Friday, September 28, 2012

Falling - A Set of Haiku



old country road
blanket of pine needles
your cheeks ruddy


-------------------


my cold hand
in yours
warm


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smoke rising
flames bursting
scent of leaves


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sweeping over
shades of dusk
black crow moon


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cattle lowing
a song
for autumn


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cider
cinnamon swizzle stick
hints on my lips


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crème brûlée,
and the salt in your kiss
delicious


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Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner

recuerda mi corazon and Poetry Pantry

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Newly Fallen White



Her skirt of scarlet pulled
from the ankle;

as she hastened her steps
breath rose in forms of smoky blue.

Stopping cold on broken twigs
frozen in fairy tale,

she peered upward. Snow fell
with no cloud in the sky.

How soon lovers forsake the
faithful whispers of moonlight;

cooing birds shutter, flutter
and blur the lines with tears.

She’d only wanted one to love her,
but tragic oaths of mutilated promise                 

breed an anemic beast hungry for
a burning, scorching bite.

The milky air
washed invisible the copse of antiquity

while her lips turned aubergine
against the newly fallen white of frosty vows.

She squeezed the fruit and
licked the juice of indiscretion

with no pleasure.



Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner

dVerse OpenLinkNight Opening 12pm Pacific Time

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

9:11 am



Shift ends at 8am
and I look over at the clock

It’s odd to me he often arrives
at 9:11, post commute

I try not to think about
that nightmare

I had struggled to get
out of my mouth

Shaking and choking
as I tried to tell him about it;

The one where I am at his funeral
with our sons beside me

I just enjoy the moment
of being a firefighter’s wife

Enjoy his smile and laugh
full, when he bursts in the door

Sounding like the Ghost of Christmas Present
rich and deep, full of all things good

Today is the day I think about those photographs
with the towers in calamity

The firefighters rushing to, and in
while others are running away, and out

The looks on their faces
telling bravery is not without fear

It is committing to give
in spite of it

Not withdrawing
courage to save someone else’s spouse,

Someone else’s children
while praying someone will remember theirs

And I do





Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner 

Posted to dVerse Poets

Friday, September 7, 2012

Russet and Gold


russet dreams
in flax and gold
spun through my fingers



crisp and cool
and bright
the mornings of disappearing mist



crunch of apples
sliced and sprinkled
cinnamon and sugar



little fingers
licked clean
i kiss their cowlicked heads


 
Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner

Autumn Series Haiku 

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Purple Shoelaces


She is
hiding behind black everything—
hair protruding from a black hoodie,
covering all but one eye.

Headphones are pumping sounds
into the darkly shrouded form;
I see the wires that must lead to an iPod
—hidden somewhere.

Staring down, so as not to
greet the oft-dismissing world, she walks
with slow purpose, counting the steps,
within the walls
where she keeps her fear of rejection.

She looks at me, despite herself,
as if she doesn’t want to be seen, but does—
and she can’t hide it
soon enough
that she is happy
to be noticed.

Hers eyes are pools of wounded gray,
deep, and soulful.
And I keep looking—eyes tell stories,
and dreams,
and everyone should have one.

Then I spot them—her black Converse shoes
have purple shoelaces,
and this bespeaks
the truth.
She doesn’t want to be disregarded.
Hiding
is just waiting
until it’s safe
to be seen.

I smile, at them, at her;
and she grins, lifts her chin,
and walks on.
While it occurs to me
we’re all
wearing purple shoelaces.



Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner