"hallux" poems
When insistent morning
forces the cracked blinds
It finds my eyes stuck
Atop a stiff, angry neck.
I wake
And I rumble
My joints grind
the coffee beans
A bit coarse to dank the water
My callused hallux worries the floor
Dripping done, I pour with sore fingers
The steel carafe silver as a nickel
The kitchen sink ablaze and singing
Light reflecting
Last night’s ice cream spoons.
The warm mug soothes
my a.m. arthritis
My arthritic mind coughing cobwebs and sleep.
This moment stands
for itself alone. Truth
can wait until past noon—
it’s coming soon. The truth comes soon.
10/2/2011
Oct 3, 2011
Oct 3, 2011 at 1:25 AM UTC
Callused hallux digs the dirt, nervous
of what’s yet to come—I can only say:
Breathe, jumpy, think of light. All
cannot be grim as a goose
Who, unaware, is warming an egg
Not graced with life, unfertilized.
She chases off all who draw near,
Her fear the hatchling’s peril.
Poor mother goose, your ribs are showing,
Your breast has thinned, and winter’s coming.
Listen, anxious, light is simple
Simple like the egg that hatches.
You are holding fast to that
which only keeps you thin and sad.
Your former life’s not graced
with light, you cannot hatch
New life from sorrow.
September 2011
Oct 3, 2011
Oct 3, 2011 at 1:27 AM UTC
the rain beats down
and makes my hands sting
down to the center of my proximal phalange
creating incisions under my fingernails
so they form a pool of lavender and ashy blue
and the cold does not help
droplets will hit the ground and freeze
cutting down into my hallux
making my steps just as icy as my voice
and when the sun starts to run off
it leaves me alone with darkness
i cannot see
i hit walls
my head
and my knuckles
until i tumble down
and down
like a droplet
into the center of my proximal phalange
but this time
i dont feel a thing
Oct 23, 2014
Oct 23, 2014 at 10:10 AM UTC
He was pavonine.
In the darkest room,
The light entered and aggrandized.
The rhythmic applause and glittering lights.
His eyes were wet, maybe of nervousness.
Stressed he was, too restless.
Heard his name, followed by loud screaming.
This was all he needed.. that was his childhood dream.
As he walked onto the stage,
Feeling like a bird, about to fly from the cage.
His exiguous steps, turned into hallux
Slowly, somewhere he was being treacherous,
From within. Going and remembering the past,
Silence was guiding his mind to the last.
He heard the song,
Began to perform.
Leaving the memories behind, danced deiform.
Inside him was a great Storm.
Every movement, every step was crystal clear.
Audience stood and of astonishment stared.
He rejoiced the seconds.
And lived the moments.
Nov 28, 2014
Nov 28, 2014 at 8:08 AM UTC