Izze - Hello Poetry

Izze Mar 2021

he

kissed me in the street, softly. in that moment,

a smile poured from his lips like water from a crystal glass,

covering me completely.

from him came sunbeams. Appalachian sunrise

i felt warm again

"artistic creativity escapes me"

he said

but the music that flowed from his hands, seeped from his skin, leapt from his lap--

every note sang differently.

in the street that day, my knees weakened until they no longer lent me any support.

he traced the outline of my lips with his,

and every fear i've ever felt shrank--

small, to the point of near invisibility.

#music #love #happy #smile

Izze Mar 2021

inspiration

the sweet summer air is heavy with afternoon storm.

the verdant underbellies of the oak trees seem to hold their breath in anticipation—

waiting for water.

finally! the rain kisses the ground. so soft.

i remind myself that grief is just love that has come up against her oldest challenger

i remember how to breathe.

Izze Feb 2021

gravity

pull-- the only way to describe the motion
eyes locking
coming together like planets moving around the sun
aligning perfectly
something so ancient, so natural, that it had to have been done before
a hundred times. a million times.
an eternal dance

like dust motes, swirling in sunlight
energized by the slightest movement
never resting: nary break nor breather
sort of like the sun

you see, the sun rises and sets. every day.
never tiring
it lights the way for migratory birds
illuminates the dust motes
throws sunbeams into the cosmos...
it touches the planets, who have yet to complete their journey.

gravity. the only thing strong enough to propel this movement--
the only explanation for the pull.

pull-- the only way to describe the motion our motion.
eyes locking. aligning perfectly. never tiring.
an eternal dance-- one that must have been done before.

a hundred times. a million times.

Izze Feb 2021

a nap

warm breath meets wet hair
muted sunlight hits his blond lashes,
and our lips touch to the sound of simple salutations

a square of soft light is a white sheet hung out to dry
his subdued snoring: waves against a rocky shore

in this moment, what is peace to me?
a constellation of freckles; an archipelago
sweet silence
trailing fingers down a naked side

he still reminds me of an Appalachian sunrise

Izze Dec 2020

who dares?

angry tears threatened strangulation

the darkness crept up on me again and surely it would have kept me captive forever.

there, cold snapped bones like branches-- i was in my faraway place then.

my tears were becoming a sea.

and yet, out of the mist, came a figure. small, blond, abundantly bright.

who DARES to come touch me in my faraway place?

"it is i" she glittered

"it is i" she gleamed

idontknowhowtobreatheanymore!

"here", she murmured, "like this"

i breathed, once. twice.

and slowly, i began glittering too.

Izze Dec 2020

kate

to me, she is the throne that she sits upon.

they say love is like religion, so with good days on my mind i fall to my knees and remember the day we met

that day, a colorless husk of who i am opened the door to that hallway where she stood

that day, sound and color poured into me with one word: "hi"

i knew then that i would never let her slip through my fingers

everything about her feels right-- like the first breath of cool air after being underwater for too long.

i know her smile so well i can see it in my sleep.

Izze Dec 2020

evening letter to mama

i just got home from work, mama

now i understand

i remember wondering why you always had a drink with dinner

now i understand

worked all day long today, till i was exhausted, and i STILL had to go get the eggs and the milk.

now i understand

walked home from the store in the dark, my feet
aching
       burning
                 aching
                            burning
with every step.

now i understand

got my computer out to play music while i cooked dinner for myself, and it was dead. i almost screamed with frustration.

now i understand

this house seems so empty when i'm alone.
i miss you, mama.

i know now why you always had a drink with dinner.
i understand, mama.

and i'm grateful.