Pomegranate Sleep — A Poem

An augmented thumbnail sketch of a partially peeled pomegranate.
“Pomegranate Thumbnail” — C.Birde, 1/24

Red & ripe & weighty,

a convexity

in my hands’ cup

Red-gem arils snugged

within thick skin,

protected

She,

Persephone,

swallowed six seeds,

slept through two

seasons,

awoke refreshed

in Spring

The fruit’s thick peel

falls away,

red-skinned white flesh

patterns the counter

I wolf scarlet-bright beads

by the handful,

greedy for slumber curative

& deep,

greedy for uninterrupted

dreaming.

— C.Birde, 1/24

Last Day of February — A Poem

artfully altered photo of snow covered hedge, tree, and lawn.
“February Snow” — C.Birde, 2/23

February

snowfall

f

  a

     l

         l

falling down

d

  o

     w

        n

down white

molt

of Winter’s

wings.

— C.Birde, 2/23

Dis/Belief — A Poem

A photo of green daffodil blade tips emerging from January's soil...
“First Daffodils” — C.Birde, 1/23

Reality

unfolds around us,

but we hide

our flowered heads

in denial.

Daffodils

in January…

— C.Birde, 1/23

HoliDays — A Poem

An abstract photograph of light and color.
“New Year’s Eve” — C.Birde, 12/22

The holidays…

That spill & wash

of extremes –

everything &

     nothing,

chaos &

     silence,

crowds &

     isolation,

bright light &

     healing dark…

The holidays –

that span of time

that left me

on the far shore

of Self,

      breathless,

     disoriented,

     & stumbling –

have past,

& I have again,

at last regained

the holiness

of my

      own

          steps.

— C.Birde, 1/23

Winter Blues — a Poem

An artfully altered photo of a Blue Jay feather.
“Blue” — C.Birde, 12/22

Oh, falling sky – pieces of blue

tipped black & white & falling

Crying bright reply to peanuts

clacking against dark shingles

& rattling aluminum gutters,

white painted.

Jay-filled sky in blue shadows

falling toward my outstretched

hand, emptied now, but hope-

          fueled.

— C.Birde, 12/22

Winter-ish — An Image

An artfully altered photo of a puddle of raindrops collecting at the base of an old Maple's roots.
“Winter-ish, February” — C.Birde, 2/22

“I remember

when Winter met me

with a veil of frost,

a cloak of snow…”

She exhaled

a misted breath.

“Now,

He greets me

with a fall

of tears.”

— C.Birde, 2/22

Evergreen Wisdom — A Poem

An artfully altered photo of snow-limned trees.
“Winter Trees” — C.Birde, 2/22

Wind through

bare trees,

white-edged

with snow,

dispels illusion

of green things

quickening

growing

For a breath,

a moment only

Palms pressed

to maple’s trunk,

ears tuned to birds’

evolving song

Gazing slantwise,

past paper squares

& digital lines aglow,

beyond time

compressed,

confined…

Evergreen-wise

Heart-sight sees,

knows.

— C.Birde, 2/22

Lullaby — An Image

A close-up photograph of birds' footprints in snow.
“Lullaby” — C.Birde, 1/22

“Your small cousins

have composed

a new lullaby…”

She shifted

beneath

snowy blankets.

“Let’s sing…

Together…”

— C.Birde, 1/22

Hush… — An Image

An artfully altered photo of an old suburb; trees and hedge, lawn and road blanketed in snow.
“Morning Snow” — C.Birde, 1/22

“Hush, now…”

She pulled the blanket

up beneath

her chin

with a whisper.

“I’m dreaming…”

— C.Birde, 1/22

Passage — A Poem

Photo of an old White Oak, looking upward through its leafless winter limbs.
“White Oak” — C.Birde, 3/21

Cold wind

full of Winter’s

coarse & paling breath;

that, in slow retreat,

rattles trees’

pre-bud leafless

limbs…

Pass through

this insubstantial form

like

     song.

— C.Birde, 3/21