The Poet’s Tender Heart

love, a raindrop, a snowflake, or the uniqueness of the flight of the leafmoon shades of green bringing forth a canvas within the ocean’s kelpsongbirds sing for both you and me underneath the power of the same blue skyblack keys suit the music of your mystifying and powerfully winged wordswhite keys that are jealous are […]

The Floral Wall – A Collaboration

A Collaboration between Joni and Stuart Aken, Photos by Stuart. Please visit Stuart’s website for his photography and publications – Poem by Joni Caggiano cracks in the old stone cry out to melike a whimpering fairy with golden eyessmooth the aging skin upon the river swept rockssweltering and charming with a parasol reflection of a […]

Regrets of a Southern Death

gazing at her photo as if measures of time were echosof the rapid beat of a hummingbird’s wingfor if he dared to linger upon the fading vision that was once hereven a second longer, her death would occur all over againexcept for his memory, she was salt mixed with brown ash, bone andfour long screws […]

Ripe Figs, Mustard Greens, and Dance

lamenting for a taste of fresh figs from childhood trees where, when dipped in sugar,they left a fragrant and honeyed flavor upon a young girl’s tongue seeing elephant ears surrounding the outdoor porch where mom would set a table smelling black-eyed peas cooked with salt pork, mustard greens, and collards fried hush puppies with […]

Scarlet Petals in Santorini

Gazing out the white shutters of our villa in Santorinimy dreams nor visions could compete with this reality.Observing you that first night at dinner, I dare not allow my stare to linger.I could feel your heat surround me like an orb of glorious white light.Such character in your face, written with poetic lines, in primal […]

I Dream of Mom and Dad

The sun was setting on my back, delighting me with fall whispersTrails of auburn and ginger colors left kisses of white ribbons on my skinAn anole wiggled with his last taste of energy behind dried leavesI heard a lone saxophone from an outdoor restaurant crying high notesThat is when I saw her, she was young […]

Sorrowful Surrogate

Ripe the delicate fig I place inside my hungry mouth,its flavor heightened by a residue of sugar left on midnight lipssliding sluggishly down with laudanum and brandy Opening a cross-window, I watch your tall silhouette movesated, down the dark street with your tricorne hatas our smells fused with the oils of our young bodies,I […]

Dancing Dragonflies

The fly fisherman is performing ballet with his lineCelebrating God’s creation with the rising sunshine Viewing the immense buck in a soft meadow of cloverFloating on a tender moment until my pain slid over Retinas reflecting the brilliant yellow of the sunflowerSquirrels eat the seeds as they bend their giant tower Dragonflies carry fairies across […]

Absent

long red hair hangs wet, on her firm, damp thighsintense is the coconut scent,from red orchids, given as absent reminderssilence, like heavy rain, falling on yielding green leasgold hearts dangle from sensitive lobes, a gift – a cursetears engulf the room, as soft petals float in milky dreamsher passion, burning holes in sheets still warmno […]

My Poem “Tribute to the Forest” is my first published work on Vita Brevis Poetry Magazine

Disentangling my body as my spirit flows without restraintthrough the dreams of the elusive creatures of the blessed forest.My skin touches tiny petals of love that float freelyas cottonwood trees have turned the forest into a winter’s land.As their fleecy white seeds blow into my dreamland with a subtle gustreminiscent of the exquisite white feather […]