It is the amount of water
you can scoop
in one hand
an Arabic measure
of what you can lift
from the cool glisten
of a hidden spring
what you can bring
to drying lips
your waiting throat
without even a cup
at the scale only
of a human body
a measure of touch
and volume and satiation
I am glad of Gurfa
water always tastes best
drunk from a lifting hand
and we need words at this scale
the number of tastes
that light up your tongue
in a bite of fruit salad
the amount of moonlight
that can fill your eyes
between blinks
how many notes you must hear
before remembering
a slow dance in a darkened high school gym
# # #
Ryan Warren lives with his family by the sea in Northern California. His poetry has previously appeared in numerous journals including California Quarterly, Amaryllis, Wilderness House Literary Review, Firefly Magazine, Verse-Virtual, Ekphrastic and the anthology, Carry The Light. Read more here: http://www.facebook.com/RyanWarrenPoetry
Photo credit: Larry D. Thacker http://www.larrydthacker.com
Audio: Susan C. Ingram
Joy Mahar is an emergent writer living on the outskirts of Detroit. Her work has…
They received a much needed shower this morning: bare branches of trees, Fall's fallen crushed leaves,…
“Persephone is having sex in hell.” –“Persephone the Wanderer,” Louise Glück This isn’t hell, but…
“Again.” “Again.” “Again.” “Once more.” Her son slid down the wall onto the hallway floor.…
He told my Ma I was too young to know what a tumor felt like.…
“Don’t leave the backyard, Jodi!” “Okay, Mommy, I won’t!” That last conversation echoed in Sarah’s…
This website uses cookies.