“Chains Would Never Bind Me” – The Ashlee Craft Show – Episode 060 – Poetry

Yes, I didn’t post an episode last weekend, so this weekend is a MAGICAL DOUBLE EPISODE WEEKEND! In this episode, I read a poem called “Chains Would Never Bind Me” from my book “Reflections in the Green Triangle”!

REFLECTIONS IN THE GREEN TRIANGLE :: https://amzn.to/2MrqYRC
// CHAINS WOULD NEVER BIND ME

always in the leaning meadow
beneath the calling of the moon’s pure glow
I buried the last of the seeds that I would leave to sow
the night had fallen so quickly that I’d lost
as dreams I’d set out on the sea were tossed
& something in my heart pushed forward at whatever cost
so that chains would never bind me

as the call of morning dove
rang out into the trees above
it felt of spring, of freedom, of love
I heard the call of the mocking bird
& I hung on to every word
& the line between coincidence & life was blurred

always in the silent brook
beneath lush warmth of noonday’s nook
I threw the last of the pebbles that I had left to look
into the depths of another’s soul
into the meaning of their words, their pull
towards what they deemed was destiny’s shoal
so that chains would never bind me

as the cry of someone’s lost love
mingled with the after-rain song of the dove
coming from somewhere above
I spoke of what I’d heard
redeeming every word
with the care of the painter unheard

the floating songs of birds in the trees
the wind in the meadow so wild & so free
I listened, & in the darkness I saw
not what was there but what was all
I stood staring through the keyhole crack in awe
anticipating the sound of freedom’s sprawl
I stood as I must before the call
in the depths of sunshine’s enthrall

gentle rays of light from above
I feel finally the first touch of love
awoken by the song of the dove
left to the wind to remind me
the dream had told me love would find me
& that no chains would ever bind me

“All My Friends” – The Ashlee Craft Show – Episode 035 – Poetry

In Episode 035, I read another poem from my poetry book “Reflections in the Green Triangle” titled “All My Friends”.
REFLECTIONS IN THE GREEN TRIANGLE BOOK

 

ALL MY FRIENDS

for such a long time I thought that I was alone / desperately seeking friendship & reaching out out out floating on desperate waves looking for someone / pleading in the night that I would find somebody to spend time with / searching & searching with the mistaken impression that I was alone / looking for someone I could enjoy being with & embrace & understand & be understood by / but with time I’d see the the whole time / I’d been surrounded by friends

one day I opened my eyes & saw that
I’d never been alone
& I began to find friends everywhere I looked

I was friends with the sun in the sky
the rainbows up ahead
the ideas & questions of if & why
birds singing in the forest I passed thru
each blade of grass covered with morning dew
birds outside my window chirping in the morning
in the lightening & thunder crashing out their warning
the rain pouring onto the pavement
peace, love, & independence
the moon watching gently over the night
the first brand new ray’s of the sunrise’s light
& the twinkling stars I wish upon
the joy contained in each beautiful song
the hummingbirds sipping nectar from flowers
in the fun & freedom filling my every hour

I found friendship in
leaves rustling & drifting down in the breezes
music floating from open windows
jazz musicians playing in cafes
magical sounds of harmonies
artwork & music & films & books &
poems on the walls
crashing waves upon the shore
& the sun melting onto the water in the afternoon
the smell of freshly mowed grass
& the after-rain’s fresh scent
& the sunsets & the sunrises
in the adventures I have everyday
& in happiness

I found a friend
in life

Reflections – The Ashlee Craft Show – Episode 034 – Poetry

Episode 034! I read a poem titled “Reflections” from my poetry book “Reflections in the Green Triangle”.

REFLECTIONS IN THE GREEN TRIANGLE BOOK

Reflections

reflecting upon the silver bar sidewalks & the misty moonlit jaunt thru the breeze double rainbow like a pot of gold in the sky / illuminations / reflecting on windows of trucks & on the sunglasses of passerby / on the Sunday / in the rain

driving thru the puddles / rustling of tires against water sprinkling it upwards showing showering rainstorm reflections

looking in the foggy mirror & at everything mistaken & distorted by the silver / like a whole other world hidden behind glass / distorted in the golden gaze rectified in my precision & by my passion / rejuvenated & suddenly understanding who I was the entire time

down many mistaken roads I walked & many mistaken lies I spoke / many sights of sorrow & many things of beauty filled my vision / down many darkened alleyways filled with soot I trod & many days it just never dawned upon me that I what I’d yearned for & what I’d sought had been there all along / I just had never seen them

I thought what I’d been looking for was something that could be bought / so I looked & looked in all the windows to every store but I kept finding myself wanting more & more / I thought what I’d searched for was far away from me & that by leaving this place, I could be free / so I ran away so I wouldn’t be alone only to find that I’d always been home / I thought what I needed was the love in somebody’s heart & that by finding that love, I’d make a start / so I searched for the one I was looking to find only to see I’d been there the whole time / all that time, I was only too blind to see as I looked & searched & cried & yearned only to find that all along, I’d been exactly where I needed to be

it hadn’t been money or distance or love that I’d needed / I didn’t need to go anywhere or buy anything or find someone to love me / I just needed to see the beauty within me

& all the loneliness turned to friendship, all the dark into light, & suddenly I began seeing the world with my own eyes / my own eyes looking at my own destiny / my own life / now I was free

I had been deaf / to the reflections / of the music / rhythm beating beating beating beating onwards / onwards / into the next reflection