Space Dance
moon in my pocket
rough skin against my thigh
its tide tempts my hips
from side to side
stars in my eyes
i sway under the hues
Milk on its Way to color me
as he sings of the blues
space in my mind
for your heart’s capacity
tell me your story
of all your humanity.
time exists not
for the sun never rests
let us hide away our worry
and relish in love’s fury
the universe breathes
by the rhythm of our dance
pull me in closer
speak to me slower
cradle me, gravity
hold me here always
for earth is no more
but a forgotten lore
A Wish
The notes carelessly hit my ears
hit my ears.
I mistake them for words
I wish to hear,
wish to hear from you.
From you comes a fragrance like rain.
Like rain,
I get hooked on the scent.
The scent of spring is overbearing.
Overwhelming
is my affection for you.
For you I seek out the place for us.
For us,
the gap in the clouds remains.
I cast my rod out
out to the stars
to the stars for a wish
a wish for you.
The Night Man
winter teases me
crisp winds leave my hands nervous
a bird plays a trumpet for you somewhere
another hums a lullaby
today, i am the package on a doorstep
tomorrow, who knows
open me i beg of them
warm the heart found inside
poets write of you
fantasizing your life amongst the stars
how misunderstood you must be
how lonely
time passes quickly
i stopped my clock
to wait
for someone to come along that smiles as you do
oh, Night Man
won’t you come down
won’t you be mine
we’d be together
this song is ours
musicians are jealous
birds are quiet
poets are confused
no one left to study us
not one to fancy
just existing, we are
here in a place we’ve claimed our own: night
From You
i ask the sun about you
but she is secretive with your affairs
as is the moon—he hides upon my visit
i go to the sea
hoping that maybe the waves carry your voice
through the rushing of the wind that violently hits my face
perhaps the rain’s patter
is code for your lost letter
i am hoping it is so
the trees cry even after the rain
there is no calm after the storm
no peace after the war
for the longer i go missing you
the higher the walls of my heart grow
the grayer my sky becomes
the water under the bridge rises
i suffocate in the rain’s tears
maybe they are my own
not one brings word of you—though i beg
pleading for the clouds to break
and light from heaven to fall
oh won’t you send me a sign
won’t you share with me your love once more
for all news is good news when it comes from you
The Touch of Man
old sneakers hug my feet
as I recall the ground
they trampled upon
carrying me across bridges
built from ruins,
they are worn from the journey
never looking back
or doubting their purpose,
they tread on
four-leaf clovers
are found bowing
beneath their shadow
i tried saving one once
for i could not bear to imagine
a token of luck gone
without a wish
to send it on its way
flattened by my determination,
i found resemblance in the ones
some hide in books
pressed between words
of solitude
but intention
was missing
from the one that lied in my hand
i became angry
angry at the soles
for ruining its perfection
i cursed myself
back to the ruins
i once escaped
my being,
which i believed to hold
ease and
grace
to the earth
walks along its surface
only to bring about turmoil
for the thought
of one encompassing innocence
and life
ruined by my touch
was enough to bury my being
beneath the ground
i once trampled upon
Biographical Note: Madalynn Whitten is a junior at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where she studies English and Creative Writing. Her inspiration for her poems comes from nature and its relationship with humanity. She enjoys all forms of writing but finds poetry to be one of her favorites.