THE HAIKU

is a traditional Japanese three-line poem with seventeen syllables, written in a 5-7-5 syllable count.

Narcissa

grey-clouded, fog-hazed
eyes that see elsewhere clearly
what was, what might be

* * *

The Carousel

Neigh, calliope.
Black horse, brown horse, elephant,
Whirling, grab the ring.

* * *

An episode: Once Upon a Time in the City of New York

Cold stars, night shadows
A too-still form in my arms
Hope jolts both our hearts

* * *

Vincent in the Crystal Cavern

Dancing light – white fire,
blue ice. Myself, reflected …
A man made whole … new.

* * *

Mouse’s hat, two rays
Beam from over-ear, parting
Shadows at his feet.

***

Samhain

Golden light shines through
thinned walls, allowing passage.
Two lovers now dance.

THE HUITAIN

a French verse form of eight lines or sets of lines of 8 or 10 syllables rhyming ababbcbc

Father’s Chamber

There are secrets secreted here
between the books and pages,
behind the tight-shut door, my fear …
memories locked in cages
for ages, it seems, and ages … 
artifacts of failure at love,
the loss of joy … it rages.
No more shall I go above.

***

The Whispering Bridge

You can hear them if you try …
Voices just beyond imagining.
Close … as if whispered, as if sung, as if cried.
I pause and welcome the world above – its laughter, the yearnings.
I am here, I answer … and in this moment of magical sharing
I know the meaning of enchantment.
So still I stand, yet your joys send me flying.
Bridge of sighs, bridge of astonishments.

THE LIST POEM

A poem that is made up of a list of words related to a central topic. It can be any length and rhymed or unrhymed.

Pascal’s Pipes

Pathways
Junctions
Conduits
Conveyers
Destinations
Origins
Hollows
Thuds
Chimes
Clangs
Raps
Taps
Communal
Confidential
Qestions
Replies
Connection

***

Father’s Chamber

Nooks of mystery
Crannies of history
A captain’s wheel
A desk, its drawers of letters and notes to self
Gifts displayed (some hidden?)
Statuary
Maps
A pen and paper
Books
And more books
A velvet chair
A game of chess, half-played
A brazier surely
A stash of tea
A favorite cup
Memories
Responsibilities
Dreams

***

Central Park

arches
bridges
their shadowy shade
the whispering bench
the turtles
and birds
in Bank Rock Bay
the Ramble
its cave
its stone steps down
mine
ours

LIMERICK

A humorous, frequently bawdy verse of three long and two short lines rhyming aabba

Tony Ramos

Tony, little thief of soft hearts,
Relied on abounding street smarts.
But family he found,
Plus one underground.
What security that bond imparts!

***

Kristopher 

Another sitting? Maybe … naked?
After all, you’re eternally mated.
Kristopher grinned,
Brandished a pen,
But Vincent had already skated.

***

The Balcony

From a balcony up eighteen flights,
He beckons her night after night.
Our window Above
Will shelter our love.
Let’s cuddle until it be light.

* * *

A Kiss

Lips parted, he softly did kiss
the strong pulse at the bend of her wrist.
She sighed and she gasped.
The other each then did grasp.
What happened next is too private to list!

* * *

Catherine

In the mirror, she saw his reflection,
and smiled as she turned his direction.
The phone cord was cut,
The curtains pulled shut.
She’d left nothing to chance or objection!

***

The Honeymooners

Pascal put his ear to the pipes.
He listened, then blushed and yelped “Yikes!”
The rhythm he heard
Was a love song, not words …
V & C on ascent to new heights!!

***

Kissing

He wondered what all he was missing
By not going full on with kissing
Then, facing his fears,
he said, Catherine, come here!
Now the sunrise, they’re both still dismissing.

NONET

A nine-line poem. There are 9 syllables in the first line, 8 in the second, 7 in the third, etc., counting down to 1 in the last line.

Under the Bandstand

Music rains down (Sometimes real rain too)
I’m bathed in melody and joy 
Stars shimmer down through the grate
(Your smile shimmers brighter)
You interrupt me …
(I’m reminding) 
Your blue dress …
(Off, please) 
Yes.

* * *

William

Hot-headed and grouchy – it’s an act.
Beneath the gruff, the bearish man,
ungraceful though he be … loves,
simply loves, loves deeply.
Old hurts bred sharp fears.
He snarls them back …
yet he hides
with them
still.

* * *

Closing Circle

Come join the circle, you’re one of us …
Could there be sweeter words than these?
Then you took my hand, Father,
and Vincent, you claimed me,
made me family,
ended my search.
I am home.
I know
love.

PERSONA POEMS

are written from the point of view of someone or something other than your own – not about the character or object, but as if you are that character or object.

Catherine’s Crystal

I am light 
broken from a celestial throne,
a storm of ice and fire …
borne to earth,
cleaved from it,
more perfect now 
in this home.

* * *

The Broken Headlamp in Vincent’s Room

Don’t throw me away, don’t, please don’t.
I have use in me still. I have …
purpose. 
Polish away the years, the dust of forgotten, the sting of cast-aside.
See me. 
Save me.
Once day, I will return the favor.

* * *

Shadows

I wait
I beckon
I obscure
Yet …
I offer cover
I bring nuance
And contrast
And depth of feeling and thought.
Can there be joy without the distinction of sorrow?
Daybreak without the precedent of night?
I attach myself and follow – I am your second self
But require the light to be.

THE SIMILE

is a poem that compares one thing to another with the words ‘like’ or ‘as’.

Her eyes, grey-green and tender as the cushion of moss beneath my cheek …
her loving look touches me, travels me.
I turn to gaze up at stars and wish.

THE SHADORMA

is a spanish six-line syllabic poem, using the pattern 3/5/3/3/7/5.

Winslow

Blustery
Quick with opinion …
All strong heart 
and loyal.
Grateful for love … though not his,
he guards his secret.

THE TANKA

is very similar to haiku, but Tanka poems have more syllables – there are five lines. It uses simile, metaphor and personification and are written about nature, seasons, love, sadness, and other strong emotions.

Under the band shell
A symphony
plays on in my mind
while Catherine, wet with rain,
kisses me soundly.

* * *

Nancy

My nightmare
rushed her in,
not
the shattered lamp in pieces like my heart.
In the glitter of glass, she brushed clear my path.

* * * 

This bed
Once a boat 
Of dreams
On still waters now knows 
The current of love

THE 5 Ws POEM

is five lines long. The first line tells who. The second line tells what. The third line tells where. The fourth line tells when. The fifth line tells why.

The Episode: To Reign in Hell

Winslow, his dreams damped down,
championed the love he believed in, nonetheless. Braved danger,
when that love – not his, yet his, his, too – was threatened.
Braved the depths and that bleak darkness
to stand forever, their guardian.

* * *

Joe,
A righter of wrongs,
Too early and too late
At his desk, in his office
He labors between evil and the innocent