Category: Poetry

A Harbour Night

Boats sway nestled to port
quietly breaking the ocean toward the shore
its laps catch my ear
then, I see
I watch as the moorings drip
counting seconds for no reason
high over in the charcoaling sky
chimney smoke rises, strangling the hills
there…
blips of buoy lights reach north and south
tomorrow to be a beautiful day
this, a story, a grandfather tale
to comfort me
as I am ushered home by the dear harbour
before it can sleep it sings
lending me its sounds for sweet dreams to come
allows me the harmony of its salty crests
until I turn my door in goodnight
I listen for the songs of the harbour

Just Before The Bridge

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four shadows passing by midnight 
the king, the jack, the ace, and the joker 
pushing and shoving…jousting in jest 
their laughter lulling the moon 
as street lights froze everything in time
and the world just slept 
shuffle and stroll in the wake of the chopping shore
they poked and praised, challenged some more 
free until the sun began to peek 
then they retreat with the dampening dew 
enough stories for a thousand tomorrows
from a single night
a key to a forever yesterday

Who Hurts More? – Haiku

When I see your tears
a million mirrors reflect
pain inside of me

A Night That Almost Lost Tomorrow

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That night was eternal 
drifting toward a forever sleep 
voices falling faint
thoughts of tomorrow escaping  
with time slipping away 
I walked toward a light I was not scared to follow
body still euphoria right there
but before the final second of a wasted life 
I found my soul 
it told me I was not broken
gave me the strength to awaken
promising another day to make up my mind

Celebrate Good Lines, Come On

copyright – http://www.spillwords.com (screen grab)

Hey everyone,

I would not sleep very well tonight if I did not let all my readers/followers know that I was approached to do a “spotlight on writers”. It is for my poetry. And, not only have I been approached, my interview has now gone live. Yes, the wonderful literary folks over at the website Spillwords, who I am already grateful to for having published several of my poems, have also reached out and offered me an opportunity to be a part of their about the author series. Not going to lie, it took me 0.1 of a second to respond and say yes, you bet I would and here we are, publish day. Spillwords set up the interview and the questions, and all I had to do was provide what I had hoped were interesting answers. Turns out, they were and you can see for yourself right here at this link direct to my very own spotlight page. Hope you enjoy it! – > https://spillwords.com/spotlight-on-writers-ash-douglas/

Rainy Nights Devils Dance 

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rainy nights devils dance  
their guise of secrets 
under piss-yellow street lights
in the alleys cast shade 
when monsters come out to play  
who can barely see a thing as Hyde shows  
every line blurred
people touching 
music lulling sensual acts 
dirty corners whisper in commentary 
jealous they didn’t swallow first 
illicits hold all those to deeds of passion and lust
no one cares about anything and only want more 
the creatures dance and hypnotize
until the sharp sun rises then they flee 
changing it back once again

Beaten Heart – Haiku

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My heart beats loudest
for someone no longer there
keeping me alive

Drifting – Haiku

copyright my beautiful daughter

more time between us
more our hearts break us in two
when I think of you

Empty – Haiku

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I am surrounded
in a life so full of love
why am I alone?

Young Summer

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took a walk-in summer grass 
picked a blade, made a sound 
the air was country 
wild strawberries sweet 
like lazy cats we lay for hours 
In the filthy hot, in the no time afternoons 
sometimes on the highway to anywhere 
I had never been, now I was 
away from home, but home 
In a holiday dusk 
I remember watching mosquitos dance 
we hid in quiet as the sun went to sleep
while children ran through the tall trees 
like tiny beasts searching for their capture 
there was so much laughter inside my heart 
a new smile I learned to grow 
pure place full of running and joy 
town between the seconds 
I’ll be back again someday