the madness comes

In moonlight
the madness comes,
calling up the demons
my brain swollen
with secrets
too dark for daylight
their nightly telling
the only comfort
until morning,
when my soul,
sucked clean
can sleep

 

 

Happy Halloween!

©Daniel von der Embse

You are the ringing in my ears

The love of you pulses through me,
pounds in my brain –
with or without you here,
I am ever in your possession
Every minute brings some thought of you;
it plays in my mind
like a movie over and over,
each frame reveals what wasn’t seen before

I’ve been afflicted with tinnitus (ringing in the ears) for a couple years now. It could be caused from all the flying; I don’t know. I first noticed it after I’d been on an airplane. Mine sounds like crickets chirping. Before I knew what it was, that’s what I thought I was hearing. The chirping is louder or softer, depending mostly on stress; sometimes I’m not aware of it at all, other times it’s like a cricket army pounding in my head. This poem is my tinnitus survival mechanism.

 

 

 

©Daniel von der Embse

candy kisses

my tongue tastes better
when it’s been inside your mouth
Halloween candy

Tattoo

Tattoo me with thanks
So that I never forget
What gratitude is

Hello old friend

The moon a street lamp
Everything lit natural and neat
I see you
Wet and tired
Your mouth sagging
Making me smile
At your regal pose
Interrupted to greet me
Before returning to bed

 

 

 

©Daniel von der Embse

Birthday no more

Happy birthday songs
go flat
Washed down with Chinese tea
and whistles
Let me stop singing
and there will be no more birthdays
The last call four hours ago
Didn’t make it to morning

 

 

 

 

©Daniel von der Embse

break

brain aches from meetings
steal off to write a poem
better already

Fly away

I wish there could have been
some way to keep you here
But you had to spread your wings
to test how far you could fly
and you were gone

I only hope that some day
you might fly back to us
to have another stay

I’ll think of you as you journey
and hold the memory of your smile close
for when I need a lift up there
in the heavens with you

 

This poem appeared originally in Across the Margin. I didn’t write it as an elegy, but it could be; an old friend died suddenly the other day and  this poem went through my head.

 

 

 

©Daniel von der Embse

The talented Mr. Brown

 

In my other life, I’m an advertising copywriter. Recently, I had a lot of fun working on a video project for the Mail Handlers Benefit Plan (MHBP). It was also a chance to work with my longtime colleague and friend, the very talented Dick Brown. Dick is something of a legend in Utah advertising. He graciously came out of retirement to be the talent in this funny online video. Singing and performing has long been a sideline for Dick; many years ago he performed with The Young Americans and toured with Johnny Mathis. Thanks Dick, you are a lovely guy and made this a fun project.

Only a pony — The Moon Issue 1209

Thank you to The Moon monthly e-magazine for publishing my poem Only a pony in issue 1209.

You can get a copy of The Moon Issue 1209 here.

Only a pony

You tell me it’s only a pony
I watch you ride him, fearlessly,
like when you were a child,
filling me with dread that he
should have such power over you,
hateful creature, made for mayhem,
bone crushing, unpredictable

On his back rides everything,
and means nothing to him
You say to trust you
I do –
but trusting him comes hard
Better to tell myself
it’s only a pony
I look away –
It’s only a pony

 

 

©Daniel von der Embse