A big, wonderful thank you to Editor Tasha Roberts for publishing my poem on In Between Hangovers.

http://inbetweenhangovers.wordpress.com

Thank you to Editor Sand Pilarski for publishing "The Write Light" in Piker Press.

The Write Light

I am the writer of my days, within my room.
In the thinnest rays of light, beginning the task is very difficult,
my pencil dull with lead soft, my strokes wobbly and staggered,
the paper becomes the Master and I am too disabled to even apprentice.
I am tentative and fearful of error, but I race thoughts to sheet,
what nib I have left must do,
I use shorthand, dabs of words, so very hit or miss.

Some days jagged shards lie atop tear-stained paper,
I struggle to structure all phrases just right,
to rise above near darkness which threatens to leave the page blank,
but I can't decide what to scrawl down to capture the rhythm.
In this deep gloom I feel, but don't see.

During all strongly lit hours in this hushed room,
my slant's more upright and sure with bold even strokes from a vigorous hand.
I am wielding a solid, sharp point to match the acuity of my thoughts,
clarity achieved with minimal missteps, my creation completed without stutters or stops,
violent but safe.
What words matter I'm able to find, rationality controlling emotion,
I am comfortable now with emotion taking persuasive centerstage.
Once indistinct passages take prominent form, my message is well defined and clear,
The process can be quick or slow, but it must be true.

Give me the right tools and the write light.

A very large thank you to Editor Steven Burton for publishing my two poems today in Beneath the Rainbow.

beneaththerainbow.com




Photos courtesy of Beneath the Rainbow

Wealth

I’ve been rich for most of my life,
Lived in times of peace,
Times of strife,
Smelled incense in a dim room with ease,
Absorbed quiet wisdom,
Freedom from black pessimism.

Heard fairy-tales, known conjurors,
Have been both a joyful
Adventurer,
Or retrospect during lulls,
Watched heroes in modest bent,
Explain their most majestic achievements.

Had rumors whispered in my ear,
Chose to let the wind take,

So no one would hear,
Evil words never to cause heartache,
Sat by fires lit for romance,
Stared into flames and watched God’s dance.

In skies, have seen things fall and rise,
See thick fogs roll in,
Storms demise,
Felt heat and cold upon my skin,
Seen and heard oceans roar,
From my theater seat at the shore.

I’ll experience the wealth of man,
In things great or small,
While I can,
Live large and proud or not at all,
Pay others much through me,
Human responsibility.

Moment

That frozen moment in time,
forever etched in memory.
What life remains,
experienced in stops and starts,
starts always back to that moment.

Regret revisited, constantly,
another chance, another chance,
that’s all you need
to turn the tide,
float you back to shore.

Your feet safely on the shore,
sand on your feet
to tell you you’re back.
If only you could go back,
to right before
that forever etched moment in time.

Thank you to Editor Melissa Johnson of Poor Yorick Journal  
for publishing "Velvet Painting."

http://pooryorickjournal.com




Courtesy of Pixabay.

Velvet Painting

by Linda Imbler

–

Inside an odds-and-ends store
On the edge of town
Resides a most unusual creation.
Upstairs in the corner,
Almost hidden from view,
As if meant for my eyes alone.
Painted on black velvet—
A life-size skeleton seated on the chair,
Right ankle resting on left thigh,
A jaunty physical presence
Perfectly posed for camera or painter’s eye
As if in need of a top hat and tails.
Face slightly angled,
All smile,
As if with a secret to share,
Toothsome, wide grin
Normally hidden behind soft lips
And a heart shaped chin.

There is no artist name
On this macabre objet d’ art,
Its creation is
Perhaps the artist’s deliberate act at consternation,
Perhaps s/he was not humored
By an overabundance of Elvis and landscapes.

Its present home
Seems well-suited,
Almost as if being surrounded
By commonplace objects
Has made it less glaring and repellent.
Here in this niche,
A tucked-in canvas.
Maybe the next patron
Will be more voyeuristic
And require its presence closer to home.

Painter statement or joke,
Who can tell?

Coming to Amazon on February 1, 2018!

Paperback $3.99
Kindle Edition $1.99

A short collection of 16 poems, with illustrations.

I am delighted to be included in the January issue of 
GloMag Magazine published by Editor Glory Sasikala.  
Thank you, Glo, for another great month with an incredible collection of worldwide poets!

A very big thank you to Editor Shirley Bell of The Blue Nib for publishing "In Bare Feet."

http://magazine.thebluenib.com