Category: writing

her narrows standing

i wait on dreams
of her fountainhead,
at her narrows standing

flow her water, oak & ash
hazel & blackthorn sharp,
at her narrows standing

wait upon gold & rust
for rime & without reason,
at her narrows standing

long the night i belong
set to slumber underground,
at her narrows standing

19 Oct 25

coil lies barren

shuffling off & cutting ties
gone to drift on pale winds
clutching at fragments only
to toss useless scraps away

4 u c —
i realize this coil lies barren &
there is only death & dream
this debt is beyond counting
and all that is left is
to serve out my time

i slip
an ophelia amongst the reeds
waiting for a mercy kiss
to set me free

18 Oct 25

hibiscus

tart hibiscus on my tongue
returns memories of stolen kisses
over doumbek & warmed rania
while thick windows
full of commuting crowds
rush to beat the thicker snowflakes
falling on rescue red buses
roaring past to carry them home

17 Oct 25

casting runes — 17oct25
thurisaz
```
going back to ground
to wrap myself in earth
before the long cold falls

stone away blind
ravens shout greetings above
in the ancient oak tree

a single snowflake,
leaden skies
```
A poem prompted by a randomly selected Elder Futhark rune.
Today’s rune is thurisaz, which has several core translations: “thorn” or “giant”. The rune is often associated with pain or discomfort (often for an important transitional or transformative reason) or raw power that may be destructive. It is also considered protective, regenerative, and is frequently associated with women’s menstrual health.
Please visit my Elder Futhark pages at sceadugenga.com for additional interpretations of the runes based on multiple references and personal reflection.
17 Oct 25
Gate 32B
Photo by Joel Tasche on Unsplash
Wind and needle-sharp snowdust blew something coughing and swearing through Gate 32B. They had opened the door but a crack so that Mark and the other guards would have an easier time of pushing it back into the closed position after their “guest” had entered. The servos were nightfroze again and no one had wanted to open the gate in the first place, but you just did not leave folks out in the cold on a night like this.
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16 Oct 25

fantasy tale

though she was no virgin
and he no unicorn,
he rested his head in her lap
and visioned their journey
riding across still waters in
the shimmer of dream

16 Oct 25

alkali

thin sticks stacked
for drifter design
in this twilight world
all glyph and glamour
—howl now the wolves

gun oil and smolder
burning under the thick
hammer crack, steel
the flint for the sticks

dream now
in shift with the pale

15 Oct 25

casting runes — 15oct25
tiwaz
```
wearing knotted hounds
around an arm
used to mean something
but it was not long
before the world's hungry wolves
gnawed until even those
ideals were devoured away
```
A poem prompted by a randomly selected Elder Futhark rune.
Today’s rune is tiwaz, which is named after the Norse god Týr, and the second weekday (Tuesday) is named for the god. According to Norse myth, Týr sacrifices his right hand to the wolf Fenrir, who bites it off when he realizes the gods have bound him. The rune is typically considered symbolic of honor, loyalty and justice, as well as of sacrifice. It may be representative of discipline and faith. Some interpretations have associated the rune with the North Star.
Please visit my Elder Futhark pages at sceadugenga.com for additional interpretations of the runes based on multiple references and personal reflection.
15 Oct 25

honey

she gushed candied lies
something saccharine fierce
living labyrinthine sweet but
only fools fall for her
promised treat

empty hands & honey
stolen child & treacle
too sweet too sweet too sweet

14 Oct 25

Waiting for the interurban
Photo by Josh Hild on Pexels.com
The bus was running late, as usual. The only sensible thing to do in such conditions is to smoke a cigarette, as far as Paul was concerned. So he did.
“I’ve run out of fucks to give,” he said, dropping a pinch of tobacco into the cigarette paper. He shifted the distribution of the tan, shredded leaf, pushing it to the edges of the paper. The amount was still unsatisfactory by whatever criteria he had, so another pinch was added shifted about until he was satisfied and his fingers started their practiced rolling to transform the package into a serviceable cigarette.
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14 Oct 25