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Rousseau’s Waterfall

**Henri Rousseau, *The Waterfall* (1910), oil on canvas**

The waterfall
-Where?
There in the corner
-The tiny one there?
Simple in its space
-Gentle Rousseau, can you hear us?
With the hidden figure
-We’re bringing brushes and paints
In tall grass watching
-Oh heavens gate!
As small deer gather
-Certainly a leisurely passion.
Behind the large tree we lean upon
-Truthfully? It’s light …
With large leaves shade
-Better than that portrait though,
Giant haystacks
-Painted facing the stars,
Lead to crosses of straw
-The portrait that didn’t show a face

The waterfall
There in the corner
Simple in its space
With the hidden figure
In tall grass watching
As small deer gather
Behind the large tree we lean upon
With large leaves shade
Giant haystacks
Lead to crosses of straw

This is for a dVerse prompt: Today for Poetics, I thought we might write from a selection of Rousseau’s artwork. Choose one of the paintings in this post and let it be your muse. Additionally, use the above epitaph as a launch point to describe where the painting takes you, the viewer.

I chose The Waterfall as the painting I wrote my poem about. In the post it says how Rousseau was a self taught painter and how his work was not taken seriously at first. I used that as the dialogue in the poem with the lines inspired by the epitaph and slightly twisted. The opposite lines are then put together to form the second verse which is more praiseworthy and descriptive of the painting.

Take Care

Please take care,
        I know her not.
She is tall and fair.
        Wherever shall I take her?

Take her home
        That is bold
Not yours but where she does roam
	And alone leave her?

You don’t care.
	I would but you said leave her.

This is for a dVerse prompt: The Quadrille is really quite simple when you boil it down: pen us a poem of exactly 44 words, not counting the title. Include some form of the word “Care.” I hope you enjoy! 😊

Waiting for Moonlight

I stand upon the sandy dunes
Waiting for the moon
Singing catchy little happy tunes
I’ve been waiting here since noon
It rises in the east
Though I’m bad with directions
It doesn’t bother me in the least
I’ve been taking up collections
Set up a chair and a stand
I whisper created fortunes
Now I’ve got a band
The profits in the margins
Moonlight won’t you dance with me
Upon the sandy dunes
Moonlight help me to see
While singing happy little tunes

I’ve seen the sun go to bed
Yet can not find the moon
Some might think I’m dead
But the timing would be too soon
Silver glimpses of her face
I’m waiting to discover
Reflected light in this place
I wait for no other
I want to bathe in the moonlight
My pants and jacket shed
I’ll let my fancies take flight
I’ll be dancing when I’m dead
Moonlight won’t you dance with me
Upon the sandy dunes
Moonlight bathe with me
While singing happy catchy tunes

The clouds have parted
Light does shine down
Excuse me, I think I farted
I’m such a silly clown
Moonlight shines so bright
But no need to shade my eyes
Moonlight makes things so bright
Shining in night skies
I’m dancing and singing loud
Twirling round and round
I’m dancing with my moon so proud
Dancing til I fall down
Moonlight won’t you dance with me
Upon the sand dunes
Moonlight ends when day we see
Singing catchy happy little tunes

Moonlight shine your light on me
When I’m buried under 
Singing happy catchy little tunes

This is for a dVerse prompt: to write a ballad. I hope you enjoy! 😊

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These I Have Loved

The sun on a summer’s day
Whose heat I yearn for like the hotness of you
The cool of a breeze
Like the breath from between your soft lips
The morning dew
That gathers outside our window as we sleep in to afternoon
Silence after a hectic day
That leads to the sounds we make at night
The soft touch of lips
A kiss, oh your kiss, on my lips
Holding hands
Fingers entwined, holding onto each other
Walking familiar streets
Hand in hand, footsteps we’ve walked before
The discovery of a hidden store
We explore the city searching for nothing but time together
A favorite meal
Shared with my favorite person
The taste of ice cream
Cool on my tongue , you on my tongue
Shared laughter
You laugh at my jokes, I laugh with you
Memories of yesterdays
Memories of you and I together
Hopes of tomorrow
Every tomorrow together you and I
Sharing a burden
Your shoulders hold my burdens and my tears
Reaching that itch
You are the itch I need to scratch
A job well done
You are not my job but my pleasure
Feeling protected
My job, my duty, to protect you where I can
A cool sip on a hot day
Drinking in the look of your eyes refreshes my soul
Orange juice in the morning
To be able to start my day with you
Fresh baked bread
Let me butter you up and gobble you down
All these have been my loves
And all of my love is for you.

This was for a dVerse prompt: Now write a list poem that begins ‘These I have loved:…’ of the everyday things that are important or precious to you. Be specific, picking out tiny details, and don’t stop until you get to the bottom of the page. Finish with ‘All these have been my loves’.

This was not an easy poem for me, not because of the topic, writing little things to love or be grateful for isn’t too difficult but I found it difficult to write for the length and to keep it interesting. It is a good topic and taking time to take stock of little loves should be something we do periodically even if we aren’t writing poetry. I hope you enjoyed.😊

The Darkest Thought

“I am the creature who smells your darkest thoughts,” said the creature.

This was true. It was the source of its greatest power, and its greatest weakness.

“And am I a pleasant aroma?” I asked.

I walked lightly upon the tatami mats. The traditional grass and rice straw mats padded my footsteps as I moved around the room. We were inside the middle of its fortress. It felt safe here, surrounded by walls of concrete with hired henchmen to guard its hallways. All of which was unnecessary of course. The greatest danger lay here in the center talking to me.

“You are pleasing,” the creature said, the words nearly coming out as a hiss. “Your thoughts are very dark.”

Again this was true. Though my darkest thought lay well hidden. The thought that I would soon kill the creature and end its dark reign.

This is for a dVerse prompt: Write a piece of prose, fiction or non-fiction, up to 144-words, incorporating the given line. The line: “I am the creature who smells your darkest thoughts”
From “Jaguar Song.” Read the entire poem here.

I chose an AI image, though I very rarely use any AI imagery because I thought it fit, in what it is and in the image.

I Don’t Say I Love You Enough

I love you
I don’t say it enough
But I hope I show it 

In every look and interaction
When I wake each day
You are my motivation

With every touch and caress
When I look in your eyes
My heart is yours; captured

Waiting for me 
In the evening
To end my long day

I love you
Let me say it
Showing you every day

The cover of The Sex Cycle Collection. All four covers in a collage.

The Sex Cycle Collection of erotic poetry

The Sex Cycle Collection is a collection of four books: The Sex Cycle, Seduced by Seduction, Fires of Fornication and After All is Said … Read over 150 poems that explore the spectrum of sex, desire and relationships.

Find poems that will excite, make you think, reminisce, hope, lament, seduce, satisfy and satiate. The Sex Cycle Collection.

The Dark of Night

The dark of night, furthest from the day
Leads me into the darkest shadows.
Where imaginations come out to play;
Dance upon my mind’s dark gallows.
See where the moon dare not glow.
Open your eyes wide to the possibility.
Prepare your heart for the gruesome show
Brought to life by an unholy trinity.
Me, myself and I
Come for you, yours and yourself.
Oh how time does fly
When you can put your morals upon a shelf.
Come enjoy the freedom of the night;
Where wild fancies are given flight.

This is for a dVerse prompt: I’d like you to write a poem that centers around the night. I hope you enjoy! 😊

Weed Puff

I blow softly upon the puff of a weed. Little seeds float in the air. Carry upon the wind, to land and germinate. Soon to grow, flower and bloom. Small seed fluff, hoping for a soft exhale of air or harsh wind to blow.

This is for a dVerse prompt: Pen us a poem of precisely 44 words (not counting the title), including some form of the word puff. I hope you enjoy! 😊

Faintly In Memories

The scent of your perfume remains
Faintly on the bed sheets where we used to lay
The early morning sun streams through the curtain
Thin shadows form across my face
Aged by each morning I wake without you

I miss you, though not as much as I used to
My heartbeat echoes faintly in the room we used 
Your ghost still resides in the corners 
Along with the cobwebs and spiders
But the sun still shines bright at noon

I thought I’d call you to let you know
She’s moving in tomorrow at noon
She probably won’t see your ghost or smell your perfume
Faint as they are; after you’ve gone
But I thought you should know
In case I still cross your mind faintly too.

After All is Said

Sometimes that after is just mmm, sometimes it’s meh, and sometimes it’s just ffs. No matter how it ends it’s poetry. That is if you read After All is Said. Explore the spectrum that happens after the sex is done.

After All is Said . . . 30 poems about what comes next. Read poetry that deals with how it feels after you’ve been intimate, in a relationship, out of a relationship, in love, out of love. After All is Said … What’s left to say? These poems.

This Shot of Whiskey

The thoughts of you float through my memories
This shot of whisky fuels my whimsy
I want you with me

I left in the morning
My stuff in my hands
My heart stayed in your hands

This shot of whisky calls your name
My lips do the same
My heart still lays in your hands

My mind can’t erase the image of your face
My hands can’t stop the feeling your skin
My lips miss your kiss

I would cry but tears stain my face
I won’t let you see my pain
This shot of whiskey may lay false all those claims

This shot of whiskey is a toast to you
This shot is to forget
This shot is- 
Oh shit!

Read The Sex Cycle Collection!

Have you read The Sex Cycle, Seduced by Seduction, Fornication’s Fire and After All is said … ? Well now you can get them all together in one! collection. The Sex Cycle Collection.

Read over 150 poems that explore the spectrum of sex, desire and relationships. Find poems that will excite, make you think, reminisce, hope, lament, seduce, satisfy and satiate.