poetry – Page 5 – Tori Dreamer

April 3, 2024

For All to See

Spin me ‘round…
three times to be exact.
I’ll click my heels,
bat my eyes,
pull a rabbit from my hat.

Then I’ll dance…
and sing the stupid song.
I’ll entertain,
make you smile,
and pretend there’s nothing wrong.

Then it’s done…
Right back to what we had.
For all to see,
You and me,
Floating through happy… yet sad.

Tori Burris Inkley
4/2/24

April 2, 2024

If the level of positivity
Can outlast one’s proclivity
To become enmeshed in the desire
To blow smoke and throw fire
When the world’s become colder
As we’re all getting older
And the earth is still turning
While mankind is yearning
For better and best
Less wicked, more blessed
Then maybe,
Just maybe…

There’s hope.

Tori Burris Inkley
4/1/24

February 13, 2024February 13, 2024

Dig Deep

Dig deep, dear soul

Deep into the dark recesses of your mind,
Your heart,
Your gut

Into that place where you land at day’s end
That place where you sit comfortably,
Right or wrong,
With your thoughts
Your choices
Your beliefs

Tell me, dear soul

What color is that place?

Is it as green as new spring grass?
Full of fresh hope for tomorrow
Abundant in growth, soft to the touch, comforting to smell

Is it as yellow as tall summer sunflowers?
Bright and promising in its quest for a better tomorrow
Shockingly brilliant in its positivity

Is it as red as falling autumn leaves?
Beautiful, but aged, having lived a full life
Yet continuing to decorate the landscape

Or is it as white as fresh winter snow?
Lacking color… or it is all of the colors
Clean, quiet, almost invisible

Dig deep, dear soul

and share your color

Tori Burris Inkley
2/13/24

September 4, 2023

The Same

The same
and the same
and the same

The sun shines
and then the rain
The love bursts
and then the pain
You bleed knowing
it’s just the same

The tide doesn’t turn
The tide’s the tide
You buy the ticket
and take the ride

You pray for more
but know there’s less
You don the heels
and wear the dress

You smile so bright
your face may break
It’s dark inside,
you hide the ache

Dreams tucked away
and growing moss
You take a breath
and mourn the loss

You wash the dish
and sort the clothes
Prepare yourself
‘Cause heaven knows

It’ll be the same
and the same
and the same

Tori Burris Inkley
9/4/23

June 5, 2023

Silent
Heartwarming
Energizing

Seeing
Hearing
Embracing
Dreaming

6/5/22

May 14, 2023May 14, 2023

The Grainery

Hidden
Back off the road,
behind my grandparents’ house
It stood…
The Grainery

Half stable,
Half barn
Housing feed and grain,
hay and salt lick,
and a truly handsome blond horse

A place for discovering abandoned kittens,
Hiding in the hay loft,
Brushing a horse,
A sanctuary for a young child
who knew way more than she should…

A place to laugh,
A place to cry,
A place to scream
or just be still
A country castle for a little girl

My childhood secrets
were left on bales of hay
My teenage dreams,
spoken to the leaning walls
It understood me, this place

Surrounded by trees
and meadows of green,
Gardens exploding with
vegetables and fruits
It stood, proud and useful

In time
The horse was sold,
The children grew up,
and the adults moved on…
one way or another

As years went by
boards rotted, nails rusted,
stray animals feasted
on the remaining feed and grain,
and it sighed a knowing sigh

The day came when
it was reduced to rubble
Men with machines
first toppled it over,
then set fire to its remains

The grainery was no more
Only ash and occasional nails
filled the space
and I wondered
what became of my secrets, my dreams

Did they rise to the heavens
in the smoke?
Or did they sink into the ground
with the ash?
Or did they possibly… just disappear?

Oh, how I pray they didn’t disappear…
many years of my life were spent creating them…

May 13, 2023

April 30, 2023

A Poet’s Surprise

and there it was
buried in the midst of hundreds,
or thousands,
of others

after searching
for what seemed like hours or days,
maybe weeks,
it screamed

Hey! Here I am!
I have been waiting for some time,
some long time,
to be found

then…

onto the page
it jumped, landing where it belonged;
just the next
perfect word

April 30th
Prompt: Write a Surprise Poem
(And with that… it’s the end of the April Poem a Day Challenge!)

April 30, 2023

To See for Myself

The call came early
one January morning,
leaving me speechless,
broken, unable to find my next step,
not believing.

The flight back was long,
loud and quiet,
made, still in a fog of disbelief,
sooner than I was prepared for,
but not soon enough to prevent it.

The hugs and tears and refusal to believe
filled the day, and night.
Seemed that was all that was left,
as sleep wouldn’t come,
and joy had long fled.

Heard the story once, twice,
more times than I wanted.
Strangers hugged and cried.
I walked, in dress and heels,
mascara running, to see for myself.
It’s the only way I could believe
he was gone.

April 29th
Prompt: Write a Sight Poem

April 28, 2023

You are All of These

Twisted
Sarcastic
Controlling and Rude
Judgmental
Dramatic
Sometimes a prude

Perky
Positive
Lovable and Light
Generous
Supportive
Possibly bright

Daughter
Sister
Aunt and Mother
Friend and
Mimsy to
Granddaughter and her brother

Up and down
Good and bad
Happy, angry,
funny, sad

Quick to laugh
Easy to please
Believe it or not
You’re all of these.

April 28th
Prompt: Write a You Are (Blank) Poem

April 28, 2023

Touch

The bee, landing gently on her head,
touching every strand of golden hair
as he walked about.
Not once did she feel his presence.
Too light and sure-footed was he.

The wheelchair, rammed into the kitchen door,
scraping the metal footrests
and denting the wall.
Only through sight did he witness the impact.
Feeling, lost long ago in a blur.

The babe, lifted from her womb,
covered and wrinkled and
wriggling about.
She, not conscious of the scalpel’s intrusive work.
Drugs, strong enough to dull most pain.

The call, late at night from continents away,
soft and real and honest, lasting for
hours and hours into daylight.
The love, he feels always and near.
For his heart she touched long ago.

April 27th
Prompt: Write a Touch Poem