A Gift of Moonlight

I drew my first breath

in the land where the wild things are.

Things are different on his side of reality.

He can exist only in a small wrinkle in time

of my life. I don’t want to think about

the one hundred years of solitude

that must follow once that wrinkle is ironed out.

But in this space, in this time

where we exist together

I want to do right by his heart,

as tender and fast burning as it is.

I can’t—won’t—change my nature.

There is too much moonlight in me.

But in the time we do have

my moonlight is his.

Song Choice: I'll Stand By You by The Pretenders

Liner Notes for this Groove: This poem was created for the Weekend Mini-Challenge at Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads: 1 Poem, 3 Titles. I used the titles Where the Wild Things Are, A Wrinkle in Time, and One Hundred Years of Solitude. This also is an expansion of a blackout/found poetry bit that I created using a page from my short story collection, The Trouble with Wanting and Other Not-Quite Faerie Tales. Since this piece comes from the story, "Make Mischief, Not War" I wrote it from the point of view of a character in the story, Cordelia, a relatively young fae girl who is bored by the idea of human wars, but is willing to go along if it means keeping her human friend, Gwydion, safe.

By Rommy Cortez-Driks

This page comes from the story "Make Mischief, Not War"
To see more blackout/ found poetry, pop over to my Instagram.

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.

By Rommy Cortez-Driks