daybreak

cold crisp morning breaks

gulls gawk their early crying

sad in Autumn sky

personality

Cracked ice,

included amber,

irritation in the oyster,

the splendorous itch.

The last unwrapping

of pass the parcel

and the smile

when it’s all over.

I am

perfectly flawed.

I wonder

I wonder if the distance holds

the wonders of its promise,

if the crawl toward its hiding place

can draw me to its maw.

Or if bruised and bloody-kneed I find

within its hidden grace

a troubled soul

and in disguise a yesterday.

Tomorrow holds no favour

no miracle to change the past

while earth binds me to its bosom

I wait for heaven’s grasp.

For heaven has no walking frames

within its open arms

and praising lips will open

where now they are stuck fast.

July small stones in book form

A River of Sma...

By Keith Wallis

Book Preview

A River of Small Stones ii     (click on the picture above for a preview)


Welcome to the world of concise thought. These are exercises in getting the most emotion from the least amount of words. Some of the pieces are in a basic haiku pattern.
All the photographs were taken by the author at various times but used to garner words during July - one day at a time.

The style of poetry is called ekphrasic which means it uses one form of art (in this case photography) to inspire another i.e. the poetry.

31. Sundown

Goodbye to the sun -

downy pillowed horizon

calling to dreaming.

30. Sentry moon

The moon guards my sleep

and the cloud of dreams

becomes my coverlet.

In strange colours

the day plays memory games

under the duvet.

29. sentinel

Sentinel awaits a battle that will never come,

redundant ammunition lies idly in the sunlight

and blood pulses through intact veins.

The shadow of the dying has passed

to a new generation

with more dangerous toys

and the smoke of death.