~One~

~One~

tread lightly

because you can

shatter me

with one word,

one movement

even though

yesterday

is gone

the memories

keep layering

a spiraling shell

getting lost

in the repeating

chaos

the winding circles

in a tree trunk

help me

to unshatter

the light

you can

even dream

during the day

~Sarah Mahina Calvello~

~Dear barista~

I tasted the holidays today

in a cup of cinnamon hazelnut coffee

you asked if

I wanted it hot

I said yes, it was cold enough

and you laughed

turning away

in a red blur

the first sip

made me smile

unexpectedly

this was what I was missing

and needed

to remember

and melt the cold

the cinnamon

was heavy and sweet

on my tongue

bitter

with a hint

of joy

with hot hazelnut

milk

lingering

like a smile

you forgot

you had

and I smiled again

you drew

a reindeer

in white foam

made me light

for a moment

like a child again

it’s these things

you remember

these little gestures

anywhere

there you are

now and then

I can see the truth

above the lines

trying to hold on

trying to amaze

so you don’t

miss the warmth

of the candle

trying to amaze

its beautiful

when you talk

even though

you are only repeating what you know

but if you listen

you may learn something new

I need to believe again

I need air

were all primary colors

at heart

beating

along the way

~Sarah Mahina Calvello~

~Rain~

it was raining

that night

it was as though

it was lit

through a mirror

falling away

to a black ocean

a bell

lonely

and beautiful

there’s no such thing

as time

the sleepy black stars

fell from its course

into purple

curls of smoke

it’s so feathery

I met you

all at once

and unexpected

yes I am a dreamer

and these feathers won’t stay

for long

I will try to hold you

with my heart wrapped around yours

the sweetness

won’t break

it will stay soft

butthere’s

no guarantee for such a dream

as this

so fragile

and crystalline

be careful

not to fray

the edge’s

catch me when I stumble

I can’t do this alone

I can’t depend

on shadows

and false caress

of breath

every glass is half full

dancing in the stars

the nights are our’s

crying drunk tears

together

wanting to hold on tight

a candle

you don’t want to miss

take your time

with me

on this

~Sarah Mahina Calvello~

~Time~

“but space is boundless and time is timeless.”

From the Buddhist book, “Death, Joy, and Rebirth”

there

are four times

in your life

that mattered to you

at the end

past, present, future

and timeless time

everybody’s waiting

on someone

on something

it’s just how you

spend your time

waiting around

I think that’s what you

were trying to say

but couldn’t find the words

that was going to be

your last poem

death

creeping on slow and lulling

like a whisper

of breath

when no one’s

watching

weaving

and unraveling

we reign,

were not

scattered showers

I don’t know

if you really

believed in me

but now I’m changing, too

people aren’t afraid of dying

what scares

the holy crap out of them

is living

don’t cry because it’s over,

smile because it happened

~Sarah Mahina Calvello~

~The Sunset Before the Storm~

The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water
caught fire.

-Pamela Hansford Johnson

the layers of fire and peach

fading into light mango, then into dark fire

tantalizing and naked

breaks the stillness of blue air

an affinity in the whispering darkness

the heart

of the lantern

pulsing and illuminating

a breathing heart

among the silhouettes

of dark pines

trembling leaves

in a soft wind

play around my window

layers of liquid dust

shivering

into each other

curling around in a shell

of a hug

curving

into a

prelude

of a moon

I want so badly

to be in that hug

to be

in that soft warmth

with you

seeking coins

of happiness

each wayward

  heart

longing for its home

I’m happy

breathing will you

watching the stars

turn blue

and quiet black

you’re the only one

I ever loved

fingertips caressing

fingertips

                                   ~Sarah Mahina Calvello~