A Selection of Poems
And, I quote Hafiz, I lean as close to you
with my words as I can
You are far from me, my eyes starve to see
the fold of your long body, legs crossed, lazing in your chair
the grace of your almond fingers on my oh-so-pale skin.
You are far from me, I pen silken words to caress
your hesitations, soothe your injuries
to lure you over immune, adamant miles.
You are far from me, my loneliness catches
on the edge of your photo laughing with your son,
father and son wearing white, loving each other.
You are far from me, I dance alone
to the memento of your laughter surprised by
this dirty life’s astonishing pleasure
You are far from me, I can only embrace you with words
can only taste your love in memories, caress
a bitter pleasure listening to your deep half laughing voice,
'What’s up, Moons?'
Sharon Lopez Mooney, “And, I quote Hafiz, I lean as close to you with my
words as I can”, From Muddy River Poetry Review, ed., Zvi A. Sesling,
Swimming the tide
The bahia had a personality today
I swam in the humid afternoon
Alone just bobbing up and down, lazy
The sea on the other hand
Was what workshop leaders call assertive
The waves of the afternoon’s incoming tide
Laid full up against my upright body
Pushing me softly and swiftly
Along the edge of my dock
Usually I can dreamily stroke through water
And keep face to face with the ladder
But today he was in the mood to claim me
Not just to move me out of the way
Dowsing like the wakes of passing boats
But like someone bigger who
Knows his power and uses it
To take me with him or
Makes me fight to get back my berth
Not a wiggler or swimmer beneath his surface
Clear for at least twelve feet down
The bahia was alive with being
Flowing, rolling, pushing forward into nowhere
Alive with lustiness to overpower me
Like a trusted lover’s insistent seducing
I turned my face down to his wet countenance
And laughed into his potent swell
Moving me out of my safe spot
Sharon Lopez Mooney, ‘Swimming the Tide’, in Songs to the Sun, a poetry anthology, ed. Kevin Watt, 2019, San Bernardino, CA, pp. 142-43
Sacred Services
Sharon Lopez Mooney, published poet, Interfaith Minister, spiritual coach
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