SurVision Magazine

White Doves That Lay Sleeping


Striking flint on rock slate
a tinder box of words flames and glows
in the deep of an ebony night.
Disinheriting its dark
they shine their full effulgence
onto the dream I've been dreaming.

I dip the ragged edge of my soul
into the flaming words
and melt into the depth of this paper
disturbing the white doves that lay sleeping
in the crease and fold of the pages.

They fly into my eyes
and travel the rivers of my blood unfazed,
their pristine whiteness still untouched.

They remain bright, light, and white.
They are indestructible.
They are... poetry.





Sides


Outside
        the sky bends down
        to kiss the ocean.

Inside
        my shadow flees from the light
        into the land of endless night.


I stand
           beside the empty chairs
             inside the lonely room
                 waiting
        inside a dim forgetful silence.

Outside
    a waxing moon
    shines the ocean's face.


Inside   
              without you
   
         the room and I shiver
    inside the crushing loneliness.





The King Retires Attended


Ekphrastic poem written to the painting "THE KING RETIRES ATTENDED"
by Jack Rootman


The fingers of night
    flex the fading light
            dim to bright,
            bright to dim.

A solid reflection
    spills from the jaundiced jaw of the sky
                rubs a surreal gleam
            onto the ocean's supple back.

            The sequined red death of day
        lays spread-eagle
            on a fading golden sunset.

            Above this reality lies
                the calm of impending sleep
            beckoning in lurid whispers
                bedding down the day.


The king
    in swashbuckling sashay
            saunters into twilight's embrace
                    lays down
            on her golden blanket of dreams

                to sleep
                        perchance to dream.


                The king retires...
                            attended.

Candice James is from Canada. She has published thirteen collections of her poems, the latest two being The Water Poems (Ekstasis Edition, 2017) and The New Westminster Poems (Silver Bow Publishing, 2016). She is also a singer-songwriter and a visual artist. She was appointed Poet Laureate Emerita of New Westminster, British Columbia after finishing two 3 year terms at Poet Laureate 2010-2016.