Lost Haven

Lost Haven

Once there was a place, my solace, my haven

Where I went to write, to dream

Friendships blossomed, inspiration ignited

Seeking such comfort, I traveled there

Finding things out of place, disjointed

Feeling forlorn, melancholy

I walked the hallways, opened doors

Searching for familiar faces and places

Finding none.

Lost in nostalgia, wondering

Can lost havens ever be restored

A Robin and A Blue Jay

A robin and a blue jay
Both looking to start a nest
Searching high and low
For a tree that passed the test
The robin looked up, in awe at what he found
The trunk was solid, and leaves did abound
The blue jay spied that tree at just the same time
Hit the brakes fast and turned on a dime
The robin and the blue jay then began to squabble
And amidst all the commotion, that branch began to wobble
The branch then broke beneath their feet
Leaving those two birds to brawl in the street
So intent were they upon their fight
They gave no attention to the sudden light
Now that robin and that blue jay are no more
As a motorcar sent them to Heaven’s door
The tree that both did want to own
Is now the quiet sparrow’s home

by L.L. Shannon ©2011

Pretty Young Maid

Pretty young maid treads darkened wood
With blood red cape and matching hood
Malevolent eyes watch every skip
Sharp fangs and claws prepared to rip
Pretty young maid on a familiar trail
Seeming so tasty and oh so frail
A snarl, a growl, a scream, a leap
A whirlwind of motion, aground in a heap
Pretty young maid with hood of red
Raises the ax and kills the wolf dead
Year after year, always the same
‘Till she decided to change the game
Now the big bad wolf lays face down in the stream
The pretty young maid released from the dream
No more to travel that familiar path
At the mercy of the wolf’s deadly wrath
Pretty young maid adjusts cloak and hood
And happily skips deeper into the wood

by L.L. Shannon ©2011

Dog Days

Beware when Sirius draws nigh
Before the sun has graced the sky
Reason and logic can not be found
Madness and mayhem do abound
In sacrifice, fresh blood they do shed
Allaying fears, fighting off dread
On bended  knee, hands clasped tight
Seeking deliverance from their plight
Lips whispering  a fervent prayer
“Oh please God, are you there?”
The world lies covered in murky haze
Beware! One and all, these dark Dog Days

by L.L. Shannon ©2010

Pathways

The branches of the trees of yesterday
Hang low, heavy with fruit
Sown of heartache and tears
Ripened with laughter, love and smiles
Devouring the path of what was
With roots of regret and the limbs
Of what could have been

The yet empty vines of tomorrow
Twist and turn and grow
Needing nourishment and care
To call forth the blossoms of promise
And the flowers of hope
Careful pruning is yet required
To clear the path to what will be

Standing upon the path between
Within the heartbeat of now
Without watering can, pruning shears
Or nutrients to give the earth
I harvest the trees of yesterday
Biting deep into the core
Tasting the bitter seeds of teardrops


Leaving me paralyzed on the path of what it is

by L. L. Shannon ©2009

Spinning

This way today, that way tomorrow
Shifting sand twists and turns
Spinning me round, leaving me dizzy
Clarity while traveling round
Impossible

This way today, that way tomorrow
Each revolution stabs my heart
Leaving wounds, open and bleeding
Healing while under attack
Hopeless

This way today, that way tomorrow
Merry-go-round of confusion
Enervates my soul, exhausts my spirit
Resting within a whirlpool
Ineffectual

by L.L. Shannon ©2009

Mermaid Dreams

The sun dips to kiss the ocean’s lips
Amongst the fire raining down from the sky
A maiden stands safely on the shoreline
Rooted in the shifting sand
Tempted to join the dance
A smile takes form and longing breathes
The moon  gently caresses the sea
Displacing its rival, the sun
Sighs of pleasure raise the tide
Wetting the feet upon the beach
Solemn eyes observe receding waves
Unfulfilled wishes scar the soul
A solitary silhouette forevermore
A landlocked lass with mermaid dreams

by L.L. Shannon ©2009