I hope the song I played for you
haunts the back of your mind
like an insidious little worm
that reminds you
what you gave up
and can never have again
Uncategorized
my hardened heart
if you leap in
no hesitations, clothes on, smiling, breathless
and it turns out the water
is a little too shallow,
and cold enough to bite at your skin-
you thought you wanted this so badly that you stay
ignoring the discomfort and pain
until it becomes unbearable
and you have to get out
or freeze to death-
will you dive in so fully
the next time?
to live like children
I wish we could live as fearlessly as children
to roll down a hill without worrying about sticks or stones
swim in the ocean with no thoughts of jellyfish or drowning
to climb a tree again and never once think
about what would happen if I fell
Getting older has made me smarter and wiser, yes
and I’m grateful for what life has taught me
but what I wouldn’t give
to leave the chains of fear behind
and spend an afternoon bathing in utterly careless freedom
untitled
When there’s finally light at the end of the tunnel
it’s hard not to run toward it with abandon
letting the bright light sear your eyes and ruin your vision
until all you can see
is blissful white nothing
but if you approach with care
and let your eyes adjust slowly
you won’t miss a single thing
and the sight of the world on the other side
will only be blinding in its beauty
A Price to Pay
There is something in my house.
They hide in the corners of my eyes
and disappear when I turn my head,
but the open cabinets and missing items
tell me they are real.
So if there is something in your house,
leave out a saucer of milk,
or a cup of honey now and then;
some of them like whiskey, others prefer cookies, some enjoy wine.
If there is something in your house,
even if you can’t see it,
perhaps especially if you can’t,
give them a gift.
These fairies, or goblins, or ghosts
will only return your beloved things
for a price.
Confections
Chocolate dipped oreos lay in neat rows
beside white chocolate pretzels
and beyond that is a few pounds of peanut butter fudge
Sour coated gummies sit in clear bins with scoops
beside a cascade of lemon drops
and a haphazard stack of boxes brimming with salt water taffy
Old fashioned ribbon candy lines the shelf below the myriad of chocolates
And the young person behind the counter
dressed in a bright striped apron and a delicate paper hat
nods gently and smiles at you
but the happiness on display
doesn’t reach their eyes.
bitter winter
some winter days are bitter
with biting wind that makes you work for every step
as your eyes water and your cheeks become windburned
it is easy to hate the cold
but other days
rare, beautiful days;
the sun makes friends with the season
so you can look up into its warmth
and smile,
finding a reason
to appreciate the cold.
Petals
flower petals flutter in my chest
they flit and float
but refuse to lie still
Alone they are soft and fragile-
smooth things,
light and delightful
and easy to carry
Together, they are a frenzy-
a malestrom whirling about with scores of razor sharp rims
wrenching the air from my lungs
and bleeding the dreams from my heart
This year
an ode to 2020
I hope we find our wildest dreams,
whether that is realization or achievement.
May we run toward the grandest things
and leave the futile ones behind;
Take a deep breath,
step out of the shadows,
and shine.
White Christmas Wishes
Winter came in with a snap of its fingers-
harsh winds, snowy streets, and skies full of flurries whistled through November.
Now Christmas is here
and we have nothing
but rain.
Cassandra Bell 