NOVEMBER POETRY

November 15, 2012 Poetry , POETRY / FICTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Meeting

By

Denise Janikowski-Krewal

 

 

De-tangling my feet from the rusted chains

 

Confining anchor

 

Setting myself free at last

 

Shaking loose, pulling away from the seaweed sludge

 

The bottom of the lake

 

Cementing me to the mud and the sand and the creatures

 

Who became accustomed to me,

 

Feeling the pain in my feet and my legs,

 

Coming from inactivity,

 

Arms becoming fins

 

Pushing up, swimming away

 

From the floating currents

 

Keeping me an underwater prisoner

 

For what seemed like centuries, and may have been

 

Since the air hurts my lungs and my webbed feet and my eyes

 

As it all becomes clear who I really am,

 

Water floods my eyes and my nose,

 

Shrill sounds piercing and ringing in my ears,

 

Hammering, clattering, shattering noises

 

Clamor my brain

 

With only a thought of wasted time.

 

 

 

 

 

Cornflower Comets

By

Denise Janikowski-Krewal

 

 

 

Singing on the rooftop to

 

His sweetheart in another land

 

Another realm

 

Another dilapidated palace of dreams

 

Living the anguish and disappointment

 

Of separated hearts

 

Separated centuries

 

Separated languages

 

Languished in the heat of the day

 

And the terror of the sun

 

And the purple howls of

 

A crying fallen star that crosses their lives

 

Passes through time

 

And cuts through any crevasse

 

While the butter and the flour sizzle on her hands,

 

She ponders the chill on her neck

 

And the unusual song in her mind

 

 

 

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8 Comments

  1. Linda G Hatton November 20, at 18:08

    That first one, wow! I kept wondering if he had died - and then the ending got me. Very powerful. And the second one is so sweet and tender. I love that moment of the boy and girl agreeing to meet again when they're grown. Really nice work!

    Reply
  2. Barbara Ehrentreu November 17, at 22:09

    I loved both of these in different ways. Why? could have been in Beyond the Dark Room. In many ways it's the thoughts any abused woman has and it's very disturbing. I loved the images in both and especially in No Umbrella Needed: "Diamond droplets of pittered-patter-pleasure".

    Reply
  3. De Jackson November 17, at 16:17

    Oh, Pearl. "No Umbrella Needed" is just wonderful. Such powerful images here, in both poems. Excellent work.

    Reply
  4. ina November 17, at 09:28

    Really remarkable poems, Pearl, capturing very different lives and meanings of love. Agree with Misky that "Why" was disturbing and yet impossible to take the eyes off of.

    Reply
  5. Patricia November 17, at 07:22

    Pearl, Misky said it so well! I had a similar reaction to the first poem but could not find the words to describe my response. Thanks Misky!

    Reply
  6. Pearl Ketover Prilik November 17, at 06:28

    Dear Misky and Pat - thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and to comment. It means a great deal to me. Misky - of course I am delighted that you were pulled along, do not intend to disturb except when material itself is disturbing and thrilled that the second poem was 'unfrazzling." Patricia ... "powerful" is perhaps one of my favorite adjectives. Thank you so much. I WELCOME ALL COMMENTS... I you stop by and peek take a moment if you possibly can to leave a reaction. We write because we have to ... We publish because we like to be read (at least IMHO). :)

    Reply
  7. Misky November 16, at 14:00

    The first one, "Why" is very disturbing, and I almost found it difficult to read ... yet I was pulled along with it against my will. An astonishing and disturbing piece, Pearl. The second one was a welcome relief from the way the first left me frazzled. I could actually feel my pulse dropping to normal again as I read it.

    Reply

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