mani - pedi

I’ve missed several postings, but can’t, won’t promise to myself an every 6th day post.  Not right now.  That commitment has been one struggle for the past year, but until last month, I was successful.  Somedays, words sneak to paper.  Other days, I have nothing.

I started “mani-pedi” two months ago.

I got drunk at my nail salon today

Chardonnay

no lunch

it took one glass only

they’re generous with their pours

© 13 January 2022

Cindy B. Stevens

#Nail #Art #ArtlixirPoetry #DarkPoetry #IGPoetry #IGPoets #InstaPoetry #Life #LovePoetry #MicroPoetry #Poem #Poet #Poetry #PoetryCommunity #PoetryGram #PoetryIsLife #PoetryIsNotDead #PoetryLovers #PoetryOfig #PoetryOfInstagram #PoetryPorn #PoetSociety #PoetsOfInstagram #SpilledInk #VeinHeartArtisans #Wordsmith #Writer #WritersOfInstagram #Writing #NorthCarolinaWriter

 

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I try to post every six days . . .

 

I try to post every six days.  Yesterday was the sixth day and for several days now, I’ve tried to pull my thoughts together to share a poem.  All day yesterday, nothing.  My mentor tells me not to explain my poetry; and I won’t explain why I’m struggling with words these days.  Tragedy and I know each other, but this dark place is by far my hardest road.

© 15 January 2022

Cindy B. Stevens

 #Art #ArtlixirPoetry #DarkPoetry #IGPoetry #IGPoets #InstaPoetry #Life #LovePoetry #MicroPoetry #Poem #Poet #Poetry #PoetryCommunity #PoetryGram #PoetryIsLife #PoetryIsNotDead #PoetryLovers #PoetryOfig #PoetryOfInstagram #PoetryPorn #PoetSociety #PoetsOfInstagram #SpilledInk #VeinHeartArtisans #Wordsmith #Writer #WritersOfInstagram #Writing #NorthCarolinaWriter #AmWriting

Photo credit:  Michael Mouritz

death match

This is poem is evolving.  Might be waltz rhythm, rumba, or remain haiku.

I prove no match when

death decides, squeezes my hand

equates my slow stride

 

© 8 February 2022

Cindy B. Stevens

#Art #ArtlixirPoetry #DarkPoetry #IGPoetry #IGPoets #InstaPoetry #Life #LovePoetry #MicroPoetry #Poem #Poet #Poetry #PoetryCommunity #PoetryGram #PoetryIsLife #PoetryIsNotDead #PoetryLovers #PoetryOfig #PoetryOfInstagram #PoetryPorn #PoetSociety #PoetsOfInstagram #SpilledInk #VeinHeartArtisans #Wordsmith #Writer #WritersOfInstagram #Writing #NorthCarolinaWriter #AmWriting

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broken

The following poem is in my chapbook, Naked, published by Main Street Rag.

broken

not worthy

I accept the bread anyway

cup it in my hands

it’s torn like skin on a barbed wire fence

vine’s fruit

blood rich

a ruby Port thick on my tongue

I swallow the sacrifice

will I remember?

© 2018

Cindy B. Stevens

#Bread #Wine #Art #ArtlixirPoetry #DarkPoetry #IGPoetry #IGPoets #InstaPoetry #Life #LovePoetry #MicroPoetry #Poem #Poet #Poetry #PoetryCommunity #PoetryGram #PoetryIsLife #PoetryIsNotDead #PoetryLovers #PoetryOfig #PoetryOfInstagram #PoetryPorn #PoetSociety #PoetsOfInstagram #SpilledInk #VeinHeartArtisans #Wordsmith #Writer #WritersOfInstagram #Writing

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sign of the cross

my kaleidoscope oil cushions

sin colors

jewels

muted

sin angles

mirrored

subtle

 

fingers turn cylinder

towards sunset

I close my booth door

decrepit hasp rattles

 

I know what I’ve done

my mind says it’s

worse than my worst

 

what do I say when after my confession, my

priest remains silent

no penance

prayer

no absolution

 

my no Ash Wednesday forehead

no oil

no cross

© 26 January 2022

Cindy B. Stevens

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veil

I almost didn’t post this too fresh, raw piece that’s not finished; never finished.

veil

my brother died two days ago

a man who it pains to speak

walks with death

lays his hands on

prays for me

 

© 20 January 2022

Cindy B. Stevens

#Death #Art #ArtlixirPoetry #DarkPoetry #IGPoetry #IGPoets #InstaPoetry #Life #LovePoetry #MicroPoetry #Poem #Poet #Poetry #PoetryCommunity #PoetryGram #PoetryIsLife #PoetryIsNotDead #PoetryLovers #PoetryOfig #PoetryOfInstagram #PoetryPorn #PoetSociety #PoetsOfInstagram #SpilledInk #VeinHeartArtisans #Wordsmith #Writer #WritersOfInstagram #Writing #NorthCarolinaWriter

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a snorkel

until I stop for my first school bus since March 2020

I don’t realize my emotions are not drowning

they’re treading water underneath my surface

I watch kids unload

they greet their moms

their dogs

tears bubble through my snorkel

© 14 January 2022

Cindy B. Stevens

#Art #ArtlixirPoetry #DarkPoetry #IGPoetry #IGPoets #InstaPoetry #Life #LovePoetry #MicroPoetry #Poem #Poet #Poetry #PoetryCommunity #PoetryGram #PoetryIsLife #PoetryIsNotDead #PoetryLovers #PoetryOfig #PoetryOfInstagram #PoetryPorn #PoetSociety #PoetsOfInstagram #SpilledInk #VeinHeartArtisans #Wordsmith #Writer #WritersOfInstagram #Writing #NorthCarolinaWriter #AmWriting

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four hands

The last stanza of “four hands”:

I used to think it harder to fold a fitted

than a flat

by myself

until I had to fold the top with two hands

now, it makes sense to have one set

© 7 January 2022

Cindy B. Stevens

#fold #sheets #Art #ArtlixirPoetry #DarkPoetry #IGPoetry #IGPoets #InstaPoetry #Life #LovePoetry #MicroPoetry #Poem #Poet #Poetry #PoetryCommunity #PoetryGram #PoetryIsLife #PoetryIsNotDead #PoetryLovers #PoetryOfig #PoetryOfInstagram #PoetryPorn #PoetSociety #PoetsOfInstagram #SpilledInk #VeinHeartArtisans #Wordsmith #Writer #WritersOfInstagram #NorthCarolinaWriter

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star

there’s one star above my house tonight

it shines through a cloud cover

it’s not the Christmas star but I

can imagine it

points me to

Bethlehem to a

stable to a

manger to a

baby —

 

© 3 January 2022

Cindy B. Stevens

 

#Star #Bethlehem #Art #ArtlixirPoetry #DarkPoetry #IGPoetry #IGPoets #InstaPoetry #Life #LovePoetry #MicroPoetry #Poem #Poet #Poetry #PoetryCommunity #PoetryGram #PoetryIsLife #PoetryIsNotDead #PoetryLovers #PoetryOfig #PoetryOfInstagram #PoetryPorn #PoetSociety #PoetsOfInstagram #SpilledInk #VeinHeartArtisans #Wordsmith #Write #WritersOfInstagram #NorthCarolinaWriter

 

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