Tag Archives: poetry

Asking Bella

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13

Bella

From where did you come,
and where did you go
before you came here to me?
What happened to make you fear
crates and loud noises and the prospect of
being left alone?

Who put you in a cell
with bars and bare cement floors
and people parading by to stare?
How did you choose me
to be the one you would enchant
with your soulful chocolate eyes?

When will I have done enough to thank you
for the privilege of walking this path
with you?

I can imagine answers to my questions,
but I will never truly know.
Of course, some questions have no answers,
and that’s okay. What matters is that
you are the answer to me, and
I am the answer to you.

For Emily and Bella

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #37: Story

Invisible

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27

tracks

You didn’t see me.
You watched my reflection
turn in a direction
you chose not to see.

You didn’t hear me.
You thought I was sleeping.
In fact, I was weeping.
You chose not to hear.

You didn’t touch me.
You thought I might crumble.
You thought you might stumble.
You chose not to feel.

You didn’t miss me.
You thought I had left you,
came not to my rescue.
You chose to move on.

I vow to be seen,
and heard and respected;
my path self-selected;
invisible no more.

dVerse Poetics: Invisible

On Time

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54

time2

Who invented time?

I mean, really…
before there were calendars and watches
and birthdays and scheduling apps and
• b
• u
• l
• l
• e
• t

journals,

who decided we need to slice and dice our days and
months and years into the confines of linear numbers?

The planets and suns and moons
run circles around one another on a fairly regular basis.
They do not, however, march on like time.

Circles, cycles, ellipses, eclipses…
It is humans, not nature, who love to be linear.
We wait in lines to catch the bus, because buses must run on time.
We meet deadlines to stay timely,
read headlines to keep up with the times,
string power lines to serve the demands of modern times,
post bylines, because it’s about time we got credit for our work.

There’s no time like the present.
Time is on our side.
Time stands still for no one.

What would happen if we all became timeless?
I guess only time would tell.

dVerse Poetics: Time and What If? 

The Big Reveal

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34

It is weeks in the making. First the design is conceived, drawn and copied for a pattern to attach to the worktable. Glass is selected by color, texture, opacity… or sometimes simply availability and affordability. The glass is cut, ground and sized until each piece fits perfectly into the pattern. Individual pieces are wrapped with leading, lead joints soldered together, then putty is worked under the lead for stability and waterproofing. Cleaning is done in place with a bristle brush and whiting powder. Then, the wait.

The putty takes three days to set. Twice daily the artisan cleans off any putty that seeps  from beneath the lead. She notices where she applied too much solder. Or too little. She guiltily surveys a piece she had cut too small but used anyway, knowing she could fudge with lead or putty to hide the gap. She second-guesses her glass choices. Will the colors compliment or contrast as she intended? Will the nuances of the design come across as planned?

When the putty is set, it’s time. The artisan lifts the stained glass panel, wipes it clean and rests it gently on a windowsill. She backs away and for the first time gazes upon the completed work. The critical eye judges workmanship, mercilessly and exacting. The artistic eye must wait ‘til the critic quiets. And lastly, the cautious heart will weigh in on the worthiness of the piece. The verdict? We’ll have to wait and see.

patience takes patience
minutes take sixty seconds
waiting takes its time

IMG_0059r

“Hammer Shattering Glass Shattering Hammer” stained glass panel by Maggie C.

dVerse Haibun Monday: Waiting