Heat comesafter the cool of morningdown out of a clear blue skythat reaches upwardstowards forever. Land bakes underoven-air that parchesgrass and flower,sears the souland wearies hearts and limbs. Over the mountains building, towering, darkening clouds confoundthe sunbright heat,lift gales,fling lightning boltswith a crack and grumble and rain buckets down at lastto bludgeon flowersinto the sudden …
Author Archives: Ciel
Summer Creek
Silt settles in the summer creekover hard-wedged woodand largish stubborn stoneslaid bright and baresince vernal torrentsripped raw the bed,tore out old banksand little bridges loosed rode wild on white-watershattered against rock after rock… The sun is warm now glimmeringover the water where leafy branchesgaze and tease the eyewhere the pebbles colorful and stripedand many shades …
Tennis for the Blind
I played the game,took my side of the netand playedthe best I couldthe best I knewlobbed ball after ballfair shots, all,shared good volleys,you could hear my laughter,I could hear your smile… Even when the balldid not return still I playedand played looked for, waited for returnsthat did not come… I served at lastthe last ball …
Duet
Voice of eagle,Voice of larklace-likerising through a skyagainst storm clouds darkand brilliant-edgedthe silver dashing rainabout to fall… Harmonics risingbuilding vastrelentless out of the mighty stones:deep thundernot of clouded skiesbut from earth’s very heartresounds… Bright song piercescrying angel-high;God-profundoout of abyssal silencesuddenlywas always there… Duet sublimeas Life and Deathare One. May 2011 CL Reddingrevisions 2024
Do You Know…?
Do you know the signs of grief–denialanger and despairapathyacceptance–how they followone upon the otherat a gallopfirst and thena lope… How over timea weariness sets inthe pain, less fierceneed not be galloped throughheadlong…and days it takesat last, again to feel each stagein all its richnessall its depth… Weeks revolveexploringsorting weepingtaking hold againof faith, of lifebut if …
In the night…
Dark mistsuneasy dreamssurroundpenetratedrop small soundsthat could be anything… A small thingsimply living its small lifeprey, and subtle?Or predatora little careless–who can know? Monster in the darkPrey–softly breathingheart beating warmin a circle of light…Distantlyhowlingmourning–the wolf. 2011 CL Redding revised 2024
Another Morning After
Each morning wakingyou are less and lessin my first thoughtand shame is passinginto just embarrassmentand simple pain. Yet still my eye–with each flicker of a glanceof what I saw you inthat passes in the roador on the screenor in a passing thought–still shies away,seeks haven in any other thing. But there are so fewthat have …
Who?
I look for youyour sweet face gleamingon the very edge of dreaming,I seek you, yearningto believe,to knowthat you are real…that we are in a worldtogether loving,touching, laughing,waltzing on a harlequin ballroom floor,chequered black and white,smooth and perfectin a forest glen,beneath crystal skiesand lit bydancing fireflies… 2005 CL Redding
Too Late Too Soon
I believed you’d live forever,though I know it can’t be so–I’ve always known I’d lose you,though I felt you’d never go…There’d be time some perfect day to speakthe long-unspoken word,To tell you all I needed to,to be sure that you had heard…That there’d be time to listen,to show how much I careTo be sure you …
Bitter Grapes
Wine was once upon a time divine but now, somehow, the elegance is soured as it’s taken and devoured what I knew of you and thought was fine. You sleep it off, unconscious that the sabotage is done, today, tonight are gone, tomorrow spoken for with stumbling tongue and eyes that will not wake to …
LOOSELY SPEAKING... 