Appointments, notes, quotes, stickers-
fountain pen, highlighter, marker, crayon-
tools of the trade of a calendar girl
who chronicles life in tactile expression.
Doodles, books, calligraphy-
creativity entwined with poetry-
decorated details of daily tasks
as much art as record keeping.
©2022 Noreen Braman
late bloomers and overnight sensations
share the same story
working and working and working and working
treading water, eyes on the shoreline
watching the lights of their dreams twinkle.
keeping alive this thought in their hearts,
one day it will fall into place
as if all those years of
working and working and working and working
suddenly compressed.
©2022 Noreen Braman
©2022 Noreen Braman
©2022 Noreen Braman
Revenge Sleep
At 10 PM, the house softens, edges blur, and colors fade
the dimming light, the goodnight kiss, the smell of just washed pillows
feel the slowing heart, the gentle breath, cool sheets caress skin
eyes softly close as the mind relaxes, lowering attention
releasing the anxiety held at bay in the daylight
the visceral clench in the stomach pit, the fear that has no name
in the darkness the morning light is dreaded, sleeping brings it closer
count down the numbers, exhaling slowly, bringing oblivion or nightmares
until dawn arrives with a gasp, count the numbers up, inhaling deeply
for as long as it takes to recage the fear
as the sun rises high
keeping revenge sleep many hours away.
©2022 Noreen Braman
Working On It
The work of work
can sometimes work out
but often won't work
no matter how much one works
to finish the work,
because working even harder
is often seen as hardly working
no matter how much workers
can work into the picture.
©2022 Noreen Braman
Here we are again, on the doorstep of the cruelest month, a month of poetry, a month of humor, a month of stress awareness, and most likely a multitude of other designations. Once more I will attempt to juggle all these things, making sense or making nonsense, what matters is continuing the tradition. Fasten your seatbelts.
Commuter Notes
finally sunshine
no more morning star
to wink over the road
illuminating a ground hog -
a ground hog, poor thing,
motionless on the shoulder,
cars hustling past, paying no mind
but wait
it is just a lifeless crushed up box.
later
a streamer of black plastic garbage bag
water bottle, dirty diaper,
blanketed horses staring blankly
a pun to amuse the driver
who has no idea
a dead skunk in the parking lot
will become
the stench of symbolic retribution.
©2022 Noreen Braman
