Saturday, September 30, 2017

Four Poems by Sheila E. Murphy

December Michigan
Inside threnody, the parsnips and warm butter smooth away pale clouds. Beyond the window, tepid branches loosen fragile weather. Casseroles intended to deflect grief simplify oncoming night. In a room of one-paned glass, the mattress feels too soft. House noises of ritual wood pop precede droning of the fridge. How many foil-topped dishes can be stored on its glass shelves? Bedroom floor of chilled hardwood brittles the barefoot grief. Walls ought to be warm arms versus a trance of solitude.
Second hand, equality in time, feather fallen to ground




Summer Ghazal

Young branches extract soil from the air.
Reverie insists upon enclosure.

Conversation seemed a secular sacrament
of video images and set pieces.

Walls left a blue white color sounded a caesura
Ripe with future possibilities.

Handwritten letters in an acid-free folder
invite a different present tense to hold still.

Faces at the decade reunion had grown taut
as if to mimic early softness of new complexions.

A metronome replaced all evidence of dance
despite a slight wind prompting motion in the clothes.

Gifts with velvet bows piled in the aqua pickup truck
drew eye light as the calendar kept advancing.




Winter Lines

Split wood moistens on the snow
Crumbs carelessly arranged draw brown birds
Sharp lens captures afternoon’s pale glow
Split wood moistens on the snow

Continuo interprets tones made low
The only language sounds its way in thirds
Split wood moistens on the snow
Crumbs carelessly arranged draw brown birds




Pantoum

Roughness leaves the child with no defense
Parent with stippled heart erodes curiosity
Hurt lasts beyond itself
Thoughts require cushioning

Parent with stippled heart erodes curiosity
Every question purifies the space between life forms
Thoughts require cushioning
This moment will have fed a future pain

Every question purifies the space between life forms
New skin plump to touch draws no lines
This moment will have fed a future pain
Voices woven into harmony find new tones

New skin plump to touch draws no lines
Feeling that resembles birth frames history
Voices woven into harmony find new tones
Elastic daylight smooths toward sleep at night

Feeling that resembles birth frames history
A child resists repetitive wind
Elastic daylight smooths toward sleep at night
The thought of dance releases weight

A child resists repetitive wind
Hurt lasts beyond itself
The thought of dance releases weight
Roughness leaves the child with no defense

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