Headline Poem 12/31/14 -- A tribute to you

I had no idea when I started my poem a day on January 1, 2014 if I'd actually be able to write 365. Initially, my poems were about other people's lives. These headlines captured and haunted me. As things in my own life changed, the news on some days became too much, and my poetry shifted, becoming more personal, more raw. That's how it works. There were moments I wanted to stop, but I didn't. It turns out I needed these poems. I had no idea that this daily practice of writing would become my saving grace. As so often is the case, beautiful things came my way, disguised, sometimes, as really shitty things. I have learned a lot this year, mostly about peace. It makes sense for my last poem of the year to be a tribute -- to nature, another saving grace. I will keep writing in 2015, and now, will have fun combining my words with beautiful art. Happy New Year! 

May your soul be sturdy, 

may your smile be bright, 

and may your heart 

swell with love. ❤️

A Tribute to You 

The day we 

packed up the kids 

and our lunches and our tie-dyed eggs

and drove through you, 

was the day small things started to change.

As we entered your sacred space,

you embraced us, and whispered that we were safe.

My heart raced, and then slowed, 

switching between fierce ebbs and

apprehensive flows. 

Your aroma is permanently

carved in my heart, and I can still smell

the shawl of acceptance you wrapped around

me, knowing how hard

I was trying to 

breathe while my children played among 

the Joshua Trees.

My bones thank you. 

 
It was there under the Cirrus clouds

that I lay down on you,

and became 

simply 

a woman in love 

with a man.

I don't know how, but you knew 

that I hadn't

really let him inside for at least

half a decade. 

I needed to be among the rocks,

and the curves of you to begin again

to speak

a language so long ignored

it was gathering cobwebs and dusted specks. 

We, in our own traps, were stuck. 

 

That day, we stopped spinning and 

surrendered

to being tangled up in you

and  

your soothing, mud-less breeze

of fault lines and ego dreams,

and we let go. 

We trusted that you'd bring us home

That was eight months ago, 

and to this day,

we are still closing our eyes, 

and pinching our skin

with appreciation,

ever so gently, 

always gently. 

Headline Poem 12/30/14 -- his dream

One more poem and I will have written a poem a day for 2014. Tomorrow night is #365! 

his dream 

knowing his dream 

is to wake

beside her, 

she follows him 

where he goes

Headline Poem 12/29/14 -- Behind

Behind every tormented writer 

           there is a reader 

                 feeling 

               the exact 

              same thing 

Headline Poem 12/28/14 -- Fallbrook Lane

Fallbrook Lane 

There is only one house on Fallbrook Lane. 

In it lives a little man and his Great Dane. 

They have tea and biscuits every morning at six. 

And then cold cuts and soda pop 

while they watch Netflix. 

The man is not lonely, for he likes it this way. 

They have a routine each and every day. 

They drive to town on Wednesdays to get supplies. 

They drive to the beach on Saturday to let salt air touch their eyes. 

Everything is simple with the cottage and the man. 

Some think he's melancholy with no one to hold his hand. 

He doesn't think so until one day he agrees. 

He rises at eight instead six and fixes black eyed peas. 

His big dog is perplexed but happy at the change. 

He thinks perhaps they will walk to another lane. 

They do and that is where they meet Ms. Susie Frees. 

She never ever gardens on Thursdays before three. 

But today something told her to go out get things done. 

So out she ventured with her Poodle named Everyone. 

Everyone and Susie greeted the man and Dane. 

Then they left the gardening and visited Fallbrook Lane. 

Headline Poem 12/26/14 -- These clouds

These clouds 

These clouds 

open up 

places in

my soul

I didn't 

even know 

were closed. 

Headline Poem 12/24/14 -- It's okay for just one day

It's okay for just one day

It's okay for just one day 

to believe in

the magic of your dreams,

to hear a melody of silver songs inside your mouth 

with cinnamon lyrics 

coming out,

to take a break from the 

deliriousness 

of simple chores

and feel your wondrous pulse

       beat only with love,

to awaken with a

starry-eyed heart and

sweet peppermint toes

Headline Poem 12/23/14 -- Winter

Winter 

winter wanders in 

with intuition & grace 

she knows 

she only has 

a little while 

to linger in this 

place 

Headline Poem 12/22/14 -- After work

Art by Sandra Moreano, words by Courtney Hanes 

After work 

After work, everything comes off:

the shoes, the tights, the 

moods, the rights 

(and wrongs),

      but most importantly, the bra. 

Headline Poem 12/21/14 -- A Song for the Winter Solstice

A Song for the Winter Solstice

You are the wild horse 

I ride carefree on Sundays

You are a canvas for the words

I decorate with green moss 

and blue savage moons

You are my secret sun 

hiding behind 

the shortest days 

and longest nights

You are not afraid 

to scatter your seeds

on the breast of a robin

to make memories 

You are my sanctuary 

of hungry wheat and 

longing warm 

underbellies of home

Headline Poem 12/20/14 -- i want to tell you something

Art by Sandra Moreano 

i want to give you something 

i want to give you something 

that's white and red,

but if you take it, 

you have to promise 

you won't laugh 

or start to run, 

but instead,

you'll stick it in a little vase 

and show everyone.

Headline Poem 12/19/14-- Human

Headline Poem 12/19/14-- Human

Headline Poem 12/18/14 -- For Certain

For certain 

My beloved, I promised. 

My beloved, I vowed. 

My beloved, I weep. 

If you can hear me,

      please know 

for certain that you are

all I need. 

If you can see me, 

      please know 

for certain that you are 

my rock and key. 

If you can feel me, 

      please know 

for certain that you are 

what I believe. 

If you remember me,

      please know 

for certain that you were 

my everything. 

Headline Poem 12/17/14 -- I grow

I grow 

I grow because 

sunshine 

smiles on me 

and my roots mix 

with rain 

Headline Poem 12/16/14 -- I will never

Art by Mark Olmsted 

Tonight, I wrote a poem inspired by this art piece by Mark. I'm curious to see what he thinks, and how what I see merges with his truth. 

I will never 

I can stand on the cliffs of injustice and point my fingers 

ten or two. 

I can use your jaw that drops 

when I walk by 

to wipe up 

what's left of me and you. 

But there is   no   way, 

even at my lowest 

when I can hardly believe 

we ever tried to merge our souls,

that I will let you 

trick me with your 

condescending birds 

and 

letters put together 

to make 

twisted lines of graffiti 

and hollowed out words. 

     

       I will never 

worship the ground you piss 

on as long as you

crookedly 

live. 

Headline Poem 12/15/14 -- another sunday evening

Another poem inspired by the art of Sandra Moreano. 

another sunday evening

you can wrap me 

in pearls

and make believe

i'm your girl 

but because 

i like you 

i'll save you some 

trouble

       you're not the 

       only man 

who cries when i leave 

and calls me honey 

Headline Poem 12/14/14 -- capsized

Art by Sandra "Sasha" Moreano 

Today's poem is inspired by another piece of art by Sandra Moreano. Here is a link to her website where I found this beautiful painting -- http://shashasclips.blogspot.com/2014/12/gelli-prints.html.

capsized 

the storm came 

out of nowhere 

    to tip over 

      our boat

which  

would have been     

okay 

       if we were prepared 

to do more 

than float 

       but we weren't

       and so 

we sank         

minute by minute 

        until eventually 

        our little vessel 

            capsized 

             with us 

                in it

Headline Poem 12/13/14 -- Lay me down

Tonight, I met an amazing artist who asked me to write a few poems to combine with her art. I did, and we created our first collaboration with this poem. Here is the artwork. Cards will be available for sale soon!! 

Lay me down 

Lay me down on a 

Bed full of stars 

And listen to me wonder aloud 

About forgotten things and 

Hidden treasures

That live inside even 

When we do not see them 

Headline Poem 12/12/14 -- My mother's legs

Today at a writer's retreat, we were given the following prompt: My mother's legs. Since my own mother was right next to me, I decided to write from the perspective of one of my characters. 

My mother's legs 

My mother's legs wrapped 

themselves around his 

smooth, supple skin, 

her cave of salvation, 

he welcomed her in,

but  then     like   rusting  chains

    on a forgotten fence,

she was locked out, 

denied entrance and 

     (self diagnosed)

           a fool 

straight laced, 

head pinned to wall, 

stranded 

with a lonely burden

and a throat full of dust. 

My mother's legs began to wilt,

temporarily, as she lie buried 

under the belly of youth

in 

a valley of resentment

and untrusting truth. 

Headline Poem 12/11/14 -- Golden lust

Golden lust 

When you 

have just an ounce

of golden lust left inside,

box it up like rain,

for it will get 

a little heavier 

each day.