Now I don't look exactly normal
In fact I often look bizarre
I'm used to second glances
Being stared at from afar
And when I go out shopping
It is often quite the case
That store detectives & the like
Think I'm going to rob the place
So ......
While on a birthday shopping trip
In a rather fancy store
I am not surprised by the looks I get
As I walk in through the door
I can feel the condescension
From the girls behind the counter
But I'm not phased, not put out
It won't make me flounder!
I smile politely and carry on
Chatting on my phone
Browsing overpriced attire
Happy on my own
I flick through the rails
Of designers I don't know
When an overly made up young girl
Appears at my elbow .....
'Excuse me ....' she whispered
And
My heart begins to sink
Because
I have a preconceived idea
Of what it is that she might think .....
'There are two ladies over there
Standing at the desk
They believe they know you
Could it be that you're an actress?!'
I start to laugh .... 'Well no'
I reply 'but I do play in a band
Perhaps that's where they've seen me
We're quite often in demand!'
She scuttled off on sky high heels
To tell them I play bongos
She shakes her head as she returns
'It's your voice they think they know.....'
'Oh....' I say 'well I have been known
To spout some spoken word
In pubs and cafes locally
Could that be what they've heard?'
So then to gather their attention
She gestures kinda wildly
They all come trotting over
I was amused (to put it mildly!)
'Yes, yes that's it' one lady said
'I've seen you at the 'Hatstand'
Can we get your autograph?'
She ****** a pen into my hand
And just like that I'm famous
And the girls who until that point
Had thought I was not worthy
To frequent their little joint
Fell over themselves backwards
To offer me the world
Complimentary coffee and
Champagne was soon unfurled
They flitted all around me
Caught up in what they thought
Was a star in their presence
My respect they now sought ......
It was my 'Pretty Woman' moment
When their bias was exposed
If I were a different person
I could have stayed there til they closed
But although to have been recognised
Had made me feel delighted
Their attitude beforehand
Had left me feeling slighted
So I left - with words of thanks
For their false display
Of kindness towards me
And went on about my day .....
Now I know we all make judgments
Upon people that we meet
But it really isn't fair, as we don't know
What lies beneath
That strange looking person
In a torn and muddy dress
Because
In reality you could be looking at
An almost famous poetess!!

(C) Pixievic

I potted your healing purple verbena
comforting scarlet geranium
never will forget you
pink carnation
the roots were dry
so I added new soil
watered them good
they'll survive

your granddaughter
brought them here
along with "Phil"
the ancient philodendron
he's taken up residence
close to her bed
his elephant ears
spread wide and listening

I thought you would  
be pleased to know
she loaded plants
until the car was full
that she did find
a bit of solace
in the garden
you left behind

the guitar is shaking
while it delivers a mellow sound
her voice is sweeter than the night before
"how'd ya make it so vulnerable?"
he asks timidly
"it's just the feeling"
maybe it's the guitar, I thought to myself

after she stopped singing
I bought her a drink
gave her a kiss
and call it a day for her
we went to sleep like the first time
we just stared at each other's eyes
listening to the night
sometimes I wish we could go back

The power is cut and the house is dark,
it is not yet night, the world bathed in saturated blue,
washed in layers of filter.
We're lost in our own worlds,
my brother and I,
and our silence is understanding
and companionship
and muted friendship.
My mother is in the kitchen,
silhouetted against the candle's orange light,
and she is soft edges
and stitches
and a woman who bore two.
The three of us,
strangers, family,
unknown, discovered,
hidden in the darkness, revealed in the shadows.
I want to say, *this matters.
This moment matters.
You will forget
but I will always remember.

It starts
deep within
just flames
licking fire
tripping up
my spine
in crackling desire
spreads through my pores
in heated, close beats
releases its high
from my brain
                to my feet
The slow burn
in my solar plexus
spreads in hot surges
waves of wildfire
pulsing in white-hot urges
right down
to where
it really takes off
rushing through my
my cells
never pausing to stop
One can go mad
from that torrid,
thick heat
            every day
so I will trill
into my music
rocking my chair
as I play
feeling the vibes
within the rush and the beats
from the top of my head
to where these velvet
                 thighs meet
like the blazing
mirage of a summer
heat wave
releasing
                  the flow
of all that I crave
close-channeled
energy siphoned
into other spheres
so much like heaven
it squeezes out
                       tears
late desert
         summer nights
naked under
plush covers
my tunes and my pen
are my only lovers
it burns for a while
slides into
ecstatic bloom
and then catapults
back up
in a frantic
heart boom
this is my world
when I am
in charge of my own
            rhythm and tunes
playing them out
like mysterious flumes
this is how my passion
                                  unfolds
when I choose music for a set
I start off contemplative
       and end up wet
So I will take this ink
let it spill upon the page
wield the sword of my
                          slick waters
free my soul
from her cage
like a silky animal
running to cool, shaded brush
I will save up this
passion
so endlessly
              lush

May your passing be quiet
in the beckoning night
may the answers you sought
be divinely defined
let all grievance be shed
to lighten your pace
bless your soul
now released  
all my love
peace