Hummingbird’s Quest

etching, sketching pink carnation
folds of coral twisting within
try to replicate with black pen,
yet ink flow fades into dry line,
as pen’s tip rips paper petals
like a confused lover
plucking sweet indecision
holding, folding velvet wetness

mumbling a chant
does he love me, does he love me not.
too old, too wise
to contemplate another’s lot,
so i borrow a pen
from baristo,
flip the page,
chin in palm of my hand,
peer through the cafe window
watch hummingbird hover
nanosecond motions that appear as stillness,

like a fairy
before darting, dipping, lifting and
diving out of sight
beyond white picket fence
towards the horizon
where clouds slow dance the lambada
across blue
see coastal pine tips sway
joining in the dance of storm to come,
as i try again:

etching, sketching pink carnation
ball point pen tip against paper
stays still
as my mind hovers like the hummingbird
wondering about timelessness in the cycling of sea water
breaths of salt

like taffy stuck on the tip of my tongue
before i speak thoughts
that reflect at the same angle
in which they leave my lips,
hoping to see the common ground
in your laughing eyes.

before darting, dipping, lifting and
diving out of sight,
i try for sweetness, yet
verbs become so active
that i speak a slew of sentences
that should be muttered
under
my salt taffy breath,
yet
they dart out
in a downward zip
of hummingbird’s quest
for overflowing nectar in fuchsia’s cups,
black peppery grape perfume swelling up.

etching, sketching pink carnation
folds of coral twisting within
try to replicate with black pen
holding, folding velvet wetness,
knowing that there are too many petals
in the curves of a carnation.

Hummingbird’s Quest  is a poem that will land in Jes Wright’s book, The Quill of Impermanence, which will be published by FootHills Publishing in early spring 2014.

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Ed: Bryonie Wise

Photo Credit:  KaroliK on Flickr