the day after
the wind blows
snow lies silent on the dormant ground
clouds linger in the petulant sky
as time resolutely moves
into a new year
nothing changes
nothing is the same
the day after
the morning sun rises in the east
at nightfall it
slumbers westward as the
stars wink at the moon
nothing changes
nothing is the same
the day after
dullness filters
into the oxygen
filling the air with
a haze of
heaviness
nothing changes
nothing is the same
the day after
is an eternity
removed
from the day before
it will never be the same
it will never be the same
copyright© 2010
by Terri DeVries
dreamscapes
that strange segment in time
between wake and sleep
ushers in the night visitors
waiting silently
greedy for attention
they slither into my mind
casting impressions
without form
unease surfaces
bubbling up unbidden
darkness grabs my hand
pulls me away from myself
the dream-bringers
materialize
lugging their bag of tricks
filled with fragments
who chooses the dream
heavy with
a bizarre plot
for tonight’s entertainment?
abruptly awakening
dream-bringers slip away
maliciously
packing up dreams
copyright© 2009
by Terri DeVries
photo copyright © 2009 by Terri DeVries
stones
plowing the fields in summer
as furrows emerge in rows
the tines strike and resonate a zing!
bending down
careful not to get entangled
I pull out the reason for the sound
round and smooth
cool as autumn rain
a small brown stone has worked its way
from the depths
its brothers, much larger
have formed the fence around the field
but this stone, too unimportant
will find its way into the child’s
treasure box to be cherished
many shades of brown and gray
striations of milky white and silver
small
too small to be worthy of guardianship
insignificant
maybe of more value
perhaps its size outght not to be the benchmark
of its worth
a thousand stones comprise the fence
around the field
one small stone the treasure
copyright© 2009
by Terri DeVries
terminus ad quem
she arises slowly
takes a cloth
wipes the table
as though the words
had spilled there
tracing-paper thin
conversation
has ended
leaving consonants
hanging
in midair
with nowhere to go
the squeaking of the
closing door
mimics
small screams
it is the sound
of a life
closing
copyright© 2009
by Terri DeVries
eraser
mistakes can be corrected
penciled words eliminated
by a single swipe
though a haze remains
the writing is obliterated
I blot it out of my mind
the doctor says the words
but I cancel them out
like a child
plugging my ears
quietly repeating
lalalalalalala
the pain cannot reach me
I refuse to hear
if I don’t acknowledge it
reality is erased
except
there he is
tubes leading in and out
machines humming a tuneless drone
paleness the color of the day
matching the walls
and sheets
and pillows
it’s all a mistake
a case of misdiagnosis
it can all be erased
if I only wish it hard enough
if I only keep denying the truth
if I only plug my ears
lalalalalalala
copyright© 2009
by Terri DeVries
day interrupted
unforeseen
it comes
oblivious
I make my coffee
sit on the patio
contemplate the day
the list is long
oil change
luncheon appointment at…
twelve?
haircut at two
bank deposit
tickets for Friday
check on Mom
a normal start
the busy
takes the day
in the middle
my cell rings
it is my sister
irritated, annoyed
at the interruption
I snap
what?
then I stop
everything
stops
copyright© 2009
by Terri DeVries
