Kindred Steel

A reluctant traveler scarcely notices the beauty of the road. The colors of each new sunrise lack the harmony found in the memories of those viewed from home. Isolation is a special torment to one used to the closeness of kin. Though in my travels I've learned one doesn't need to be kin to be kindred. I shall not forget my teeth if I encounter mistakes from my past. But I will not ignore the shine from the steel of souls with claws different from my own.


Wind blown seed misses
the earth which cradled deep roots.
This new soil is strange
to me. These flowers are odd,
but I recognize their scent.

Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash

Song Choices: Kyrie by Mr. Mister and Philadelphia Freedom covered by Tina and Ike Turner

Today's poem is linked up to Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads' Tuesday Platform.

This poem is from the point of view of Yuuki, a character I have enjoyed writing about for years. The events of this poem take place after this short story, though the full story of what happens to Yuuki next will be covered in my upcoming short story collection, The Trouble With Wanting and Other Not Quite Faery Tales, which will drop in Fall 2018.

Light in an Eclipse

There is blood on the end of the sickle moon,
though no one but me can see it.

It's the same moon that hung
over the place I was born
grown gaunt with homesickness.

Or maybe I've just seen myself
reflected in the moon
as darkness inches across it,
engulfing it so nothing of its past remains.

The most familiar things look wrong
under a moonless sky. I recognize nothing
that looks like home.

I embrace my darkness,
but I do not let it consume me
for I have the brightness of the stars in my soul.

I let them point the way,
if not towards home,
towards a future where I shine steady
as souls wax and wane around me.

Song Choice: Away by Priscilla Hernandez


This poem is linked to the Tuesday Platform over at Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads and Poets United Poetry Pantry 421.

Perhaps you've noticed the tags this week too. I didn't plan on Rina having a large role in the Yuuki stories, but when I wrote a bit of flash fiction from the point of view of Ana's favorite aunt, people seemed to really like it and wanted to know more about her. This poem is written from the point of view of a much younger Rina, and I promise to expand on that tale very soon. 😉

Whispers to a Stone

The stones believed me when I told them
how I felt about you.
They will expect me to keep my promises,
but I know they will keep my secret.

Don't expect me
to drip sugar from my mouth,
begging you to change who you are.

You would not be you
without your frustrating idealism,
rushing off to do battle
while forgetting there are holes in your armor.

I don't want you not to be you.
But I will never be anything but myself.

I am not demure.
I do nothing half-way.
That includes standing by you,

using all my power to shield
the vulnerable parts you overlooked
and keep safe all the things you love,
while I keep true to the words
that, for now, I will only speak to the stones.



Song Choice: America's Sweetheart by Elle King

This poem is linked to the Tuesday Platform over at Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads and Poets United, Poetry Pantry 420. If you are a longtime reader of the blog you may have had a flash of recognition at some of the tags. This is a poem from the point of view of Cordelia, a character I have written about on this blog before.

Glitter

I wasn't born in silk ruffles.
Sparkles didn't spring
from my first steps.

But I learned,
even when you didn't expect me to,
especially when you didn't want me to.

I ground up your leftover gems,
and pressed the remains
to create my own rebirth stone.

It glitters from the center
of the reclaimed crown
I earned- though you tried your worst
to keep it from me.




Song Choice: Work, Bitch by Britany Spears

This poem is linked up to the Tuesday Platform on Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads and Poetry Pantry 419 at Poets United.