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Jul 2019 · 127
After the Breakup
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
I scrape the bottom of my heart
for any remaining morsel of your love.
I’ve long forgotten the taste of your kiss.

Since the separation,
the image of you has fragmented
into scattered pixels.
I know now that only the frequent
contacts kept the vision of you intact.

The music of your laughter
has dissipated in the daily noise.
Your greeting voice no longer chimes.

It started with an angry word
that pride elevated into something more.
What a fool I was to react that way.
I’m still haunted by that dreadful day.

A year has passed with silent interaction.
I’ve heard you found someone new.
You do deserve much more of life.
My divorce forever robbed me of my wife.
Jul 2019 · 288
Wildfire
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
solitary bird
winging across ashen sky
every nest gone
Jul 2019 · 108
After the Breakup
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
I scrape the bottom of my heart
for any remaining morsel of your love.
I’ve long forgotten the taste of your kiss.

Since the separation,
the image of you has fragmented
into scattered pixels.
I know now that only the frequent
contacts kept the vision of you intact.

The music of your laughter
has dissipated in the daily noise.
Your greeting voice no longer chimes.

It started with an angry word
that pride elevated into something more.
What a fool I was to react that way.
I’m still haunted by that dreadful day.

A year has passed with silent interaction.
I’ve heard you found someone new.
You do deserve much more of life.
My divorce forever robbed me of my wife.
Jul 2019 · 85
The Sea is Waiting
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
early morning barefoot walk
hear the drumming ocean waves
smell the scattering of kelp

see whiteheads floating out
hear the squawking gulls
hear breaking waves seething ashore

feel cold sand crunch neath toes
burrow them in for a little warmth
you and your board are primed for briny sprint
Written in a contest where the host wanted to bring back memories for his old surfer grandfather
Jul 2019 · 112
Negativity
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
Is there mocking behind blue skies and fleecy clouds?
Are there silent sneers in the passing crowds?

Do I detect irony in a friendly wink?
Is there disdain from my supporting shrink?

Is there hidden “tolerance” in your loving smile?
Is there a demon growing in our little child?

How can I know with full assurance,
that my knowledge is not a dream?
Is my life a random occurrence,
or just a malevolent scheme?

Will I ever reach a comfort level
that brings serenity to my life?
Is there a merciful god or just a devil
who relishes in our eternal strife?
Title is a turn off but I'm just exploring the negative mind
Jul 2019 · 163
The Affair
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
It was friction free,
did we slip into love?
Could this be;
what could I be thinking of?

It was at a neighbor’s party,
she was a friend of a friend.
Someone was being arty.
Our winks met in a condescend.

We flirted.
Her eyes were warm and knowing.
Our partners were averted.
Latent passions were growing.

I felt a primal urge.
There was something ****** in her smile.
My pulse began to surge.
It was wonderfully juvenile.

I embraced her laugh.
I envisioned her lovely body.
I guiltily checked for my other half.
Was this something suddenly shoddy?

It was getting too strong.
Was there a turning back?
We probably both knew it was wrong,
but we were on greased track.

Our partners found us.
Did they notice our tête-à-tête?
If they did there was no fuss.
We all agreed the party was great.

I still think of her
and what might have been.
Was it the gin?
Was it a sin?
Is this just how random lives spin?
Musings on a random flirtation
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
The setting moon leaked silver into the languid sea
The sailor lay below in the murky deep
Far from the glimmering light
He who could fix any boat lay with those no one could heal
His parents Dee and Beep wept with sorrow
As did his wife Tina at the marina edge

But the day will come when white clouds and blue sky
Will kiss the sunlit sea and their dogs Brady and Otis
Will romp in the joyous surf with the sailor’s beloved Farley dog
And they’ll know the sailor and Farley will forever move with the ocean tide
And forever live in their hearts

A sailor can’t leave footprints in the sea
But Gary left his on the home shore of friends and family
All our lives are traced in water
But some are etched in loving memory
I
I wrote 1st time in 50 years for my friend Gary and for wife Tina, his parents Dee and Beep and even for Gary's departed dog Farley. Gary sadly died suddenly from unsuspected colon cancer stage IV at the age of 48. Gary was a merchant sailor and later tug boat engineer. He could fix anything afloat. © 4 years ago, Allan E Brunmier
Jul 2019 · 456
Lost in the Woods
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
Why did I stray from familiar path
There was safety in the light
Now darkness has overtook
Predators lurk in the night

Deep into the woods I’ve roamed
Amidst the rustling trees
Attuned to every chirping sound
How sinister the sudden breeze

In foolish disregard I drifted
In pursuit of wanton dreams
Do I hear a siren’s call
Or is it a victim’s screams

Oh I wish I could return
To the sanity of day
Filled with loves and likes
Not this pernicious grey

I must burst through the darkened grove
Free my mind of fear
Re-attach myself to the core of you
Enfold in your courageous sphere
Jul 2019 · 715
Ignore the Void
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
Foolish to seek feeling from the great beyond
Explore as you might this murky pond
It’s only the tadpole next to you who can respond
Jul 2019 · 150
A Bitter Death
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
What right have you
To presume to cry
While you are you
And I am I

In every Autumn
Dies a leaf
Was not our love
Just as brief

Nothing lasts but
Stone and fire
Don't believe the
Pulpit’s choir

You must know that
The void's so vast
And time's so free
There is no past

Stone is common
And life's so rare
Why should we ever
Deign to care

There's no order
Just random chance
There's no border
Round happenstance

And yet you cry
And declare your union
Just let me die
Without communion

Please don’t waste
A tear or sigh
While you are you
And I am I
One of my teenage poems, many moons ago.
Jul 2019 · 75
Waterways
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
Near cool running waters,
I contemplate life’s stream.
With two caring daughters,
later years have been a dream.

After months, my wife went under,
cancer stopped her flow.
To the end she was a wonder,
her family in safe tow.

I miss her at the river side,
and in every little eddy.
She navigated with sailor pride,
her course was always steady.

I was supposed to be the captain,
but relied on my first mate.
She sensed my skills were latent,
and so kept our vessel straight.

When I reach the final shore,
and cinch the mooring tether,
She’ll greet me at Neptune’s door,
with eternal sailing weather.
Jul 2019 · 123
Daydreams
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
Do you ever wonder where daydreams go
They seem to vanish in the daylight glow
Perhaps to die in the conscious flow
Or, do they strive to somehow grow

Maybe they’re only sleeping on the wind
To reappear in a future nocturnal tale
Caught and twisted in some nightmarish gin
To frighten you beyond the pale.

But on a warm summer day
When all such thoughts are evanescent
With an airiness so light and gay
They’re often filled with lovely sentiment

This is something so serene
You marvel at its magic
You are moved to ecstasy
It’s seldom very tragic

There’s something about a daydream
That’s different from a dream
You can shape it to your scheme
You can alter its varied stream

But often in the dark
You are captive to the plight
Sometimes murky sometimes stark
A dream is always far from light

So you know where daydreams go
They escape into the dusky glow
They morph in subconscious flow
Where they survive and grow
Jul 2019 · 155
Old
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
Old
Not saying I’m old but my SSN is in Roman numerals
Jul 2019 · 120
Not Good Chatter
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
I simply asked if you want an extra platter
Not are you getting fatter
Jul 2019 · 97
My Beloved Sam
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
Where’s my buddy who eased my tension
Perhaps chasing ***** in another dimension

Seeking me among the stars
Jul 2019 · 203
Nocturnal Prayer
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
lonely is the night
darkness separates us all
morning brings new hope
Jul 2019 · 129
2 Line Humor
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
I’ve learned it’s difficult to appear debonair
when your FLY is open
Jul 2019 · 143
Waste
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
dewdrops on dead leaves
windblown seeds on rock debris
not everything grows
Jul 2019 · 84
Scare
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
the night wind rustles
fool, to go so deep in woods
oh please, be a dream
Jul 2019 · 82
Ocean Waves
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
sea at night brings fear
sea in day invites playing
could drown in either
Jul 2019 · 133
River Journey
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
rivers run downstream
sharp objects smooth over time
pain tumbles away
Jul 2019 · 91
Mother's eyes
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
she sees and watches
reflecting my history
stretching her vision
Jul 2019 · 135
Seascape
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
It was a placid scene
So serene

I was transfixed between
The why and me
The sky and sea

Between blue and green
Aquamarine
Jul 2019 · 79
Memorial
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
All our lives are traced in water
But some are etched in loving memories
Jul 2019 · 107
A Man's Life
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
The *****
The Squirm
The Worm
Jul 2019 · 88
A Woman's Life
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
The Womb
The Loom
The Tomb
Jul 2019 · 94
Poets
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
Seeing life’s colors flutter afar
Trapping beauty in labeled jar
Jul 2019 · 784
Dragonfly
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
Where do you hie, Dragonfly
In this clear blue sky?
Whom do you espy
With your multitudinous eye?

Who’s your prey today
Amidst the woodland spray?
In your watery youth, it was larvae,
Now the whole forest's your breakfast tray.

But are there dragonflies among us,
That you chance meet on street or bus?
Who are never heard to cuss
Or even raise a fuss.

Beware his iridescent charm.
He means to do you harm.
When he extends his slender arm,
There's much cause for alarm

There’s tell-tale signs for his breed,
Oft rumors of treacherous deed.
But he'll remain aloft to mislead,
Then swoop with blinding speed.

Proceed with care.
Beware his debonair,
For in the sunfilled glare,
You may have no prayer!
Jul 2019 · 254
Shadows
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
I suddenly realize I’m but a shadow
All my sun-filled days are behind me
My world is a world of shadows
It’s now only me not we

Hard to nest when so many trees have died
My forest is thinning
I’m on the wing but can’t stay aflight
Too long a journey from my beginning

I still look for others but to no avail
They are all on the other side of me
A veil separates our worlds
Often yearn for an eternal sea

My memories are fading
Just snatches of recall
Harder to feel past emotions
Yesterdays behind a wall

Is there any reason to slog on
To search for destinations
No longer seek a voice to hear
Let alone have conversations

Let the shadows consume me
Let me enter the dimming light
My days are drawing near
It’s time for the dreamless night
Jul 2019 · 298
Every once in awhile
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
The Painter tires of his daffodil
The Writer’s embarrassed for his timid quill
They yearn for a primeval thrill

They want to be the lion on prowl
To utter a guttural growl
To hear calf’s final howl

They yearn for deadly hunt
To chase the prey in front
Not just perform fictional stunt

Nor go to a zoo and gawk
But stalk like a fearsome hawk
And deliver the final shock

Art’s oft served on a nobler plane
But below this surface lies insane
There’s a wanton lust in pain

Thank god, civilization holds us in check
Many would risk their neck
Their lives would be a total wreck
Jul 2019 · 314
Without Language
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
After birth we’re pure emotion.
Before words are learned,
We’re like an ocean,
Before islands are turned.

Words punctuate our feelings.
They disrupt the current.
They stem innate healings,
Cut short a potential deterrent.

Perhaps it’s best to let loose our rages
Fill our souls with unnamed delights
Try not put them to pages
In bookage minds that demand insights.

Does language enhance our senses,
Or merely subdue instinctual forces?
Do we no longer see natural fences
That block various courses?

Can I actually sing my song
When its’ lyrics are faulty words?
Does it really matter to define right from wrong?
Can I ever fly as free as birds?

Does language separate me from exhilaration?
Does it besot purity of desire?
Does it promote exasperation?
Does it extinguish internal fire?

Alas, it doesn’t matter.
A brain once programmed demands an answer.
It can’t accept a sensual scatter.
It’s a kind of intellectual cancer.
Jul 2019 · 116
Lost Summer
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
Cotton candy amidst the blue
Warm sun and breezes too
A flowered field in meadow vast
Children’s laughter from afar
Catching butterflies in a jar
A comedy in midsummer’s cast

You stand beside me in my dream
Pale pink lips, skin like cream
Your yellow hair in captured sunlight
I wish I could kiss you now
Brush the loose strand from your brow
And retrieve you from the eternal night

I know this is make believe
For even now I grieve
Your passing was sudden swift
I have these moments of recall
Life was shattered last fall
My balance made a tragic shift

If ever there were afterlife
I’d ask you again to be my wife
But my gut tells me we were happenstance
All subject to toil and strife
With precious moments of happy life
Should be grateful for the chance
Jul 2019 · 249
Drudgery
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
Yonder comes the eastern sun
Dragging me another day
No place to run
I guess I stay

Someone has to work the soil
Plant the cursed seed
Endure the merciless broil
*** the rampant ****

Wish I were another man
Not in this forsaken place
A heartless God devised this plan
Probably die without a trace

I dream of a blue refreshing lake
A sunlit meadow vast
Relief from this persistent ache
Expunging memory of days past

But alas, there’s no escape
Forever squalid in the dirt
Clothed in this dusty drape
My body in tedious hurt
Jul 2019 · 228
Critic
allanbrunmier Jul 2019
You shred my words
Thin colors from my brush
You still the flight of soaring birds
While grinding my ego in a crush

What music can I sing
What melodies compose
After your scorpion sting
And heartless blows

If I ignore your sneer
And refuse to listen
Will I lose my fear
And start to glisten

Probably not
I’m so weak
My art is fragile
Not magnifique

I’ll silence my pen
And dry my easel
You win again
My inner weasel

— The End —