sometimes
the sun craves the longing of adoring eyes
encouraging him every morning to rise
and shower the earth in an intimate blaze
of affection sprinkled with enlivening rays
and
the lily pines for the dew’s consoling caress
to chase away the chill of night’s loneliness
inspiring her in his warm embrace
to share with the world her incomparable face
and
just like the beckoned sun and the lily kissed by dew
sometimes i need someone to tell me i’m beautiful
too
(© 1999 Marcus Harris, originally published in Songs In Search Of A Voice)
Three O’Clock Smoke Break
Tired, purple lips part –
smoke escapes, laced with musings
of what might have been.
(© 2005 Marcus Harris, originally published in Songs In Search Of A Voice)
Brock Turner/Cory Batey
I see
she
wears a blindfold,
holds a balance and sword,
is supposed to judge everyone
the same -
but
I know
those
of light complexion
get acquitted by perception,
while those of darker shade lose that
rigged game.
(© 2017 Marcus Harris, originally published in #snapshot)
Chloe's Smile
Jabari called it
the sun,
Braxton said it’s like
the moon -
they’re half-right…
Chloe’s smile
is
the glow of the morning star,
delicate,
timeless,
like a diamond…
Chloe’s smile
is
as strong as
the promises the sun streaks
across the sky,
decorating
the dark heavenly canvas
left empty as
the soft waning crescent
fades into
the shadows…
Chloe’s smile
is
not the similes, the metaphors,
it’s
not the parts -
it’s
the whole,
the quiet, powerful poetry of
the dawn.
(© 2017 Marcus Harris, originally published in #snapshot)