Archie Leach — A Dream

An artfully altered photo, taken of a television screen while watching a movie, of Cary Grant.
“A.Leach” — C.Birde, 1/22

Who are you to me,

Mister Leach?

That you glide

from nostalgia’s

silver screen?

Stride languidly

through Dream plains

of wild Psyche?

Debonair in style,

urbane of gesture,

smooth-suited

& Brylcreemed

to characteristic

perfection;

utterly untouched

by Time’s pitiless

transit

Coy-smile flirtation

Determinedly

searching for…

questioning…

Dream within dream,

thrice calling.

Ever & always welcome,

dear Mister Leach –

please, do visit again.

Still, waking curiosity

compels:

Who are you to me?

— C.Birde, 1/22

Ask… — A Poem

IMG_20200422_090512_056~2.jpg
“Nightstand” — C.Birde, 4/20

 

Ask

something concrete…

What books I’ve accumulated,

over the past five weeks –

eight, thus far:

three new; five used;

two classics;

one not yet received.

(Ask

for an illustrative

Venn Diagram.)

Ask

if the stack on the nightstand

leans –

those Dead Girls & Cousins

& Innkeepers & Unicorns;

the modern-day Persephone;

the House of Tremontaine

& Castle Gormenghast

all listing crookedly,

patiently,

waiting for Wintering.

Ask

how much I read –

two paragraphs each night,

maybe three

(the stack could last indefinitely);

a comfort of words,

in self-prescribed doses.

Ask

the tangible, the specific;

I’ll answer eagerly,

each query a forbidden fruit –

tart, acidic, honey-sweet.

But please –

oh, please –

avoid the vague,

the nebulous,

the hazy;

do not disrupt

this tenuous balance;

do not ask me

how I

am.

 

— C.Birde, 4/20

 

Illusion — An Image

 

Illusion.jpg
“Illusion” — C.Birde, 12/18

 

Observed directly,

the fabric

of illusion

— like a dream —

ripples,

s l e w s,

slips

 

— C.Birde, 12/18

 

Yesterday — An Image

 

Yesterday
“Yesterday” — C.Birde, 1/18

 

 

The bright light

and clarity

of today

does not obscure

the trials

of yesterday.

 

— C.Birde, 1/18

 

 

Moonwise — An Image

Moonwise.jpg
“Moonwise” — A.Schnitzler & C.Birde, 12/7

 

Like dreams

and mad schemes,

the Moon remains

out of reach —

gliding, grinning,

swollen with

knowing.

 

— C.Birde, 12/17

 

 

You — A Poem

Us.png
“Us” — C.Birde, 11/17

 

Wide awake,

in fully-present,

part-suspended state,

I dreamt of you –

from yesterday;

and thirty years ago.

From the many days

between.

Those images –

edges eased,

contours softened –

aligned,

one upon another.

Years —

meaningless;

momentous;

manifest.

Your smile,

your laugh –

so dear to me –

remain

unchanged.

 

 

— C.Birde

Drench — An Image

 

 

Drench
“Drench” — C.Birde, 7/17

 

 

The rain fell

with the impatience

of countless

drumming

fingers.

 

— C.Birde, 7/17

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflect — An Image

reflection rain raindrops weather nature puddles beauty
“Reflect” — C.Birde, 6/17

 

Like rain falling,

f

a

l

l

e

n,

Memories collect

to dimple

the surface.

 

— C.Birde, 6/17

 

Pocket Sanctuary — An Image

Garden Arch 2.jpg
“Garden Arch” — C.Birde, 5/17

 

Duck the twining honeysuckle,

dripping with recent rain,

enter through the open gate

on two legs, four, or six,

on wings;

Let hearts be softened,

fears soothed,

hurts healed;

Leave all anger

and hardness behind

this pocket sanctuary,

to be swept away,

un-needed,

forgotten.

— C.Birde, 5/17