Lone leaf hangs onto the branch of a tree on the cliff side,
Nods at the breaking waves below.
The hustle of the wind,
Cause the autumn leaf to fall,
Twisting and turning through the rough air,
Like a butterfly in flight.
Down, down it flutters,
Whispering, singing exhausted.
The diver saw the pain and beauty in the leaf,
Caught it in mid air,
And both shimmered down onto the waves.
Even the smallest leaf must face its destiny,
Saved by the battering waves,
It was buried in the diver's garden.
2/3/2020

On each gentle wave beauty smiles
like the sky’s reflection sent down,
every breath is the ocean’s rhythm
sending calm all around.

Crystal waters dance to the shore
returning to where they belong.
Taken by the whispering breeze
Power and peace, together as one.

h/a

The shattered gray and foamy waves take over my field of green

I see everything you want in the reflection of me

under a blood red moon
the sea is calling
screaming, roaring,
for me to drown

to run into the cruel dark waves
let them overcome me
flush through my insides
and I won't fight, I'll
lose the war willingly
surrender to the deep black sea

ice-cold and merciless
a soul-crushing mistress
devastating, relentless
it almost feels like loving
her

All is still amongst my little waves of ebb and flow,
yet I am still as the traveler holding a luminescence
close inside as a lantern, the light through the
crevices of my soul was once the constellations,
I am in the journey to seek the ones to hold it
with those who are as swaying daisies with music
moving through their ether that is far yet near,
the snowflakes from the high mountains
fall gentle on my skin and theirs as though
they are in never-ending tales.

Massive, gray, these leaden waves
bear their unchanging burden—
the sameness of each day to day

while the wind seems to struggle to say
something half-submerged planks at the mouth of the bay
might nuzzle limp seaweed to understand.

Now collapsing dull waves drain away
from the unenticing land;
shrieking gulls shadow fish through salt spray—
whitish streaks on a fogged silver mirror.

Sizzling lightning impresses its brand.
Unseen fingers scribble something in the wet sand.

Originally published by Southwest Review

Love
Much like the ocean tides
Ebb and flow
In a dance with my
Anxiety
Back and forth we go
The deep calm
When we are together
I know you crave me
But I never wish to hear
You say those words
I don’t want much more
But I want you
Waves come and go
You crash into me
We belong to each other
And I know we could
Be so much more
Inside I’m at war
It’s written all over your face at times
And you can see the same
Fear in my eyes
Let’s go slow
Just ebb and flow
                        -kmarie