Watermark

Another Courtship Ritual

A poem from Cindy, for Prompt #2:

They meet for dinner every night. He
brings her snow flowers, white chrysanthemums
wrapped in tissue. She wears red silk
against her warm brown skin and earrings
big as rings of pineapple, like a Mayan princess.
Princess Two Rabbit, he calls her
his hand at her waist as they leave
the restaurant, the flowers, white as salt
against his best blue coat.

                     ~ Cindy Smith

 

Cindy Smith's NaPoWriMo

My non-blogging friend (and poetry mentor) Cindy Smith has decided to attempt this marathon. Besides the pleasure of her work, I will appreciate the support -- especially at nearly 10 PM on day two, when I still don't have a poem.

But she does, and here it is:

 

Spring drifts, granulated,

like snow cones without syrup.

then a passing dog

adds yellow.

   

Today's poem is from Cindy Smith

Chemotherapy       
               Cindy Smith

It should look more
dangerous than this.       
They should pierce your vein       
with a rattlesnake.       
They should fill your shirt       
with snow.       
All these bare-skulled penitents       
know it’s true.       
This is the new Inquisition.       
They will do anything to save you.

Posted with the author's permission.

New Year Haiku

Andrew tells us there is a tradition of writing a 'positive' haiku on the first day of the year.  His is here, and Jill has joined in here.  Mine is below; if you would like to add yours to the comments, I'll bring it up for a New Year's poem dance.

frozen garden --
     scattered on snow
          seed for the birds

from  Sarpy Sam:

Seasons turn around
  Sun,snow streaks the air abound
    Friends, like grass arise

from  mjones:

Voice flutes from below,
shutting out the wind. I think:
He'll be four this year.

from  whiskey:

Resolutions? No.
I have promises to keep
and miles, miles to go.

from   Alice:

the past is written
clean new page, fresh ink to write
what comes after this

from  Ken:

Cymbals bright and pure
Bounce off players singing horns
Musicians' New Year

from   Dave:

this one; and

To what shall I liken
this New Year's, warm and brown?
It happens, that's all.

 

from   Cathy:

New day-
leave the paper

white

from  Cindy:

Nearly flash-frozen
on the beach: north wind gusts down
Gastineau Channel.

from   jenett:

Come in from the rain
Reinvent and try again
New without the pain

   

RELATED POSTS:

• New Year Haiku 2008
• Almost time for the New Year Haiku
• New Year Haiku 2007

SEE ALSO:

• small poems
• small poems @ Watermark
• Poem Dancing @ Watermark

Poem From A Friend

This Garden
      Cindy Smith

you cannot know
what you have planted
buttercup, bramble, or choking thorn
they are all here before you
in their most secret form,     root threads
or seeds closed like fists in the sun

and you must pick, and plant
unknowing,  and never knowing
if the mud in your hands
will bring you any living thing let alone
what you want  what you want     water  is

everywhere it is flowing
through your veins it is rolling
in the delicate limbs of the plants
remember to water
life is so thirsty some days it needs
more than you can carry

it all takes faith,
that mute and stubborn stranger
who always waits for what has not happened
and time while the sun etches lines in your face
and luck, who only taps some shoulders
some times
and may never tap yours.