Eyes of Ink

Image: Antonio Mora

My mind is an open window,

a free-thinking view of the eye’s appetite

for images translated through ink stained imagination. 

©Susie Clevenger 2020

Inspired by poetry prompt @ WordCrafters

Offer Me Bread and I'll Choose a Pen

There are ghosts in my brain

chasing thoughts from dark places,

plucking dandelion seeds

to harvest words from wild weed.

Devil’s in the ink…

God’s in the paper…

My poem-father is Poe,

my god-muse a raven.

Offer me bread and I’ll choose a pen.

Crumbs of wheat can’t take me

where black ink puddles lead.

©Susie Clevenger

Real Toads ~ Bits of Inspiration ~ Poet Discovery

Sleepless In America

The moon stares at me through my window

in blinks of wind branch and silhouetted leaves.

Sleep hides beneath the covers and far from my pillow.

Why do questions stalk peace as thieves

well trained to invade as soon as my head

screams for the mind numb only slumber relieves?

I walk the hours of sun fighting off the dread

of a world drunk on building tribes to squander freedom

on divisive rants of rewind, repeat, the lies must be fed.

In the wrinkling of my nest I curse an apple eaten,

Genesis ink knowledge is evil, inquiry needs suppression.

Morning sings rebellion, but night moans beaten.

Mother Moon, please speak, give me direction

on how I can sleep when compassion is pilloried on tongues of aggression.

 ©Susie Clevenger 2018

Real Toads ~ Fussy Little Forms ~ Terza Rima