Category Archives: Poetry

today my world stopped turning (poem)

0
by

today my world stopped turning

and everything was gone

i lost my home

a husband

my son

all familiar things were gone when

today my world stopped turning

and the burden of living bore down

crushing all hope

all dreams

all desire

all i was and all i wanted to be

gone because

today my world stopped turning

and the glacier in me began melting

uncontrollably

until everything came

pouring

out in torrents that

drove away sleep

and rest

and all

thoughts

and words

and feelings

washed out

leaving me

empty

drained

exhausted

angry

wounded

numb

on the day

my world stopped turning

life began

 

© Cindy Lapeña, 2010

 

Return to Poetry

this is not poetry (poem)

0
by

this is not poetry

the god Demetillo roared

no rhyme no rhythm

no figurative language

no picturesque speech

no verse

this is not poetry

the god Demetillo decided

not poets not writers

we should all be farmers

or market vendors

peddling wares that are not ours

no write not think

not waste our ink

because

this is not poetry

the god Demetillo declared

not sonnets at all

not Petrarch not Shakespeare

not worthy of reading

not worthy of writing

a waste of time

of words of paper

but

Demetillo is not a god.

 

© Cindy Lapeña, 2012

 

Return to Poetry

Winter of Despair (a painting and two poems)

1
by

Winter of Despair (watercolor on paper, 12″x18″)

Winter of Despair (I)

Crouching in the shadows

Doubting, desperate, and despondent

Even the sunlight is drab

Winter of Despair (II)

in silent shadow grey and deep

away from sunlight, there i sit

i crouch as small as i can get

for countless days i have not slept

in my small corner, dark, unlit

i silently weep myself to sleep

my head is heavy, my heart, as well

my body feels like it’s been dragged through hell

and nothing remains in this empty shell

one winter i felt despair

and though i am loath to, i still find myself there

 

© Cindy Lapeña, 2012

 

Return to Visual Art                                 Return to Poetry

A winter night (poem)

0
by

Wispy wraiths drift lazily across the indigo

Gently grazing rooftops

Catching cottony tails

In the pines thrusting their spears

Into the airy soup

Snowflakes drift aimlessly to and fro

Following a fickle breeze

Brushing against pink cheeks

pink noses wrinkling in delight

Following a fickle breeze

Swirling with lazy snowflakes

Landing on pink tongues

Pudgy fingers grasp in the air

As toddling legs churn up resting snowflakes

That join the swirling white flurries

Waltzing with the wispy wraiths

Around the playful pair

And as the deep indigo fades

The wraiths lay the snowflakes gently

gently

on tired legs

tired fingers

cold noses

cold cheeks

Indigo lips

Of two babes forever asleep

Under a blanket of resting snowflakes

Then drift lazily away across the pale pink

Gently grazing rooftops

Catching cottony tails

In the pines thrusting their spears

At the rising sun.

 

© Cindy Lapeña, 2007

 

Return to Poetry

the summer i met myself (poem)

0
by

i found a stranger really

no stranger than me

that stranger

found summer and lived

through summer and loved

all summer and grieved

when summer was over

and now i remember vaguely

that stranger

that sweet summer

of my youth

 

© Cindy Lapeña, 2012

 

Return to Poetry

Women of the World (poem)

0
by

We are the women

who run with wolves

We are the wild women

of the world

We are the women

who wipe wet bottoms

We are the mothers

of the world

We are the women

who watch and wait

We are the wives

of the world

We are the women

who weep over wounds

We are the healers

of the world

We are the women

who winnow and weave

We are the workers

of the world

We are the women

watchful and wary

We are the guardians

of the world

We are the women

weary of war

We are the widows

of the world

We are the whimsical

wanton wild women

We are the women

of the world

© Cindy Lapeña, 2012

Return to Poetry

when i am old and grey (poem)

0
by

when i am old and grey

will i look back and say

this is exactly how i thought i would be

when i am old and grey.

 

© Cindy Lapeña, 2012

 

Return to Poetry

Waiting for the morning (poem)

1
by

As everyone sleeps the night

comes alive with sound

the walls creak pipes murmur

clock beats away sleep

the fridge motor competes

with snoring from the bedroom

and wins as it rises a pitch

the heaters expand cold air crackles

power lines buzz or is it beetles?

A neighbor drives up at 3 a.m.

headlights piercing through blinds

the engine chortles and dies

the outer door heaves open and

closes with a sigh.

Heavy shoes rush up and are silenced

by a carpet upstairs and footsteps shuffle

to bed complaining with loud creaks.

The cold seeps under the door

through the walls to fingers and feet

fighting the heat from a body

nearing defeat waiting for the morning

to put the night to sleep.

 

© Cindy Lapeña, 2012

 

Return to Poetry

Autumn night (poem)

1
by

Thunderclouds threaten

Sunlight fades to purple haze

Autumn night has come.

© Cindy Lapeña, 2012

Return to Poetry

I Live (poem)

0
by

The body moves

but the soul dances

The voice may be heard

but the heart sings out

The mind invents

but the spirit creates

 

All art emanates from their creators

All creators live through their art

 

© Cindy Lapeña, 2012

 

Return to Poetry