blue, purple, orange

sky over the horizon

takes my breath away

 

out the back window

darkness spreads shadow

up the  bare tree trunks

 

colors of evening

water colors dripping down

the canvas of sky

 

 

by Diane E. Dockum

©April 29, 2016

 

 

The last time I saw him
he smiled
a weak and trembling grin.
His eyes were wet and
losing their luster.

The last time I saw him
He didn’t look back
but drove off undaunted
into his own future.

I knew he wasn’t coming back.
Even then I refused
to accept it.
Even now I find it
hard to believe.

The last time I saw him
he packed up his books and
zipped closed all his bags
with a flourish of his wrist.

It was raining.
It still is inside me,
where there is
an empty place.

 
Excerpt From: Diane E. Dockum. “Just Beyond The Hill.”

The next morning

I went shopping online

For a poem

Idea

Having forgotten my

Dream

 

Clicking through photos

And words

Finding

Nothing interesting

I shut my eyes

And behind my lids

 

There was only

Red light

And the sound of blood

In my brain

If you are quiet enough

You can hear the ocean

 

In your veins

All I need

Is to strike a mental match

And light

A candle in my mind

 

 

By Diane E. Dockum

©April 27, 2016

 

 

Some people bring out your inner witch

And before you know it

You have become a nasty bitch

 

Though you try to be calm

You let off a bomb, your adrenaline

At a high pitch

 

“They deserve it”,

You say, though it ruins your day

With your feelings about to unhitch

 

Your breath comes in pants

Because of your rants

The vein in your forehead pronounced

 

Away to the bathroom you go to cool off

Shut the door,

Turn the lock, and chill out

 

Whisper-scream in the mirror

Get a grip – let it go

And get rid of your justified furor

 

 

 

 

By Diane E. Dockum

©April 26, 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are 3 days into

Your sandal wearing

And you’ve just

Done your toenails

The last thing you want

To hear is that

Snow is expected

This weekend.

 

This weekend!

When it’s almost May

And Mother’s Day is around the corner

A cold front is coming!

Across from Canada

And it should be very wet

And cold with snow.

The temperature will drop

In the next few days.

 

What would you do?

Resolutely wear sandals

Or dig the boots out from

The back of your closet —

It can’t last forever, right?

It probably won’t even last a day, right?

I fleer at the forecast.

Sandals on the feet,

Socks in the purse,

Emergency back up plan.

 

 

 

By Diane E. Dockum

© April 25, 2016

 

 

I tip back my head as far as it goes

To see as far as my eyes can see

The stars are so many

Filling the depths

Of space

Farther than imagination stretches

To visions unseen and ages old

Still unfolding

As our planet spins

Night sky

Unpolluted by street lights

Is hard to find now

But I come from the

Country where there is true night

Where unspoiled

Stars are sharp as straight pins

And feel like

Sprinkles of ice water

On your face as you

Tip back your head

To quench your soul

By Diane E. Dockum

©April 24, 2016

living on both sides

of “awake” and “asleep”

I try to understand reality

without using my mind

 

 

By Diane E. Dockum

©April 23, 2016

 

It’s not the road I usually go down.

But for some reason,

That day I turned down

A different road.

 

The day was pleasant

And my mind was wandering,

So I followed.

The car just seemed to drive its self.

 

Eventually I thought about

Getting to where I was going

But now I was lost

And the sun was going down

 

The different road

Was longer than I thought

And I was coming to crossroads

Where I didn’t know which way to turn

 

Driving around not knowing

Where you are,

But knowing where you are not,

Makes an interesting afternoon.

 

You just need a good sense of

Direction and extra time

And lots of gasoline

In the car.

 

 

By Diane E. Dockum

© April 22, 2016

 

 

 

I am writing to say

I have nothing to say

It’s hard to be clever

At the end of the day

 

My head has a pain

That is driving me mad

The aches and the pains

Are making me sad

 

This is sappy and lame

This poem just plain stinks

There’s a blur in my eye

And I have cramps in my feet

 

The day was a long one

And another tomorrow

I need a vacation

Some time I can borrow

 

So I’m writing to say

I am burned to a crisp

Pooped out and brain fried

Tapped out and I quit

 

 

 

By Diane E. Dockum

© April 21, 2016

 

In sacred places,

Places of power,

Temples were built

On mountains, where once there had been

A communion with God

Once, a song was heard that was glorious and haunting

Once, a voice had called out from a high place

Once, the people came and glimpsed God

In the beautiful things, and in nature

There, the people joined together

With the spirit and

Built the beautiful houses for the One

Who needs no home

 

`~`~`~`~`

By Diane E. Dockum

©April 20, 2016