s Paris in Pearls romance novel ❤ I hadn’t been on a bike in probably twenty years, but as they say you never forget . . . “it’s like riding a bike.” The wind in my face was almost too much to bare; the cold made my eyes water. I hope my eyes don’t freeze. Can that even happen? … Continue reading Paris in Pearls, Chapter Seven, by Jackie
Please read and enjoy this next chapter in Jackie’s wonderful story of romance in Paris ❤ As I rounded the third flight of stairs to my apartment, a woman, balancing groceries on one knee, stood fidgeting with her keys, trying to unlock her door. “Here, let me help you.” I reached out and took the bags. “Merci, Madame.” She unlocked the door and ushered me … Continue reading Paris in Pearls, Chapter Six, by Jackie
Please read and enjoy this lovely story by Jackie ❤ The sun peeked through the slates of the closed shutters, glazing the walls of my bedroom with morning light. I threw back the covers, flew to the window and opened the shutters. To my delight, the city lay blanketed in white, like a cotton field back home. A late snow the weather man later called … Continue reading Paris in Pearls, Chapter Five, by Jackie
Briefly here, my love, then gone, I’m left with hollow, aching heart; eleven years are not enough, though every second count; but the bitter wind is cruel that grays us, and preys upon regrets; so many miles we walked together, Yoshi, you and I, I with my head in the clouds and you, running ahead then pausing to look back as if to say “hurry, … Continue reading Love Poem for Yoshi
My poem, Leave Something Behind, was published today by Brian Geiger of Vita Brevis. This is my first published poem; I couldn’t be happier 🙂 Please check it out. While you’re there, consider browsing the Vita Brevis site. Brian has added some interesting features including a random poem generator and links to some of the best poetry offered on WordPress. Follow the site to read and support great poetry. Continue reading Leave Something Behind, up at Vita Brevis
Please read and enjoy, and follow, this story by Jackie of an independent woman finding herself and taking on the world. Beep, beep, beep, BEEP, BEEP the alarm resounded. Ugh. Make it stop. The bed was comfortable and warm and I didn’t want to get up. Ten more minutes; I’ll just lie here ten more minutes. I sat up and swung my legs over the … Continue reading Paris in Pearls – Chapter Four. A Novel by Jackie
Beautiful writing from a beautiful voice. I find myself anxiously awaiting blacqbook’s next work. Please read, enjoy, and follow blacqbook. Continue reading Silence, by blacqbook
This wonderful story from Scotland drew me in, set me in front of the fireplace with a cup of hot tea, and left me smiling in wonder. Please read and enjoy, and follow The Garden of Everyday Delight. The snow has finally arrived to give the land a purifying make-over. Behind the hills, the dawn is a pearly glow, while to the west a band … Continue reading Blowing hot and cold — Writing from The Garden of Everyday Delight
Please read and enjoy this wonderful continuing story of a woman realizing her lifelong dream of starting a new life in Paris. The romance is palpable ❤ By the time Renée returned, it was the height of lunch and the café was teeming with hungry Parisians. All the chairs were occupied, so she squeezed into the space beside me on the bench. “I’m sorry, … Continue reading Paris in Pearls – Chapter Three. A Novel by Jackie
My alarm clock goes off at 0510 There’s no snooze button and no plug to put in But his nose is cold and his tongue quite wet And he growls til I roll out of bed Originally posted on July 6th, 2014. Continue reading The Alarm Clock – A Poem
Please read and enjoy–and follow–this lovely, romantic story by my dear friend Jackie. Tiny dust particles floated on streams of light as the rising sun shone through the airplane window. My back pressed hard against the seat, and the engines roared upon landing. I’m here. Like a drum in a rock band, my heart beat double-time. I’m actually in Paris! After going through customs and … Continue reading Paris in Pearls, Chapter Two. A Novel by Jackie
Please read and enjoy–and follow–this first chapter in my dear friend Jackie’s novel, “Paris in Pearls.” via: Paris in Pearls This was crazy — so out of character for me; old reliable Kate was actually following her heart for a change. I reread the ticket: Kathleen M. Davis – Air France flight 3236 to Paris — one way. What it didn’t say, was that I … Continue reading Paris in Pearls, a Novel by Jackie, Chapter One
I walked through a wood one summer’s day, Afternoon light dappled a forest glade; Lily pad in green-black pond and on it lay A frog whose languid croak appeared to say, As he scratched white belly in sun’s warm ray, I shall not move on this hot summer’s day. I stopped to ponder my neighbor in green, Who, eyes near closed in dreamlike sheen, Lay … Continue reading The Frog and the Granite Shore – A Poem
I tried to take rubbings of his tattoos-the hula girl, the palm trees, the sailing ship, the crossed cannons, the anchor. The hula girl danced for me when he flexed his forearm. He never told me where he’d got them. He was in the war when he was eighteen, and he was an old man when he came home at twenty. His ships pulled into … Continue reading Tattoos – A Poem
Originally posted on PICTURE A POEM:
High on a hill all silent and still sits a barn now tattered and torn.. though her paint has faded ( with words debated) she shines with the time she has worn.. that date on the roof is faded but it’s still hanging on cause 2 hands from Heaven are holding on to that farm.. 2 hands from Heaven… Continue reading 2 hands in Heaven…
I grew up with Zebco 202’s and caught quite a few bluegill, shiner, and catfish with Billy and Eddie in the pond next door. I even snagged a gator once but that was nothing compared to the nasty snapping turtle that tried to take his wrath out on my fingers. But I always preferred my bamboo fishing pole with the line tied to the tip, … Continue reading The Bamboo Fishing Pole
Winter’s flamboyance Snowfall’s crystal miracle Diamonds on my tongue Image via Google Images Continue reading Snowfall – Haiku Poetry
The anemic landscape unexcites me as I settle in for a long cold winter. Here and there are cached supplies to see me through my ennui. Mostly dry goods, I’ll leave them damp and lying in crumpled heaps scattered where they’re used. The liquids I’ll ingest as I did the chicken soup mom loved to spoon into my mouth. Nothing else matters as long as … Continue reading iDoctor – A Poem in Prose
Moving flat against my vision -left to right is how you like it- I play you like a God But your independence betrays me And I kill you off. Continue reading Character Assassination – A Poem
Sniffling sky, tired, gray Wind, whipping trees tear at clouds Another Kleenex Continue reading Ill Wind – Haiku
There is an intensity behind this writing that pulls me in. Maybe I identify with the writer’s honesty or with the topics. Whatever it is, I can’t stop reading and want to read more. I think you will too. Please read and share this writing and the thought that makes it possible. Add this site to your list of sites followed; you won’t be disappointed … Continue reading Reblog: Infinity Undone — The Birth Of Love
In all the nights you danced with me In the spins you laced with fire The music in your swaying hips The rhythm spilling from your eyes Another song, another dance Another tingling-spine romance Your writhing woke my naked lust Your pirouette my sucking breath My fingers strummed your humming lips Your quavering finish I undressed. Continue reading Play Me
Originally posted on Everything, Darling:
I noticed it when I was eleven. My parents were getting a divorce and Mr. McGonnegy said they had been unhappy since I was born. Whenever they fought, Mr. McGonnegy would just look at me and shake his head and say, “They used to be happy, boy. All your fault.” McGonnegy’s cat was just as mean as he was and… Continue reading The Yellow Light From the House on the Corner
Urban din recedes in anticipation of approaching quiet; homeward bound vacationers whish south in reluctant pursuit. Tires clack-clack on expansion joints as Molly Pitcher offers a garden of rest. “Push on, push on,” cried ancestors in covered wagons as winter’s snows crept near. But here, now, summer falls away in flittering drops of leaves and Autumn’s temperatures bring relief from insects, heat, and labor. … Continue reading Canvas Song – Poetry: Haibun
from night fall raindrops bursting notes on canvas sing lullaby, good night Continue reading Canvas Song – Haiku
My first attempt at Haibun. I often dream of living in a cabin in the woods. Handed the chance to live life over again, I would choose a career as a Forest Ranger, managing forests, assisting people who understand them, teaching those who don’t. Look now through my eyes How vision winds endlessly Look there! Do you see? I always felt I was born two-hundred … Continue reading Wanderlust – Haibun
