Category Archives: Poetry

the tree asked the sky, why are
you so high? The sun asked the sky
why are you so blue?
The sky asked the tree
why are you so green?
The sun told the sky,
the blonde fiery stare
is why
By the lily pad pond
on the sun scorched siesta day
baking the primordial clay
the fly flying by saw the frog's eye
lightning tape from the mouth
struck-stuck the fly to die
went to the frog's belly
stink-pink like jelly
with other dead flies
quite smelly
the buffet with the entree
stacked up artistically on a tray
hinged legs with the feet webbed
taste like chicken or crab legs
all you can eat tonight, with Gallo wine
for nine-ninety-nine
the kid at dinner asked their mom
where did this rubbery knee come from?
why eat a once wriggly pollywog
like a frog?








3.6 10/10
© Brian Peter Hodgkinson    

the things in the now, the now in the now
the higher self like the ocean and the sea
the cool rain is pouring on me

every thing in this second, i note and label
every dry crust and bouquet on the table
the higher singularity jireh now, nissi now

but don't look from me to noodle the how
the higher voice births the calf
breaks the cedars or divides the flames in half

God is only now and now is only of God
orbiting the sun on a blue marble is odd
if you don't first give God the nod

now is the doorway to the temple zone
the royal footstool and the celestial throne
we are not as a dog just thrown a bone

touch into the now, taste it as your own
siesta into the spit-second, hear the tone
so take a bow now, you are not alone







1.7 9/7
© Brian Peter Hodgkinson    rhyme 

i stretch out on the queen-sized bed to unwind
the inner photo frame brushes the edge to touch you
as the itching eyes slide behind heavy lids
and the lights dim out travel kaleidoscopic hallways

the sleep of you blends into mine fractal flowering us
back into that brown orange and yellow forest of crinkly leaves
chasing you barefoot lovemaking near the ravine
children of those September autumn oak trees

but you, a teardrop plays on the corner of the eye
you try to hide with the smile
i thirst to kiss you, exchange, breathe with you
did i awake?
a fly on my cheek?
no, a running saline drop travels down the
temple side to the sheet
a puddle wet ring by my head

sensing the bird call is near you try to hold on
to my hand but the grip slips slowly apart to the tips
of the fingers, off--

as you lay back, crossing hands over the breast
back into the earthworm bed in the loam



7.6 4.4
© Brian Peter Hodgkinson    

not as if you missed my touch the kiss
not as if we were the hit and miss
our evening bath with tea candles rimmed
the dusky hours love's desires brimmed

remember cricket warmish moist the breeze
not as if we feared to dance by the trees
the water burbling by the river run
like diamonds shimmering in the sun

but now the nightfall the moon is full
the swollen tumescence yellow and dull
of crickets fiddling night birds singing love
on river bank leaned on a tree above

not as if we needed the river's song
of the sporting moon rippling along
the fireplace warmth within our breasts
within the brazen hearth of fluting breaths








Rhyme scheme: aabb ccdd eeff ggaa
Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,
Closest metre: iambic pentameter
Сlosest rhyme: couplets
Сlosest stanza type: tercets
Guessed form: heroic couplets

.07 9/7
© Brian Peter Hodgkinson    rhyme 

short the spam of arms and legs
and head the eyes, so short
like a louse on a dog or bird feather of a sort
jumps high like a flea with a springing knee
the flesh dies to jerky to black earth ashes
the days the nights the hours years the sun the moon
did you see me? the seconds flee by, they float
eat the egg and liver, drink the breast milk
hunt and stab kill for meat of the animal with hair
breathing the air
tooth and tongue the food pyramid apex
make the large stone swath path for ruddy man
of the carts and cars coughing spewing oily fog
slamming the dog the cat the ibex
the rabbit the ground hog, roadkill like a dog
shortening the limbs the fingers & the spine
the pearly whites, the necrotic black bone
nipped the seat
that wines and dines on French cuisine
or smells the violet lavender at home
or pincers the rooster's pink comb
short the span of the orange ditch lily in the sun
short the run





6-21-2022  3.6 10/10
© Brian Peter Hodgkinson    

open me

Listen to my silent cry within
tune out the noise to let the meaning in
drain my heart from love that leaves me dry
                  open me to feel you with a sigh

signify, my essence drifts again
catch it now, my thoughts burn within
Search for truth, all falls apart when
I leave behind to turn within

memories we made last fall
hundreds more, when I call
direct me to my real home
set me free from this roam

signify, I'll not drift again
catch it now, this restless within
Search for truth, all falls apart when
I leave it now, vision churns within

Drained from love that left me dry
                  open to feel again with a sigh

I'm lonely without you by my side
every night in silence I've cried
open to feel again, I'll not hide--
open to feel again, I must try
                   to feel you again by my side







This was written during a time of deep depression over a failed relationship fifteen years ago. I leave it without an edit though it is tedious to me - it came out of my immediate melodrama. 
© Brian Peter Hodgkinson    rhyme 

the black glass plastic and metal rectangle
sits droid deaf upon the oak wood foldable table
a world travel to call at the push of a hand
but not a sound vibrates the velvet gloss broadband

the not-so distant contacts don't wireless the gameboy
the ringtone space invader noisy phone toy
but robo-call intruders yak-yak to decoy
the honey listened for doesn't seek more play

sinking into the sofa and me, i'm no playboy
but the clothed buttock is now growing bruised
the treasures we shared a whisper can boost
but the shiny molded rectangle refused

quiet as the quilt of the vacant queen bed
fabricated ideas flash bombs in the head
shadowy eyes stare dag at the skull bone
but the cellular dark as black as onyx stone

the call waited for might not ring again
a day nearer to focus a dead rift break
waiting for the space age vibration and shake
the black glass sits dead siesta on the stand








4.6 7/7
Closest metre: iambic pentameter
Сlosest rhyme: couplets
Сlosest stanza type: tercets
Guessed form: heroic couplets 
© Brian Peter Hodgkinson    rhyme 

my eye lids ajar
my gray brain speaking pictures
the light screen building

awakened solo
sun in the old siesta
breath in electric

travel star-gate core
solar resuscitation
castles in the clouds

the drawing pad sphere
plotting below hair layer
poses from thin air

a robin with worm
hopped next to me on the porch
the friendly warning

the lorn soloist
sniffs around for the lost rib
hazardous pursuit








5-7-5 Haiku String

4.0 10/7

© Brian Peter Hodgkinson    

Canadian but family from Ireland, Virginia Mary
voluptuous brunette but dyes her hair blond
a dead ringer for Marilyn Munroe but she's more
a reader of Taylor Caldwell and theosophy lore
immigrated to the people of Uncle Sam in Ohio
she and her man built up a house from a barn
then embraced two orphaned boys with a new home
but in her blood a liquid disease lurked accurst
the pressures of wedlock and raising boys first
drove her a glass bottle of Pembrook whiskey thirst
hiding a case of Smirnoff under the bed
drinking orange screw drivers for her morning head
a pillar of the Episcopal church alone she tread
but her husband distant cold building a sail boat
did necessary jobs to buoy the family afloat
she danced after a few to the Firehouse Five
with her boys jitterbugging and hooting alive











3.6 10/10
© Brian Peter Hodgkinson    rhyme 

a twinge of pain in the chest
the throb below the center ribs
the speech-bubble in the head begins puffing up
flashing cardial attack surgery stroke clot aneurysm
the bubble helium grows and vibrates
like a monster of terror with fangs
of surgical knives
minions with white lab coats all in the bubbly head
bubble blowing up taut the pump speeds up
hear da-dum sloshing in the ears the tight bubble
with more horror language
breathing gasps the monsters of terror loom
sirens sounding coiling revolving in the head
ouroboros feeding on me sucking like spaghetti
chest and ribs thumping world dimming black
nose pins and needles strangulation
brain bouncing off bone walls screaming
the echo chamber hemmed in
this all began with a twinge in the chest
and the speech-bubble in the head
terror fuels more terror - then mountain of pain
xanax worstened this for me, but
sitting like siesta saying - let let
entering the now sanctum
kills the swallowing snake








.04 10/9
© Brian Peter Hodgkinson