Nightfall
carefully curated words dive
from the page
float from clever lips,
and settle with earnest on an acquiescent body
they stir in a makeshift meadow made of sheets
dotted with daisies– perennial, of course–
both blessed to discover a desiderating mouth
can blaze a sacred pilgrimage towards the other’s irresistible cadence
keeping one another in view and resist taunting thoughts of unworthiness
ripped from shadows of self-doubt
one implores the other to accept this invitation to open their palms
free the other’s wrists (temporarily) with pressed lips
to let hands explore bodies of land
cultivated from stardust and ancient lineage–
cultivated from stardust and ancient lineage–
so that they can better taste desire on sea-dipped skin
defying the ocean’s distance with synchronized movement–
its waves will break with envy
the nacreous clouds glide past celestial wonder above them;
they become glistening diamonds on the water’s surface,
succumbing to novalunosis in observing shooting stars,
gazing upon galaxies that undulate
between hues of blue and cenote gold
between hues of blue and cenote gold
until darkness falls–
protecting them like offerings at Dodona;
their adoration oscillating in the rustling of the steady oak’s leaves
16 thoughts on "Nightfall"
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somehow you manage to evoke
the cold ocean–
and volcanic seas
…
and all the waters in between.
rooted in reality,
but flirts along
the edge of fantasy..
love the way it rumbles
down the page.
makes me wonder
what the oracle says:
does it end in death?
p.s. makes me also think of ursula k le guin.. 🙂
Oh, my. Thank you! ☺️
Thank you. I had a difficult time expressing the movement.
The oracle hasn’t spoken yet. In any case, I think these two are too lost in connection to listen to anything an oracle says right now.
Sadly, death is inevitable at June’s closing.
Thank you for reading.
seer says:
junedeath
—soon—
🙂
i think you got the movement.
keyword: waves..
Such is fate.
Thank you re: movement.
Late in arriving but curious to find the discussion of death, as it touches the poem I’m finishing from last night (for today’s). The fact it had slipped into my piece (last night, already) proves the synchronization of hearts and minds so many pairs and triplets, etc, experience in PoMo every year.
H~ you’ve crafted another beautiful offering and, dare I say, one that would please even those gods that whisper to oracles and dwell beneath cenotes and deep waters.
Your taskmaster, Rhea, gave you some difficult words! She (or you) are broadening my vocabulary this year 😂
Might say more when mine is completed.
🙏💙
Ah, thank you, Joseph! I appreciate the generous comments. Today’s vocabulary is all mine. Rhea nearly broke my brain with yesterday’s prompts. 😂 I’ve known her for nearly 20 years. She’s always encouraging me and nudging me to write from spaces I tend to avoid. I appreciate that about her so much. She’s actually the person who convinced me to apply to/attend the Bread Loaf School of English (Class of 2013). I wasn’t sure about it, because it didn’t really match my NYC vibe, but I fell in love with aspects of it, namely some of the brilliant writers with whom I was lucky to connect. My time at Bread Loaf is how I met Chris McCurry, and thus found my way as a guest/humble participant here at PoMo. Despite my lack of connection to Kentucky (sorry, born-and-raised New Yorker, here), he graciously invited me to join you all. It’s been such a magickal experience…one for which I’m eternally grateful. Rhea just happened to make her way back to the BL/PoMo connection this year. Funny, isn’t it?
Yes, death looms near. The end of June is always bittersweet. I won’t lie… it bends more towards sweet when you’re a public high school educator up here. My last day was literally yesterday. It felt good to exhale. I spend most of June writing between class periods and late into the night.
I’m delighted to hear that your vocabulary has expanded. I guess I’m forever the word nerd teacher.
Thank you for always reading and commenting. I tend to write solo and mostly, almost exclusively nonfiction, so such encouragement from a writer of your caliber is beyond appreciated.
I look forward to reading your next poem. June hasn’t ended yet.
Thank you, Joseph. For everything.
I had wondered what your connection was here! Googling (haha, this is in one of the two poems I’m posting in a bit) I saw Breadloaf and assumed that must be it. Christopher is amazing and I’m here (and published) because of his work in my life too.
Glad you get a mini-rest from teaching now.
More…on the rest…to come.
And funny: Another PoMoer shared a quote a few ago. Methinks it apt, or nearly so:
“The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you I have to make you conscious of the things you cannot see.” – James Baldwin
Keep writing. Nonfiction may be your natural medium (as poetry is mine), but you do have a gift to continue fanning into flame here, as well.
Blessed to feel part of the wind.
Resistant/defiant that the rear wall of June may hold it at bay.
Ah, Chris is a food fellow. Amd you quote my biggest intellectual crush: James Baldwin!! 😍
Thanks for being part of the breezy push.
He is. His Marriage Sonnets used to break my heart at Holler every month. I’d look forward to them, specifically, and be sad if he wasn’t in attendance. Then he was a great and inspiring teacher in the Poetry Gauntlet, year long workshop. I hated him when he made us whittle our chapbooks down to 30 pieces, then 15-18. Until we wanted to publish it 😂
Ha! Yes, the disdain to whittle is real. But look at the masterpiece it crafted. It’s a beautiful chapbook (I own a copy).
You are
full-length manuscript
on your own.
☺️
*cough cough*
Lost the internal monologue there for a sec.
What I meant to say was: Awww. There arenMt THAT many copies out there. Touched (nearly touched) that one lies with you 🥹