Turning Stones

A windy day 

Brings a sense of new direction

Of letting go —

Relax of tension

Leaves are pinwheels on their branches

Twisting off some fall to water

To sail along in swirling dances

Till some settle on a stone

To decorate with their dried bones

Bones and bones, their dried bones

The shifting waters of the stream

Speak ceaselessly of living dreams

Secrets someone needs to seek

Distant lines to cross and keep

Waterfall and tumbling stone

All writing on the Earth

Of home

Smoked Mozzarella Reminds Me

Campfire on the mountaintop

Flickering red/orange light

Highlighting hands reaching out

For warmth in this crisp dark

Tunnel that is the forest shroud

Trees looming in the limelight

Proscenium arch of pine and cedar

In the morning, dew dampens

Everything – except the white ash

Dancing from the lingering heat

And it all smells so smoky

The tent, the down bag, the pack,

The clothes, the boots, the parka,

The dirt under your fingernails,

The woolen hat

All so smoky. 

©2009 Su Polo 3/30/09 

In Waves

Oh you last, bright sliver of Sun

I watch as you set down between buildings

With my heart

Sinking,

In waves of light

Sine, Cosine,

Sine, Cosine.

My heart rides the 

Tangent Boat.

I sing my heart.

The sound pours in

Watery waves,

Sine, Cosine,

Sine, Cosine.

My words ride the

Tangent Boat.

Footsteps take me across town,

Heels rapping the pavement

Echoing up and down town,

Sine, Cosine,

Sine, Cosine,

I pace the deck of the 

Tangent Boat,

Rocking along

Endlessly

Rocking.

©1998 & 2009 Su Polo 

9/98

www.SuPolo.com

Night Dream

Tonight, when the edge of the world 

Presents itself,

I will acquiesce;

Letting open the door to

That messy room – overstuffed 

With the undone

And the confoundlings, the hysteric 

Children of my mental children in 

Constant replication in proportion

To the pattern of uninterrupted issues & time.

They will call to me

For review and release.

Perhaps I will pick one orphan to 

Bring to light – to adopt for a time

Till it finds a home.

A Whisper

I was wondering how you are, though

Our friendship did not go far

The cold, dark night of fear crept in and 

I fell into that dark.

Did you find yourself in love?

Is she with you now?

Does she fill your heart?

Does she really care?

Pull back the night

Pull back the day

Pull the surface back

Pull it all away.

I am burning still, after all this time

My thoughts are flaming coals

A burning light

Has invaded my soul.

I send my thoughts out to you.

I hope they brush your mind,

Your cheeks, your lips, your eyes.

A touch bound by the wind

A touch light as a feather

A touch as quiet as a whisper

A whisper is a kiss

I whisper

All the time

Your name

And mine.

© 2009 Su Polo 

Lone Soul

It's Night in New York City

Alphabet City wake up call

The muse wants me

Wants me to wander

The lone soul jonesing 

For sounds

Background noise

Is a song

In the key

Of free

Beyond Reason

Beyond reason

Beyond the mind 

the heart is the doorway

To the bottomless ocean

Called The Soul.

What has fallen in is a stone.

Upon it, carved deeply, is your name.

It is falling deeper and deeper.

It will never wear away.

Perhaps one day, my magic turtle will 

Carry it back from the depths and 

Return it to my hand.  There it will

Melt into your beating heart.  

You will come to claim it 

And we will share the joy of 

Finding you 

Whole once more.

We will live by the shore

And swim in the

Bottomless 

Ocean.

©1996 & 2009 Su Polo