Fuliginosity

That April of the fall

it was already the burning season;

petal-damp tulips lined

the bent road, curving west.

We donned the camouflaged windbreaker

of nomads, who have nothing but each other—

dashed from rock to rock along the river’s edge

watching flames lick the surface, catching fire

to ferns and evergreens,

and burning down the barns and silos

behind us.

We ran from it, singed, to each other,

knowing together

we’d be able to save us

and our crumpled matchbook hearts

tossed somewhere in the

ka-chunk, ka-chunk, ka-chunk

of old tracks, trained so many

miles long.

© 2014 Jennifer Wagner

lemon blossom & lavender

my alabaster box is broken

my hair perfumed

i am the weeping woman, child

lost & found

i am like stardust

hammocked

in the web of the moon, dreamer

asleep in the blue-flame rain, cloud and fog

delivered on the dark-smoke water

eyelids stirring

in dappled light

opening to the full

s     t     r     e     t     c     h

in the sweet summer sun

when everything is new again,

believing

i am my best work

in my pajamas, cuddling

my preferred method

of communication

i am a seeker of poison

to extract from wounds,

salve when storm-blistered,

and hope when there is

nothing else

i am consumed

in crimson smolder passion

and peaceful glow, soft & bold

my alabaster box is broken

my hair perfumed

i am the weeping woman, child

lost & found

© 2014 Jennifer Wagner

photo © 2014 jennifer wagner

For dVerse Meeting the Bar:  Self Portraits.  Brian has challenged us to write a "selfie" poem which can be "symbolic, metaphorical, descriptive".

Honus

T206 Honus Wagner Baseball Card

Image in the Public Domain

When you’re rare

you’re worth a lot.

Even if you’re just

the kid brother afterthought

working in a coal mine

at 12 years old—

you can

dream,

believe,

become.

Like becoming

one of the

first 5 players elected

to the National Baseball Hall of Fame,

or becoming

the first

to get your signature on

the Louisville Slugger,

or have yours

be the most valuable

baseball card in history.

Like Honus,

there’s only one you,

and it might be schmaltzy

to say, but—

that’s pretty rare.

© 2014 Jennifer Wagner

Poetry Jam:  Baseball & Barriers