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May 2017 · 2.2k
Pollination (Tanka)
Richard Grahn May 2017
In splendid repose
One blooming rose lies gleaming
Hummingbirds kiss her

The wind whispers their secrets
As the pollen keeps drifting
This is my first shot at a Tanka. Feedback is most welcome. I can’t really help getting somewhat anthropomorphic about it. Thanks Chaetura for reminding me of the word anthropomorphic.
May 2017 · 208
Facebook
Richard Grahn May 2017
Today, I found an old friend
on Facebook.
Or rather,
he found me.
It’s kind of amazing
that he found me at all.
How in the world did
this world get so small.

30 years
can take their toll.
It’s a passing memory
at it’s very best.
We had our mutual friends back then
but that’s looking back to so long ago.
It seems like an instant where we’re apt to pretend
but the world has been turning around since then.

We said our hellos and our how-do-you-dos.
Things clicked into place
and we caught up on news.
It was short but so sweet,
those moments we spent.
I’m looking for more
in the days up ahead.
This one contact actually resulted in the finding of three old friends in a single day. People I’ve been trying to reach for years.
May 2017 · 590
Linger
Richard Grahn May 2017
You swam through my dreams like a dolphin
Then stomped on my hopes like a stallion
You answered my prayers like an angel
But you turned out to be just a devil

---------------------+++--------------------

So why do I miss you?
Please tell me why
How hard can it be
To let bygones go by?

If you’re really the devil
That answered my prayers
And haunted my dreams
Then where are you now?

I should not allow
Your memory to linger
But my hopes are like dust
Just slipping through my fingers

I’d like to let go
And drift through the air
But I don’t have a prayer
When you’re always right there

The rain can stop falling
On this hallowed ground
Any day now
I’m bound to escape

But your binding reach
Inside my mind
Won’t let me go easy
The way that I’d like

There’s no turning back
Or turning around
So you’re welcome to temp me
Through the distance we’ve found
No animosity here ;)
May 2017 · 444
Temple (Haiku)
Richard Grahn May 2017
A temple of leaves
Embraces the lofty sky
Mother Earth worships
May 2017 · 191
Thinking About It (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
The thought of all thoughts
Transcends these dimensions and
Settles in my mind
I was just thinking.
May 2017 · 398
Drifting (Haiku)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Cherry blossoms bloom
While the petals of time fly
They’re drifting on by
Well, technically these should be unrhymed lines but I’m exercising my poetic license today. I'm probably breaking all sorts of other rules in the process.
May 2017 · 227
Writer’s Block
Richard Grahn May 2017
Sitting alone in a darkened room
Pondering here…
…………………………..what should I say?

This pen is almost silent now
These words depend on what I write
I wonder how the story goes but
I not so sure that anyone knows

My muse does not attend today
She’s left me here with naught to say
The pitter-patter of her tiny feet
Is nowhere near that I can hear

Her wafting jewels of thoughts unfurled
Are locked up tight beyond my mind
Her patient touch I love so much
Is just a memory (a phantom's touch)

I figure if I write this down
The world will turn around again
Perhaps there’s something more to say
Or maybe there’s another way

I can’t be sure—I won’t pretend
The thoughts I have are better said
Than written down and left for dead
They’re churning now inside my head

So listen close and you will hear
The mystery of this darkened place
The chance there is to make it clear
Is almost gone and not so near
May 2017 · 237
Day Dream (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Today, we can dream
All our thoughts of tomorrow
Yesterday is gone
May 2017 · 268
Glowing (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Your are my candle
Your warm glow casts my shadow
And beckons my soul
Late night writing. There's certainly something intoxicating about the glow of a candle.
May 2017 · 192
No Choice (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
When I dream of you
Its not what I choose to do
It’s something I must
May 2017 · 357
Dreaming Of You
Richard Grahn May 2017
Your tender kiss
Formed a swirling mist in my mind
It left me there wondering
What else could I find if I opened my eyes?

Your gentle touch
Stirred the passion in my soul
And just for a moment, I tended the thought
Of what I could know if I touched you just so

Your wavy hair
Brushed away all my cares
And tickled my nose
For a moment or more

Your warm breath
Left whispers that rang in my ears
My heartbeat grew quicker
As you pressed yourself near

But...

Your magic compelled me
To open my eyes
And as my dream ended
You bid me good bye
May 2017 · 861
Sharing the Moments
Richard Grahn May 2017
There are times in a lifetime
When meanings collide
Times when we wonder
The reason why

There are moments of sadness
And gladness too
Those memories won’t last us
But they might have to do

There is such a fine line
Between the now and then
Such precious little moments
That we learn how to tend

So take up my hand love
And sing me your song
Our moments together
Won’t last all that long

Your heart is my mainstay
My chest full of pearls
Your laughter has taught me
My place in this world

Let’s spend time together
And weather the storm
We can chase all our dreams now
Before they are gone

Let’s live for this moment
And play out the game
Let’s share this adventure
To the end of our days
Richard Grahn May 2017
Tick tock chimes the clock
Life slips away into dreams
This dream is of you
May 2017 · 328
Thirsty (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Drinking completely
From the deep well of your love
I'm thirsty for more
May 2017 · 402
Pause (Haiku)
Richard Grahn May 2017
This world comes to pause
At the blush of a flower
Absorbed in perfume
May 2017 · 570
Leaf Dreams (Haiku)
Richard Grahn May 2017
This one tiny leaf
Stands dancing in the branches
Lusting for sunshine
This didn't come easy. Took a couple hours (on and off) of word-wrangling to get to this state. Looking for a human twist to the realm of nature.
May 2017 · 393
In the Margins (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
I wrote you a note
In the margins of my mind
Still clutching your rhyme
May 2017 · 557
Your Flowers (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Here in our garden
I planted you some flowers
They’re blooming for you
May 2017 · 388
Trussed Up (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
I’m all trussed up in
The echoes of your sweet song
You’re stuck with me now
May 2017 · 603
Flowing (Haiku)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Rivers of birdsong
Are enchanting the forest
Flowing through the leaves
May 2017 · 750
Sandstorm (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Your desert winds blows
Across the sands of my mind
I’m wrapped in your dust
Not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. Depends on how you view dust I suppose
Richard Grahn May 2017
Curled up by the fire
Mesmerized by its warm glow
Our love is burning
May 2017 · 217
Mother
Richard Grahn May 2017
“Truth can be told in an instant, forgiveness can be offered spontaneously, but reconciliation is the work of lifetimes and generations.” Krista Tippett*

A healer by trade
The best he ever had
“stitches and backbone” was the operative term
Defender, protector, fan, and motto
Holder of the family tree she stood
A hen pecking out her given order
Tough as nails but a curse with vegetables
Pressure cooked cabbage Yuck! Beets. Yuck!
Good salads though
Dad got me eating green beans
Ma kept ‘em coming
Food, family, fun and memories
That’s all we have for now
That’s all we can ever have
Martinis and memories
Mother – I had a tumultuous upbringing to say the least. Mom was a great part of it in her own way. I once had a lot of animosity toward her and blamed her for a great many things. It took a long time for me to realize that most of it wasn’t her fault and that she did the best she could in raising us (me and my brother). We finally had our chance to reconcile and my soul is grateful for the opportunity to do so. Like almost everyone in my family, she is gone from this world. Passing peacefully, she left me only with good (sometimes humorous) memories. Thanks mom.
May 2017 · 231
Good Bye
Richard Grahn May 2017
Just got the news that you died today
Just when I had so much to say
But now that you’re gone
I can’t sing that song
The words are but echoes
Inside my mind

My thoughts are so blind
To the feelings I have
I can’t stop the tears
While trying to dance
I’ll say a goodbye
And wish just for you
A happy journey
You so well deserve

The pain is gone
I've set it aside
And I’ll live with your peace
Inside my mind
Wrote this shortly after I learned that my father had passed away on Memorial Day, 2016.
May 2017 · 955
Nectar (Haiku)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Soft blossoms blooming
Hummingbirds preferring the
Sweet nectar inside
Hummingbirds know what they like and are very good at getting it. It takes a lot of flowers to feed a hummingbird and it’s a fascinating thing to observe.
May 2017 · 1.8k
Transformation (Haiku)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Inside your cocoon
You think of this as home but
You must learn to fly
Transformation depends on letting go. Get too comfortable and the next thing you know, you’re trapped in your cocoon. If you’re made to fly, then fly. If you’re made to write then, by all means, write!
Richard Grahn May 2017
The fountain of dreams
Masquerades as a rainbow
Spilling its colors
May 2017 · 446
The Awaiting (Haiku)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Little drips of rain
Yearn to become a great stream
The ocean awaits
May 2017 · 514
Shattered (10 words)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Somewhere inside
Your memory resides
There it shatters my mind
May 2017 · 480
Romance (Haiku)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Butterflies dancing
On the winds of desire, in
Sunlight romancing
May 2017 · 294
Linger (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Memories linger
As our dreams of tomorrow
Emerge from the past
The past influences our aspirations. We can’t help but build our dreams on the foundation of past experiences. At least that's how I see it. :-)
May 2017 · 562
Longing To Fly (Haiku)
Richard Grahn May 2017
A caterpillar
Dreams of becoming a moth
It’s teased by the wind
May 2017 · 407
Temptation
Richard Grahn May 2017
You push me
You tempt me
You twist me around
You bring me sweet promises
Of things I’ve not found

You lure me with passion
And tell me sweet lies
You move me with reason
When I look in your eyes

You offer me sunshine
In the darkest of skies
You taunt me with laughter
And the thought of surprise

You’re really so clever with
These promises that you make
I’m lost in your banter
About the chance I should take

Nothing is clear here
Though it sounds pretty good
You said I could try it
But don’t know if I should

I’m enthused by your passion
And the song that you sing
You’ve captured my memories
But it starts to sink in

I’ve been tempted before dear
And you won’t be the last so
You can take what you’re selling
And skip right on past
May 2017 · 625
Lonely (Haiku)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Just one lonely tree
Standing alone in a field
Embracing the sky
Sometimes we just need to step away from our longing and embrace that which is standing right in front of us.
May 2017 · 555
It Happened Again (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Your intriguing smile
Left me in shambles again
I’m caught in your web
May 2017 · 297
Past This Moment
Richard Grahn May 2017
As the world turns ‘round
I can see a glimpse
Of things gone by
And yet to come……but

What’s here right now is all that there is
Somehow I lost you in the swirling mist

There is no crime I could commit
To leave me right now in such a miserable state
I’m running ‘round in a half-baked mood
Lost in the memories I’d rather not lose

I never wanted to see the day
When our hearts would part, taking you away
Your memory lingers in my battered mind
These thoughts of you set my soul on fire

We can’t go back, this much is true
I can’t count the moments of a world without you
The road up ahead is paved with mystery
And the path behind us is now just history

Right now I’m singing a very sad tune
Tomorrow may come with a different mood
But it might take more than a single day
To settle my mind and wash you away
May 2017 · 345
Two Hearts (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Two hearts take a chance
In the heat of the evening
A lasting embrace
May 2017 · 419
I Must (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
I’m breaking the rules
This page is littered with prose
It’s what I must do
Back to writing about writing.
May 2017 · 436
Sweet Song (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
She sings a sweet tune
With a whisper and a sigh
One heart passing by
May 2017 · 708
Physical Confrontation
Richard Grahn May 2017
My fingers started in her hair
And tangled up in her curly locks
So soft and very silky there
I dreamed of things that we could share

Her lips so close
She cooed to me
Into my ear she whispered……….“please”

My hand, it drifted to her face
And touched her cheek
That rosy place

Where tears of laughter once ran free
Her blush of love smiled back at me

I took her nape and held her close
She smiled at me and nudged my nose

Our lips entwined as flesh combined
My heart jumped harder as the kiss got wetter

My hands they roamed about her curves
I could taste the scent
Of her succulent breath

My mind was spinning
As I tore at her dress
My buttons popped
As she exposed my chest

Breast to breast
And cheek to cheek
The castle burned
And the walls came down

We lost ourselves in the whirling gyre
Undulating in a torrid fire

The sands of time beneath our feet
Were swept away in the blinding fray

Our hearts came together
Where two should meet
Our magic together
Is now complete
May 2017 · 550
Twilight (Senryu)
Richard Grahn May 2017
The twilight listens
For the pluck of a heartstring
Melodies unfold
Finally got the titles straighten out for this and the last poem. Stardust took hours. This one took minutes. Go figure.
May 2017 · 611
Stardust (Haiku)
Richard Grahn May 2017
In the realm of space
Time churns many stars to dust
Powdering the sky
Every line in this gave me fits. Hours and hours of fits. Started with a concept that just wasn't interested in confoming to the form.
And to make matters worse I gave it the wrong title initially.. It changed so much it no longer matched the original title.
May 2017 · 1.3k
Just One Moon
Richard Grahn May 2017
There’s just one moon for you
But countless stars to shine on you
The heavens they will dance for you
And the sun will rise and set for you

The wind will blow so strong for you
The tide will ebb and flow for you
The skies will turn to blue for you
And birds will sing a song for you

The fog will lift its veil for you
The sands of time will flow for you
The leaves will grow and fall for you
And I will live and die for you
May 2017 · 395
To Be With You
Richard Grahn May 2017
I just want to be
Your ethereal shadow
Basking in your glow
May 2017 · 697
Contingent (Haiku)
Richard Grahn May 2017
Springtime delivers
A contingent of flowers
Earth’s splendid perfume
May 2017 · 188
Conundrum
Richard Grahn May 2017
Your whispers compel me.
Your magic defends me.
Your grace overwhelms me and
Your heart comprehends me.

Your spirit intrigues me.
Your light shines upon me.
Your presence does sooth me but
Your words do confuse  me.
May 2017 · 317
The Battle
Richard Grahn May 2017
On our battlements
The great war of perception
Rages over time
May 2017 · 533
Embrace
Richard Grahn May 2017
Teetering in Space
Dancing through the mire of time
We long to embrace
May 2017 · 458
At A Loss For Words
Richard Grahn May 2017
I can’t really tell you
Just how it feels
It’s quite an adventure
To live in my shoes
It’s not all that easy
This much is true
I just know that I love you
In the way that I do

I cannot explain it
This song in my heart
But I’ll sing it for you dear
While ringing this bell
I’m chiming for you love
Don’t know how to tell you
That I’m lost in your magic
And caught in your spell

Come glide with me here now
We can take to the sky
To get lost in this moment
Is well worth the try
The measure of our treasure
Is so hard to define
Let’s love at our leisure
And ride on this tide

Like I said before
It’s hard to explain
These feelings I have for you
I haven’t the words
The memories I’ve made with you
Are stealing the night
These dreams I’ve shared with you
Are such a delight

The story’s not over
There’s plenty to say
Your heart is a magnet
That attracts me each day
I waltz in your laughter
And dream in your arms
I’m caught in your rapture
And your many sweet charms
May 2017 · 587
Breakfast
Richard Grahn May 2017
My yolks are runny
But it's not very funny
Can't seem to catch them
What can I say? I miss my runny yolks. Going for a little levity here.
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