In Case of Delight

In case of delight,

be careful.

Soon there will come 

darkness

to hold your hand.

Delight,

which you cannot escape,

is followed

eventually

by the shadow —

attached, it seems at first,

so tenuously,

it might almost be

separate,

a different thing.

It is not.

Be careful,

in case of delight.

Poetic Asides April Poem A Day Challenge 2013, 11: In case of ...

Suffering

Suffering is what 

he does not have any more. 

Suffering is what I remind myself

he does not have any more.

Suffering is what I saw

him enduring bravely; 

what I found so hard 

to endure seeing. (Trying 

to do so bravely. Trying to 

alleviate, half succeeding, 

but ...). Suffering — his — 

is what I have most cried for

since he died. Silly really;

it's all over now — but still

I weep that it was.

Well, I'm almost done,

I believe. Suffering is not

where I want to keep living.

Poetic Asides April Poem A Day Challenge 2013, 10: Suffering

Hunting for Me

I am hunting for me

at these crossroads

where I stand and hesitate

alone, invisible.

So many paths to the future!

Not all will suit my feet.

And they go in different ways

to different destinations.

First I must re-discover

the me I left behind 

at the point before brambles

covered the road.

Where would she have gone

if the way had been clear

of thorns and tangles?

What would she have discerned?

Who was she, that girl?

That woman?

I know the face ... almost ...

as one dimly remembered.

I close my eyes, step out,

creating a new path:

questing for me in my future,

on the chase to catch myself.

Poetic Asides April Poem A Day Challenge 2013, 9: A hunter poem and/or a hunted poem.

Instructions to the Bereaved

Many things are just the same.

You still need to get on 

with the physical business of living.

Eat, pee, sleep, wash, and so on.

Do the dishes, put the dishes away ...

observe the normal routines

that made the household function

for two — as it must for one.

You'll notice you still cook dinner, 

still read, watch television, feed the cats,

sit at your computer, write ... do all

that you did before with company.

There is basically only one difference —

and the many small changes

which follow from that. Some you like,

some not. They may be the same.

You spread out in the double bed (you

and the cats). That can be luxurious

or bleak. Taking the other chair, not

to see it empty, you find it better placed.

No-one (except for those cats) 

will nag you now for meals, or when 

to come to bed. Be thankful for the cats!

You too need food. You need sleep.

At first you may decide and plan

activities your Other would have liked,

things you believe they wanted. 

At this point heed the wise advice

your son the other day returned to you,

which he says you gave to him

decades ago, after his father died: 'Don't 

live someone else's life; live your own.'

Poetic Asides April PAD Challenge 2013, 8: Instructional poem.

Submitted for dVerse Open Link Night #91

Sevenling (Relating)

David, Julie and Alesha moved closer

as the lovely lady read my aura.

‘Are you all family?’ she asked.

‘This is my son,’ I said, then hesitated.

‘I’m his partner,’ said Julie, ‘And this

is my child.’ I relaxed. Hooray, it's official!

The reader said, ‘Your aura is full of love.’

Poetic Asides April Poem A Day Challenge 2013, 7: Write a sevenling.
Submitted for dVerse Poetics: The anecdote (though this might be more a vignette).

Frustration / Perseverance

I'm posting to my facebook photography group

over and over again — right now. I'd like 

to get to bed some time soon, preferably

without breaking down and screaming.

But it will not load and will not load ...

I am not the only one. Many complain.

Some give up altogether. I go on

repeatedly posting and posting, or rather

starting to post. Failing. Sometimes

the attempt spontaneously aborts.

The blue line dances backwards to nothing.

Sometimes it sticks half way or less,

and will not move to completion.

No matter if I select the image with a click 

or drag and drop. When it won't, it won't.

Seems to depend on the time of day —

when facebook is busy here

in the Southern Hemisphere, and also

when it's active in the North, no go. 
Have to time it right, but it's only guesswork.

Packing it in now. I'll try again tomorrow.

Poetic Asides April Poem A Day Challenge, 6: a post poem

Arithmetic

One plus one is two.

Two can grow to be one.

Some couples multiply,

becoming one family

of three or four or more.

We didn't do it that way;

not with each other.

Our former families divided.

And grew, as the children

matured and married ...

and dispersed.

Each of us (we two)

became single.

Met. Joined. Coupled.

One plus one makes two.

Two become one unit:

one couple. A single couple.

Merging, fusing, two

can grow to be as one.

This is everything!

But they may separate.

One can part from one,

leaving one alone ...

feeling like nothing.

Is this not singular?

Poetic Asides April PAD Challenge 2013, 5: a plus poem.

Hold That Moment

Hold that moment in your arms tonight,

that memory of that moment 

when you held the One in your arms 

for real, and vowed you would never let go.

And you didn't — so don't let go now.

Cling and recapture, enfold

that moment in your full embrace.

Hold it there. Clasp that moment.

Poetic Asides April Poem A Day Challenge 2013, 4: Hold That —

Tentative Poem

This poem is made out of nothing

so how can it begin?  

There are so many directions   

this poem might take —

which one? 

What is the mood of this poem?

It seems uncertain.

The message, then?

Indeterminate as clouds

drifting and shape-shifting through the air.

Poetic Asides April Poem A Day Challenge 2013, 3: a tentative poem

Occupation: Poet

... exercised in the still night 

when only the moon rages ...

— DylanThomas

I've spent my life this way —

sitting up late at night on my own 

with the moon and the darkness, 

making poems

through school and university,

marriages, children, pets, 

friendships, jobs, travels,

in sickness and in health ...

Now that I'm old and alone

contemplating what's to come,

I see it will be the same.

Why would it change?

Half-dozing at my computer,

envisioning solitary nights

up late for the rest of my life, 

absorbed in the making of poems,

I hear the voice of my late, dearest love

call as from a long way off 

his eternal encouragement: 'Yes!' 

and I become light.

Poetic Asides April Poem A Day Challenge 2013, 2: 

a dark or a light poem, or one of each. This is both in one.

Also submitted for dVerse Open Link Night #90

After the Spiritual Healing

Relief — to be assuaged of grief.

Not yet completely free of it,

but at least a respite from the worst.

The pain can't be so bad again.

With thanks I reconnect the links:

in my heart he lives, we're not apart.

Poetic Asides April Poem A Day Challenge 2013, 1: A new arrival