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Meredith Leigh Jun 2019
the tremble of the ground
thrusts more fear in your heart
than the gnashing of ancient jaws,
the burn of leather scales and the
sprays of blood in the atmosphere.

fire brushes the tips of the clouds
but they thought
it may as well spew from the
back of your throat,
dance along invisible wings
that carry you past the carnage,
the tremor of cracking souls
and hopeless shrieks towards
the unforgiving sky.

bones sigh under cool glass,
brushed with the earth
that betrayed you.
Meredith Leigh Jun 2019
birthday cake ice cream
but you lost all your sprinkles
now just vanilla.
Meredith Leigh Jun 2019
My mouth can’t stop itself
from spilling stories I should hold back
but my art tells more of a story than my words
ever could.

I am from forgiveness and compassion
from choking laughter and long stories
like my father.
I am from acceptance
resilience in the face of adversity
like my mother.

I claim roots in the crystal lakes and hushed nights
of Traverse City.
In the sweltering warmth of the summer sun and the shady trees
in Colleyville.
Nature makes me feel at home.

I could try to rhyme but
my words seem to stumble
when I’m not lamenting about rejection and heartbreak and
loneliness
but there are times when my brother’s laugh
is the only sound I hear.
My friends embrace me
with their inside jokes and nicknames

and my body can’t contain the joy

when applause rings in the stadium under fluorescent lights
or echoes in the auditorium
conceals itself in a reassuring smile
or glitters in the eyes of my dogs

my heart lies in superheroes
and unfocused imagination
a human goodness that never fades
a dream that might come true

I could tell you all about the characters
that live in my mind and on my sketchbook
but I’ve been told to hold back
save it for the movies

I plan to do
just that.
In the 2019 collection of IB Poems
Meredith Leigh Jun 2019
I know that someday your eyes will be
Deeper than the ocean, a small oasis shining
Like a mirror for the Milky Way.

The Sun will paint your cheek with
Warmth and someone will think your hair
Looks more like a halo, shining
With gold, illuminating your mind
Like a crown.

Your smile will be fresh snow
At the genesis of winter, unable
To keep from basking in the sunlight
That drowns out the crisp sky.

Someone will know the brightness
Of your cheeks cannot be matched
To a rose or cardinal.

They tried to blind your hope of salvation with radiation
And burns thrown like envy
Against your heart, but the cross
That shields your spirit will never
Be used as a dagger against you.
Your laugh will ring like a symphony in their ears.

Someone will know the freckles
On your jaw are stars in the coldest night.
I wish I could say
Your arms are my security,
Branches bending away from the vastness of the universe.

But I cannot be the one who sees the glow
Of nature in your presence, still
Your hand upon my shoulder soothes
So I believe
That you will never leave me
And when the Sun blinds me with its gaze,
Melts its warmth into my skin,
I'll think of you.
Meredith Leigh May 2018
The Louvre would have been better had I
come here by myself.

I know why you’re here.
The Mona Lisa calls
your name, coy and quaint
eyes glazed with lacquer
beckoning
behind the bulletproof glass
that curdles her beauty. You want me
to see her with you.



                                                         ­                                           Don’t you?  


But clouded eyes watched
as you passed
The Winged Victory
Liberty Leading the People
Venus de Milo
Six Raphaels and a Michelangelo


just so you could catch a glimpse
of her smirk
behind a masterpiece of spines
and cameras.

So go ahead, call me
stuck up

                                                             ­                                   I don’t mind.

I’ll admire all the beauty you missed
along the way.
Meredith Leigh Feb 2018
Beautiful,
You’re beautiful.
I can’t even look in your eyes
Crisp and clear, like winter skies
Smile causing my demise.

Stunning,
Really stunning.
Tousled hair swept to the side
Dark as night, and I can’t hide
Young affection I deny.

Handsome,
God, you’re handsome
And I’m sure you’ve caught me stare
My heart yearns, but I don’t dare
Wonder how our looks compare.

Perfect.
Truly perfect
And it’s driven me to hate
Beauty I exaggerate
Love you won’t reciprocate.

— The End —