Showing posts with label free verse poetry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free verse poetry. Show all posts

Friday, February 14, 2014

Happy Valentine’s Day!








Happy Valentine’s Day!


Long suffering
Oracle your circle cages the
Vixen in me
Encompassing past truth; consuming reality.
……
I loved you so completely
I just couldn’t live with you
No one could.

Sorry, I don’t remember last Valentine’s Day
Hopelessly addicted
to the roller coaster;
you awakened something in me

 I could not control
despite your insistence
I fought long and hard to penetrate the frost
and now your love
 pales
in the snow drift
I shovel through
carving new pleasure and pain

ski fresh powder

flawless and persuasive. 

Friday, December 13, 2013

Embracing My Winter: inspired by, Winter Practice by Jean Gallagher from her book, START

Embracing the Dark
I extend my arms from horizontal
embrace the dark spaces
trace its kiss
It stretches me
pulls me deeper
into its hollow
beyond the now
beyond this solitude.

The Quest
I ask
You answer
The mysteries hover
We slip in and out
of the dark.
Fact checking
googling, getting scroogled
remembering
forgetting
posing as scientists
mining beliefs
digging up dead cultures
amidst the ruins
amidst our ruining temples
playing our parts
playing
with the gods.

© Cornelia DeDona 12-13-13

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Home



HOME

I round the last bend
and embrace the sweet scent of belonging, 
inside a house that I grew up in 
weathered, drafty and cold 
but firmly tied with a comforting ribbon of warm hearts and helping hands.
One hundred years and still standing beneath the birch, maple, and pine
encircled by a flecked emerald carpet
shining like a precious gem
surpassing the test of time and space.

And the journey apart 
melts before me
like morning dew
reviving the earth, the two red rose buds outside the kitchen window
my bliss. 

The bees, bamboo and the poison ivy
wrestle constantly
to block my path, change my mood
challenge me to ignore the Why’s, the uncompromising past. 

As I steady myself to run up and over the last hill
musing over humid nights in Hawaii
trapped inside a filthy haze
of never enough
should have and might have been.

I clench my teeth and smile 
knowing the fleeting nature of memory
that now and tomorrow remain impermanent
confident as I sprint the final stretch, smother the ache
brood over the cost
As I reach the finish line and know
I am home. 



Wednesday, December 21, 2011

When ALL we can do is WRITE


“Poetry is what happens when nothing else can.”  Charles Bukowski

Sometimes I wake
with a song in my heart
prompted by a hearty summons of nature
toot tooting down the hall
pontificating its departure
to the porcelain god
like the conductor on an express train.

Disturbed soon thereafter
by mindfulness and that first cup of JOE

by a rich heaping tablespoon
of medicine from the media
a slow and steady demoralization
similar to  being assimilated by the BORG.

And later
upon reflection
I concede,
as cattle
quickly lulled and
herded by the steady
Yippie yi yo kayah
being led to slaughter
tunneling reality
transfixed by nothing at all.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Black and White


You cannot depend on your eyes
when your imagination is out of focus~ Mark Twain

Black and White

White is the shade
you pull down
on your eyes
when I get boring
as you shut your mind to the monotony and the drone
of my noise.
AND Black is
a buzzing fly
that has landed on your nose right after

he shat
on top of a giant pile of
dog shit.

Brown
is the smear
of that sticky fly
with robo eyes
that’s got your number
and won’t die.

The dark brown stain
that’s infected your brain
that you can’t train
or refrain
from keeping in the
dark.

A hot spark
that
lights the bench in the park
that the man in the long black Rolls
once sat on
that you ignored
floating high on your kite
of white
with black and brown lines
that you drew and wouldn’t cross over,
the same man
who could’ve taken you outta all this black and white and shitty brown.

Remember him
reading the paper on a bench in the park

Offering you
some grey poupon
for your shitty
blackened brown dog
pillowed in white?

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Peace and Joy




Tonight I share with you my peace.
It rises early
before the birds
or the roosters crow.

My peace is black
twinkling with the joy
of a million stars
with chirping crickets
who hum as
coffee steams
 from my midnight blue mug, upon which
stars also glisten, near and far.

And I savor the silence
of the night
the pine fresh fragrance
of a noble fir
dripping lavish needles
and shining like a child
in brand new outfit
whispering her secrets to Mom
and waiting in line for Santa
for the magic, still to come.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Frenzy


I stuffed them all down
like a good little girl
urged to swallow her medicine.

Raw red meat
in a
black and white
world.

Tender tongues 
twisted and ripped-out
like an old rubber band.


As their groans
splashed crimson
across my
reckoning

distracted by my next meal
as a  mad ghoul
lunges past me,  down this dark corridor.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Dreaming


Dreaming
about the day
when I am a superstar
can only take me so far
and then what?

Will I magically transform
into a superhuman being
save lives
inspire
rewire the cosmic hard drive?
How will it change our universe
reflect
refract
belch
suck up
expand in a meaningful way?
and to whom
and for what purpose?

Does anyone REALLY know
and see the BIG picture?
There are literally thousands of theories
bombarding us everyday
electrons
protons
atoms
smashing
splitting
all around us
it’s amazing
that we
can HEAR
decipher
anything
at all.
Anything viable that is
over the concussion
percussion
discussion
Maalox
Taxes
Medical bills
Unemployment
Drug addict superstars
ENABLING doctors
Food borne illnesses
Egos of giant corporations
selling us one last pull
on the MEGA BUCK machine.

Now concentrate
stay with me
This is it!
Don’t waste it
you can almost taste it
on the tip of your tongue
and then…
it’ll be gone.

In the meantime you'll pick yourself up
dust yourself off
and continue to play this amazing game of pretend.
And wait for it...there’s a Barker
with a GIANT MEGAPHONE...directing you to step this way!
Okay--class
let’s pretend
EVERYTHING will all work out
that all of this chaos
is insignificant
and our distant relatives
or GODS if you prefer
from heaven
are just a little late
to pick us up
for our continuing trip
on the way
to our NEW HOME
where everything is
waiting for us
pristine
a paradise of epic proportions
and everybody you ever knew
is waiting there for you
to fill you in 
on what you’ve been missing
and they are so glad you came and
the only thing you are sorry about
is that it took you so long to die.

Then they take you
to feed the machine
you know the human eater
that shiny metal object over there
with the teeth.
Yeah—the one with your name on it.
But don’t WORRY
because you won’t feel a thing
because you are already DEAD
NOPE—won’t hurt a bit
AND THEN…
Then… you can eat all that ice-cream
and all the artery clogging shit
you’ve ever wanted
but couldn’t have
because of stupid things like high cholesterol
and heart disease.
You know…
because --like
you won’t have a heart anymore.
NOPE…you won’t have a heart
a body
limbs
Or a BRAIN.
You’ll just be a transparent
ground-up form
floating around in the ether
and shucks
I really hate to burst your bubble
but you know that safe ice-cream
that I was telling you about?
Well that shit ain’t real either
But it… Bitch--SLAP
sure was one
hell of RIDE
wasn’t it?

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Silly--Savvy



Copy this
down but only
take credit for
what is yours
something I heard
repeatedly in school.

 Stick it
don’t pick it
on the wall
from the ground
where the moon don’t shine.

Paste your words
and your turds
on a visible sheet
separate the wheat
from the chaff
and laugh
don’t frown
lift your chins
stretch your neck
because heck
it just ain’t
pretty anymore.


Inspire
don’t tire
or get stuck
in the quagmire
of   forlorn
torn
and unglued.

Paint
don’t faint
from that beer
or good cheer
staring at the belly
of jelly
in the bottom
of your glass
fat bass.


Tuesday, October 11, 2011

The Difference is ME


The difference is ME
not some world
that you hang on a chain
around
your neck
that
stiffly smiles
indifferent.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Don't Suck-- Spit


You know the spiel.
Get inspired
Write about something that moves you
Paint using vivid images
And if you can’t
at least have the good sense
to make it short.
Sell it
Show some cleavage
Leave them wanting more
And If you are lucky enough and talented enough to get noticed
go to the awards ceremony, celebrate
But don’t let it get to your head
Stay humble
afterwards go home and
write something else.
Stick with what you know
stick with what works.

Scratch that,
It really doesn’t matter
what subject you choose
it isn’t even the style you use
all that really matters is if
anyone else cares
or can relate to your
drivel, I mean
take spit for instance.
Yeah—you heard me….SALIVA.

Now let’s show what would happen
 if I spit on the sidewalk…
Or—if you’d rather go first
I’ll wait.

it wouldn’t be as interesting though
as if I spit in your face
now would it?

I mean
think about it
what  could you create with spit
maybe take a stick
a little paint
some canvas
an old T-shirt
It might translate into something unique
It might even parade around as ART
SURE…
and pretty soon EVERYBODY
would have to have it
and it might even come in different textures
and tongues—LONG WINDED ONES
AND before you know it
there would be a MOVEMENT
And people could follow your BRAND

and you could get a Twitter button

It would be so COOL and like
maybe the Kardashian’s would
design some spit fashions
for Sears
and well
the rest...
The REST
is still unwritten.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Fear

Fear 
demands
that you toss 
the could have had
avoid all the should have’s
not matter what the price don’t make 
a fuss.

It glares through your eyes
and into your brain
cheering you on
discouraging you from 
drawing undue attention to it 
or making waves.
It is a coward
droning its mantra
into your ear 
until you believe 
uniting with others who feel as you do
accepting it as fact
distrusting your basic instincts
no longer seeking help
or listening to reason.

Hypnotizing 
you into acceptance and apathy
It will have you 
acknowledging that it is selfless
seducing you for your own good
insisting that you follow its lead
persuading finally 
that you come quietly
and not argue.
Altering forever
what would have been
into what must be.

**Inspired by Happy Family—a film at the Italian Film Festival in Honolulu.



http://www.cinemaitalianoinhawaii.org/

Saturday, September 24, 2011

A Quiet Life—Una Vita Tranquilla


A Quiet Life
tortures  you
in unexpected ways
It leads you on
like a hot babe
with her long legs
wrapped
around your mid-section
pulling you into her
and just when you think
you can’t take any more
she slices your thumb off
and lets you run around in circles
howling WHY did you do that
WHY couldn’t you just LEAVE ME ALONE?
I’ve been good!
I’ve been good for fifteen years
I’ve started a new life
a new family
why couldn’t you
just leave me alone?
And she replies…
because
YOU BELONG TO ME.


** This movie is at the Italian Film Festival.
The story of a good family gone wrong. A man escapes to Germany and starts a new family thinking he will finally enjoy a quiet life. He is wrong.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

No Labels




Flexitarian
Pescatarian
Vegetarian
call it whatever you want
I Don’t Eat Meat!

I woke up the other day
thinking I knew
WHAT I was.
I was wrong.
I got an education in
the many types of vegetarianism
It is more complicated than I thought
apparently I’m NOT ONE
nope-- none of the above.
I actually thought I might be a Pescatarian
for half a minute
but I’m NOT that either
Sound frustrating?
All I know for certain is
that I don’t have any health problems
bleeding hemorrhoids
indigestion
or weight gain.
I exercise
I take my vitamins and
occasionally when the dust bunnies
threaten mutiny
I even vacuum.

I love Netflix
and frozen juice bars
peanut M&M’s
banana smoothies
salads, stuffed Portobello mushrooms
kale
and macaroni—of any kind
Actually I could live on the stuff.
Tofu is okay
Soy or bust
beans and peas and lentils
and curry and tacos and salsa
and fish and eggs and cheese
and ice-cream
gotta have that!
Life wouldn’t be worth living
without my ice-cream
and dark chocolate.

So WHAT I am-- is not even
close to a vegetarian
nope not at all
I just don’t eat meat.
I don’t color
inside no stinking lines
neither.

So call me whatever you want
I’ll still be blessed
with the right combination of
genes
locale and
skills.
Go roll that
in your
Å°ber hoity toity degree
and smoke it! 

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Rapunzel



Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair!

Come on dearie
don't be so Grimm
there’s nothing left to fear.
The big bad wolf
evil prick that he is
is fooling with some
naive Red Riding Hood
on Facebook
and the wicked enchantress
has roared off
on her broom
to see the fall colors
on the southern rim
of the Grand Canyon.

It’s okay to come out.

Olly Olly Oxen Free!

The bogey woman has left the building
went out for a mocha frappuccino.
She got bored
this story is too predictable
so she went off
to scare up a new Prince.
All the evil turds are gone
Rapunzel
and you’ve gotten the pink slip.

Wake-up sweetie
It’s going to be okay
it was just a nightmare
Yeah- you got banged up a bit
but you made it.

Rapunzel –it’s time to escape
from your ivory tower
maybe go for a makeover.
Color those roots
get out of that frumpy dress
invest in a manicure.

Seriously
you are among friends.
You are a survivor.
It’s over!
And like they say
at the end of the story
And she lived

Happily Ever After!



Thursday, September 8, 2011

Your Taste



You are dark and scathing
hinting at forgotten pleasure
bribing my subconscious
beneath a cloak of sultry red still
you continue to whisper my name.

Tempting rogue
you alone know how to
twist my desire
and color my lust.

I am a nun
and solitary.

This phase will
forge
my chain
secure my allegiance
rebuild a bold character
and transform my prison
but I shall die
before I
forget
your taste.

Featured Post

The Dark Path Brightens

It occurs to me That I require an ideal To summit these peaks. Something more than a patch. My tenacity shouts above my perception Shooting ...