Poem of the Week Chris Dean

Chris Dean

Chris Dean is a storyteller, spoken word artist and self-proclaimed Magpie Poet who writes from the heart of Indiana where they live with their husband, dog and too many cats to mention. Their work has been featured online, in multiple print anthologies and they are the author of two books of poetry, Tales From a Broken Girl and We’re All Stories in the End, published by Storeylines Press.

Backstory

I occasionally struggle with the need to cocoon, to retreat to my cave and the quiet of solitude. I struggle with growing older in a society that values youth, where the Maiden is exalted and the Crone is despised. And sometimes I struggle, not with speaking my truth, but with sharing it. Because it’s not always pretty, but it is always mine. Then it starts with a word or a phrase. Something happens and there’s a poem in my hands, telling me it’s time to step back into the light.

 

the pregnant now of today

I came out of the dark
where I wander from time to time
to taste the light as it falls on my skin
lick it from my lips and arms
feel its warmth on my tongue
as it slides to my belly
lighting fires of passion
where it lands in the pit

I came out of the dark
to eat the wind
snap at dragonflies and chase inspiration
a puppy at its heels
playing fetch with ideas and words
all boundless energy
to mark the world as mine

I came out of the dark
to walk proudly through the day
tits low head high
to show the young age is not the enemy
to hold its hand down the sidewalk
two lovers in sync
to kiss its mouth and swallow its feel
as we laugh in discomfort’s face

I came out of the dark
to place truth on the table
a dish whose flavor only comes when shared
served on rusty plates
gold forks paper cups
always paired with a glass of gratitude
the bottle passed freely between winos in the park

I came out of the dark
leaving bread crumbs behind
for friends to find
strangers to follow
for the birds of need to feed on the stale crumbs
while singing holy holy holy
this is life exactly as it’s meant to be

I came out of the dark
done with rest
shaking the droplets of cold from my fur
and flicking bits of loneliness from my teeth
ready to wrap myself in the desires of the moment
while I go naked underneath
squatting to touch the earth
steady eyes empty from the night
hungry to be filled with the pregnant now of today

© 2024 Chris Dean