I sip coffee in the lazy morning
typing ellipses with bare toes on linoleum
Celadon satin gently brushes
my undisciplined mind
wanders cracking open the door
quietly they creep
sticking to the shadows
seeking my bare ankles
goosebumps sound the alarm
I jump like a caught school girl
tighten my robe and grab my broom
quickly sweep them to the cold recesses
we toast wine always looking in the eye
no one wants that kind of bad luck
compare shoes, black strappy and studded
versus soft thigh high boots
sexy but who brought the single red pump
lace panty party favors opened with oohs
modeled with aahs of encouragement
we’re all girls here, except for you
and you weren’t actually invited
where ever women gather in lingerie
trying on dresses and curve hugging jeans
you materialize an apparition just over my shoulder
your comparison mocks me
as the dark, highlights its offerings
awkward boys with weak opening lines
even when left to breathe finishing poorly
handy guys who forget they wear rings
practice extracting cookies from the forbidden jar
only to have their fingers hammered down upon
then tenderly kissed and swatted on their way
confused
I recline in my chair surveying the scene
like Artemis finding the prey
unworthy of her quiver
alone like the end of all days stretched
face down swimming
into the delicious ink sea of sleep
I dip my feet into the cool corners of the bed
seeking release from the heat of the night
immediately they slither encircling my ankles
my mind half-submerged searches for the reason
to fight
it would be so easy to be taken over
so delicious to be overtaken
like slipping into a black silk chemise
a whisper as soft as a moth wing cuts my tethers
you are worthy of so much more
than a phantom paramour
I’ve linked this up to dVerse Poets Pub for OpenLinkNight. Come play with us.
Dark Angel 
A really well-written piece; this line stood out amongst several others: ‘a whisper as soft as a moth wing cuts my tethers’. // Peter.
I’m glad you liked it Peter. Strength is often in one’s quite wisdom.
wow…great visuals through out and depth of feeling too…the sweeping under the boys, the guys…the tendrils up the bed just as you are relaxing and the decision wether or not to fight it…up to the declaration that maybe you could do better…very cool piece…
I didn’t use the word tendrils Brian. That’s how I envisioned it though; I glad it appeared that way for you too.
Shadows of the past, a comparision greatly wrote, nicely done!
Hmmm, you didn’t rhyme Pat? 🙂
Very tasteful and refined. The subdued tone you carry here brings with it a lot of emotional payoff throughout. Fine poem.
Interesting description. You comment as if you know me personally, lol.
oh wow..this leaves me speechless…really could feel the lines crawling over my skin into my soul..great images throughout..
I delighted to have affected you Claudia. Yours do that to me all the time.
smiles..thanks..
This crept up on me…the shoes, the boys, the uninvited…something familiar here. This is one to come back to again and again. Well done!
Hi Emily. A sneaky poem, eh?
You had me at “ellipses.” 🙂
Another beautiful write, girl. Loved the lingerie party invaded by evil comparison.
I use ellipses entirely too much in my casual writing. Never put them in a poem I don’t think… until I snuck them in under foot in this one. Oh look I just did it again, lol.
a whisper as soft as a moth wing cuts my tethers
you are worthy of so much more
than a phantom paramour….beautiful….great lines throughout.
Thank you Ayala, I’m glad you enjoyed this one.
Beautifully done! There is something visceral and subdued about this work for me—
Well truth be told, I do not write poetry from anywhere but my gut. Shhhhh.
If only we could get our hands on what we’re worthy of, life would be good–or maybe not, depending on how accurate we are about all that worthy stuff. This really is well-written and polished like a jewel, so forgive my being a bit joky–I liked the imagery of the women’s foofoo shoes and chemises, the wandering idiots unworthy of even a feather from Artemis, and that last image which ties in with the first stanza so adroitly is infinitely creepy as well as alluring in some undefined way. Excellent poem.
Hedge you always leave such great comments! I think that should be my new tag line, “infinitely creepy and undefinably alluring”. What do ya think?
Amazingly crafted, each word seems much thought was taken. Every stanza has it’s own brilliance, the next to last is quite amazing in itself. Thanks
Oh you make me feel guilty now. This was one of those poems that poured out of me in spare moments one day at work. A few word changes when read aloud and spell check is all. But thank you.
Lovely scene you painted here.. I like the inner struggle and thoughts of the “phantom paramour” ~
I would be nothing without inner struggle Heaven! Thanks.
Especially enjoyed the perspective of
awkward boys with weak opening lines
even when left to breathe finishing poorly
handy guys who forget they wear rings
practice extracting cookies from the forbidden jar
only to have their fingers hammered down upon
then tenderly kissed and swatted on their way
confused
As I recall the myth, Orion was Artemis’ true love, who won her heart and then died suddenly, accidentally. Phantom Paramour?
Hope you are sleeping with a mud pack on these days. The Goddess’ story continues that Alpheus — a river god — was enamoured of Her, but She was not interested in him. So he — men are such idiots! — decided to attempt to capture Her. But She foiled him –disguised Herself by covering face with mud!
Enjoyed your telling…
Most of that is Greek to me, so thank you for the tidbits 🙂 I’m glad you liked the awkward boy section. We were at a wine tasting weekend. I wondered if anyone would pick up on the wine metaphor.
I always enjoy your comments. Thank you Charles.
The phantom seems to be an ideal that has not appeared or one that has left. I love how your words each hold weight and the care in which you use them to portray the scene and thoughts. Enjoyed reading this very much.
The Phantom Paramour has loaded symbology to me. Yes one that has left and one that is imagined that is quite beyond reality. But a silly girl hopes 🙂
The lingerie party stanza really grabbed me. Really smart, classy writing.
Oh I’m glad you liked it Mama Zen. It was real. My girlfriends and I find getting ready for an event, an event in it self! Sometimes the better of the two.
I was wondering all the way to end, when this phantom paramour is going to come and I was thrilled to have his entry at the end, giving free reign to my imagination gently prodded on by your lovely verse…
Shashi
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com/2011/11/whispers-where-you-will-go.html
Shashi I’m glad I didn’t disappoint you. 😉
beautiful..please read some of my poetry i would love to hear your feedback from it (im a new blogger in need of encourgment!!!)
Hi chanzibrenner. There are better critics than I, but I will.
Wow! Loved the title… loved the whole poem. Such an exquisite setting of scene and feeling. Your piece was haunting yet so strong. I particularly enjoyed the penultimate stanza. I identified so easily (apart from the slipping into a black chemise ;-)). Fantastic write. Brava!
Thanks for the new word… second to last. In your minds eye think sliding into an envelope of cool silk sheets. That should be close but not as perfect as the weightlessness of a silk chemise sliding down over a female form…. but hey work with what you got. 🙂
A seduction of a different sort, and just as hard to rebuff. The senses don’t like to listen to good sense, but sometimes they can be cajoled into it, I think. Maybe.
Yes a battle of mind and senses rages in me daily. The battlefield is gonna be none to attractive when the dust finally settles, I’m afraid.
A clever haunting of the mind–all my favorite lovers live as phantoms in my imagination. Really enjoyed this.
Mine too Yousei. Ummm and not just those that were mine.
You had me at the ellipses on the linoleum. A luxurious piece of verse that makes me just want to untie my tie and ease into my Earl Grey – hot.
What a fun comment, thank you. I’ll take a cup of ginger peach if your pouring.
good time to remember.
wow.
Thanks PR. My girlfriends and I try and play at least once a month, poetry doesn’t always come from it. 🙂
I enjoyed the entire poem, but these lines are very well crafted..they say so much more,
” dip my feet into the cool corners of the bed
seeking release from the heat of the night
immediately they slither encircling my ankles
my mind half-submerged searches for the reason
to fight
it would be so easy to be taken over
so delicious to be overtaken
like slipping into a black silk chemise”
nicely done ..
Thanks Word Bar I’m glad you liked that part. Yes there are deeper meanings there.