Abira

Do you measure distance, looking down a bottle of beer, as if polishing a crystal, the tenor of your bones, a river washes clear, a time to be explored, the cormorants we saw flippant, flap in a broken weir, last tide before the winter, has my lover frozen, somewhere close to tears, when I say please go, knees and face seek penance, a trapeze of wasted years, eyes crying for an infant, do I record each tone, of his faded artists gear, a presence in each zone, I’ll never appear listless, silver will cup my ears, I shall be effervescent, there will be happy years.

Aaliyah

Sat in a lemon light, my lover sleeps alongside me, I know everything is all right, sunrise over Alexandria, Cavafy’s cafés serve mint tea, as good a vista as Thessinger, Arab clothes a desert fire, an iron kettle by a tree, Bedouins in a daily fight, salt cakes a global symposia, swallows thrum an early creed, her solitary dance is Latina, it exhausts bottles of wine, at last night’s soiree, she tires with no respite, will she come to Assyria, dawn brings the early disguise, faces at the port’s dominion, hot brown days go by, we will live on the sea, everything I try she likes, birds are flying to infinity

alex begins the equinox poems 2021 - and the north shore plus 3 lines

Alex

Your house beyond the dunes, roses bloom beneath the sky, money doesn’t bring you truth, or laughing girls with grace, however things may lie, you try not being fake, even God is not immune, there's still a love inside, he won't be duped, fire burns in the grate, don't tell me how you cried, anchors bind the spate, just believe you fool, crying in the tide, don't you know he loves you, all our different hates, left hanging out to dry, all our lovely days, we hear them moan and croon, they make our troubles light, a relieved and laughing moon, drags doubt from our eyes.

Ally

I'm not a fool at dawn, to feel an utter mess every way the wind blows, I should be at sea, on a wooden raft, where there's time to dream, summon ancient forms, erect my little mast, sail with perfect calm, speak evenly, not roar out in distress, where you pay dearly, if you’re torn, living a life like this, my time isn't done, I shall range the Ocean, fix my shiny compass, judge life heavenly, navigate Cape Horn, live without duress, heaven’s crown of thorns, makes me immaculate.

Anna

When we begin to crave, you glance up and sigh, for lands far away, it's a lonely path alone, not having a light, an Iliad far from home, we sit out the fray, anchors hold the bite, ride the tide and wait, listen to the songs, it’s better than to cry, soon we’ll soon be gone, not just on holiday, so let us not fight, find reasons more to say, our horizon’s honed, lead us from this café’, safe in our bones, there'll be no stain, the moon is our right, it will bring good days, warm easy nights.

Michelle

Look at the moon, a spring tide today, everything comes around too soon, the birds who have flown, seeking away, singing as they go, your eyes don’t fool, say wouldn't it be great, to find somewhere new, a place for the soul, where paradise reigns, forget mortgage loans, somewhere not cruel, but poised and sedate, where no rent’s due, problems with ‘phones, emotion’s just a name, for all that we know, your good parts are true, that’s why I paint, but why do you argue, high on my name?