Six flames
flickered on
the birthday cake-
pink icing
with white roses,
or green bubbling
frosting
or bright sunshine
buttercream
churned with
love
and words
so many words
stuffed between
cloudy layers
of sweet cake,
coiled dark, like
cherries,
words spilling
over the plate.
It’s dVerse’s 6th birthday, so there should be cake.
Scents flicker
as scents do
here/gone/here/gone
swift gesture
of honeysuckle
glimpse of
jasmine,
the stone
is warm
against my
bare feet
and dark wings
flicker
as the swallows
fly high,
darting,
dancing,
chasing the air,
scrawling
“summer”
over the
purpling
sky.
Happy 6th birthday to dVerse, happy writing and adventuring. It’s open again, after a summer break, and Grace asks us to use the word “flicker” in our quadrilles.
We picked our way down
to Peppercombe bay,
where the cliffs are paprika
and the grey stones wait
quietly, to be ground by the surf;
through the green hush of trees
to the place where there’s only
the wide sky and the salt sea.
Kim is our host at dVerse tonight. The prompt word is “pepper”. Peppercombe bay is one of our local beaches. You can find an image of it here. We didn’t go to Peppercombe this evening, but we were just a little way up the coast – and there were peppercorns garnishing my gin and tonic, so there’s obviously something in the air tonight.
Sometimes I dream of storms
and the violent washing away
of all this detritus – plastic bags,
furniture, paperwork
in ragged piles, all those
endless books, shoes,
smart shirts, faded jeans,
best china, glassware,
all flying
whirling, spiraling.
I dream of a wild wind raging.
Another one for dVerse. It’s quadrille night, and we are storming along for De. Go and check it out.
She wore a dress
like a summer storm
when the clouds bubble
impossible forms;
she brought lightning’s electric scent,
and the threat
of thunder to come
and yet
we were drawn
towards her light,
the brittle light
of just before
a June
downpour.
The very wonderful De is hosting at dVerse tonight. It’s quadrille night – 44 words – and the key word is “storm”.
Each sound
hangs
in the night silence
like a flame
in darkness. The tick
of the clock shimmers
like a stone in a well,
and somewhere
there is an owl,
lonely as the moon,
calling.
The house dreams
gently,
and I hear you
breathing
Victoria at dVerse gives us the word “sound” as our quadrille key word tonight.
Echo was silent
but the moon called
across the water,
and there was a
mirroring in
our movements.
Echo was silent,
but we were
synchronous
and the rhythm danced
between us, and we
danced between
the rhythm,
giving and giving back.
Echo was silent.
De at dVerse is asking for quadrilles – 44 words – with “echo” as the key word.
Grace at dVerse asks us for a quadrille – 44 words including the prompt word – “still”.
Still
still crazy,
still dancing,
still chancing,
still charming,
still telling stories,
still looking for stars,
still watching the changing moon,
still putting on one more tune
still trying something new
still soaking up sun,
still dreaming,
still learning,
still singing
still caring
still you.
Sunlight drizzled
across the garden,
dripped from the
plum tree, puddled
among the daisies.
The daffodils were
drenched in it,
and it flooded
under the door
and into the kitchen,
leaving me ankle deep
in golden pooling light,
unable, unwilling,
to sweep it away.
/For Mish at dVerse who offers us the word “drizzle” as this week’s prompt.
Weave me a basket of starlight,
owl feathers, and the deep midnight
prowl of a moonlight cat. It’s time
to set sail on a star stormy sea
moth winged blanket to cover me,
carried off by the silvery moon,
my beautiful dreaming balloon.
De is keeping bar at dVerse tonight, and the key word is “balloon”. Float on over and check out the poems.
