Following Flowers

I am fueled by storms
and coastal wind
as I raise my arms to each
and channel them
until empowerment rises
boldly from within…

But it is in the still
and minute,
in the soft scent
of beautiful,
in the trust of subtle,
the barely discernible,
that I feel the forgotten
soothed,
those buried-alive
non-truths;
the golden elixir single ray
finding the torn petal
coats in those places
I am not able to ever reach
on my own.

Up close and personal
is the only way I know
to heal my heart,
to feed my soul,
and that, I believe,
is the path that leads
home.

Poem and images ©LauraDenise

Precious Petals

Across the street from the ocean,
I reside,
at my everyday disposal
are the almighty tides,
the aquahorizon
with no opposite end
that blends with the sky,
no greater reminder
of the bigger picture
beyond this life,
and it does indeed
soul-energize,
but I’ve always known
the humility
of how insignificant we are:
I seek instead
the intimate inner warmth
I find crouched among
the non-garden flowers
inspecting the finest details
neglected and trodden,
and through my lens and art,
I depict how they feed
my heart,
shared roots and seeds
organically free
yet universally tied,
turning our faces
peacefully
to the shared light,
the Higher Power
who sculpted us both, all,
with intention and without
society-judged flaws,
precision in individuality,
every living piece
lovingly kneaded,
and when the rays
find and kiss petals,
this is the beauty
that stills me
breathless,
to see in crafted detail
the miracles of His Creation
and how love was meant
to prevail in every season.

Poem and images ©LauraDenise

Hollowed

The pull of the day,
of the years,
of everyone’s needs
leaves shadows
and cavities
from ebb’s
never-ending
taking,
but the sun’s
reflection
warms me
in oranges,
and the glow
stays.
The light
one way
or another
will
illuminate,
independent of
ever reaching
that haunted,
hollowed
space.

Poem and images ©LauraDenise

Dreamstalk

Not a beanstalk,
but it might as well be,
magic seeds
sprouting the way
to giant dreams,
and in the center,
a sunbeam
passes through
a hole in a leaf
purposefully
to reach me,
or is it simply that light
is at the center
of all belief?

Insignificant
the manmade pier seems,
foolishly leading
horizontally…

Poem and image ©LauraDenise

White Wings

White wings keep beating
when the heart and soul
begin to dim or slow.

Wings do not know
loss of hope.

Let wings carry you
until strength
and faith
regrow.

Let me be
those wings
for a while, for a leg
of the way
home…

Poem and image ©LauraDenise

Glass Portals

If I have to have walls,
give me windows
big and bright
where shadows can dance for hours
with the light,
windows that open
wide
to invite the breezes
inside.
In all mental-health seasons,
I so easily slip away
for days,
lose myself
in those sunny sills
and rainy panes,
faraway thoughts
that need not be
sorted nor restrained;
even my muses need
a holiday.
The spaces inside
my dwelling fade
in comparison
to the glass
and screens I need
for my soul
to not suffocate.
If I have to have walls,
give me windows
through which to endlessly
escape.

Two Blades

we reach for the light
we reach for the warmth
of the dawning sun
of any other

when the shadows come
when the ice forms
each part beautiful
naturally born

we reach
in hope
we reach
in need
we gravitate
we discreetly lean

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trying not to show
the desperation
the fear
of becoming
too far frozen

we reach
to feel
the thaw
to reset
in another season

are you the one
to love
me?

Poem and images by Laura Denise

Morning Kiss

The sea oats
have grown tall;
I let them
skim my palm,

feel the tickles
gifted from heaven
as the sea’s soul
is orchestra lifted

above the tides
of this earth
to scoop me up
with open arms
into the surf.

I offer all I’ve brought
to sacrifice to God,

releasing the heavy,
releasing the pain,
hoping the ghosts
will choose escape

as I make it more
uncomfortable
to haunt these
inner spaces

tarnished, turning gold
from the light
of love
joining the soul’s.

My feet sink
in the warm silk
as my heart,
with you inside,
even more
fills.

Buoyant become
the weights
as the shackles and chains
give way
to become part
of the dark, watery
grave.

Today, I take
back my life.
Today the curse,
I unwind.

Wet feet,
sand clinging,
I walk back
and through my fingers,

the sea oats feel
the difference

as the sun
awakens,
rises to kiss
me so gently
once

again….

Re-Lighting

Rough week. Double red flags waving. The bay wilder than the ocean. It called me home. Here’s to the ones in the throes of it. Let’s relight ourselves. Again.

I give my light freely,
but sometimes it is taken,
emotional perpetrators
breaching my innermost spaces.

They underestimated
my strength
and did again
today,

for as long as there
is the sea and my God,
I will raise my arms
in faith;
you will never
keep me down
as long as there
are waves and rays.

I will wash
what you left
away.

You underestimated
our strength.

Chancellors

I’ll keep the faith,
I’ll hold onto hope,
keep my eye on the light
and the hidden holes.

Don’t want to turn
any more wrong ways,
been searching too long,
I’m ready to stay

right here with you
no matter the world;
we’ll see Love through,
we’ll break the spells,

chancellors of all
that’s good and pure and true,
we’ll bring it out,
stay beautiful.

Let’s keep the faith;
He’ll see us through.
Let’s find more light
and share it, too.