Azira

Why beseech the mothers, set afire their wooden frames, steal our way home, cotton, gold and spices, what games we play, the infinite knots to splice, sunlight rings with drums, we return the people’s hail, these islands of sweet summer, to settle here or fly, draw away from this place, a seething nest of lies , leave this port for others, inscribe it with our name our names on bloody visits, it’s the reason why, we forage the Spanish Main, our troubles turn to light, we won’t forget to smother, a life in joyous phases, a careworn cache of lovers, dance among our graves.

Aurore

There's times I wish, I’d never been born, on this wretched bridge, my taxi is gone, now leave me alone, in this third interregnum, what makes me think, I know what I’m doing, getting jealous in drink, splashing eau de cologne, Spring coming on, standing by the road, then the clouds shrink, a ship's coming home, curtains start to twitch, they see me walk, an unsteady sojourn, to meet the other souls a ship majestic and garish resplendent in the sun. white funnels red carriage a time to be gone.

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.