The listing of all the poems I have on this webpage, by title, with short descriptions next to them. Hopefully, you might find something here you're interested in reading.
Some of the poems have warnings by them (especially those that might be offensive to people's moral or religious convictions, or contain disturbing imagery). I mean the warnings- not because I think most people will ignore them, but because I don't want people to read them and then decide they shouldn't have.
Enjoy. (All poems copyright 1987-2002 by Anadrel).
Across The Sea Of Luna- Fantasy poem, written one day one I was bored. Not sure how good it is. It does have some nice metaphors.
The Adoration of Cyanna- A love poem in which the woman who is the object of love is adored as a goddess.
An Age-Old Story- Poem about a lover who doesn't think he/she is worthy of the woman he/she loves. I'm really not sure of the gender of the lover. Nothing too explicit, though. Envelope quatrain form.
The Air After A Phoenix Has Been Reborn- I'd written so many poems about phoenixes, I thought I might as well try and learn what it's like to be in the place where one's pyre was.
Alanath- I've used the theme of the faery lover pretty often, but never talked about a human strong enough not to be broken by it.
Alba- A kind of aubade, I suppose, though much more self-satisfied and not as urgent as my poem of that title below. The lovers could, I think, be either gender, though one of them is definitely female.
Ami- A confusing attempt to describe my patterns of thought, to which I have given the name of "ami" for no really good reason. Basically, certain thoughts have shapes in my mind. I think of certain people and get the image of a wolf along with it. I don't know why.
Among The Pale Flowers- This poem is a villanelle, at least in form. I'm not sure what it means, though- or, rather, there was a story in the back of my mind, but it refused to form.
Apotheosis-Poem about Guinevere, hailing her transformation from mortal woman to immortal. Medium-sized, quatrain form.
Arachne's Tapestry- Greek/Roman mythological poem. Athena (or Minerva, since I do use the Roman form in this poem) meditates on Arachne's tapestry. This arose one day when I wondered what the tapestry Arachne may have woven showed. Sestet form.
Arlea In Summer- Warning. This poem isn't really explicit, but it's about a woman in love with another woman. I know that this offends some people's morals. If you will be offended, please don't read it. The form is seven-line stanzas (septets?), with repeated rhyme in some cases.
As The Grapevine Is Wild- Greek mythological poem, arranged in sestets.
As Upon A Chain Of Yearning- This is another of my many, many attempts to explain what writing is like to me. I don't know if it succeeds any better than the rest, but it does have some interesting metaphors.
An Atheist's Awakening- Warning. This is another one that might be offensive to the religiously inclined, for obvious reasons. How else does an atheist awaken, but by asking questions?
Atlantis- A slightly different perspective on Atlantis, formed in reaction against reading too many fantasy books where Atlantis turns out to be the source of everything from fire to poetry. Five-line stanza form.
Aubade- Warning. This one is again from the point of view of a woman in love with another woman, and it is very physical, though more about the aftermath of lovemaking than the process. An "aubade," if you don't know, is the morning counterpart to a serenade, urging the loved one to come and see the dawn, or, more rarely, appealing to the sun not to come. I chose the latter course. Sestet form, with some internal rhyme in the last line.
Awakening- This one was written after an overdose of Earth Goddess imagery. About the earth awakening after winter. Fairly short and simple.
Away- A strange poem. I don't think it's an allegory of death; some other people do. I meant it as a fantasy poem, that's all. Fairly long, quatrain form.
Battle-Cry- A narrative poem about a rebel attack on a loyalist village- only these loyalists can fight.
Battleground- Again, a strange poem. This is one of the poems I wrote under the influence of music, specifically from David Arkenstone's Quest of the Dream Warrior CD. I have no idea why this relatively bleak poem came from relatively solemn, but not despairing, music. Warning. It is possible this poem could be offensive to deeply Christian people, or anyone who believes that Evil is not equal to Good under any circumstances.
Beauties That The Earth Hath Lost- Inspired by a line from Keats' poem "Fancy," this mourns the passing of creatures of legend from the world.
Because It's Unseen Doesn't Mean It's There- A pretty cheerful meditation about the futility of religious belief and belief in eternal life. Warning. This might properly be called an atheistic poem. If you think it will offend you, don't read it.
Before the Golden Bridle- Greek mythological poem, about Pegasus and Bellerophon. You don't really have to know the myth to get this one, though it would probably make more sense if you did. Fairly simple and short, with lots of repeating rhyme.
Beneath The Boughs of Inviolate Forest- This is a poem written for the world of my novels, a song of the eluvori or forest Elwens.
Bereft- And here's a poem that I wrote after reading too much about the moon and its mythological significance- though, truly, it's also a product of all the times I've been unable to go to sleep on nights of the full moon, what with the feeling that I have to go and watch her constantly. Simple and short, quatrain form.
The Birds of Rhiannon- Celtic mythological poem, though mixed with another story of my own telling. Rhiannon was a goddess whose singing birds could grant charmed sleep. Medium length, sestet form.
Birds To Mourn- What would be a fit mourning for all the sorrow of the world?
The Bird We Never See- This is one of the few poems I've written that has a basis in "reality" as most people would speak of it.
Black Unicorn- One of what I suppose I would call my "juvenile" poems, given that I was only 13 when I wrote it. It's about a unicorn, obviously (I wasn't that creative at titles then, either). Features a lot of phrases that I thought were fairly pretty at the time, and standard unicorn mythology. Quatrain form.
Blazon For My Mistress- A blazon is a traditional meditation on a woman's beauty, usually practiced during the period of the Cavaliers and such. Of course I was going to try writing my own.
The Blessings of Moon and Sun- A simple poem about what it might take to get me to worship something.
Blue Dragon- Another "juvenile" poem, celebrating dragons for their own sake. This one was written in the middle of math class, so it suffered a bit.
The Blue-Green World- A meditation on one of my favorite colors. I probably never will chase all the blue-green out of the world, for which I am duly thankful.
Bright Suicide- Warning. Sensitive subject matter. A poem written during a bout of suicidal depression.
Bursting Spring- A short poem in a somewhat unusual rhythm in honor of spring.
By Light and Song- Warning. Two female lovers again. This may or may not be construed as physical. I don't think it really is; I was following the conventions of a courtly love poem fairly closely.
By The Fountain, There I Wait For Thee- A love poem more about longing than any actual love.
By The Light Of The Moon- Fantasy art poetry, in which I make up a painting and then make up a poem in response to it. I like to do this, stars know why. The form is five-line stanzas, with some lines longer than the others.
Caged Star- This started out as a mere attempt to write a poem about a fairy. It grew a little darker than I had intended.
Call Me- Written during a time when I seemed to be drifting away from fantasy, both in my poetry and my novel writing. I was basically begging fantasy to come back and get me. Simple and short.
The Call of Faerie- Though I've written a lot of poems about longing for another place beyond the world- which for me seems to have the name Faerie or Elfland quite a lot of the time- that longing is not always bright, and not always at the victim's choice.
Call To The Muse- An Arthurian poem, of all things. Of course, I was frustrated, trying to write poetry down in Mexico, so I decided to write a poem about not knowing what to write about, and all kinds of strange things are likely to emerge when that happens.
Canter, Canter- A mixture of fantasy and ghost poem. I don't want to say much more, as that would probably tell the whole story right there.
Catimenta- One of the poems written in the course of my novels, and one of my very few poems that doesn't rhyme (though it still uses a lot of repetition). A sort of story of a feral child, non-human as most of the characters in my books are. Small note to the poem: Elwens, of which Catimenta is one, typically use collars rather than rings to seal their betrothals.
Chasing The Wild- A poem I wrote several years ago about a hunt for the wild- a really strange, disturbing, painful, and elusive quarry.
Child of a Radiant Land- Even assassins get homesick. I had in mind a specific character from one of my novels when I wrote this, but you don't need to know anything about her to understand it.
Children of the Dragon- An Arthurian poem, about what might have happened to people other than Guinevere and Lancelot after Arthur's departure to Avalon.
Chimera- Another of my very young poems, when I was determined to do a poem for every kind of mythological creature I could get my hands on. Some amusing rhymes. No redeeming literary value, but that's all right.
Circe's Isle- Another Greek mythological poem; Circe was the enchantress who lived on an island in the middle of the Mediterranean and turned Odysseus's men into swine.
The Circle of the Moon- And yet another Celtic mythological poem. The speaker is Taliesin, the great Welsh bard whose name means "clear brow" and who is sometimes thought of as the teacher, or forerunner, of Merlin. It turned out better than I expected.
Ciscao Sarastaa- A poem in a language I made up (Meluv, or Primal), a hymn to Sarastaa the God of Dawn. The translation can be found under Hymn of Sarastaa.
Cleis of the Yellow Roses- A fairly conventional love poem, though using a lot of repetition.
Clipping Pegasus's Wings- Written when the constant nihilistic nature of the poetry I had to read in my twentieth-century literature class started grating on me. There are many wonderful things about being an English major, but modern poetry (so far as I'm concerned) is not one of them.
Coalcloud's Song- A lament for a fallen gryphon leader, written in the course of my books. Non-rhyming.
Come Into The Darkness- The form is taken from Yeats; the subject, dark fantasy, is entirely my own. Sometimes weirdities seem to come and sit on my shoulder until I write about them.
Come With Me- What an elven- or a demon, or a fey- lover might say to the woman he loved. Short, quatrain form.
Comfort- A short, and, I'm afraid, rather self-pitying poem.
Communion With the Moon- One of my better poems, I think. An allegory, or a meditation, on the moon and what she means in terza rima form.
The Country of Purple Dusk- Written at a time when I was feeling gently melancholy.
Country of the Wind-This is the translation of the Primal poem Doro To Rhee below.
A Crown of Nightingale-Song- A rather strange poem I thought up one night when I couldn't sleep. The title came into my mind, and the rest followed from there.
The Crystal Altar- Not all religion has to be bloody.
Cry the Hunt Warning. Dark fantasy poem. An invocation of the Wild Hunt.
A Cyan Doom- Cyan is a blue-green color. How many things come to a cyan doom?
Cytherea- Greek mythological poem, celebrating the birth of the goddess Aphrodite (or Cytherea, because she came first to the shores of the isle of Cyther). Not my best poem, but I like the imagery.
The Dance of Pegasus- Probably the first poem about Pegasus I wrote, at a time when my head was stuffed with Greek mythology about Pegasus as the symbol of poetry and inspiration.
Dance of the Swans- A very short poem attempting to describe the swimming of mated pairs of swans.
The Dancer- Stereotypical as this poem is in a way- about a vision of a fair maiden- I do like it, partially for the repetition and partially for the chorus.
The Dancers- A poem written originally for the world of my novels, though I've never used it in a book. Yet another of the innumerable ways that one might describe the stars. I did it originally because I had created races that regarded the stars as their creators; then I did it for my own pleasure. I probably come as close to worshiping the stars as I do anything.
Dandelion Power- A rather silly poem about a particular kind of unrequited love.
The Dangerous Dreamer- Another poem written in the course of my novels, about what might happen if a people chooses its own doom.
Daphne's Mysteries- Another Greek mythological poem, in a way. Daphne was the maiden turned into a laurel tree to escape Apollo's clutches. But what happened after that happened?
Darkdance- An odd poem, about dark fae dancing in the woods. My opinion of it changes each time I look at it. Fairly short.
Dark Green Eyes- Warning. A horror poem, with some graphic gore. Also, a poem about vengeance, not about justice.
Dark Muse- I had a teacher once who told me that artists like Edgar Allen Poe were inspired by the Devil- that, in essence, there was a "dark" poetry to counteract the "bright" kind of poetry inspired by God. I'm still unsure why he told me that. Perhaps he thought it would keep me from temptation. It didn't keep me from writing a poem about what a dark muse might be like, though.
Daughter of the Water- Another poem written when I was much younger, shortly after "Black Unicorn" above. A mermaid poem.
A Deadly King- Another poem I wrote when I was trying to be inspired by each and every mythological creature I came across. This is one is about the basilisk, also known as the cockatrice.
Death, Since I Have Looked On Thee- Warning. I'm not actually sure if this poem needs a warning or not, though it has been described by various other people as "morbid," "grotesque," "disturbing," and other such words. I don't think it's actually frightening. A love poem to Death, in rhyming couplets.
Diamonds In The Wind- Yet another of my innumerable attempts to describe a voice singing.
Doro To Rhee- The Primal or Meluv version of The Country of the Wind, above.
Dove-Eyed Lover- I seem to be fascinated with the idea of a demon or elven or fey lover who chooses a mortal for a companion, for his or her own mysterious reasons. Female demon- or elf, or whatever- in this case, male narrator.
A Dragon At Twilight- I started writing this poem with the first lines, and just saw where it took me. It's a very simple poem, though, just what the title says.
Dragon Dreams- What do dragons dream about? My own explanation of it is a little bit too mystical for my liking, but some of the phrases are pleasant.
Dragon Spirit- This is a short poem, but one I still like, about the meaning a dragon can have.
Dragon Tears- I keep trying to find metaphors that will describe the stars in new ways. This is yet another of many attempts.
Dragon's Egg- Dragons are born as wondrous creatures (in my opinion, of course), but there must be some way that they acquire all that knowledge and wonder. Fairly long.
Dragons All About Me- An attempt at a realistic (ha) depiction of what it would be like to be caught in a storm of flying dragons.
The Dragons Hold The Worlds- A shot at a metaphysical poem, a different conception of the universe.
Dragons In The Morning- I think this is the one poem of mine that doesn't have a complete sentence anywhere in it. This mostly concentrates on what dragons are like in the morning, set up in rhyming couplets.
Dreamhaunters- A poem written in the course of my novels. I don't think you necessarily have to know what I'm talking about to get it, but, if you like, the page on the churni should have all the information you need.
Dreamland: Morning- This was meant to be the first in a series of descriptive poems about Dreamland at various times of the day. Somehow, I've never written the others, but this one turned out fairly well. Medium length.
Dream On, Sweet Spirit- This is another poem with a very ill-defined situation in the background. There might be a real story behind it; on the other hand, there might not.
Eagle and Swan- An extremely short poem- a dialogue between a man who loves a woman and a woman who doesn't want to be loved.
Eagles and Wild Horses- A woman speaking about the man she loved, using lots of metaphors. Neither of the characters is me; neither of them is someone I've known. Just masks, if you like. Fairly short.
Echo and Narcissus- Another of my Greek mythological poems; even if you don't know the myth of Echo and Narcissus, the text is fairly self-explanatory. The form deliberately mimicks (with what success, I'm not sure) the form of Percy Bysshe Shelley's "To a Skylark."
Echoes- A poem about the impossibility of either denying Faerie or living in it. At least, I think so.
The Elf and the Elwen- A poem written to contrast two different fantasy races in my world. Elwens are not elves by any stretch of the imagination, though I like to think they take the pure metal from elven traits and leave behind the dross.
The Elfmaid- Probably the first of my "Faerie" poems, again written almost ten years ago, about meeting an elf in the woods.
The Emerald Mask- It's amazing what can grant us an awareness we're not even conscious of needing.
Endymion's Bower- Endymion was a shepherd beloved of the moon goddess Selene (or Cynthia, or Diana, depending on the version of the legend), who was put to sleep forever so that he might stay always young. This is one of my better poems, I think.
Eternity In An Hour- Warning. Love between two women. A lover reflects on how her lover has taught her the meaning of eternity in an hour, or a little less.
Evening In The Velvet-Lands- This poem arose when I watched the sunset light fall on a building's side and thought it looked like a mosque. It isn't intended to present an opinion one way or the other on Islam, though the Arabic is, so far as I know, genuine, or at least a faithful transcription of the Arabic lettering into Roman. Translated, it means, "There is no God but God [Allah], and Mohammed is his prophet."
Ever Fair- Yet another poem inspired by my anger at some people's ideas that because misery exists in the world, that means beauty either doesn't exist or should cease to exist. It's amazing how often this irritates me.
Exile- A disjointed, wandering poem, written during a period of crisis in my life when it seemed as if everyone around me had a heritage but me. So far as I can tell, my ancestors were all strictly European, and mostly British Isle, so I can't claim that I'm Native American, or African-American, or oppressed. And I refuse to claim any heritage- even femaleness- that binds me to it and makes me part of some self-pitying "minority." Which more or less leaves me in a difficult position.
The Exile Singing- One of my most beautiful poems, about a man wistfully comparing the world he's exiled in to his home- even as he knows that part of his wistfulness is wishful thinking.
Eyes of the Wanderer- If someone goes off to Faerie, or some even stranger place, what happens to the people left behind?
Faded Fire- A poem written for a challenge, about a wanderer lost in the cold and slowly dying from it.
Faery Child- Yet another of my reworkings of the Faery myth, but, I think, a little better than most. About a hunter who finds a child lying in the woods.
Faery Wind- Stealing a phrase from my poem "Away" (above) was one of the best things I ever did. Another reworking of the Faery legend, and still, I think, one of my best.
The Fair One- Another poem about meeting one of the fae, with the promise of something more in the future.
Fairy Blossoms- A poem written on a winter's day, when I was longing for spring.
Fairy Gold- A poem comparing life to fairy gold.
The Fall of Rowan- A story about an important event in the world of my novels, although I think you can understand the poem by itself. If you want to know about the city, though, it's over here.
Fantasy's Legend- Another unicorn poem written when I was much younger (over ten years ago), though more complex than what I was usually doing at the time.
Far-Fetched- A dialogue between lovers, one who has brought every gift he can think of for his love, the other who wants the one gift he hasn't yet given her.
Far Off: Camelot and Avalon- The first of my "Far Off" poems, about Arthurian visions.
Far Off: Sherwood- A vision of the Robin Hood legend.
Far Off: Xanadu- My vision of Coleridge's vision in "Kubla Khan." You might want to read that poem before you read mine. Extremely long.
A Father's Mourning- A poem told from the point of view of Apollo, who has lost his son Phaeton to an attempt to drive the sun chariot. I dare to think that it's one of my better poems.
Fey- Another Faery poem, though longer than most of mine, about a brother going to fetch his youngest sister and finding more than he bargained for. Very long.
Fire Beyond The Sky's Edge- Another one of my quasi-mystical poems, about questing for the truth.
The Firebird- A mythological poem written when I started reading more mythology than just Greek and Roman. The firebird comes from Russian legend.
The Fire Burning Underwater- Yet another attempt to describe what it's like to write poetry.
Fire Dance- What I suppose an elven (or fey, or fae, or fairy- I don't even know what they are) ritual might be like.
The Flight of the Hawk- An extremely long poem about a hawk and what it means to a man.
Flower-Chained- What might the worship of Beauty be like?
Flower In The Sunset- This poem disturbs me, not least because I have no idea what the hell it means.
Flower of the Painter- A poem on a more prosaic subject than I tackle, about a painter's inspiration by his daughter. Hopefully, I still made it "poetic" enough.
Following The Song- Another attempt to bully myself into writing fantasy when I thought I'd been away from it too long.
For A Soul Lost In The Light- Written as a kind of sympathy poem for a character I was writing at the time, as well as a person I knew. Very abstract.
The Forbge Forest- An extremely long poem about a dark forest in the world of my novels, and the attraction that the speaker feels to it for no good reason. If you're interested, information on the Forest and its inhabitants is right here. The speaker is probably land Elwen.
For Caer- A Celtic mythological poem. Caer was the daughter of a king, who had turned herself into one of many swans on a lake. Aohongus, the Irish god of love, had fallen in love with Caer, but her father told him that he could only marry her if he could identify which among the many swans was Caer.
The Forest Argentine- There are many ways to be immortal.
Forevermore, In Dream- Description of a castle after men have abandoned it. I was mainly exercising my wings and seeing what I could do with the concept.
Frangas Non Flectas- This is Latin for "Break Not Bend." It was supposedly carved over the door to the poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti's house. However, this poem is not about him, but a comparison of differing philosophies.
Free At Last- I took a horrific literature class this past year, one which was more like a battle than a class. I wrote this poem to express- partially as a parody, partially with a real sense of relief- my feeling as the end of the year came closer.
Funeral For A Singer- I swear, when I started this poem I had no idea where I was going with it. The ending came as a surprise to me.
The Garden of Her Soul- A poem about a rather unusual woman, or perhaps simply her lover's perception of her. Again, the usual warning applies: the characters in my poems are almost always masks, or people I've met in my mind, not myself.
Garden of My Heart- Written to reassure myself, when facing an awful exam, that nothing could touch the core of who I was.
The Gentler Arts- What are the arts of the women's quarters?
Ghosts In The Dusk- Another Robin Hood poem. What Sherwood is like when the merry men have gone. Also what appeared in my mind when I listened to Clannad's song "The Hooded Man."
Gift To The Seer- A short, simple, and extremely repetitive poem about a mermaid.
Glances Across A Room- Warning. Slight lesbian content. About two women who meet at a dance.
Glimpses of the Miracle- The fantastic can't always be broken down or taken away.
Glory Is A Sphinx- Another poem written almost ten years ago, in the absolutely futile attempt to find words to describe a sphinx.
Glory Walking- A sunset poem, written after I happened to glance out the window and see a sunset I hadn't been watching for. If the personification of glory were striding across the sky...
Going Home- A short poem written when I was supposed to be grading math papers as a student aide about nine years ago. One of the first expressions of the idea that I'm not from here, that nothing of this world is mine.
Going On- A dialogue poem written to the extremely short song "Scampering Away" from the soundtrack to the movie The Secret of Roan Inish. I played the song over and over to make sure that I was in the right mood. I heartily recommend both the soundtrack and the movie, which is an exploration of the Celtic selkie legend.
Golden Hawthorn- A random love poem written around a flower that doesn't exist. There has to be one.
The Good Loser- Warning. This is an outsider perspective on a lesbian relationship. Nothing explicit at all- in fact, the portrayal of love is rather idealized- but I'd rather have someone not read it if that person thinks it will offend him.
Greeting and Farewell- Warning. This poem is about a woman meditating on the many loves she's had. If you're uncomfortable with sexuality between women, or serial relationships, you might not want to read this poem.
Guinevere's Clothes- Another Arthurian poem, though this one is a little lighter towards Guinevere than some of my others. From the point of view of Guinevere's maid.
Gwydion's Song of Blodeuwedd- A Celtic mythological poem. Gwydion was a powerful magician whose nephew, Lleu, could have no mortal wife, by the declaration of his mother Arianrhod. So Gwydion created a woman, Blodeuwedd ("born of flowers") for him out of various blossoms.
Hail, Lady- What is it about Earth Goddess imagery that builds up and needs to be let out every once in a while?
Halcyon- A Roman myth retold in poetic form. I used a form for it that I've never used anywhere else, and I still think it's one of my best and most straightforward- while still lyrical- narrative poems.
The Happiest Men- I wrote this poem on a day when I'd been reading (or imbibing, perhaps) too much Oscar Wilde.
A Harp of Wind and Flame- Another attempt at describing what it's like for me to write poetry.
Harp of Wood and Bone- Another disturbing poem, about a harp that plays itself and perhaps does other things.
Hatching of a Dragon- A poem written when I was in eighth grade, about exactly what its title says.
The Hawk Hunting- A poem from the point of view of a woman who has to take down the guardian of a royal line. His mind is like a hawk hunting.
He Shatters Heaven- A dragon poem, about what a gold-green dragon might be like in flight.
Heart and Shrine- Wherein I make my heart to a variety of things, in constant repeating patterns.
Heart's Prayer- A hymn to Sarastaa, God of the Dawn, written in the course of my novels. You don't really have to know anything about the people singing it to understand it, but, if you want, the information can be found here.
Helicon- Can poetry sometimes be a subtle form of suicide?
Here, By The Sea-One of my best poems (in my biased view, of course), a kind of "lyric narrative" which tells a story but in which nothing much happens. Fairly long, "nonet" (nine-line stanza) form.
Heron's Breath- A love poem, about seeing a heron near a pond.
Hero Under Stars- A terza rima attempt at heroism. Very abstract, I'm afraid.
His Eyes Slice The Summer- A woman thinking about the man she loves. Ummm. I think. Or is haunted by, or hates. I don't know.
His Heart Is Still In Faerie- What might happen when someone goes to Faerie and isn't careful about it.
Homecoming- A poem set in the world of my novels, about a rymca (plains Elwen) coming home from exile.
A Hole In The Song- Someone with a hole ripped in the song of his faith is suddenly granted a vision of the vastness of the universe.
The Hunt- Warning. This is another one I think deserves it. It's a dark fantasy, or perhaps horror, poem about a hunt, with some gore.
Hunting The Radiance- Another one of those poems that sounds pretty but doesn't, apparently, mean much.
Hyacinthus Fair- Warning. It's probably not a good idea to read this poem if even the idea of a mythological gay relationship offends you. Hyacinthus was a young man beloved by Apollo; Zephyrus, the west wind, was jealous and slew him by blowing Apollo's discus in the wrong direction. From his blood sprang the hyacinth (though it is generally acknowledged that the flower the Greeks called the hyacinth is not the one we now know by that name).
Hymn of Sarastaa- This is the English translation of the Ciscao Sarastaa poem above.
Hyperborea- Hyperborea was the legendary region beyond the north wind (which is what the name literally means) where it was supposedly warm all year round, and the inhabitants lived happy, simple, almost Golden Age lives.
I Am- Another poem written in the course of my novels, probably the ultimate expression of Elwen individualism, and the joy to be found in pure existence.
I Am Thee- Too often, humans equate themselves with only the joyful side of life, forgetting what comes at the end.
I Can Almost Believe- Warning. Not for the religious. Sometimes we all wish for things like divinity.
Idolatry- I have things I would much rather worship than any god I've ever known.
I Have Found The Unicorns- A sort of sequel to Searching For Unicorns, below.
Imagined, Coming Upon A Grave- Warning. Like "Dark Green Eyes" and "The Hunt" above, this is a horror poem. Please don't read it if you don't like mentions of violence and death.
I'm Dreaming- A pegasus poem, written in eighth grade for a class in which we were told we had to show up with a poem. Not really based on any dream that I've actually had (thought certainly one I would like to have).
Immanence- Warning. Based on the idea that divinity is immanent, rather than transcendent- inside and part of everything that lives, rather than outside it. May be offensive to people accustomed to thinking of divinity as purely outside the universe.
In Ancient Countries- A rather odd non-rhyming poem I wrote just for the sake of it.
Indolence- A meditation on a combination of the laziness that comes from lying in bed on a morning when you don't need to get up, and the laziness that comes from lovemaking.
In Her Eyes- Another poem written to describe a painting that doesn't exist. This one is more sensual than most of my others.
Inspired By A Stranger- Sometimes one can be inspired to do things other than just create art.
In The Morning of His Soul- Warning. A gay relationship. A man thinks of his lover as he was in the morning of his soul.
Jealous of Her- A rather conventional love poem. The object is female; the speaker's gender doesn't really matter.
The Jeweled- Written during an attempt to get away from a harrowing day.
Josephine's Portrait- Yet another "fantasy art" painting, though this one might have a story to go with it. One of the 300 poems I wrote in Mexico, locked away from a computer I could write a novel on and going manic with it.
Just Once- A very short poem about the glimpses that we get and can't believe.
The Lady and the Leopard- Warning. Dark fantasy poem. A man tells of his lover, who keeps a leopard as a pet.
La Noche Se Acerca- A very simple poem in Spanish. The translation can be found here.
Lament For Thee Gone- Just what it sounds like, a lover mourning over his lost love- but not lost in quite the usual way.
The Land of Evenfall- A loco-descriptive poem, to use the fancy term- an attempt at a description of a (fantastic) place. The rhyme scheme follows that of the poem "The Pearl," as well as that of Tolkien's poem "The Nameless Land."
Laughers- I would be prepared to say that I did not write this if it wasn't on my computer. I don't remember what I was thinking when I wrote it, and, consquently, it doesn't make much sense at all.
Left Wingless- What might happen if I ever did really see dragons.
Legend of the Butterly- A translation of a Spanish poem I wrote in Mexico, below.
A Legend Pursued- Another unicorn poem written when I was very young. There was a time when I found unicorns more inspiring than anything else I could think of.
Leyenda de la Mariposa- The Spanish version of the "Legend of the Butterfly" poem above. Short, but it does make some attempt at rhyme.
Light of the Stars- A poem written for my novels, though composed before I wrote the book in which it finally appeared. The speaker comes from a race which was created by the stars, which may help explain his reverence.
Like The Phoenix- Another poem written in Mexico. I'm ambivalent about putting this one up on the Web; I like it, but I think it was made to be read aloud.
Lioness and Love- Warning. A lesbian love poem. A woman damns herself for not having the courage to tell the woman she loves of her desire.
Lionwings- A very simple, childish gryphon poem written almost ten years ago now.
Lirri, Lirri- A twisted lullaby poem, I suppose. I can write normal ones.
Looking Out From The White Tower- A pretty attempt, which I like, at a night scene- or mostly night.
Lord of All- A hymn to a unicorn god, written in the course of my novels. Set up as a dialogue between the god and a worshiper.
Lord of Song- Another Greek myth poem, this time concerning Orpheus, the master bard who went down to Hades to try to win his newly-killed bride, Eurydice, back from the dead.
Lost In His Song- A darker take on the gift of poetry, about what happens when the gift grows too strong, past the limits of sanity.
The Lotos Inside- More or less, it's about the futility of living, as so much modern poetry seems to do, in a world of despair and endless wailing.
Love Like Obsidian- Warning. I'm not sure if this poem needs a warning or not, but it's Not A Nice Poem, and not meant to be.
A Love Song To Death- Warning. I've had people tell me this poem is very depressing and disturbing. Basically, it's exactly what its title says. The contrasting gender metaphors are deliberate.
Love Song To Eldera- Eldera is an invented woman, just as most of the women in Robert Herrick's poems were probably fictional, but she's a useful one. This is the first poem I wrote with her name in it.
Love Song To Ganymede- Warning. Another take on a mythological gay relationship. Ganymede was a young man so beloved by Zeus that the god came down in the form of an eagle and abducted the youth to Olympus to become the gods' cupbearer.
The Lover Waiting- A very simple poem, in couplets. Perhaps romantic, but not erotic. What I saw when I heard "Come To My Window" by Melissa Ethridge for the first time.
Low and Singing Beneath a Pale Half-Moon- A rather strange poem, blending rational and mystical reflection on the half-moon.
Lullaby Beneath The Stars- A more normal lullaby poem than the "Lirri, Lirri" above.
Lully, Lully- Another lullaby poem, this one specifically for the child of a fisherman.
The Maid of Flidley- A poem written for the course of my books, but it turned out much more like a ballad. The "alfari" in the poem are a specific invented race, not like the creatures who bear their names in Norse mythology, but they are so mysterious that most of the other characters know very little about them.
The Maiden She Is Dancing- A poem based on the idea that the earth is a maiden goddess in spring, dancing and beckoning to her lover.
The Maiden's Tears- I seem to be perpetually fascinated by disappearances. This is one of the very few I have written from the point of view of someone watching the disappearance, rather than the person going on the journey.
The Maiden's Weird- "Weird" does not have the traditional sense of "strange" here, though it might make sense given the odd form of the poem. It simply means "fate" in this context.
Many's The Year- A fine poem (I think), set up around repeating patterns of rhyme and refrains.
The Many-Rosied Bed- Warning. I don't know how much the warning is needed in this case, but it does involve sex, so it's best to be safe. It also involves what might be considered offensive ideas about passion and duty. Something of a technical experiment.
Maruss's Song- A lament for a fallen hero in one of my novels, who is so hurt by the end of his story that he simply loses the will to live and deliberately casts his soul into oblivion. In the mythos of my books, this is supposed to be part of a much longer song, written by the son of a man who knew Maruss as a child.
The May's Secret- About a secret found on Beltaine (the first day of May).
Medusa's Mirror- The only link this one has to Greek myth is the concept of the Medusa. So far as I know, Medusa in the legend never had a mirror.
The Meeting of Light and Darkness- An elven legend from my books. The Elfmother is a goddess in herself, but she's also six aspects. The fourth of those is the Sunsister.
Mistress of the Hunt- A huntress rides through changing times and places.
The Modern Narcissus- Perhaps Narcissus would have a better excuse for falling in love with himself in our world than he did in the classical one.
A Moment of Silence- Another song from my books, about the moment when spring changes to summer, what is gained, and what is lost.
Moon-Praising- A prayer, or a hymn, or a nightsong, to the moon.
Mortal Things- A very short poem composed in the middle of Wal-Mart while my mother and sister shopped and I was bored.
The Most Dangerous Time- A person susceptible to the call of Faerie might have especial trouble resisting it if she never knew she was at risk.
The Moth and the Flame- A reworking of the old trope about the moth dying in flame.
Mother of the World- Too much Earth Goddess imagery again. It seems to build up regularly, so that I need to purge it.
Mulberry In Mourning- This is a retelling of the Pyramus and Thisbe story, which is found in Ovid's Metamorphoses. It's been softened considerably since the original in most mythology books, believe me; I read the original for a Latin class I took, and Ovid's metaphors included Pyramus spurting blood, as he died, as a broken pipe spurts water. It is sometimes thought that Ovid made up the story, as there is no record of it before him.
Music From The Southern Isles- The rhyme scheme and part of the concept came from Yeats' "The Man Who Dreamed of Faeryland." However, my treatment of the subject matter got mixed with other things.
My Lady of the Auburn- An experimental love poem- a man remembers the woman he loves- written in the form of an Arabic ghazal, or something like it.
My Mind's Native Tongue- Sometimes I experience intense loneliness because the words that really express what I think and feel are in a language other than English- and a language that no one but I can speak.
My Temple- If I had a temple in my mind, this is what it would be like.
The Name- A very simple Faerie poem, written almost four years ago now.
Natural Posture- What is the natural posture for someone whom you only imagine?
Necklace At Her Throat- The speaker thinks about a necklace his beloved in wearing, given to her by a rival who has more money than he ever will.
Neverending- This, again, is one of my better poems. I had no idea that it was going to be like that when I started it. This is one of the poems that seemed to know its own end. I was just along for the ride.
The Night Approaches- The English translation of the Spanish "La Noche Se Acerca," above.
No Exile Is Forever- From the point of the view of the exile. This was written as I listened to "I Will Return" by Steve McDonald, from the Sons of Somerled CD.
No Resonance- Warning. Might be disturbing for religious people. One of my very few poems based on a personal experience, that of listening to others discuss a piece of art in religious terms and realizing that the story of Christ has no resonance for me whatsoever.
No Such Thing As Fate- Warning. This will probably offend you if you are any religion at all. A poem that is grateful for the non-existence of gods.
Non Carpe Florem- This, like "Niada, Queen of Spring," was influenced by the Cavalier poetry I was reading for one of my classes last spring. The favorite mottos of the Cavalier poets were, "Carpe diem" and "Carpe florem" (Seize the flower), a reminder to live for joy and make love now, since we won't live for long. "Non carpe florem" means simply "don't seize the flower."
The Numbered Evenings- A non-rhyming poem, one of the few I've written, and probably my best one that doesn't rhyme.
Oasis- A most unusual love poem.
O, Awaken!- Another love poem, almost an aubade, except that the speaker is calling on the whole world to awaken. I suppose one might see the speaker as either male or female, though I had a definite conception when I wrote the poem.
Odysseus's Lotos- An idea about what might have happened after Odysseus left the Isle of the Lotos-Eaters. This is a variant Greek myth rather than actually based on one; in at least one myth, Odysseus died when his son by Circe killed him, not realizing who he was. This is a little gentler.
Of Dragons- The very first poem I ever wrote about dragons. I tried to stuff so many ideas into it that it remains more or less incoherent, but it helped me clarify those ideas.
Of Earth and Elfland- Perhaps fantasy and rationality can coexist, and the reason I'm not wholly at home in either realm is because I belong in both...
Opals of Another Color- Sometimes, it's just as wise not to get too close to the fae.
Out To Sea- A woman praying on the shore, waiting for her love to return from the ocean. Like "Going On," this was inspired by the music on the Secret of Roan Inish soundtrack.
O Wild Bird- A strange song referring to a phoenix; it was originally conceived to stand in front of a story, but I don't know if I'll ever write the story.
Paean To Joy- A paean is another name for a hymn. (One of the god Apollo's names was Paean). Another poem written when I was tired of listening to people argue that misery and hatred outweigh joy.
Pagan Love Song- This one is a love song involving the elements.
The Pale Forest- Sometimes I attempt to write a poem describing the perfection of a single color. In this case, it was white and the various shades thereof.
Panegyric: To Her- A panegyric is a traditional poem of praise. I decided to write one to an imaginary woman. Warning. There is very slight lesbian content.
Passage Thoughts- The thoughts that a farm-girl might have while watching the caravans of the traveling folk pass.
Passage to a Requiem- A poem about finding the proper words to mourn the dead, long after the event. Not based on a real event.
Passing To The Elfmother- The funeral song of the elf-like creatures, the corame, in my novels. They believe that there is an afterlife, but, once a person has died from Arcadia, that person never again meets anyone else he or she once loved, except at the Elfmother's behest.
The Phoenix Greets The Dawn- A phoenix poem (obviously) written down in Mexico while I was watching the sunrise. The phoenix is intimately associated with the sun; in some versions of the legend, the sun kindles her pyre; in others, the young phoenix has to take the ashes of her departed parent to an altar in the sun. I was just wondering if the phoenix would sing to the sun, or at least welcome it in the morning, in the way that songbirds do.
Phoenix In The Morning- Not about an actual phoenix, but a man singing like one. One of the best expressions of joy I think I've ever done.
The Phoenix Never Knew- This one was originally going to be longer than it is. It's still fairly lengthy, but it ended itself; the Coda explains why.
The Phoenix's Country: Fire And Water- A long poem about a phoenix written in somewhat experimental rhyme form.
Phoenix To Hand- A poem that makes little sense. Mostly written for the sheer delight in words.
Pierced By The Song- I admired Oscar Wilde's poem "The Sphinx" so much that I wanted to write a poem as stuffed with myth and allusion. I don't think I quite managed, but I do like the result.
A Place We Know- This poem depicts a situation in which two people who have created a fantasy world together part ways- one to continue creating the fantasy world, the other to do "more useful work."
Poem For A Picture Not Yet Painted- Another poem where I create a picture in my head and try to describe it.
The Poet's Life As Rose- Likening myself to a rose, of course.
Pride of Dragons- This poem uses "pride" in at least three different ways. I'm proud of that, since I didn't start it out that way.
Prodigal- Imagine my surprise when I looked up "prodigal" in the dictionary and its first definition was "lavishly generous; wasteful." I thought it had something primarily to do with the prodigal son. It didn't give me the poem I wanted, but I do like what resulted.
Proudqueen- Self-sacrifice is an essential part of heroism, but why is that? And would the heroism of the Dark be the same?
Purity, Passion, Poetry- A poem lamenting my inability to write about all the subjects that come and dance up and down in my mind.
Psyche Singing- A Roman mythological poem. Psyche was so beautiful that Venus grew jealous and sent her son Cupid to wreak revenge on her, so that Psyche would fall in love with the first man she saw (preferably an old or ugly one). However, Cupid woke Psyche up, and she fell in love with him instead. This is from Psyche's point of view, lamenting Venus's curse and looking forward to future hope.
Queen of the Twilight- This was written while listening to Roxette's song "Listen to Your Heart." The scene emerged in my head for no good reason. It's one of those scenes inspired by the music, not the words.
Rainbows In Her Hair- Another poem about someone left behind when someone else goes in response to the call of her destiny. Less bitter than most of my others, however.
Reaching For Sea-Madness- Sea-madness, as I would define it, is sea-longing deferred or laid in forced deferral for some reason. Sea-longing, however, isn't easily put off.
Realm of Jewels- A poem written for no other reason than delight in color.
Requiem- A poem written as I was coming out of a period of depression.
Returning Love- A fairly conventional love poem, from the point of a view of a woman waiting for her lover.
Ride Free- Another attempt to describe what it's like to write poetry.
Rider In The Shadows- A ghost poem, or a poem about what might happen a year after a disappearance.
Ring of Light- This is yet another poem with a story behind it that refused to take any more coherent form than it has in the poem.
Roaming and Exile- Probably the love poem I'm proudest of, partially because of the metaphors, partially because it comes close to the genderless ideal of love that I would like to have.
Romancing- A very short poem on the myriad meanings of romance.
Sea of Dreams- A poem created during a car trip up to Michigan a few years ago. The essential idea of it is one I've since made an essential part of my thinking.
Searching For Unicorns- This is the prequel to "I Have Found The Unicorns," above.
Seasinger- A fairly ordinary poem about what it might be like to love a mermaid rather than a mortal.
Seduce Me- Warning. Could be offensive to theists. An atheist speaking to a theist, whom he finds fascinating.
Seducing a Star- There are various means of seduction, and almost all of them depend on the seducer and what kind of man he is.
Seek Far, Seek Far- This poem might almost have a moral, except that the situation is too fantastic to merit it. Don't love magicians might be a good start, though.
Self-Evaluation- Warning. Sensitive subject matter. Every now and then, I run a self-evaluation, and consider whether I'm ready to commit suicide.
Serenade To One I Know Not Well Enough- This turned out to be one of my best poems. And all I thought at the time was how cool it would be to write one in rhyming sestina form.
Settled- Not every love affair can last forever, but still fewer, it seems to me, would still be as tempestuous as they were in their beginning after having gone on for a few years.
The Seventh Child- Inspired by an instrumental song of the same name; unfortunately, I no longer remember the artist's name. Another poem with a somwhat incohate story behind it.
Shadow Summer- Even though the seasons change, they leave some residue behind; think of autumn leaves, or winter snow that refuses to melt until halfway through spring. What kind of residue might summer leave behind?
She Has Wed The Lion- Warning. The musing of a woman who is having to watch the woman she loves get married. Not explicit.
Shells and Starlight- The lament of a mother who has had to watch sea-madness take her daughter.
She Was Not My Ophelia- Warning. This is dark. A lover contemplates his drowned love, quite insistent that she has not shared Ophelia's fate.
Shores of the Sunset Sea- One of the many sunset poems I've written, but a little more fantastic than most. I only saw a small part of this sunset rather than the whole thing, so I had to continue with what I think happened later.
The Sidhe-Maid- Sidhe (pronounced "shee") are creatures from Celtic mythology, in a way resembling English elves. Sidhe are not elves, however, but the Tuatha de Danaan, the children of the Goddess Dana, who were conquered and forced into the hollow hills by the ancestors of the Irish. They were supposed to be tall, proud, beautiful beyond mortal reckoning, and either immortal or something close to it; they were, in some tales, worshiped as gods.
Silver Dusk- A rather short poem that turned out better than I remembered it.
Silver, Silver: Come Further In- A poem built like mirrors facing each other. Such mirrors would have an infinitude of reflections.
Silverwise- Another poem that might make sense on some level, but doesn't seem to at the literal level.
Skyflowers- A dialogue between mother and child on the meaning of stars.
Sleep, The Old Gods- Did the old gods of mythology really die, or cease to exist, when Jesus started throwing his weight around? Or did they just go to sleep?
Snarling Dragon- Written to try and calm the red rage that was brewing within me after a particularly difficult day.
Snowchild- Written during an English class in which our teacher gave us no assignment, other than that we had to have a poem by the end of the hour.
Somewhere In The Starlight- This one has more of a story to it than some of my other poems, but I don't know what that story might be, or who the speaker is, or who the women in the poem are.
Song and Sunlight- About writing. I think.
The Song of Sorrow- One of my darker reflections on mortality.
A Song For The Sea Beneath The Western Stars- Written under the influence of an instrumental whose name I don't know and which I've never heard since I wrote it.
A Song Of The Sea-Countries- Don't worry if you don't understand some of this; it was written to be a kind of nonsense song, though with somewhat disturbing background.
Song of the Shadow- A poem written from the viewpoint of a shadow.
A Song of the Sidhe- The Sidhe were also, in most tales, amoral. They didn't trick mortals out of malice or help them out of kindness. They simply did things for their own unguessable reasons. They were inhuman, not humanly comprehensible. I tried to capture some of that in this poem.
Song: To Eldera- Yet another love poem written to a fictitious woman.
Song To Liralor- A song about an abandoned imaginary country.
The Sound Of Horns- A poem about what might it be like to be torn between Earth and another place.
A Soul of Dark Crystal- Musings of someone bent on vengeance, as he prepares to face his enemy.
The Spiral Dance- Apparently, my muse (or whatever) thinks that inspiration can sometimes be found in a nightclub.
Stranger To The World- A long, passionate plea for the unicorn to return to the world as the symbol of inspiration.
The Summer Lioness- This is a conception (almost) of what summer, dying, might take on as a form.
Summerqueen- Sometimes summer love affairs are very fleeting- and sometimes they're not.
Summerquest-A sort of valediction. Again, what I think is one of my better poems. In a form that uses internal rhyme, plus end-line rhyme; I've managed to use the form elsewhere, but not with as much success.
Summer Returning- Inspired by memories of childhood summers in Michigan.
A Summer's Dreaming- And sometimes summer love affairs seem like dreams, for some other reason than the nature of the season itself.
The Summer's Revenge- A "modern mythology" poem, in which I take global warming and attempt to invent a mythological explanation for it.
Sun Before Dawn- A fairly commonplace love poem, though the form is somewhat different.
The Sunset Over Life- Describes my one frustration with mortality, though the speaker is not me.
Sunrise- This one is very abstract, but seems to be about the spirit that soars.
Sweet As Starlight in the Garden of Love- Warning. Another lesbian love poem, about what might happen if two married ladies became lovers.
Sweeter and Colder- One can't always keep someone one loves from departing, but sometimes we get a chance to join them.
Tu Eres Una Cancion- The Spanish version of "You Are A Song," below. Yes, I know the accent marks aren't right. The computer refused to let me make them, unfortunately.
The Tales of Harid Harper- Why do the stories of our childhood hold so much luster?
The Taste of Jewels- All right, I'm making this up. So what?
The Tests- I was always fascinated by the fairy tales of the suitors who have to perform impossible tasks (sometimes at the instigation of the woman, more often at that of her father or brother) to win the women they love. There are always tricks, ways of, say, "bringing the sun in a bowl" without actually hauling the physical sun out of the sky. But if the tests went on long enough...
Three Turquoises In A Coffer Of Nacre- Inspired by a quote from Oscar Wilde's play Salome. At some point I should drag myself out of reading just Oscar Wilde.
Threnody- A threnody is a song of lamentation or sorrow. This poem again treats the maiden who remains behind while her lover vanishes.
Thunderborn- The longest of several experiments I've done with the POV of what is often called "the dark" or "evil" in fantasy stories. They have their own versions of how terrible and horrible the light is, I'm sure.
Tithonus In Eos's Halls- Tithonus, in Greek legend, was the mortal lover of Eos, goddess of the dawn. She prayed that he be immortal like her, but she forgot one important detail of the wish.
To Drink- Just a little ambition of mine.
Too Wild- A woman who's been abused spends her days crying and receiving comfort. Someone who's without tact tells her what he thinks of this.
To Ride A Unicorn- One of the very first unicorn poems I ever wrote, inspired, I'm sure, by a picture I saw of a girl on a unicorn.
To See Dragons Fly- Yet another protest against seeing the world with exclusively mundane vision.
Tossed Off To Please My Lady- The queen in this poem has a lover who is a bard, and it's doubtful if he loves his visions or her more.
Treasure- How I feel sometimes about fantasy books, especially when they're new.
A Treatise On How To Hunt Love- Just what the title says, though long, in verse, and using metaphors.
Tropical Seas- A fairly simple poem, a woman thinking about the man she's in love with and how they met.
True Hearts- A long ballad about love and loss and the sea.
Turning, I Unleaf Again- I've finally done it- written a poem that seems profound but doesn't make sense. I suppose I can now join the ranks of modern poets.
Under The Werewolf Moon- One of the few "horror" poems I've written. Again, this is Not A Nice Poem.
The Undiscovered Flower- Written for a flower that grew outside the window of the computer lab where I was writing. I couldn't believe that no one ever mentioned it. Sadly, this seems to be the usual state of affairs in the world as it stands.
Unicorn Glade- A unicorn poem written in the middle of eighth-grade English class while my teacher droned on about spelling words I already knew how to spell.
Unicorn In Flight- A simple poem about a unicorn galloping.
Unicorn's Reflection- Perhaps even the sight of a unicorn in a puddle of water could kill you. But what a beautiful way to die.
Unreal Beauty- Written after my father, concerned that I didn't know fantasy from reality, spent an afternoon trying to persuade me that flying horses and so on were "unreal."
Until The Skylark Answers Me- A rather silly poem about someone who wants to hear the song of a skylark.
The Vesper-Garden- An observation about a love affair, written as a technical experiment. The form I used is real, but, unfortunately, I don't remember the scholarly name of it.
Vicarious Lives- Why I can't ever quite settle down and be certain of anything; I've lived in too many characters' minds.
Vignette For The Unicorn- Written after a particularly frustrating trip to a college that I knew I didn't want to attend within the first five minutes. At least something fruitful came out of the experience.
Vision Come Out Of The Sea- Another mermaid poem, though longer than most. The form was chosen randomly, and the rhyme scheme made up as I went along, which perhaps accounts for some irregularities.
Washed In Blood- Warning. Possibly offensive to Christians. I started thinking about the prevalence of the metaphor of blood in the Christian religion, and what it might take for someone to reject its bloody theology.
Weaver of Worlds- Inspired by Arthur Symons' poem "The Loom of Dreams," and in particular the great lines that end it: "But who can know but that God, beyond our guess,/ Sits weaving worlds out of loneliness?"
Weep For Me- A dying person asks those who love him to take unusual action when he dies.
Weird and Beautiful- Glimpses of Faerie can leave a person puzzled instead of enlightened.
Westward- There's always been something about going westward that's fascinated me, and not just in the sense of the sunset.
What The Mermaid Sang- Just what the title says.
What Was She Looking For?- My first attempt at a non-rhyming poem, written almost ten years ago. About a unicorn, of course.
When The Wind Awakens- Some people can wake up when the world touches them. Some can't.
Where The Wild Rose Blooms- A bodyguard keeps an eye on his royal charges, who are trying to steal some time alone.
A White Bird Is Singing- No idea what inspired this one, other than that it hooked its claw into my mind and demanded to be written.
The White Deer Among The Snowfields- Perhaps glimpses of another world could be carried by white deer. Well, they might be.
The White Tiger- A poem about an incident that didn't happen, but which I would be very proud of if it had.
The Wild Voice- A somewhat less direct way to enter Faerie.
Wine and Glances- About a woman at court gaining confidence in her own sexuality. Not explicit, though.
Wings of Swan- The wings of the swan, in this conception, are the ones that carry the dreamer into peace.
Witchcraft- A somewhat more sympathetic view of the art of the witch than the medieval.
With The Moon Upon Her Brow- A half-remembered echo and fusing of legends about the Year King and the Sacred Marriage.
Woman of the Seasons- Warning. A poem from the point of view of a woman in love with another woman, but too timid to make her passion known.
The World and Thee- A deliberate imitation of Robert Herrick's "The Night-Piece. To Julia" poem, which turned out to be a lot harder than it looked.
World of Seven Moons- It started off with a quote from a poem I really liked and went from there.
Xaely- A poet remembers the woman he loved, who died in an unusual way.
Xai Radienta- Yet another unrequited love poem. The name should be said "Zay."
Years Have Fled- Sometimes, someone unchanged by the passage of time isn't flawless.
You Are A Song- The English version of the Spanish "Tu Eres Una Cancion," given above.
You May Sing, Nightingale- Based on the legend of Philomela and Procne. A king named Tereus married Procne, but fell in lust with her sister, Philomela, and raped her, then cut out her tongue so she couldn't tell anyone. Philomela wove her story into a tapestry and sent her sister the tapestry. Procne killed Itylus, her son by Tereus, in revenge and fed him to his father for dinner. (This is a common factor in several Greek legends, for some reason). To save them from Tereus's rage, Philomela and Procne were turned into the nightingale and the swallow, with what woman was turned into what bird varying depending on the version of the legend. This poem assumes that Philomela became the nightingale.
Yride and Far Away- This poem was born from what I'm sure was a mishearing of a word in a song sung in Romany (the gypsy tongue). The word sounded like "Yride" to me, and so I took it as a name and created this poem around it. To rhyme and give the correct number of syllables, it should be said "EYE-ree-day."
