A Sunday Afternoon Poem

with intent of enlightened spirit

unheard lyrics reaching across timeless crevasse

gathered from colliding ley lines of ancient incantations

a ceaseless warp and weft confluence of ethereal song

rising and falling to passion’s rhythm long lost now found

rising from deep damp throat of oracle’s sacred orifice

I feel your voice lift dark veil away from blind eye’s face

sands shift, springs whirl beneath my feet as air, sky, sun, water

balance spins above earthly space - three plus one form vortex free

turning in carved circle – round and round – ceremony of eternity

step outside, grab broken buried antlered branch – hold it tightly

stab bottom end into ground, on this your lost life does depend

look about you with eyes wide – child pulled from waiting womb

reborn, restored - matter merges to deliver you anew

I listen for your story - your silent voice as letters in a mirror

surface rippling across currents of waves from undulating plants below

as Goddess fingers softly stroke growing skin of newborn infant

each word and tone loosed with loving care to bring spirit into place

hidden within each lies a world within which all words are made

fanning your adoring ember eyes flash to flame love’s embrace

your body language speaks as you lithely leap with dancing grace

like flowing water bends and twists reeds of whispering phragmites

so too, wet hollows reveal details as drops drip from your bare finger tip

stirring memories reflected in your glistening, caressing eyes as

waxing sap ignites soughing green flames – scented winds lick Easter Moon

awake – step out of yourself to see your home within through looking glass

ethereal spring light casts cleft of your silver shadow upon sun’s golden bough

your fire blossoms from heat of our mystical lovemaking

words hidden – mean nothing until given thought, speech, light

once free, an insignificant word runs wildly free across fertile terrain

changing the world within and without as it absorbs power of being

carried in thought’s wind-born cloud – bringing rain to sleeping seed’s

germinating seminal root – deeply penetrating moist soil’s depths

pushing, wishing, reaching, lovingly touching, patiently waiting light

listen silent - to words in love

William Waterway: Creative Poetry as an elective at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Awards: World of Poetry Golden Poet – 1988/1992; World of Poetry Gold Medal of Honor; induction to Homer Honor Society of International Poets. He is an award-winning author of water books. Poems published by: The Poetry of Scotland; Worldwide Circle of Labyrinths; International Symposium of Aqua Science & Water Resources; Alternet’s book, Water Consciousness; the Water Institute; National Geographic’s, Water Matters; An Anthology of Vineyard Poets; An Anthology of Wednesday’s Poets, etc.. He is a member of Cleaveland House Poets and founder of the Martha’s Vineyard Poetry Society. 

About this column: This Sunday Afternoon Poem is provided by the Martha's Vineyard Poetry Society (MVPS). With almost 200 members, MVPS is the island's largest poetry society. MVPS is responsible for nominating and selecting our island's Martha's Vineyard Poet Laureate.