Stanzaic Stylings

Cleveland Haiku #458 View from the bridge--- movie theater's neon lights down in the valley Cleveland Haiku #461 A busy street--- a squirrel plays chicken, wins this time Cleveland Haiku #462 Wealthy suburb--- the park's path goes underneath the road Cleveland Haiku #467 Modern pastoral--- cattle unmoved by the highway noise Cleveland Haiku #468 Memorial Day--- the RV army on the move Bio:   "Michael Ceraolo is a retired firefighter/paramedic and active poet who has had one full-length book (Euclid Creek, from Deep Cleveland Press) and a few chapbooks published (among the chapbooks is Cleveland Haiku, from Green Panda Press). He has a second full-length book, Euclid Creek Book Two, forthcoming from unbound content press, and is continually working on new and existing poetry projects."

Stirring Memories Drinking tears running  Down my cheeks  Drowning haunting thoughts  In my cup of coffee  Bittersweet memories  Going round and round  In my restless mind  Putting salt in My still open wounds Stirring your lies  Covered in sugar  Picking the crumbs of  Unrequited love. ( Initially published on The Poet Community ) Bio: Blanca Alicia Garza is a Poet from Las Vegas, Nevada. She is a nature and animal lover, and enjoys spending time writing. Her poems are published in the Poetry Anthologies, "Moonlight Dreamers of Yellow Haze", and "Dandelions in a Vase of Roses" now available at Amazon.com. Blanca's work can be found in  The Poet Community, Whispers, The Winamop Journal, Indiana Voice Journal, Tuck Magazine, Raven's Cage Ezine, Scarlet Leaf Review as well as Birdsong Anthology 2016, Vol 1.

Loneliness You leave or I It is all the same We are both alone Fighting loneliness To make it leave too Caressing it to make it bloom Into something that it is not Closing our eyes and dreaming That it has filled our voids with yellow wildflowers Wildflowers are never blue Any other colour is fine too Amidst the riot of colours Loneliness Walks the ramp Amidst fellow walkers It seems to be at ease Part of the troupe Swaying on the music Waving at the showstopper It halts in its track You and I  Have quite a task To find a new ramp And some other loneliness Dreaming wildflowers  Not blue Is a tough ask ©. Gauri Dixit BIO; A software professional from Pune (India), Gauri started writing poems couple of years ago. She writes in few Facebook poetry groups. Her poems have been featured in multiple Indian and international anthologies. She has also contributed to a number of e-zines including Learning ...

poetry & photo by Joanne Olivieri joanneolivieri.weebly.com Blackbird He teeters softly balancing unconscious upon fog dampened phone lines. Feathers his garment, he awakens to windswept mist and shattered street scenes below. Emerging from his protective quarters inside himself, he spreads his wings and surveys concrete organisms below his perch where the cumulus provide a warm, safe haven. He flutters haphazardly on broken streets surrounded by industrial obesity in search of discarded morsels to satisfy his hunger. Innocuous in his size he is not noticed and therefore not seen, though rises above it all naturally gifted with wings of freedom. Homeless His cries hidden sleeping consciously upon garbage strewn pavement. Newspapers his blanket, he awakens to deafening sirens and the morning rush hour. Emerging from the daily news and fetal position he sits watching oblivious passersby invade the unseen t...

The Owl And The Fly Sunshine glistens atop the trees and Wilbur’s barn. He stands quietly snoozing away the morning eyelids closed and feathers groomed. I come to visit as I always do soft whispers “good morning baby boy” and he opens his eyes and turns his head . I never mean to wake him as he sleeps yet he knows when I am there and greets me with his tender smile and heart shaped face. He is my pet, my spirit bird and my family who gives me such joy just by being the sweetest owl he can be. He lights up my days and brings me a sense of peace when I look into his eyes. This morning, he greets me at his barn door and I can feel his excitement for the beautiful day. It is quiet, the familiar bird calls hush a lullaby and Wilbur is joyously calm Then, from nowhere, an incessant buzzing grips the peaceful air around his barn and a fly appears in Wilbur’s sight. Wil...

Photo of  Tian  Tan Buddha  taken by Joanne Olivieri in  Hong  Kong 2008 The Buddha Speaks I am poor I have no place to weep my occupation s fixed fixedly I sit a thousand years come wearing the richest of smiles go subtly extending a hand as if having given something to humanity I don't know what I can give and don't hope to gain I just want to keep my tears keep them till my work is done deep green sandalwood turns to ash parched red stars are falling by  Gu   Cheng  (1956 - 1993) Gu Cheng  ( simplified Chinese :  顾城 ;  traditional Chinese :  顧城 ; September 24, 1956 – October 8, 1993) was a famous  Chinese  modern poet, essayist and novelist. He was a prominent member of the " Misty Poets ", a group of Chinese  modernist  poets.

Photo taken by Joanne Olivieri Victoria Harbour Hong Kong 2008 Sunset Over Victoria Harbor In Hong Kong And the sun retreats high aglow orange canvas where I’ve seen this same glow half a world away on a different horizon. And the daylight verbiage quelled by deafening quiet whispers secrets to passerby clouds never remembered. And the harbour bids “farewell Sun Goddess” drowning in darkness gently awaiting a symphony of lights. Until we meet again… BIO:  https://joanneolivieri.weebly.com/about.html