Tea with Autumn — A Poem

An artfully altered photo of fallen leaves.
“Leaf-Fall” — C.Birde, 11/21

Underfoot,

restive shift & drift

of fallen leaves –

maple, oak, hickory.

Above,

broad sky stirred

to depth of blue

half-recalled,

unprecedented.

Linger, Autumn.

The kettle boils –

always have I time

for you.

— C.Birde, 11/21

Affirmation — An Image

An artfully altered photo of a Sweetgum tree, whose leaves have turned yellow and orange, against a blue sky.
“Sweetgum” — C.Birde, 11/21


“I shall wrap myself

in Autumn blue,

stitched all through

with gold,”

— her affirmation glittered,

scattered light

as she spoke —

“& inhale

the pale pink fragrance

of the season’s

final, faded

rose…”

— C.Birde, 11/21

Objection — A Poem

An artfully altered photo of a nest of reddish-purple, dried Oxalis leaves.
“Dried Oxalis” — C.Birde, 11/21

The oxalis –

brought indoors

before first frost,

to save it

from expiry –

drops leaves

       wine-dark

       shriveled

       paper-dry

Tongueless

Mute objection

of cold & dark

to come.

— C.Birde, 11/21

Liminality — A Dream

An artfully altered photo of a made bed, with white coverelet and pillows.
“Bed” — C.Birde, 11/21

Asleep or awake…

In liminal space,

she sits –

gauze covered –

on the bed’s edge

Considering

Reflecting

Her form,

a map of contours –

shoulders & hips,

waist & spine,

profile;

Her hair,

a knot at the base

of her neck;

All

softly blurred under

film-white layers

as she shifts,

lowers

d

o

w

n

atop the coverlet

gently beside me,

entirely at ease

in liminal space

Neither asleep

nor awake…

— C.Birde, 11/21

Exchange — An Image

An artfully altered photo of autumn trees reflected in a slip of creek-rippled pond.
“Exchange” — C.Birde, 10/21

“Come…”

Her invitation arrived

in a refrain of gold leaves…

“We’ll watch the exchange

of russet, ochre, bronze

for green…”

|

|

|

— C.Birde, 10/21

Reflection — A Poem

An artfully altered
“Beeches” — C.Birde, 10/21

Observe,

so sweet a sylvan pair

that for decades,

having side-by-side

together grown,

now glide

smooth torsos

one against another,

entangle limbs,

& gently,

oh, so gently sigh…

Observe & know –

tis yet another

thee & I.

— C.Birde, 10/21

Un-Nailed — A Dream

An artfully altered photo of a hand, the ring-finger of which has an extremely long nail.
“Nail” — C.Birde, 10/21

On the left hand –

hand of the moon,

the feminine, the emotions,

& the hidden;

On the ring finger –

finger of the heart line,

of creativity, beauty,

& love;

The nail here –

     of this hand & this finger –

has grown

to extraordinary length,

& when touched,

tilts –

     painlessly –

from its bed, removed.

Inspect, at eye level,

this two-and-a-half-inch

semi-circular keratin shaft;

Inspect the convex,

empty bed;

Realize –

astonished –

each, with soft gray lint,

is filled.

Reseat the nail –

     carefully –

refit it to its powdery,

dust-gray base;

With the right hand,

gingerly place & press it,

thus;

Held now –

     nail of the left finger,

     of the left hand –

to its original place

(a temporary fix,

at best).

— C.Birde, 10/21

Galatea — A Poem

An abstract photo of bright-colored light and shadow.
“Song” — C.Birde, 10/21

Sing me

into Being,

a breath-born

Galatea exhaled

in the key of D

An Air carried

along air’s edge

By lips & fingers

coaxed,

untethered

Heart tempo’ed

Soul scribed

New-woven

     song

of me.

— C.Birde, 10/21

Water Wall — A Dream

An artfully altered photo of gray vertical lines that lose structure at the edges...
“Water Wall” — C.Birde, 10/21

Confinement

cast in barren walls;

smooth-polished floors

of wood

A spartan space

Devoid of comfort,

coloration,

but for a single blue-gray

drape that stirs –

alive with motion –

draws attention

to stretched-wide

sliding doors of glass

Step through…

(bare feet exposed

to metallic bite

of the threshold’s sill…)

& pass without…

A cloistered deck awaits….

(O, secondary ruse…)

Gaze up, neck craned…

Witness to impossibility,

to the unprecedented –

A looming verticality

of storm-gray water…

A towering sea-wall

barricade that sways & ripples,

looms & eddies,

a-swim in motion overhead…

Extend a hand…

trace white curls & lines

of foam…

touch small leaves of ochre

caught in spiral currents,

& recognize…

(with sudden indrawn breath)

the trap’s new-altered

height & width & length.

Although recast, reshaped,

confinement yet

     remains.

— C.Birde, 10/21

Burnished — An Image

An artfully altered photo looking through the trees of shadow-stroked, leaf-carpeted earth.
“Burnished” — C.Birde, 10/21

“Yes,

day’s length shrinks,

pinched

at either end…”

Her leaf-crowned head

rustled agreement.

“…but I’ve burnished

the light to

g o l d…”

— C.Birde, 10/21