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LYNX  
A Journal for Linking Poets  
  
 
   

Symbiotic Poems

A CUP OF COLD WATER
Richard Straw
Curtis Dunlap

WAITING FOR THE TOOTH FAIRIES
Barbara A Taylor, Australia
Moira Richards, South Africa

LUNCH IN THE PLAZA
Frank Williams, England
Doreen King, England

ANOTHER AUTUMN
Pamela A. Babusci
Alexis Rotella

INVISIBLE SHIELD
Alexis Rotella
Pamela A. Babusci

CURIOUS
 Dorothea Penn
 William A. Poppen

THE QUICK WAY
Anne-Marie Culhane (master poet)
Paul Conneally (host poet)
Catherine Naysmith
Oonagh Desire
Jo Salter
Dave Jones
Jenny Stanton
Anita Joice
Joseph Conneally
Colin May
Becky Didlick
Gaby Hock

AUGUST ISLAND
Eric D. Lehman
Amy Nawrocki

HAIGA

Alexis Rotella and Angelee Deodhar

TAN RENGA

Raihana Dewji
CW Hawes

 

   

A CUP OF COLD WATER
Richard Straw
Curtis Dunlap

seeds sown
in a backyard washout
deaf to reason                                  

a flooded cemetery
raising the dead    
                           

pods for swine
      a prodigal son
eyes black clouds                           

thunder
a hobo shouting
"Repent! Repent!"  
                      

bread cast upon waters
and boats swamped by waves   

a rainbow spanning
the hurricane's eye—
sirens fill the streets                         

Began 10/29/2007 - Completed 11/08/2007

 

WAITING FOR THE TOOTH FAIRIES
Barbara A Taylor, Australia
Moira Richards, South Africa

waltzing
with my father
on his toes

little sister
once the nuisance
now a best friend

tall in the saddle
counting speckled eggs
in a thrush’s nest

nothing like mama's big bed
for a sick-day treat

slippery
footsteps
close to the badger’s lair

following our stick boats
following the stream

under gray skies
queues for donkey rides
and pink candy floss

the story books
I read and loved and read
all over again

teddy and me
waiting for the tooth fairies
and mum’s goodnight kiss

 

LUNCH IN THE PLAZA
Frank Williams, England
Doreen King, England

lunch in the plaza­
two butterflies zip by us
in unison

July rainbow
still there when I look again

on the wall
a painting of the winning
display of flowers

a rabbit nibbles
under a roof of stars

just an inch above
the mountain’s peak
a full paschal moon

a vaulting champion
completes the round

news from home,
reloading my brush
with warm water

hooligans hurl trash
into the castle’s moat

by midweek
your plastered leg becomes
black with signatures

stoically looking forward
the snowman named Bill

waiting for her
the weather vane arrow
pointing at him

hand in hand we watch
an old weepy film

first cold day,
the dew stays
until our tea break

fallen leaves join
the cenotaph’s tributes

racing
the flag to the moon
in silk pajamas

behind the oak clock
a new corn dolly

the startled mouse
stares at me for a tick
then strolls away

during the long night
we run out of wine

at first light
the rattle of a train
on the railway lines

the Jersey potatoes
thud on the floor

unnoticed,
plum blossoms gust in
through an open door

last peck at the eggshell
and the chick is free

 

Composed: via snail mail & email
15 July 2007 – 19 October 2007

 

 

ANOTHER AUTUMN
Pamela A. Babusci
Alexis Rotella

another autumn
another picasso's
blue period...
putting on a scarlet blouse
I go shopping

 

Last night
I dreamed of a hairy snake
who I followed
up a hillside to the cabin
of a man.

 

there he was
wrapped
in a reptile rug
unable to touch me
for fear of shedding

 

Wake up,
he says raising his voice
to his 90-year old mother
who falls prey
to those who prey on the old.

 

not wanting to be the
victim anymore
she musters guts
& refuses to cook dinner
for her son

Day of the Dead –
he makes all
her favorite foods
and picnics
on her grave.

Written October 26, 2007.

 

 

 

INVISIBLE SHIELD
Alexis Rotella
Pamela A. Babusci

Bumping up against
the poet's invisible shield,
she tells me not to be hurt
if in the future she doesn't
recall me, or my name.

 

how coolly
we forgot
each other
like a one-night stand
with a stranger

 

Last candy kiss
left in the dish –
do I pass his test
leaving it
for a hungry ghost?

 

what is this appetite
that haunts me
day & night?
i long for the succulent taste
of wild raspberries

 

Beaujolais Nouveau –
three glasses
and still no buzz.

October 25, 2007

 

CURIOUS
 Dorothea Penn
 William A. Poppen

 
 Beneath the edge of time,
 soul-upon-soul,
 you have always clung
 to the wall of my heart like poison ivy with your breathless
 curiosity
 
 Intense
 woody-stemmed love
 seeks only pure knowledge
 not containment of your spirit.
 Stay near.

 
 My skin branded by the stirring of your passions drunk from your
 swallowing my shadow your lustful heart's dreams filters my
 emotionality and has always punctuated my language
 
 Chase me
 for I will run.
 Hold me for I will fight
 against headlines or skywriting
 notice.

 
 With cold understanding: allowing me
 to lie face up to the clouds
 and drink the torrent rain perfumed
 by your breathless curiosity
 
 Capture
 with tender hands
 fleet footed fear of love.
 Anchor my heart beating with waves
 so high.

 
 

 

THE QUICK WAY
Anne-Marie Culhane (master poet)
Paul Conneally (host poet)
Catherine Naysmith
Oonagh Desire
Jo Salter
Dave Jones
Jenny Stanton
Anita Joice
Joseph Conneally
Colin May
Becky Didlick
Gaby Hock

A black bucket
filled with red currants
making jelly the quick way

there are many reasons
to celebrate

the magistrate offers
a road safety course
instead of a fine

rail track closed
due to snow

my phone is full
of your messages
which one shall I erase?

on the horns of a dilemma
finding it difficult to rest

bent double
a pair of students seek mushrooms
lit by sunset

we bring my geraniums indoors
together

in the east end
a line of bulldozers
moves through an allotment

this is my home
I lie flat beneath a vast sky

by the light of the moon
a frog sings
in a puddle

rain drenches
buds and blossoms.

A twelve-verse Junicho renga
 in the season of Summer, 16 June 2007

Barracks Lane Community Garden, Oxford

 

 

AUGUST ISLAND
Eric D. Lehman
Amy Nawrocki

Blueberry silence,
moose-haunted lakes, and pine woods
paddle us east down the stream.

Moose-haunted lakes, and pine woods
paddle us east down the stream
to a rocky coast
clouds dapple the cobalt sky,
trumpeting August journeys.

Clouds dapple the cobalt sky,
trumpeting August journeys
past flapping puffins,
the rumor of whales and seals,
and the heavy, brine-soaked air.

The rumor of whales and seals,
and the heavy, brine-soaked air
seduce our small eyes;
the deep plum water expands
and seeks land where tame fires breathe.

The deep plum water expands
and seeks land where tame fires breathe,
far from foggy shores, where
butterflies and lobsters glow in sunset red and gold.

Where butterflies and lobsters
glow in sunset red and gold,
the island breeze glints,
cormorants scurry, gulls squeal,
soft white surf kisses the cliffs.

Cormorants scurry, gulls squeal,
soft white surf kisses the cliffs
that we tramp along,
finding flowers to follow
and ledges that lead to love.

 

 

HAIGA


alexis haiga

Alexis Rotella and Angelee Deodhar

 

TAN RENGA

 

TAN-RENGA
Raihana Dewji
CW Hawes

this cold basement
rows and rows of dusty books
everywhere                                  

a volume of Shelley
puts your hands in mine 
             

 

 

scraping frost
off of the car windows
this morning     
                         

tracing a smiley face
on the shower door                    

 

Copyright © by Designated Authors in 2008.

   
   
 

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