CHILDLIKE HEART

Panting by the blue waterbrooks of purity
The heart so innocent.

In casual trust it takes refreshment there.

Drinking in its own image with tiny eyelid flutters.
Breathing deep the serene wonder all around it.

The breezy tree-lined pathways of love.
The birds chirping out clear delicate notes of happiness.
And the heart that bides there never leaves this place
In hope it dwells there still.

With a soul as harmless as a dove
It overperches places it can never go
And sings of things that can never be.

Oftimes in its loneliness
It reaches out beyond itself
Trying desperately to capture a wish.

And tho it doesn't always receive the boon it craves
When it finally does a glass-shattering sigh is heard
As all the fragile painful memories of the past break apart
And fall into the timeless sea of forgetfulness.

From then on life doesn't hurt anymore.
And the miracle released becomes a butterfly

As forever begins.


TIMID FASCINATION

I a skillful hunter
Seek the shy reclusive doe.
Lying in wait
That I may pierce her suddenly
With an arrow from Cupid's bow.

Beneath the sheltering trees occasionally
I behold her reposing
Gazing at her reflection in the watery sky.
Then I wonder
If it's for love of me that she's pining
As her teardrops dapple the grateful roses which sigh.

The songbirds perch above with restless wings
Living to serve only her.
As they bring her rich and luscious fruits in abundance
Causing the tastebuds of her heart to stir.

Then I see my chance as I aim and shoot
She leaps clear of my shaft with graceful ease.
Turning back she gives me a carefree inviting glance.
Then disappears into the shadows beyond the trees.

Her movements are so fluid
Like water in motion.
Each step she takes is symmetrical music in time.
Causing the soul of creation to rejoice in my love's presence
With visions of her beauty
Which surpass the sublime.


WAXING POETIC

Expressive phrases of heartfelt longing
Drip slowly onto the paper
Like scented words of french vanilla
Which fall from the flickering taper.

They spread out in tints of pink and blue
Giving life to the empty page
Bursting forth into bouquets of joy and sorrow
And sweetly dampened rage.

Every sigh is a breath of moistened heather
Where tiny flowerets grow
Thru each line and verse they playfully dance
In smooth supple rhythms to flow.

Like a light early morning ever-green mist
Hiding the world from our view
That when burned away by the heat of the day
Inspires us with fresh visions anew.

As we gently strum the silver chord of remembrance
Which connects each of us in different ways
Exchanging hurts and sharing laughter
As we journey along thru the days.



© Dwayne Pagnotto

Bio: I was born and raised in Penns Grove NJ. Left there at the age of 18 in 1982, then moved to Kennett Square PA with my family. While living there, I graduated from high school, acquired my first paying job, and began to develop into a serious writer of poems and short stories. Then in 1985 my family and I moved to Jacksonville FL, where I have lived ever since. I have had several of my poems published in a literary magazine called, The Experience, distributed by a local community college here in Jacksonville. I have had many of my poems published extensively on the Internet by various websites. I have one poem and a single piece of artwork which was featured in a magazine called, The Mythic Circle. In addition to this I have written a book of poetry and artwork entitled, Sipping Nectar with the Gods which was published in May of 2002 by AuthorHouse. You can reach me at shortbread4@yahoo.com