Coming
Home
A Cinquain Sequence
White clouds
obscure the house,
a plane's growing shadow--
my eyes travel freeways, my heart
landing.
- Deborah P Kolodji
landing
after absence--
my thirty year sojourn
ends on terra firma I once
called home
- John Daleiden
called home
to say goodnight
from a bed never shared--
longed for my old life to embrace
the new
- Toni J. Layton
The new
doorknocker gleams
but beneath paint it's the
same old door - I take a deep breath
then knock
- Andrea Da Costa
...Then "knock--
knock" jokes followed,
as Mama served us tea,
my little sisters, all of us
laughing.
- Zhanna Rader
Laughing
as we sit down
to holiday dinner--
later, the old wounds will surface
again.
- Michael L. Evans
Again
we laugh through tales
we've shared a thousand times--
mugs of tea to warm our hands; love,
our hearts.
- Toni J. Layton
Our hearts
patched together
with green and red fabric--
one name on each stocking by the
fireplace.
- Deborah P Kolodji
fireplace
with stockings hung
and a song to be sung
the spirit of Christmas lights up
the room
- Shanna Baldwin Moore
The room
in candlelight- -
a scent of holly greens
and voices singing "night, Oh night
divine."
- John Daleiden
Divine,
this pantomime,
when we change to church clothes
and hide ourselves behind pious
faces.
- Michael L. Evans
Faces
appear behind
torn drapes, only shadows
uncertain who we are, why we're
smiling.
- Gary Blankenship
Smiling,
the Eucharist
on her tongue-radiant,
the small child kneels and bows her head
in prayer.
- John Daleiden
In prayer,
the songs rise up
filling the church with hope--
angelic voices proclaim love,
we hug.
- Deborah P Kolodji
We hug
our Labrador
in turn; he's sure he is
an equal family member,
old boy.
- Zhanna Rader
Old boy,
wagging your tail,
eager to please Mister.
Air's crisp, the shotguns clean, let's go
hunting...
- Gary Blankenship
hunting
for my lost self,
I search family books
of photos--we look different
today
- John Daleiden
today
we gather close
with family and friends -
those passed, here in spirit, always
present
- Trish Shields
present
in my soul the
urge to know what it means
for a newborn house sparrow to
be home
- Rita Odeh
"Be home
by eleven,"
she says to her daughter...
12 a.m., mother does not sleep,
concerned.
- Zhanna Rader
Concerned,
her nose crinkles
as she tugs his white beard -
"Are you sure you're really Santa?"
He laughs.
- Toni J. Layton
He laughs
as she smiles,
enchanted by simple
happiness - pleased no matter what
he gives.
- Gary Blankenship
he gives
unselfishly
wading through deep snowbanks--
his final present wrapped in harsh
terrain
- Trish Shields
Terrain--
unforgiving
on these December days...
The hero will not come home for
Christmas.
- Zhanna Rader
Christmas
awash with tears--
the heartbreaking sound of
your last goodbye keeps ringing in
my ears!
- Andrea Da Costa
my ears
are as rosy
as my nose this festive
season - I am Saint Nick coming
to town!
- Trish Shields
"To town,"
points the road sign...
I have not been there since
my youth. Will I see anyone
I knew?
- Zhanna Rader
I knew
my homecoming
would be as difficult
as admitting I was wrong last
visit...
- Gary Blankenship
visit
with family
during this festive time -
love makes the perfect present for
us all
- Trish Shields
Us all,
kids and adults,
gather at the table -
what cranes we make out of pretty
paper!
- Zhanna Rader
paper
foil and ribbons
to hide the gifts inside
the excitement of wondering
unfolds
- Shanna Baldwin Moore
Unfolds,
and then recurls--
an orange kitten sleeps
in a field of presents under
the tree.
- Michael L. Evans
the tree
lies in its box,
the ornaments crated -
decorating begins when you
come home
- Trish Shields
come home
to the splendor
of holly and ivy-
men of good cheer, pray for world peace
and love
- John Daleiden
"...And love
is all you need,"
he sings cooking breakfast
for both of them... The newlyweds'
day one.
- Zhanna Rader
Day one,
we search closets,
the next, drawers, garage
wherever the presents hid, they'll
be found...
- Gary Blankenship
"Be found,
be found," grandma
keeps mumbling, as she looks
for her glasses...But they're on her
forehead.
- Zhanna Rader
Forehead
to frosted glass,
she waits for Rudolph and
Blitzen - any second there'll be
sleigh bells.
- Toni J. Layton
sleigh bells
twinkle under
snowfall beneath the moon -
each note hurries us back to hearth
and home
- Trish Shields
...And home,
the place to be
during the holidays...
We unwrap gifts and try to act
surprised.
- Zhanna Rader
surprised,
the little girl
saw that Santa's hands were
just like her father's - this made her
impressed.
- Trish Shields
impressed
in the new snow
the track of deer browsing-
the distant woods bowed to the earth,
glitter.
- John Daleiden
Glitter
from head to toe,
the tree stands resplendent;
yet the sparkle in small eyes shines
brighter!
- Andrea Da Costa
Brighter
than twinkle lights,
tinsel, garland hung high -
the north star, the meaning. His gift
received.
- Toni J. Layton
Received
with suspicion,
a daughter's new boyfriend --
our silence when someone says the
wrong name.
- Deborah P Kolodji
wrong name
in her passport:
she's become a Mrs
and home will be wherever
he is
- Sprite
he is
on his way home,
a child no more, and yet
Sugar Plum Faeries dance within
his heart
- Trish Shields
His heart
leaps with the flames
in a circle of stone;
how precious the poetry in
our myths
- Hortensia Anderson
Our myths.
Prometheus
promised us light but dark
are the days of Yuletide before
Advent
- Sprite
Advent,
a miracle...
sing in celebration
of hope in a world with grace for
mankind
- Shanna Baldwin Moore
Mankind
joins with Gaia
on the winter solstice --
shamans beat drums in a quest most
ancient.
- Hortensia Anderson
Ancient
melodies played
by the church organist --
I lose myself in Bach, my soul
content.
- Deborah P Kolodji
Content
with ham dinner
the family carols
around a burning Yuletide log-
Praise God!
- John Daleiden
Praise God!
Days spent beneath
a downed tree, through the storms;
his faith never wavered, his prayers
answered
- Trish Shields
Answered
by last night's dream
questions I never asked
by spirits mulling in the Glogg
with me.
- Hortensia Anderson
With me
in memory,
this Christmas without you--
half-filled cups of fresh brewed coffee,
your smile.
- Deborah P Kolodji
your smile
at breakfast time
warms my coffee and toast--
on my desk our fading wedding
photo
- John Daleiden
photo
carried too long
in a wallet ... 'let go'
friends advised; the could-have-been still
so strong
- Sprite
So strong,
my morning tea,
it energizes me:
I'm ready to cook breakfast for
my guests.
- Zhanna Rader
My guests
devour my food,
drink all of my liquour,
leave the house trashed, and give me lots
of joy...
- Gary Blankenship
of joy
we sing our song
glory, honor, praises,
spread the cheer to all who hear
as one
- Shanna Baldwin Moore
as one
who works with words
I embrace each poet -
each line opens new horizons,
untouched
- Trish Shields
Untouched,
one gift still wrapped
as we take the tree down --
lured outside, I see my dreams in
white clouds
- Deborah P Kolodji
Coming Home was written by Hortensia Anderson, Gary
Blankenship, Andrea Da Costa, John Daleiden, Michael L. Evans, Deborah P
Kolodji, Toni J. Layton, Shanna Baldwin Moore, Rita Oteh, Trish Shields,
Sprite, and Zhanna Rader in December, 2006.
