Poetry

  • Dismissal

    Give me a balcony(somewhere on the East coast of Mexico),air scented with hidden hyacinth(sweet, exotic, sensual),a waning moon and the evening's first star(just freed from the hazy horizon),and a fresh-pressed volume of poetry(Rumi? Oliver? Collins?). You may leave now. Text… Continue reading

  • Circles

    Within your heartspins a circle of longing,an emptinessaching to be filled. It frightens you;what if you brave this nothingnessand disappear? But how can you not enteryour place of Ultimate Yearning? Welcome the Mysteryyou were created to embrace. Text and image ©… Continue reading

  • Dark Chocolate

    The bitter cuts the sweet,yields the richest, most satisyfing experienceon the tongue. So like life. Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • Seeing Good

    Today,right now,make the decisionto see the good around you:    beauty,    kindness,    color,    play,    love,    diversity,    possibilities. Observe the goodfor just 15 minutesand you will be    calmer,    more focused,    more creative, … Continue reading

  • Scanning

    Charmed childgrowing up on a Michigan beach,I stand on wind-built dunesand scan for whales,    for Russian subs,    for drowning victims…     for an adventure    and an extrordinary life. Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • Boots and Pants

    Boots and pantsand boots and pantsand pigs and batsand pigs and batsand glutes and latsand glutes and latsand wings and flapsand wings and flapsand maps and chartsand maps and chartsand fits and startsand…         …fits and startsand hearts and… Continue reading

  • Absence

    Life fills with absences,mostly unexcused.Why-ever you left,I don't recall signing the slip:    anger? fear? boredom?    distraction? inertia? death? Life is Swiss cheesewithout you. Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • Remembering

    i sit at a windowin the restauranton the 20th floor of my nyc hotel    cold, february night    snow piles in gutters below    frozen streets reflect homeward headlights i look down on the 9/11 memorial park    two… Continue reading

  • 5th Ave., February

    New York City,held tonight in winter's fat paws,going nowhere. The lions freeze solidon the library steps. Cats breath rises from street grates,wraps in ice each twig,car antennae,pigeon feather,rat's tail. Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • How to Build Hell

    Erect lots of barriers.Shut people out.Convince ourselves it's us vs. them.Imagine we are under attack.Inflame our mutual paranoia.Entertain no viewpoint but our own. Hey,not quite the kingdom Jesus imagined for us,but our fearful superioritywill just have to substitute. Text and… Continue reading