Dancing in the Periphery

She is elusive,
dancing
in the periphery,
unaccompanied
yet not solo;
surrounded by
bamboo water features
tinkling,
wind flutes
gently sighing
a pavane
to pure white clouds
in a blue, blue sky.

Childhood Gogyohkas

Scent of nasturtiums
taste of pepper
mustard hues
soldier beetles
orange spots

_______

Pirates stalk
hostel rooftops
a treasure island
sailing ships
from trees

_______

upturned umbrella
fairies dressed
in flower petals
a ballroom
for the finest guests

For The Gooseberry Garden prompt of childhood dreams 

 

Tail wags

Flat out like a lizard drinking,
I write out my to-do list
on the homebound train
at the end of the day ,
a fond illusion of control.
When all is said and done
the tail wags the dog;
I am stuck between
a rock and a hard place,
yet there is always
a light at the end of a tunnel,
let’s hope it’s not
an oncoming train.

This is for the dVerse prompt – the prompt was about idioms so I tried to compose my whole poem out of idioms and cliches.

Poetics: What did you call me?

Small Potatoes

Waxing and waning
measured days passing between
illusions and dreams
________

Blue salvia
shivers
at the touch
of a hungry bee
sea breeze blows
________

Scent of summer
promises of abundance
bees’ nectar dance

 

Apply

Apply, apply, apply
seductive mantra sings;
what if…
doubt creeps in
invisible, tangling words
tying my tongue,
a caring voice from long ago
worries at me,
don’t stick your head up,
crouch low, beneath notice,
stay out of trouble,
survive…

I want to climb a tree
and crow with the rooster
like yesteryear,
when the caring voice was too loud
fighting my sister,
by myself in the tree I could sit
and think untrammeled thoughts…

I breath, press numbers,
he answers, listens
then says, slow down,
I pause,
gather splintered thoughts,
tell my vision,
he says, don a confident mask,
and apply for that grant.