Wednesday, November 03, 2021

New Poetry by Doug Holder










Signs

(for my late wife Dianne Robitaille)

A fallen autumnal leaf
perfectly lands
in the template of my hand-
I almost crushed it
with my wet sorrow..

A sudden red bloom
on a dying geranium 
a crown
for us brittle leaves 
below.

When I close
my eyes
cameos of her smile
flicker
on my 
very black screen,
like an old silent
movie.

The sudden
wide-eyed-shock
of the cat 
tail erect--
pointing to the ceiling
to some shadow
some trace of a spectral 
being.

The bird
that I could only see
when I laid my head on
her pale, deflated stomach
flickering with
frantic flight...

I felt the warm wind of the lake
gently sweep her away
I saw her
once more
in the mournful
davening
of the trees.


- © Doug Holder 2021


Doug Holder is the founder of the Ibbetson Street Press. He teaches creative at Endicott College right outside of Boston. His latest poetry collection is "The Essential Doug Holder." He lost his wife , the poet Dianne Robitaille in August of 2021.

1 comment:

Bridget Galway said...

A beautiful Monody for Dianne. Her presence is keenly felt.