In recognition of Poetry Month, and to celebrate and highlight our treasure trove of Orcas Island poets, Orcas Issues is pleased and honored to again offer daily poetry during April.

The Photographer

— by Susan Slapin —
Believe me
don’t believe me
when I tell you that you ride on Pegasus
wings of horses   traversing worlds.
that your Spirit is tended
by white goats  and angels
soft and light
as your unknowing hair.
That Titian’s fingers run through those curls
golden brown   sun drenched
lips and hips  relax
into the center of your belly.
You are the one smooth stone
woman   man
the griffin  wise one
made human headed, mostly
standing on all twos
animal breath speaks passions
from your happy howling jowls.
Your pores  flash lightening
hide  like suede
bright   your soul
here   now
Click.

 ISLAND WINTER RAIN

— by Susan Slapin —
Exhaling wind blows round sound
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
                   o   p   e   n
                  Awakening
      translucent rain pours
………………..d
                        o
                        w
                        n
          in clanking sheets
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
          metal zen marks
              quicksilver
     walls of changing air
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
          flashbrush sumis
     skate    spin    flip a tango
tapping along the scented evergreens
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
    cuneiform lines and arrows
  <<<<<<<<^^^^^>>>>>>>>
       pictographic alphabets
repose upon the windowsills of sleep
                 tucking in
          the evening moon
The Sun   &  G-d   &  Child
*{<<<<<<<^^^^^^^>>>>>>>}*

Pause on Main

–by Susan Slapin–
She writes poems on the top curve of her mouth
no one sees them.
paints her palate  with in season plums
wraps her headscarf  loosely ’round indigo rooms
likes  sleepy  roof  towns!
past southwest borders…
slow dogs  walking
’til dawn light appears
on Main Street   imagine,
crackling ole phone wires
poking  clip clop horse hooves
chewin’ tobacci   around the cusps
slow music  2 cowboys  dream realms  on Main.

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