Poetry from California writer Dave Douglas

Traveling in Time [a hsinku]

 

 

Traveling in time –

Continuity to the last;

Avoiding future errors,

Thoughts jump to the past.

 

Tangent [a pantoum]

 

However brief

No matter the length

They will, in disbelief

Meet, lacking strength

 

No matter the length

A line that blends,

Meet lacking strength

The circle of friends

 

A line that blends –

It exists just outside

The circle of friends

Who cannot decide

 

It exists just outside,

A diverging purpose

Who can decide?

With, or without trespass

 

A diverging purpose:

They will in disbelief,

With or without trespass

However brief

 

 

The Impossible Poem

 

 

Like a pirate on a mission of mercy

There are roses blooming every cold winter

Scarcely outside all of our perception –

Tranquility through the eye with a splinter

 

Like a twilight shadow reversing its course

All the nations are walking extra miles

Like a lion protecting a flock of sheep

There are militia sharing their stockpiles

 

Like water supporting the weight of a man

There is light beyond the shores of tomorrow

Another day I awake breathing earth’s air

Unless I am hiding frightened down below

 

Like a stone temple into pliable clay

All of the flawed candles melt the hearts of ice

Like a long-drawn-out line for the electric chair

There is innocence to pay everyone’s price

 

Like a groom on a horse coming for his bride

There is a day one will break every column –

If I give a pen to a once gnarled hand

What will thrive is the impossible poem

 

Dave loves to write and experiment with esoteric forms of poetry. He’d love to network with other writers and artists, and can be reached at carpevelo@gmail.com