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Tuesday, January 17, 2012

HANDFUL OF DUST




She often spoke in rhyme or verse.
A strong semi-classical face.
Decked out in shocking pink.
And who needs a bra?

Her mother was a sorceress.
She has the power to move
objects with her mind.

Compellingly strange.
An ambiguous mystery
wavering between good and evil.

Rising early on Saturday
mornings to watch cartoons.
Coffee enemas laced with hallucinogens.
She has the power to
turn men into murderous zombies.

Sailing into treacherous waters.
Storm clouds gathering on the horizon.
You must make her stay.
Faced with the ghosts of
the past, your summer love
will fade like a press-on tattoo.

Mounting a furious campaign
to find a new love by Columbus Day.
Taking a transatlantic cruise to Zanzibar. 
Then, in the rain forest
somewhere near the Indian Ocean--
bees and wasps and flies.
Calls of a thousand strange creatures.

Back in the sunny land
you practice the changing of reality
 like a film with an alternate ending.

It is going to be a night to remember.

The scent of sandalwood from an open doorway.
Background music.
The thrum of guitars.
Crimson And Clover over and over. 

The sun sets in her amber eyes.
The ink black night.
A veil of white.
The sound of rain,
sharp, like the pangs of regret.

A handful of dust.

Tambourines. 














18 comments:

  1. This has so many different images and layers to it - its a great read. Thanks, moskowitz

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  2. Each line..each piece of this so beautiful...frantic at times..peaceful in others..it captured my imagination from the first line.

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  3. I hate those alternate endings, they are usually alternate for a reason..haha...and dust ewww, dead skin cells stir up my ocd..lol

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  4. I love your poetry! You always create the most fascinating characters. I must say though, bras are necessary because gravity works. :-)

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  5. Another great read, my friend P! This like trip down memory lane ... I wrote a piece once called 'Patchouli' a while ago ... should be still there somewhere in my blog ... in case you interested to scroll down a bit ... uhm, I wonder ... maybe catnip smokable ... Meow! cat. http://catsruledogsdroole.blogspot.com/

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    Replies
    1. i think your close is marvelous...she sounds quite the character..and that life perhaps helped her along that path as well...

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    2. BUDDAH: Thanks for your enlightening comment.

      SUSIE: Much appreciated, and so nice to see you here.

      PAT: LOL

      TERESA: Thank you my dear...yeah, gravity--that's inevitable...I still prefer the natural look, though!

      CAT: I'll check it out. I think I tried to smoke catnip once back in the day...MISTAKE! LOL

      BRIAN: Glad you like, my friend.

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  6. Sometimes you freak me completely out with your ability to get inside my head with your images, make me feel I know or worse yet, *am* the characters--this is really rock solid work, Timo. "your summer love/ will fade like a press-on tattoo...' so been there done that. Fine poem.

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  7. Wow, what a tale this is. Great images, fantastic mood. I especially love "A handful of dust. Tambourines."

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  8. Crimson And clover
    over and over...makes me hum that song...probably all day long now...ha
    love the description of her...whew...quite the character lady...surely not boring.. great write tim

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  9. outstanding piece - top 2 toe - i loved it. read aloud it soars! :)

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  10. I'm with Arron...aloud is excellence! And like Claudia, that song will be with me till next OpenLinkNight. This is magical, mysterious, I didn't want it to end, but even that, you handled perfectly. Standing ovation on this one. Gold star, Poet!

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  11. Hi Tim, it seems I have been away from your site too long, I've missed your poems, haha.

    I'm glad to be back here, and this one's gotta be my favorite. Carrie White came to mind...

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  12. Like something out of a Tibetan demon Tanka! chilling. This really stood out for me:

    Faced with the ghosts of
    the past, your summer love
    will fade like a press-on tattoo.

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  13. wow, this is really great. I can see her clearly, and you kept me engaged 'till the end. Well done :)

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  14. HEDGEWITCH: I must have had you in mind when I wrote it. LOL

    SHERRY: Thanks for checking in--hope you are doing well.

    CLAUDIA: Your comments always appreciated. (Did I mention I really liked your singing with the guitar?)

    ARRON: Thanks. Some have mentioned it would be a good performance poem--next time I do that, I will include it!

    NATASHA: You're too kind to me (but don't stop...don't STOP!!!)

    EVIL SQUIRREL: How wonderful to hear from you again! Hope to see more of you.

    CHARLES: Thanks, buddy. Remember the first time you put a press-on tattoo on your arm and freaked your mother out?

    LORI: How you doin'? Wishing you the best, as always!

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  15. Such vivid imagery. What a romp. I loved it!

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