In thought

You’re slightly arched over, your eyes focused intently on the earthy clay beneath your masterful hands

You pause in thought, your hands still molding, idly kneading 

Sitting up you tilt your head to the ceiling

Furrowing your brow as your eyes flutter back and forth following an imaginary train of thought

Delicately folding your hands around the ball of clay you enter your sphere of calm confusion

Your foot pushes down gently on the pedal below the table

The wheel spins and your hands begin to dance

Creating the magic from the depths of your consciousness

Flash Fiction

We were desperately looking for a landing space along the cliff, somewhere where our boat wouldn’t get bashed against the sharp rocks. I unfurl the main sail and yell for Lou to turn the boat to starboard. I think I can see a small cove that would at least allow us to tie up and get on dry land. The wind further fills the sail and the boat keels over, I slip and fall against the rail the rope flying out of my hand, making the taught sail turn angry. I try to pull myself up as the boat swing back to even keel as the fabric loses its fullness. Something warm and wet is dripping into my eye and I brush it away, pushing myself to all fours. My hand is sticky with red. I am bleeding. I must have hit my head. Where’s Lou?

“Lou” I scream into the wind. My voice shaking and panicked. “Lou, are you ok?” I yell again uselessly into the wind. I continue on my hands and knees to the stern, leaving sticky red handprints on the wooden deck. Suddenly I see Lou, she has fallen near the wheel and is unconscious, I crawl over to her and check that she is breathing. She is breathing and seems to have knocked herself out on the wheel. I know I need to get to shore, I stand up and with unknown strength not from myself I wrench the main rope in and tie it to a pole, swinging the boat to starboard I sail towards the jagged coastline. Blood is still dripping onto my shoulder as the boat nudged the rocky shore in the cove. The boat tilts to one side but is on the ground safe, sheltered from the wind. Lou is slightly moving, and I go to her. Her eyes open and I know she will be ok but I knew we would never do that again.

Rainy night

I sit here, warm 

The rain drops are blurring the street lights and the now mundane street outside is being washed away, a new coat being Gently pelted down from storm soaked clouds

My fuzzy cat’s warm body is pressed against my leg

His alert green eyes turned upwards to the sound of the silvery drops

He tucks his head under his arm disappearing from the noise

Wet and cold

The windows are now moving glass panes, the water thickly pouring down them

Stories of water sit in each kaleidoscope 

Senses

Hear

Familiar footsteps

The memory of the creaky

                   Floorboards at the old house

Spokes on a bike

         You, returning home from an early morning

ride

Sunset, all around noise

Stories spoken late into the darkness     

         About dreams and love

Safety

Loud Emptiness

                   Echoes of childhood laughter as you

Chop your nightly vegetables

Continents creak and drift apart

Love stretches and yawns

Bringing cavernous expanses into bridged futures

Smell

My Mother smells of pepperoni pizza

Not the cheese or the sauce

The sharp yet comforting aroma of the pepperoni

My Mother smells of pepperoni

The spiced comfort of her laughter

Unique and familiar even after all this time

My Mother smells of pepperoni pizza

As I walk into her house and into her arms

I am sharply reminded of love

My Mother smells of pepperoni

The perfect topping on a pizza

Warm, kind and fierce

Touch

It’s the little light brushes

The brief hand on their shoulder

 as you pass to go out the door

The unconscious seeking of comfort that only they bring

His fingers finding my knee as we sit, reading

Tapping out the rhythm of a song he is playing in his world

Its curling up next to him, head on his chest

Hearing the rhythm of his heart yet feeling it

Deeply intertwined within our bloodstream

Like musical notes our silences are connected

Our worlds orbiting each other in harmony

His hand reaches out for mine

A simple gesture, yet, my soul reaches back

Through my fingertips

Sight

As words turn into stories

My eyes are the doorway from life to memory

Moments to tales that wind through the staircases of my mind

A picture frozen on my

eyelids

A face I used to know

                   My face

Moments of glazed reality

Staring, fear

Disassociative sight

Spectatoring my life from ill-fitting shoes

Taste

Velvet butter rolling over my tongue

         Heat enveloping my mouth with earthy texture

My taste buds usually asleep

Awaken at the addictive moisture

Pleasure sensors

Sweet, savoury, salty

Lips close on secluded moments

Tumble

Quick flip
Slidding
Anger to no where

Pulling & pushing
Letting go
Hanging on

Self-manipulation
Pain, fear
Tiredness

Inadequacy
Confusion of where and how
Questions, endless questions

Exhaustive worrying
Punishment
Challenges in never-ending cycle

The past's shadow lingering
Why?
Other's voices, judgments

Dreams & Visions
Rock bottom
Push upwards, can't fall further

Shove, losing mental grip
Hands holding you
Blinkered

Surrender

I was asked to surrender today
My mind took up arms and was ready to fight
Surrender? Everything for nothing?
Keep control, keep going

No.
Stop.
Breathe.

I was asked to surrender today
Not to give up, not to walk away
But to notice all my places of fear
And simply surrender to them

Struggle.
Anger and panic.
Fighting for control.

I was asked to surrender today.
Notice the places where I am holding pockets of negative energy
To stop and raise the white flag
Let the river carry me, to let go of the cage that I have put myself in

Tears.
Silent and slow leaked from my eyes.
My eyelashes trying to hold them back.

I was asked to surrender today
What a beautiful idea that is
To hold yourself and embrace your journey
To let yourself walk beside you rather than blocking your path

Surprise
Release and clarity.
Calm.

I was asked to surrender today
That line circling my head
Chasing the control out, making way for the joy
Making way for the chaos
Beginning my journey

Homesick

I am homesick for the one I love 

Sick and alone 

A dull ache deep in my bones 

That only their arms of warmth can cure 

It does not matter where I hang my hat it’s my ear to your heart listening, just listening to the soothing sounds of home 

Come home dear one 

Come rest your head 

Let me hold you in my arms 

Let us create the walls of our connected home 

I’m homesick my love 

I am too far away 

I can’t wait to be home