About Linda DeMerle

Poet, painter, matcher of socks, archive of random snippets de trop. I've made ice cream cones, sold retail from lumber to books, dressed windows, written resumes, fed chipmunks, answered phones, cared for children which included frequent extraction of 2 legs from 1 pant leg and exploring the restrooms of America. Taught a little art, did a little PR, published poems and creative nonfiction, powdered Robert Novak's nose. I once met Ray Davies. Lovely man. Married with start-up adults. Publication credits include Acoustic Guitar Magazine, The Syracuse New Times, The Syracuse Newspapers, Wide Open Magazine, Illya's Honey, Recursive Angel, 2River View, fishwrap and other small press journals; former editor/publisher of Disclosures literary ezine. Three exhibits of paintings. I love nature, painting, music, beach combing and designing stained glass. Interests include spirituality, art, history and handbags. We live beside the woods with whomever is here at the time with our little black cat amid thousands of loose photographs.

The Competitors

In answer to your question,
a reluctant sigh, a halting monologue
I feel unheard and the tears… The tears
are already out of my eyes now rolling slowly
over the apex of each cheekbone, two lone
tears starting down, the left one gaining on the right
one, they pause and hang a moment in suspended
animation on the downside of the curve to the hollow
of my cheek unsure whether to stay on course all the way
to my ears or release their precarious hold by splashing
off breaking free of suction toward their intended route
plummeting down, down a glorious free fall no
heroes no jackknife toes pointed heads tucked under each salty
diver arches: does she see her mistake does
she shudder or falter before a belly flop on my pillow
case one small spot not even a puddle to mark her lovely
journey

 

 

Published in Recursive Angel

Free Will

We have free will.  We don’t have to remain victims of our circumstances and our flaws. We have the power to change and to effect change.