Dancers

Above me, the dancing
ladies ascend toward
the pallid light -
leaping,
dipping,
twirling and
whirling.
I catch only glimpses
of their movement,
but I stare -
transfixed -
waiting for one more
glance of these lucid
charmers
and their shimmering
skirts of
silver and grey.

Copyright © Catherine Young, 2007.

Kuusasi's Secrets

Alone but content
with only his thoughts for company
he keeps his secrets hidden
behind his eyes
within himself
safe inside his world

Copyright © Catherine Young, 2007.

This, here

This -
here -
is my current antidote
from problems unsolved
and feelings unspoken
from worries, decisions, and
debts.
This -
here -
is my current antidote
from the solitude
of our living room,
midday during a work week
- hours still remaining.
This -
here -
is my current antidote
from redundancy
from overwhelming odds against
from a wholesome reality
And you -
with your
quiet eyes -
you
are my
universal antidote.

Copyright © Catherine Young, 2007.

Untitled (or maybe....'Ode to Wine'?)

At home by myself
and I feel fine
I got my books
an' a bottle of wine!

Copyright © Catherine Young, 2007.

Bayfield

Summer has begun.

I know this as I
stand here on the beach
- you by my side
watching and anticipating
the setting of the sun
- its disappearance beyond
Lake Huron's waves
imminent.
The sky flourishes with
a symphony of colours
that I have
no words
to describe.
The burgeoning fire
crick-crackles behind us,
warming the air that
surrounds our bodies.
Hand in hand we gaze
- and you kiss me.

Summer has begun.

Copyright © Catherine Young, 2007.

Health Care

Haven't written for ages! Just got back from vacation....first in New York for my students' grad trip, then to the cottage in Bayfield, now back home again. I went to see Michael Moore's new film, "SiCKO", at the movies last night. I know that everything he does you have to take with a grain of salt, as he often provides only partial stories/facts that help him prove his points. That being said, I still think the amount of money people have to pay, and the politics that goes on with some health care providers, is extremely messed up and corrupt. So anyway, here's my poem. I couldn't figure out how I wanted to punctuate it, so I didn't.

Denied

sit there
cry there
wait and weep
with a child
too sick to sleep
will she live
another day
maybe
maybe
wait and pray
ask and plead
and beg for aid
the desperation in
your eyes conveyed
sorry
sorry
you've been denied
for you
for you
they won't provide
sorry
sorry
that they lied
the ribbons of your life untied
sorry
sorry
your daughter died.

Copyright © Catherine Young, 2007.