Wayne Sheridan, Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Emily Gardening

(Thinking of Emily Dickinson

at the Books & Blooms Festival)

 

by Wayne Sheridan

        

Emily spat words,

Crunched weeds,

Gave no quarter.

 

Flowers grew

Where she

Spat.

 

Perennials.

 

-----

 

 

Afternoon Fog

 

On the Public Landing, Boothbay Harbor, Maine,

                  July 2004

 

 

As some cold thought long

 

Forgot grabs the mind first,     

 

Then crawls through

 

To possess you once more,

 

 

There is this cool kiss,

 

As fog grasps first

 

The Landing, then pulls

 

Up hill, to shroud the town.

 

 

The fog at least gives warning --

 

Clings first to treetops across the harbor;

 

Makes ghosts of anchored skiffs,

 

Blinks the sun.

 

 

Cold thoughts do not signal.

 

The chill comes unannounced --

 

A kiss unwelcome,

 

Quick shivers follow.