“Squirrel”
Child me used to name
The squirrels who romped near my house
And envy their play.
Steve D
Child me used to name
The squirrels who romped near my house
And envy their play.
Steve D
Winds bow tall grasses
Over shallow riverbanks,
Their whispers unheard.
Steve D

Aren’t these theme posts supposed to be published on the first of the month? Yes, yes they are.
Are they always? Almost never. Whoops. Continue reading “December’s Theme – I’m Late, I’m Late, For A Very Important Date….”
Patience that knows no shore,
Washes into a sea of restless waiting for
Effort to come to fruition.
Pleading for permission.
I’m begging you: release me from this prison
Of blind high dives and titanic lies.
Water, water everywhere
And not a drop to drink Continue reading “Misplaced Missive #5: Lost At Sea”
Long-faced child of war-
Soft hazel eyes search the trees
Knowing not for what.
Author’s Note: Aston is the other protagonist (along with Jaed) for my novel, “Aston and Jaed”. Aston looks much like an ethnic Felding; fair skin, hazel eyes, light brown hair, and a tall, lean build. A young man of 19, Aston grew up in the shadow of the Second Clan War, in which his father was killed when Aston was only twelve. Aston has a strong sense of duty for his family, but he also cares for Jaed deeply. He must reconcile his past in order to become the honorable man he wants to be.
Layers of green blood,
Windswept lines twisting, curling,
Stains of history
Author’s Note: I love tattoos. I only have one myself, mostly because of cost, but I also love the history of tattoos across the world. Many cultures use tattoos to tell the histories of their people, their families. Tattoos play varying roles for many of the cultures of Ur’Dan. For Feldings, tattoos are traditionally used as a coming-of-age symbol, a mark earned by the bearer and recognized by their comrades, especially warriors. Felding tattoos are made up of swirling lines of dark green ink, beginning at the wrist and sweeping up the arm. The higher the tattoos go, the more respected the warrior is, and the more likely their names will be remembered.
Steve D
Reflex
A palm full of crescent moons remains,
A sky without stars or light;
A reflex of rage leaves blood on the page. Continue reading “Villanelle – Aggression – JG”
Gold-flecked emeralds –
Bright stars under night’s blackness,
Her wild, loving gaze.
Author’s note: Jaed is one of the two protagonists in my story, a young woman who cares deeply for the few people close to her. Eyes are the first thing I notice about a person. A striking pair of eyes can freeze me — think Olivia Wilde. In the earliest notes for this story, when I had nothing more than an image of two young lovers trying to find themselves, the first details I developed were the dazzling color of Jaed’s eyes: bright emerald-green with flecks of yellow-gold. Green, hazel, and brown eyes and blonde-brown hair are common among Feldings. Jaed’s night-black hair is not, nor her bronze-tinted skin tone. Aston has light brown hair and hazel eyes. It’s remarkable how many cultural/ethnic details you can develop just from designing two characters.
Steve D
Taut bowstring sinews do quell the violence
Holding back the swings of Hulk’s blind madness
As the body quakes, raging in silence Continue reading “Villanelle – Aggression – SD”
So lost am I in my many books…
Where questions have concrete answers;
Where not everyone’s a crook,
And you tell both the hero and the villain at a single look.
Literature has me on its hook,
‘Cause reality pales in comparison. Continue reading “Misplaced Missive #214: On The Hook”