September 2023 Collection
Acorn Sculpture
The bell of her shop door jingled. She stopped just short of the
fragments of last night's work. Heat rushed to her face as her transparent
wings buzzed. Alfred stood in the corner; his furry cheeks stuffed with the
evidence. This would be the last time that squirrel would be allowed off his
leash.
The Acorn Boat
The brook babbled in hushed tones, the light was harsh and searing. A
woman, no more than a few inches tall with wings that glittered like broken
glass, knelt at the water. Reverently she placed a tiny bundle wrapped in
silk, on an acorn cap.
They would want to meet like this, she told
herself as she had done before.
Tears trickled down her face as
she set the cap floating. Down the brook, it bobbed. Alone, she stood at the
edge and watched it go. Around the bend, the acorn top vanished. For the first
time in days, she tried to smile. They would see each other again, she
thought, when it’s my turn to float around the babbling bend.
She
couldn't quite smile, but her tears did slow.
Little Glass Jar
The sun on my face,
The wind in my hair, under my wings;
Everything's just beyond reach
Past the walls of my little glass
jar.
Too Late
Her reflection rippled on the lake’s surface, the starlight blurry where
it passed through her translucent form. Beneath the velvet of her dark blue
choker was a grisly sight; the imprint of a braid so deep her soul could not
forget. She remembered that day vividly, it had been her triumph. But now,
years have come and gone. The world had moved on. People she knew had changed.
Resolve faltered at last revealing a quiet whisper: I should have
found another way.
Plus One
I was ready at my perch when dawn broke. The leaves of the ash hid me
from view as I readied my charcoal stick. As usual the humans came out in
force with the sun’s light.
A cry came from one of the tents, a
woman was carrying a new bundle. The past few days she had been hidden away,
dealing with her swollen belly. That morning, the swelling showed to be
greatly reduced. She held the bundle close. It required milk frequently.
I looked at the bound stack of leaves in my lap. Dates tallies and
symbols littered the pages. I flipped to a new leaf and scribbled the date.
Dutifully, “+1” was added as the first note of the day.
Life of a Tree
Years beneath an open sky,
Generations of family stand nearby.
Skin
that's rough, weathered,
Arms reach ever higher,
Each breath of the
wind causing a gentle sway.
And there they will stay,
Until death
brings them downward.
Man for Hire
Beneath the shot glass, a card stands out on the counter: "If you’ve got
a problem, I can remove it: Inquire at 21st and Jerry between 11 pm and
4am."
Arrival
Fog rolled out of the stasis tank as the whine of the hyperdrive coils
wound down. The screens came on, millions of stars decorated the black expanse
that formed the backdrop for a large planet of green and blue: their trip was
over.
Tiny
Tiny hands,
Tiny fingers,
Tiny toes
And a teeny tiny nose.
Those big blue eyes
Capture your heart with ease.
Alright
Three tables of rowdy people cheering and carrying on. Two sounds
mixing, the thud of the stereo, and the crackle of your soda. One cold feeling
of glass in your hand. You stretch and feel the tension leave, and you realize
that you’ll be all right.
Celebrate
The pluck of lyres penetrates the dark followed by the songs of flutes
and pipes. Lights dance between the trees carried by frail wings and tiny
bodies. Tables and bellies fill with plenty, and wine flows freely to wash the
bounty down. I raise my wine to another toast, and sing yet another praise to
the god of the hunt and his goddess of bounty.
Setting Seeds
Pastel blooms nestle in a green bed of clover
Each murmur of wind they
sway softly.
“Drink me,” into the air they whisper
The bees then
come swiftly,
Seeking the pollen that will become their elixir.
Duty
done, the flowers shrivel;
Their seeds drop to dance again the next
spring.
Garden Chill
Cabbage, chard, and lettuce leaves sway inside wooden borders. You grab
another fistful of straw and tuck them in, pulling unwelcome seedlings as you
go. Each weed taken makes another notch in the tension. Each vegetable
nurtured forming another drop of calm. You look back on orderly rows, and
smile.