Excerpt from “Her Grave”
Finally,
the slick mountains of love
break over us.
Poetry
Our Song
And we laughed into the sunlight
Ferris wheels spinning in the distance
Sunsets and fireflies and your laughter went on for miles and miles
Into the sunset it would never end it never did
Magic hour was on the dial and we had it over easy every morning
With our midnight jokes you said I was funny and you meant it
It was true and I can still hear your voice late at night
Cause you know this montage spins like a vintage record player
Like Simon and Garfunkel in the rain it just passes the time and someday
On a sunny day when you’re walking around town
And the sun hits just right while you’re getting your ice cream
You’ll put her on and you’ll think to yourself,
This was a good song.
Photograph
You told me life was impermanent, that like dandelions, we all fade
And I’m too ashamed to say that I don’t want to be alone
I’m too scared to admit
That I find meaning in every little thing you say
And I don’t want to hear what you said circling in my mind
In that empty room in the dark as the lights go out across the city
I’m too scared to tell you that
I wanted to paint you in a memory that I can’t even place
on fingertip, on in-between, on this nonstop reel of
flashing scenes, of poetry, of faded light
She said “I paint flowers so they will not die,”
And I wanted to take this record and make it spin forever.
If I could bottle up your brilliant heart and give it to the
sun
watch it rise every morning
as I lift my head from the pillow
Maybe I’d remember
this is why we love.
Jijivisha
Waxing gibbous,
moon, waning
We rose up in the sky that night and you
were the breeze leading me home.
You said “Take my hand and we’ll tuck this memory
into a little place in your heart forever”
And you were the red in my lips
and the smoke rising from the flame
You were the stars shooting across the sky
our hearts,
fireflies
New Poetry Collection Published!
I couldn’t be more excited to announce that this weekend, I accomplished one of my lifelong dreams of self-publishing a book of my poetry! Through many iterations and rounds of design with my editors, manuscript, and cover design artists – and through the amazing feedback and suggestions from friends and family – I am now live on Amazon for purchase!
Poetry is something that’s always had a special place in my heart, and I’m thrilled to put into the world my contribution to what is absolutely one of my favorite art forms.
If you feel so inclined, here’s the link for some good bedside reading ☺️: bit.ly/tellmesomethingbeautiful
Still
I remember the days of innocence
promises left between the cracks in the sidewalks
dandelion blowing in the wind
but they always seemed to stay just long enough, floating sparkles in the sky
we’d lift our heads towards the ocean
sea breeze mix of hope and wonder
lungs filled with oxygen
breathing
weeping
grieving
life life life
i swear it is hiding beneath the staircase, it is tucked under the corner
it is planted beneath this pavement
it is trying to speak
Andromeda
Sunflower big bang star explosion
Kiss me quickly with your gentle
Kill me quickly with your sunshine
Show me dancing with your high line
Hold my heart
Make it explode into a million tiny pieces in the night sky
Hydra
Cassiopeia
Andromeda
Alhena
Love me so hard I repeat my existence
Over and over and over
Love me so hard you’ll never have to stop
Nevermore
Your hyper-star gaze
Visceral in my throat punch
Smile cocked like a gun
Checking my tires
Popped them like a mail gun
Tell me wicked little secrets
Titillate me with your devilish desires
Wake me stupid with your dirty charms
Til I sleep in nevermore
Choke me lurid with your tailspin
Wake me stupid from a daydream
Take me weakly with your left hand
Lullaby me nevermore
Lentils
“No reason to lie when you can shock them with the truth. It’s more interesting anyway,” you said.
Lentils, cooked or not, are still lentils. They just smell different. I squeezed them tightly in palm of my hand.
“Anthony, why’d you give me cooked lentils? That’s so weird. Why are you so weird?” He always loved lentils. The red kind, not the green.
“Anthony. Darling. Let’s walk up this hill and catch the last sunset together. It’ll be worth it. I’ll buy you a home by the sea, just like you wanted.”
You asked me why.
“Because that’s what people do when they love each other, Anthony. That’s what we do.”
For the unforgettable – Ecuadorian flute bearing – MJ.
-mh-
Knife
Slice me open like a renegade You runaway black star
Kiss me quick like a snake
Let your poison dangle over my heavy bones
Tickle me slowly with your feathery gaze Hunt my flesh
Make me hunger for your bloodthirsty Kill
Seething love through my vertebrae Shaking rain make me thunder
For your whole
Tell Me Something Beautiful 