Poetry

When a woman loves a man

When she says Margarita she means Daiquiri.
When she says quixotic she means mercurial.
And when she says, "I'll never speak to you again,
she means, "Put your arms around me from behind
as I stand disconsolate at the window.
He's supposed to know that.
When a man loves a woman he is in New York and she is in Virginia
or he is in Boston, writing, and she is in New York, reading,
or she is wearing a sweater and sunglasses in Balboa Park and he
is raking leaves in Ithaca
or he is driving to East Hampton and she is standing disconsolate
at the window overlooking the bay
where a regatta of many-colored sails is going on
while he is stuck in traffic on the Long Island Expressway.
When a woman loves a man it is one-ten in the morning,
she is asleep he is watching the ball scores and eating pretzels
drinking lemonade
and two hours later he wakes up and staggers into bed
where she remains asleep and very warm.
When she says tomorrow she means in three or four weeks.
When she says, "We're talking about me now,
he stops talking. Her best friend comes over and says,
Did somebody die?
When a woman loves a man, they have gone
to swim naked in the stream
on a glorious July day
with the sound of the waterfall like a chuckle
of water ruching over smooth rocks,
and there is nothing alien in the universe.
Ripe apples fall about them.
What else can they do but eat?
When he says, "Ours is a transitional era.
That's very original of you," she replies,
dry as the Martini he is sipping.
They fight all the time
It's fun
What do I owe you?Let's start with an apology
Ok, I'm sorry, you dickhead.
A sign is held up saying "Laughter.
It's a silent picture.
I've been fucked without a kiss," she says,
and you can quote me on that,
which sounds great in an English accent.
One year they broke up seven times and threatened to do it
another nine times.
When a woman loves a man, she wants him to meet her at the
airport in a foreign country with a jeep.
When a man loves a woman he's there. He doesn't complain that
she's two hours lateand there's nothing in the refrigerator.
When a woman loves a man, she wants to stay awake.
She's like a child crying
at nightfall because she didn't want the day to end.
When a man loves a woman, he watches her sleep, thinking:
as midnight to the moon is sleep to the beloved.
A thousand fireflies wink at him.
The frogs sound like the string section
of the orchestra warming up.
The stars dangle down like earrings the shape of grapes.

David Lehman

Afraid of Alfred Hitchcock's movies?

Afraid of Alfred Hitchcock's
movies? How come?
Afraid of your partner?
Afraid of the world?
Afraid of heights?
Afraid of losing your job?
Afraid of doing something wrong?
Afraid of what?
Afraid of that?
Afraid of water?
Afraid of the dark?
Afraid of losing?
Afraid of death?
Afraid of yourself?
There many things to be afraid out there in
this wild world, but try and test yourself,
cause if you don't you might regret.
Hitchcock was afraid too bu
the became one the greatest directors

Roger Bewman

Time

I'm falling
Off the ledge into the sea
Memories twisting and turning
around me
Mixed between you and I
I'm drowning now
Suffocated by the past
The present's pushing me down
The screaming
The crying
The bleeding
I'm gonna die here
Is there a lifeline out there?
Or did I already get my
one and only chance?

R Jayawardana

The gift

The Holy Spirit works
powerfully though invisibly
Before His Ascension that day;
Jesus promised to send
us a gift our way
The gift no other - The Holy spirit He did send
To lead, guide and be
with us up to the end
On that first Pentecost
Day - The Bible say
Believers experienced the filling of the spirit - come their way.
From heaven a sound like
a strong wind blowing
Spread here, there, everywhere and started flowing.
By tongues of fire everyone
was touched
They were gifted to speak
in different languages as such
People from all parts of the world that day
Excited, amazed, wondered how
it happened that way?
The unseen spirit in the same way
Is ready to bear fruits in our life today
So let us rush to Him with our troubles not one
He'll aid us, aid us our goal be won.
The Holy Spirit! Believers into one body forms
And assures us of God's presence in all norms
A powerful person - Holy Spirit is He
Tough we cannot see HIM you see.
"Silently now I wait for thee,
Ready my GOD, Thy will to see;
Open my heart - illume me,
Spirit Divine."

Norma Perera

Gentle times

People keep their hopes alive for a shiny future
By embracing the magical bliss of heavenly stars
Stars sprinkle glaring stardust all over the night's sky
Sparkling tiny crystals like lights dazzle vigilant eyes
Minds acquaint with calm and serene thoughts
By gazing at placid moon crescent's lustrous glow
People may go through times of new experiences
When the winds of novelty blow across their lives
At times mighty ocean floor may tremble and rumble
Shaking the water masses and stirring up deep seas
Sea of life possesses vigorously rolling water waves
Splashing and smashing on smooth sandy seashores
As the morning sun shines over the distant horizon
The dawning new world wishes to have gentle times....

- Hemakumar Nanayakkara

- Horace Picture by Lalith C Gamage