Love So New

Our love so new

it has no footprints.

We stand in the

moment of its birth

not caring how

we got here.

Our souls intoxicated

with the dream

we will have

a tomorrow.

What blooms with fragrant hope, but the blessed petal of love?

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Photograph: Susie Clevenger

Review and Anticipation

so  many tears fell

in this year of too much pain

a solemn review

 - 0 -

writing my savior

my pen gave heartbreak a voice

healing poetry

- 0 -

 anticipating

arrival of a new year

joy of brighter days

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Sensational Haiku Wednesday Prompt: Review

Sensational Haiku Wednesday

I Lift My Glass to New Beginnings

I stand at the end

of another year.

Beauty and grief

wrote their passages

across the three hundred

and sixty five days

now singing their swan song.

Let the new year begin

with its white pages

of expectation.

I shall unwrap its calendar

and write my resolutions

with a black pen.

Doubt shall not drop

its dark curtain upon

the dreams that

wait to become reality.

I lift my glass to new beginnings

pristine in their hope.

Tomorrow will not be judged

by the numbered yesterdays

falling around my feet.

My spirit reborn with determination

to turn my hesitancy  into

confidence that this new year

will be  MY  year of success.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Poets United: The Poetry Pantry #81

Poet's United

Real Toads Prompt: "Ring out the old, ring in the new"
Imaginary Garden With Real Toads

Broken Norma Jean

Her smile brilliant as the diamonds

that wound in serpentine sparkle

around her beautiful neck.

Hidden beneath glitter

named Marilyn was

the sadness of

a broken

Norma

Jean.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Magpie Tales: Mag 97

Magpie Tales

Poetry & Prose Magazine

I was privileged to be part of Poetry & Prose Magazine
 December 2011

Poetry & Prose Magazine December 2011

Publish at Calaméo or browse others.

Merry Christmas

a yuletide listing

catalogues naughty or nice

santa is watching

- 0 -

a star lights the way

crystal illumination

miracle awaits

- 0 -

a christmas prayer

that love will cover the earth

the heart speaks amen

©Susie Clevenger 2011

The Purple TreehousePhotographs: Favim

 Haiku Heights Prompt #99: Christmas

Haiku Heights
The Purple Treehouse

Between Heartbeats

My heart feels

 your words

 kiss me in the wind.

I cannot

release my soul

from your memory.

Between each

of my heartbeats

there is a lonely space.

Your name

rests on my lips.

I won’t speak goodbye.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Poet's United: The Poetry Pantry #80

Spirit

she’s a free spirit

unbound by conventional

freedom her music

- 0 -

a joyful spirit

adversities nemesis

shines bright in darkness

- 0 -

loneliness retreats

when friendship holds out its hand

a spirit of love

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Sensational Haiku Wednesday Prompt: Spirit

Sensational Haiku Wednesday
The Purple Treehouse
recuerda me corazon

Cinderella's Tea

I sat near a tree

for a spot of honey tea

to escape scooping ashes

and washing my step sisters’ sashes.

I am ever so weary

 my eyes have grown bleary

from letting out seams

as step-mother screams.

All is in a flurry.

She says I must hurry.

There are ribbons to tie

and flowers to buy.

The palace is having a ball

to celebrate fall

 and Cinderella you were slighted

because you weren’t invited.

Oh how I wish

as I watch these leaves swish

 a prince would ask for my hand

to wear his gold band.

But hoping for a royal marriage

is as silly as a pumpkin turning into a carriage.

This is as grand as my life will ever be,

a moment of freedom to drink honey tea.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Image Credit: Chance of Sunshine: Cinderella On Her Tea Break

Bluebell Books Short Story Slam Week 17

Bluebell Books
 by susie-clevenger

Sweet Dreams

Sweet dreams,

come to me

as soon as

my head lies

upon my silken

pillow.

I wish to escape

the sharp edges

of my day.

                                       

Transport me

in your veil

to fantasy’s shore.

Let my mind

be freed from

a world that

plays tug of war

with my emotions,

drawing me one moment

into sublimity, the next

pulling me into

the abyss .

I wish to play

In the sand

of imagination,

walk its beaches

sparkling with enchantment,

hear the sea

sing its siren’s song

to my heart.

Dreams, I have

had too much reality

in this long day.

I await your visitation.

Please come quickly.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Real Toads

Sorcery's Ink Pot

a familiar waits

for quill to pen its message

sorcery’s ink pot

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Image: Pottermore
OSI Prompt 199: Ink Pot
One Single Impression

In Your Shadow

Captured for eternity

in your shadow.

My name forgotten

in its faded ink.

No questions are

raised to ask my identity.

I am merely a subject

of a camera lens.

Your photographic

genius forever applauded

while I am merely a face

without a name.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Photograph: Lee Friedlander , 1966

 Magpie Tales Mag 96

Magpie Tales

Questions the Gravel

Questions are the gravel

that lie beneath my feet.

Their crunch of indecision

making dust of my resolve.

I thought I knew which

direction I should take.

Now I stand at the crossroads

wishing life had a sign

in bold lettering stating

This Is The Way.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Photograph: Photobucket

 Carry on Tuesday # 136:

Standing at the crossroads

Carry On Tuesday

Polished Ego

     a horse riding knight                

does not arouse my romantic thoughts

i need no saving

a polished ego

that views me helpless female

incurs my disdain

requesting to aide

when seeing I am in need

receives my respect

that does not imply

i have no ability

just I might need help

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Image:Tumblir 

OSI Prompt 198: Knight

One Single Impression

Can I Survive?

Wait

until ivory

blankets the moon.

The beams will

then light

romance.

But can I survive my longing?

Doubt

assails my

empty lonely heart.

Too many yesterdays

broke their

promises.

Fear

has frozen

my fragile dreams.

They are nothing

but frosted

lace.

  

Do I dare believe?

Joy

is holding

a ragged breath.

Please come quickly

my ivory

moon.

Faintly

I feel

a fluttering hope.

My heartstrings are

playing love’s

chords.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Painting: Rob Hefferan

Hay (na) ku & Reverse Hay(na)ku poetry form 

 Here is a link explaining Hay(na)ku
Baymoon

Mistaken Heartstrings

It is not love that has claimed you

attraction is the lure.

Untie your mistaken heartstrings,

let freedom be your cure.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Image Link: Navarro's Silent Film Guide

Watery Mistress

The sea lured my heart.

I dreamed in the salt

of its lullaby.

My eyes saw

one blue horizon

splashed in white waves.

The Ancient Mariner

was spoken by the wind

billowing my sails.

Land implored me

to leave the wooden

planks beneath my feet.

My watery mistress

was jealous of the

 white sand siren call.

She raged a bitter gale

to toss me from

her sea foam breast.

I am now buried

in sand I cannot

stand on.

And look out

upon a sea

I cannot sail.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

 Image: Mostafa Habibi

Magpie Tales Mag 95

Magpie Tales

Also shared with
Imaginary Garden With Real Toads

Watery Mistress by susie-clevenger

Kitten Camouflage

kitten camouflage

confirming lunch’s sector

covert mission

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Haiku Heights Prompt: # 98-Covert

 Haiku Heights

Unretrievable Minutes

Pointed hands travel

along a face removing

years in the tick tock

of unretrievable minutes.

Youth wishes time to fly

while age drags its feet.

The chase for tomorrow

catches the unsuspecting

with the arrival of today.

If floats on the air

with the wings of regret.

Mistakes mingle with successes

trying to erase joy

with its litany of remorse.

Life winds its clock but once.

Arms should embrace

the present moment

with awe and gratitude.

Be now what you wish

to remember tomorrow.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Carry On Tuesday #135

Carry On Tuesday

Best Posts of the Week
Thursday Poets Rally

The Kiss of Snow

I want

to feel the kiss

of snow upon my cheek.

It was winter when I first fell

in love.

My heart

warm with I love you burning bright

was wrapped in romantic dreams

I could never

forget.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Does It Rain Rainbows?

Does it rain

rainbows

at Easter,

bright colored

splashes to

decorate eggs?

I should ask

mother duck,

but she

is waddling

between drops

with her ducklings.

I am afraid

to walk

in my yellow galoshes

across green grass

for fear I will

smudge the colors.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Follow the Rain Home

Short Story Slam Week 16

Bluebell Books

Snow Symphony

Winter performs a snow symphony

with its ice tambourine tapping

against frosted window panes.

Its chilled music drawing

hearts to gather near

a cozy fire

to dream of

summer

days.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Poetic  Form: Nonnet

9 lines-9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Poetry Picnic Week1 8
Gooseberry Garden

His Passion Speaks

 His passion speaks

in ballet movement

the glory of dance.

In sinew leap he

defies  gravity’s pull

to be glued to earth.

A portrait in motion

painted with talent’s brush;

he frames his art

with an enthusiastic

spirit of joy.

Heartstrings twitch

to expand a heart

that embraces love

to be all inclusive

as his body speaks

a sonnet upon the stage.

The audience raises

its adoration in the noise

of clapping hands

and shouts of praise.

His steps have led them

from their world into his

where constraints are broken

by the beauty of dance.

  For Claudio

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Space

the space between us

was a valley of distrust

my heart could not cross

- 0 -

he asked for his space

his bags now sit on the porch

i changed the door locks

- 0 -

a stack of papers

please initial the last line

his space now granted

©Susie Clevenger 2011

 Photographs: Photobucket

Haiku Height Prompt: #97- Space

Haiku Heights

With Malice

words chosen to cut

their knife phrases leaving scars

forethought of malice

bitterness dripping

caustic phrases to demean

a cyber bully

character negates

lies spoken from acid lips

walk in shoes of truth

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Sensational Haiku Wednesday Prompt: Malice

Sensational Haiku Wednesday

Perfect Poet Award, Week 57/Crumpled Pages

Poetry Palace Perfect Poet Award, Week 57

Crumpled pages

speak more

than the words

printed in faded font.

A story is etched

in its leather binding

by the hands

that opened its cover.

Love creased its pages

to mark a favorite passage.

Joy smiled as it was

tucked next to a heart.

Tears left watermarks

when grief sought

its refuge.

The old book

whispers it has

more to say

than the poems

that grace its pages.

It waits for those

who will take

the time to open it

and listen.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

 Thank you so much for the award. I nominate

 Anthony F. Rando

Divide

I divide

myself

thinking

it will make

me whole.

I try to be

everything

to everyone

leaving nothing

for myself.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

My Mind Writes With Antique Pen

My mind writes

with an antique pen.

The poets long gone

are the muses

that whisper to me.

Dear Poe turned

the light on

with his dark verses.

He captured me

with his words

to birth my desire

 to write.

Miss Browning asked,

“How do I love thee?”

As she counted the ways

my heart dreamed

the stanzas of my own

love poem.

Emily Bronte wrote

of tears that only ceased

when others were looking.

This gave me the courage

to speak my own tears.

Inspiration comes to me

from poets long gone.

They are my teachers

speaking their lessons

through their verses.

I pray I am a student

worthy to continue

with my pen.

©Susie Clevenger 2011

 Poetry Picnic Week 16: My Life in Verse

Poetry Picnic

A Child and Christmas

the joy of a child

lends its brilliance to Christmas

to make each heart shine

 - 0 -

come with open heart

embrace the season’s magic

feel the child within

- 0 -

the twinkle of hope

shines with innocent sparkle

waiting for santa

©Susie Clevenger 2011

Photographs: Photobucket
Haiku My Heart