Daydreaming in Colors

Succulent

—Photo by D.R. Wagner, Locke

SKYWALKER
—Claire J. Baker, Pinole

I too am a skywalker
but I traverse the skies
with only my eyes

and not to an anthem
of triumph and adventure—
moe a lullaby or nocturne.

My gaze tends to slow
at unnamed stars
and changing clouds.

______________________

THE WASHER
—Claire J. Baker

When tennis shoes
and a heavy blanket
made his washer shake
and clunk
the troubled man
sat on the lid,
balanced the load
with his weight.

He learned how smooth
changing cycles can feel
when buttocks tingle,
when gentle jolts
to the tailbone
stimulate...After paying

an analyist thousands
over the years,
six quarters and an
off-kilter washer
left him warm, aroused.

 Bromeliad

—Photo by D.R. Wagner

TRIOXIDE

—Michael Cluff, Corona

Life did not change
when the phone rang,
the daisies kept waving
at the rose-flaring sun.
The licorice still instilled
pimples on Honore's lower chin
between the dimple cleft,
and Paulette continued to store
nitro in the old space
once occupied by baking soda,
pumice stones and hairballs
braided to look like Walt Disney.

Only for Carrie
did the ringing
alter anything
since she could not
hear before today
when the winds shifted
from north to south
and marbles became pearls
and ratsbane in the most
deceptive and hopeful
of neutered eyes.
 

__________________________

Today's LittleNip:

NPR RADIO SNIPPET
—Claire J. Baker

"Butterfly larva
lives in terror
inside a cocoon."
"No!" I counter:
"larva in cocoons
daydreams in colors."
 

_________________________

—Medusa, with thanks to today's contributors and a reminder to check out coming poetry events in our area by scrolling down to the blue board (under the green board) at the right of this column. We have three today—two of which haven't been posted very long (Be Davison Herrera is down from Oregon)—and more to come this weekend!

 Joyce Odam won the Grand Prize

at the Ina Coolbrith Annual Contest this year.

Congratulations, Joyce!

—Photo by Bill Latimer