Light — An Image

“Tourne Light” — C.Birde, 6/22

She wrapped me

in Summer’s cloak,

pressed a star’s kiss

to my brow,

& said:

“Do not let

your grief

douse

your light.”

— C.Birde, 7/22

Wash — A Dream

An artfully altered photo of a reed basket sitting on green grass, half-filled with wooden clothespins.
“Clothespins” — C.Birde, 6/22

Wearing periwinkle

& faded denim,

hair hanging

(nearly)

to her waist in pale

drape of texture;

she stands outside

in soft-blooming

light,

clips glossy, new-

washed magazines

to the clothesline’s

drooping bow

where damp pages

dripdripdrip

themselves

to curling dryness

on the green

green grass

below.

— C.Birde, 6/22

The Four Sisters — An Image

A photo looking up through the green-leafed canopy of four old oak trees.
“The Four Sisters” — C.Birde, 6/22

“Come with me…”

she took my hand,

drew me through her

birdsong wake.

“We’ll sit together

at the Four Sisters’ knees

& listen

to their green-leafed

memories.”

 

— C.Birde, 6/22

Eye-to-Eye — A Dream

An artfully altered photo of an eye.
“Eye-to-Eye” — C.Birde, 6/22

The Other –

whose eye is so close to mine, I cannot see…

is it he, or she who studies me? –

remarks upon the color of the iris of my eye:

      “Hazel

in dim light;

      greener

in bright.”

My response:

      “I know.”

Yet, despite our intimate proximity –

quite literally eye-to-eye –

I cannot see the color of the eye that peers      

at me.

— C.Birde, 6/22

Simultanesousness — An Image

A photo of two young sassafras trees, side-by-side, as if in conversation.
“Sassafrasses” — C.Birde, 5/22

“All things exist…”

She held the wind

in her arms,

& song in her hair;

her stance gathered

forests, rivers,

mountains.

“…in a state of

simultaneous-

ness.”

— C.Birde, 5/22

Cut Down — A Dream

A photo of the base of a dogwood tree's trunk amongst green grass.
“Cut Down” — C.Birde, 5/22

Sleep interrupted

by strobe of lights –

red & blue & white

stroked in rotation

of flashes against

the ceiling …

Rise & slip

across the floor,

part the drapes,

& kneel –

forehead to glass –

at the window…

Peer out & down,

absorb the scene

below…

Police & fire &

emergency trucks

cluster in the rain-

flooded street…

People mill & study

their handiwork…

The dogwood –

stretched prone –

lies on wet grass,

a graceless knot

of limbs pricked

in pink blooms…

Twenty-six years

of growth,

cut down…

All that remains,

a ragged stump

in broken light

& rain.

 

— C.Birde, 5/22

 

Woodland — An Image

An artfully altered photo of a spring woodland with a foreground of creeping phlox.
“Creeping Phlox” — C.Birde, 5/22

“Remember

when we walked

arm-in-arm

through

the blue-green

wood?

You said

you would

return…”

Leaves rustling,

flowers blooming,

she paused.

“I’m waiting…”

— C.Birde, 5/22

Directions — A Dream

An artfully altered black-and-white photo of Stonehenge.
“Stonehenge, ’91” — C.Birde, 5/2

Don’t.

Don’t ask me for directions

as you slowly drive by,

one of a long line

in a ribbon

of cars.

I walk

barefoot through downpour &

darkness at the road’s edge;

mud & grit & gravel scour

the tender soles

of my feet…

Ahead,

Stonehenge lifts in pale light…

I stand

at the striped carnival kiosk,

sorting paper scraps from

nickels from bright gold-

foiled chocolate coins;

unable to purchase

entrance.

You think

I know the way

forward?

I think

not.

— C.Birde, 5/22

Beauty — An Image

An artfully augmented photo of a woodland path, the foreground sprinkled with Spring Beauty wildflowers.
“Spring Beauties” — C.Birde, 5/22

“May your path

be strewn

with beauty – ”

she gestured,

& flowers bloomed.

“May you recognize it

as so.”

 

— C.Birde, 5/22

 

 

 

 

 

Cherry Tree — An Image

An artfully altered photo of an old cherry tree, its limbs laden with blushing blossoms.
“Cherry Tree in Bloom” — C.Birde, 4/22

“I arrive

in a flurry of petals,”

her voice sailed,

sweetly scented,

“White, pink, yellow…

given to you

on April’s

tossing breeze.”

— C.Birde, 4/22