Marlene Lacey
from Amo, Amas, Amat
Poetry pp. 52–54

 

My living is my learning.
A “see-say-do” dance
to educate myself.
Throughout my life,
I will snatch every creative person
as a lead dancing partner
to guide and teach me.
I will mimic their steps,
then choreograph my own.

I will stir images
made from soft bristle brushes
licking the sweetest sights
with long lean strokes
milked by the metamorphosis
of multiple Gaussian blurs.

I will sprinkle sounds
a beat of a bass line with
vibrations that reverberate in the chest
and restart all the stopped hearts.
I’ll cross fade and mix layers
of the smoothest acoustics
in a mystical transmigration
embalmed by effects like
modulating vibrato, frequencies
resonating weird but wonderful wah-wah warbles
to titillate mellifluous musical meditations.

I will stage a sparkling show of fireworks
swirling in a mirage of mirrored sunbursts
creating a charming omni-rainbow light
drawing dreams from the dizzied depressed
by spiraling shafts of light upwards
set candles afire to fuel flames of romance in the unfeeling
and focus the lens to flare on philosophical truthfinders.

I will add the ambrosia of aromas to liquer
and assault the senses with
drops of delicate, delicious perfumes
that would soar a war bride’s heart once again
simultaneously stimulating several
of their most sensual secret memories.
Awakening and uplifting like an early morning sun on a cool day
with a freshly-applied top note
of bergamot, heliotrope, mimosa, chamomile and citric accords.
Dissipating fragrances of wondrously pleasing bright and airy florals
envelope a vapour of defiance and irresistibility
in “look-at-me” scents of
ylang ylang, lily of the valley, violet leaves, rose, jasmine,
heliotrope, and geranium.
Invoking sultry and seductive, sexy, but teasingly warm,
rich and smoky, edgy and sophisticated, or dreamy and exotic
image from an amazing lingering classic base of sandalwood,
vetiver, oakmoss and vanilla
A bouquet to inspire
a glamorous paradise fantasy island getaway.

I will practice standing on my tiptoes,
point my toes so sharply that the smallest
part of me is grounded.
I will raise and stretch my arms
use the vision of my pie-in-the-sky dreams
close my eyes so that I can focus on a point
beyond everyman’s rainbow
to stretch further
than even I can imagine.
I will hold this position
throughout the remaining days of my life.

I will look forward to my grand finale—
happiness my journey, not my destination.
I treasure every step of its path.

 

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