Live on Spillwords Press, My Poem, “Melding into You”

your generous lips a pathway to warmth, in which I submerge sweet our exchange like a cinnamon roll dripping in soft yellow butter deriving sensations, as I enter your mouth drowning in you lost again in our movements, we are dripping like the candle by the bed blue notes tiptoe on your torso; I am […]

Forks of Ivy

within the choices, the ivy threads through thepatterned, worn, and tattered pieces of my youthits blood a mixture of punctures that weave circles of skin and bone into forgotten storiestucked in corners where candy corn and ice-cream drips dried, flying into dust devils along a path of smiles without corners with a cigarettehanging like a […]

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 […]

River’s Song

I hide within her rolling peaks and float with ferns that line the river Playing the snapping turtle’s shell pulsating sounds echo in rhythm Scarlet Tanagers singing along with warblers from their thin branches Water moccasins slither like ribbons in the wind close to her long lip Young Blue-fronted Dancers perform a colorful salsa within […]

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 […]

Butterfly Kisses

Light from the sun caresses a spider web.Moving gently, it creates a prism of dancing light.Black-capped chickadees pluck yellow moths from overgrown ivy.Like vivid green lace, it creates the lifeline of the small screen porch.Cycles of life are seen from our bed, awakening with the yellow-orange of sunrise.Our nest is warm with notions and promises […]

South African Sea Forest

three hearts you own a kindred spirit of the seapainting with ink, you soardisguising you floatoh octopusin shadowlands the new world hides you safely among the kelpcalming the blustery currentmist moves like a widowlamentingIn shadowlands newborn jellyfish dance agilely in cobalt waterssoothing souls with danceglass bodies shiftingeffortlesslyin shadowlands raindrops hit blue water with persistencepopping back […]

Featured Photographer Janette Sande

My dear friend Janette is a photographer who spends her days in the solitude of the great outdoors. Janette likes to spend time with her husband at their cabin in Montana where they can enjoy the beauty God supplies. She takes her camera and dog, Zeke, with her everywhere she goes. I hope you enjoy […]

Drowning in Silence

in these final loud wounding hours,the sunshine like a rainbow so dazzlingthrough my open slits, I can serenely departagony in the iris of my weary eyebubbles floating up I tenderly sigh sleeping where the purple iris lay stillrousing now to sing a silky song to herbuoyant yet strong faith swells in her heartthe silence […]

Day 8 Photo Challenge

Remember the Ten Day Travel Photo Challenge was to get ten photographers to participate if possible. So for day eight, nine and ten, I challenge any photographer to join in. If any of the nominees don’t have time to participate, I understand, as we are all busy doing what we do. Regardless […]