#NaHaiWriMo — crown

You gave me a new name
Distracted, I’ve forgotten it
What’s my new name?

*

It was just a moment 
I believed my own stories 
I threw down my crown
There was nothing else to do
It was the only thing to do

#NaHaiWriMo — doubt

I couldn’t admit it
You were so full of questions 
Hungry for truth

*

It’s a long journey 
Finding your way forward
Measuring your steps
Not knowing which way to turn 
Not knowing how you lost your way 

#NaHaiWriMo — suitcase

We packed everything 
Planned for any kind of weather 
We never left our bed

*

I had to let you go 
I collected all your letters
There were so many 
Considered burning them
It took longer than expected

#NaHaiWriMo — drawing

The line is magic
Scratches the world into existence
Momentarily

*

I knew you would come 
If I waited long enough
I knew you would stay
If I remained patient
If you knew you were safe

#NaHaiWriMo — tapestry/ lost

We weave in and out
Of each other’s lives too quickly 
The shuttle wears down 

*

Thickly lined walls 
Hold more than weather at bay
Covered with stories 
Muffling our voices in daytime
Silencing our cries in the night

***

I sit in the center 
Only breathing
I sit in the center 

*

The room is empty now
Everything is quieter
How quickly things change
I miss your heavy footsteps
I miss your rituals

#NaHaiWriMo — old/ vinyl

History never sleeps 
It keeps changing its clothes
Hides in the creases

*

Everything aches now
Knees, ankles, fingers, hands
My eyesight worsens
I move ever more slowly 
I begin to miss my youth

***

All that music
Played late at night in secret
Hidden in my heart

*

Keep the records dusted
Organized however you wish 
The needles sharp
Replay all your favourites 
Sing as loud as you can 

#NaHaiWriMo — dove

Under the bridges
They coo and flutter and strut
Erupt into flight

*

From the heavens 
Water, or fire, or a dove. 
Did you hear something?

#NaHaiWriMo — tape-roll

In the evening 
Silence holds us together
Alone in our thoughts

*

That moment you captured
I wish you hadn’t been there
For numerous reasons 

#NaHaiWriMo - polaroid

The memories fade 
I wish I could remember 
The images fade 

*

It’s a good thing
No digital cameras
No Polaroids  

#NaHaiWriMo — jelly

I’m constantly full 
Now I’m soft in the middle 
And always so tired

*

We apply pressure
There’s always something between us
Squeezing out the edges

#NaHaiWriMo — freeze

We brace ourselves
Facing into the wind 
The skin exposed

*

Let me hold you close 
Let me hold you close and still 
Let me hold you still

#NaHaiWriMo — romance/ tiger

Skin against skin
And again skin against skin and 
Skin against and again 

*

Somewhere beyond words
We lose ourselves in the promise
We lose ourselves 

***

To what purpose 
Tiger tiger burning bright
We look in the shadows

*

Every day passing 
Leaves some evidence 
You remain hidden

#NaHaiWriMo — online/ heavy

We wear all the faces 
We remember everything
And forget ourselves 

*

Minutes at a time
We mine our distractions 
Digging into the past

***

It’s a metaphor
The weight we carry within us
How much longer

*

We keep fighting it
Like the earth’s gravitational pull
We just keep spinning

#NaHaiWriMo — stuck

Keep walking forward
I was told all things come to an end 
My feet heavy

*

There is still time
Keep asking the questions 
We can only hope

#NaHaiWriMo — horizon/ dots

We ready ourselves 
For the heavy lifting 
Looking for home

*

Your hands are full 
All this empty grasping 
Under open skies

***

The edges of vision
Secrets and accusations 
Damage already done

*

Here is a window 
The flickering screen
Another fever dream

*

Find the target
Determine how much pain to bear
Make a decision 

#NaHaiWriMo — cartoon

The difference between 
Then and now is a broken promise 
We trace the edges

*

After all this waiting 

We prepare for our unveiling
We work patiently 

#NaHaiWriMo — neighbourhood

How long has it been?
Draw me nearer to thee
Let me look at your face

*

We keep walking
The sun sets on empty streets
We hold our breath 

#NaHaiWriMo — metal

You always forget
There is so much more to do
Straighten your spine

*

After the bones snapped
We discovered anew our strength 
Forged new connections

#NaHaiWriMo — chaos

The ground shifts
In the midst of everything 
Where is the anchor?

*

Everywhere the whispers
Tickle their way into us
Our itching ears

#NaHaiWriMo — dice

We takes our chances
Every time we speak 
Planting seeds

*

Here we are waiting 
One decision leads to another
We choose or choices are made

#NaHaiWriMo — school

Let us walk together 
As we compare all our stories 
Talking quietly 

*

I thought I was alone
In silence I reached for words
Gathered them to me 

#NaHaiWriMo — shell

The pressure inside
Pushes against the edges
We keep waiting

*

We were once so full 
Night after night so many words 
We were once so full

#NaHaiWriMo — trees

Branches dance
Shake in the wind 
Everything breaks 

*

How high and how wide 
Must we all grow to bear fruit
Or provide shelter 

*

What do you see? 

The people look like trees. 
Let us try again.