When I am concerned for the future…
poems
Shades of Gray
Between the light and dark lie many shades of gray,
easily misunderstood by those not interested
in searching the sky for shapes.
With curiosity comes an acceptance of the continuum
from silver ash to smokey midnight.
Shades that vary only by a brushstroke of ink,
yet change a life in ways that can never be turned back.
The dark that challenges us to grow
and pushes the fearful through the door.
The light that illuminates
on the other side.
© Ali Grimshaw
A View from Above
Outside the window
traffic below crawls away from all that matters.
Amongst the jammed up colors,
a pedestrian easily weaves through the congestion
slipping through the heavy flow of life.
gracefully he continues while surrounded by the unmoving,
often pausing to look up.
He alone sees the clouds above the tall buildings.
No one else remembers the sky.
© Ali Grimshaw
Choosing
You chose me
when I couldn’t choose myself.
When I was swimming in darkness,
awash in ink,
blocking out the love.
You remained beside me
when my words didn’t make sense.
You stayed. Listening.
Seeing who I would become
and already was in the moment.
You opened up a new vista
where we stood together,
our backs to the past.
© Ali Grimshaw
Apology Request
Are you sorry for the times
you tore me down
scathing words that left me
stumbling for cover
pounding me lower
knowing there wasn’t an escape route
trapped with this internal voice
causing a shrinking of my essence
down to a single drop of
fear?
© Ali Grimshaw
I Woke Up
What is Left of You
The running shoes you left behind
positioned like you evaporated from them
angled as if deserted mid-step
have me wondering
were you ready
to move on to an unknown life
stuffing skills and memories in a backpack
experiences overflowing from unzipped pockets
your back receding into the distance
I have learned the answer to
Are you ever ready?
© Ali Grimshaw
Jackpot Winner
The sun on my skin
inspiration of blue sky.
The bright taste of sunrise
juice of summer peach dripping off my chin.
Forgiving myself with ease,
every day.
© Ali Grimshaw
Nurturing a Color
In fading light,
glowing colors blend
and it is impossible to tell
where one begins. So it is
with you and I. When did I begin on my own?
So many years you nurtured and cooked, rocked,
encouraged, and cared for me while fighting for yourself.
As we unblended and became our separate colors, lessons were learned.
What was said and what was left empty in the room for me to choose.
The boundary of where you stood, lines I sometimes crossed.
In the mirror of the years I am in awe of your effort.
You gave, at minimum, years of listening
with your whole face turned toward mine.
Intent on taking each word in
not letting a single one
escape your ear.
Mother’s Day 2016 – Dedicated to my mother and her commitment to keeping her colors vibrant while letting me find my own.
© Ali Grimshaw 2016
flashlight batteries - Ali Grimshaw 