ACCOUSTIC MEMORY
He wakes, aware
of sound, rhythmic
against the window pane.
…. Rain.
He cannot see her in the dark.
sprawled beside him.
……remembers
long legged high breasted beauty.
Startled she feels his touch.
Fingers make their way
fumble, explore.
“Touch me” he whispers.
She reaches out,
cups him in her hand, gently,
holds his flaccid flesh,
dares not to hope for more.
Dementia pierced by sound,
small remembrances, from decades ago.
Kind darkness fills the room.
The rain stops. He startles,
withdraws deep into the pillows.
Silence sweats with fear.
…….he remembers nothing more
OLYMPIA PENINSULA
Between snowcapped peaks
valleys hold the promise
of spring.
Fog rises above trees
drifts towards the shore,
a long grey winter shawl
spreads over the land.
At the ocean’s end
lazy waves whisper
onto the sand.
A flock of winter birds
rises into a shaft of light,
soars to the mountains,
rests in the old growth
cedar grove
to watch
clouds travel by.
First Published in Harmonies & Discords by Nightwing Publications
Copyright © 2016 by Cristina Umpfenbach-Smyth
Randomly Accessed Poetics 