Enjoying some down-time
Some darkness
sadness
anger
frustration
Flying in the face
of perfection
myth
happiness
Soon it came calling
you should
really be careful
sharing
how you
really feel
And I say no
I’m enjoying some downtime
No longer
corroding me
from feet-on-up
I’ve been sad
I should think
you have too
I won’t ever
tell you
you can’t share that
with me

Conforming to type
this genetic legacy
heritage
bone and sinew
Where I came from
written
in every
breath
pulse
thought
feeling
Right now
I have to believe
where I’ve been
has been worth
the travel
for this moment
Each breath
pulse
thought
feeling
preparation
for the next
Me and my heritage
take this next
leap-of-faith

[from Chrissie's prompt: "faith"]

Even as this dust
swallows form
mis-shaping
landmarks
painting
landscapes
ermine
cotton wool
These seeds
lay sleeping
warmed
by cold blankets
Even as the world
disappears
out my window
the world
is readying
to amaze me
again
Come spring
come thaw
come flourishing
brushes
Flagrant
phoenix
optimism

Gradually
she washed away
covered gently
goose-down
feathers
a gown
Gradually
her curves
somnambulant
untraceable
where solid
now diffuse
Gradually
I let her
drift to memory
snapshot
recollections
sensations
Gradually
I moved on
She slept
‘neath calm
white
linen

What is defeat
if not the chance
to rebuild
refocus
rebound
to new battles
or fun
or run
of the heart
Defeat is just
language
no sum
of its parts
These moments
are gifts
for the learning
if we are
but open to being
both
student
and teacher

[tough couple of days, just from the pressure I put on myself]

Like old men
with hearing aides
Irrascible
Shouting
We yell
into video-cams
over internet
miles
Eschewing
the phone
for it’s
so-yesterday
status
We move
in pixelated
interrupted
streams
and call it
connection

[listening to the family on Skype, shouting to family in the UK]

This dog
doesn’t move
so well
His muscles
misfire
Spasmodic
chasing
Whoops for breath
Turbulent heart
But boy
does this boy
love the snow
The dip of his nose
deep in the absence
of smell
scent
reference
Where we see snow
he smells
a slate
wiped clean

[dedicated to our dog, Rocco - who's playing in the snow right now]

It’s not quite the beat
that keeps me dancing
It’s not quite the beat
that keeps my head down
It’s not quite the beat
that gave us The Beatles
It’s not quite the beat
that made my omelet fluffy
It’s not quite the beat
that I write in this box
But it might just be
the beat
when the roll
meets the
rock

[From Travis' prompt: "I'm getting the speed of how this works"]

It’s OK for you
who knows
what you know
to sit
and judge
those
who have
no idea
what they
don’t
It’s OK for you
holding secrets
and codes
laughing
at jokes
that nobody’s
heard

So, please
just for a change
give us a hint?

[from Dot's prompt: "Give us a hint"]

These drifting
twisting
megalomaniac
clouds
Obfuscation
washing white
landscapes
for the unwary
Who may step
in holes
crevices
long-forgotten
dog-poop
land-mines

Oh, how they
love
the drift