Selected Poetry of Sibyl J. S.

Sibyl J. S. (Aug 2000)

About the Poetess

Sibyl lives "on the border by the sea"¹ at the tip of Texas with her three rescued dogs and (at last count) nine stray cats. She has a daughter and stepson that are both married. At age 5 she began studying the dictionary and has ever since striven to assemble her thoughts through heartfelt words into meaningful works. Sibyl is in love with life and finds great joy in appreciation of the beauty of Nature. She surrounds herself with it. Sibyl is highly spiritual. She sees redeeming qualities in everyone she meets and seeks similarities rather than differences. Her work reveals a wordsmith worth rereading. She calls herself "a work in progress".

¹ slogan used to describe Brownsville, Texas

Ode to a Lost Poem

Like tarnish o'er gleaming artifact,
Pain shrouds thy tender heart.
Thy poetry within intact,
Buried 'neath encrusted hurt.

Thy metered words lie beating,
Within thine heart so pained.
Thine heart in volumes speaking,
Cloistered in silent refrain.

Wariness replaces trust,
Embittered dust of yore.
History's brittle rust,
Would decay thy very core.

Prithee let the hand of love,
Lift away the veil of gloom.
Set free the ghosts as flights of dove,
Leave empty the darkened tomb.

The light of love surrounds thee,
Perhaps thine eyes are blind.
Surely thy soul with clarity sees,
This heart is ever thine.

Within this heart thy lyric love,
A constant sweet refrain,
Like music from high above
Treasured, will e'er remain.

This love we share, sacred,
Its roots, made of stone.
Entwining souls were fated,
In concert to have grown;

Like two mighty trees
Rooted fast in fertile loam,
Thy love's a shade in the lee,
Thine heart, a verdant home.

Prithee look to the horizon,
It's there the light will come,
To drive away the day that's done,
Breaking dawn wilt find thy poem.

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On the Wings of a Dream (revised)

When dusk feathers the darkening sky
And twilight's glow stirs the slumbering owl,
Swift as the falcon on the wings of night,
I'll fly to you on wayward winds,
And in your dream, as a shadow alight.

I'll brush your cheek with a touch of feather,
Guide you to where passions soar.
'Neath starlit black, o'er down white clouds,
On unfettered flights of fantasy,
Where desire knows no earthly bounds.

Soaring to the heights of rising passions,
Hearts of wings beat against driven wind,
As great flocks burst forth in sudden flight,
We are lost in ecstasy's rush, in rapture,
Spiraling down toward sleep's surface to alight.

Wake not, for night's indigo deepens,
Breathe deep 'til dawn breaks our embrace.
We'll set a course for the silver moonbeam,
Its light our path to high adventure,
We'll journey, on the wings of a dream.

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Child of My Universe

You are the gleam in my every smile,
        The twinkle in my eye
             And glistening of my joyful tears.
                  You are the brilliance of my aura.
You are the glowing warmth within my heart,
        The golden glitter of my worth
             And steel sheen of my strength.
                  You are the radiance of my soul.

You my child are the shining star,
Around which my universe revolves.

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Doubletree

Two trees in all appearance grew
In solitude on the edge of the sound,
Until their roots became enjoined,
Hidden 'neath fertile ground.

Outward e'er their limbs did reach,
'Til they became entwined.
Yet burdened not the other,
But bound to the other thrived.

Grafted thus in budding embrace,
They blossomed in perfusion
Stronger still their branches grew
Together, in ripening fruition.

Over time the fruitful canopy
Drew one trunk against the other
And by nature's gentle force were fused,
One tree unto the other.

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Enemy Within

Battle-worn weary, victory arrives.
Savored but a moment,
For those I leave behind, (lie mired in the trenches),
Still fighting for their lives.

Evil finger's lethal touch,
Random it may seem.
For some of us may fight and win,
While others only dream.

Insidious foe makes way
Through breach in one's defenses (Trojan horse invited in).
Assailing, myriad assassins,
The enemy within.

Stricken without warning,
By that which none may see,
Another name scribed on the list.
A victim of disease.

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Love's flame flickering…dies

From simple misunderstandings,
Come parting's sad good-byes.
Passion's fire ne'er had a chance,

Love's flame flickering…dies

Loving words were left unspoken,
Empty promises swept aside.
Loyalty and trust extinguished,

Love's flame flickering…dies

Torn by feelings of rejection,
Deceit, avoiding eyes.
Passion's embers turned to ashes,

Love's flame flickering…dies

Feel the chill descend upon you,
Feel the tightness deep inside.
Passion once a burning candle,

Love's flame flickering…dies

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A Moment of Fancy

If I could be anything at all, at this moment,
I'd be a most grand piano before you,
My smiling keys inviting your caress.
Within, I'd be tightly strung and finely tuned for your pleasure.
Yet, I'd be of such substance that you could table your cares upon me
And in the reflections of my lacquered gloss, you'd see your great success.

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Emotions

Excitement, invited into your world, sharing intimacies, your life.
A dream, being held in your arms,
Tender passion,
Tranquil calm.
Pleasure derived, enduring images for the mind.
Heart felt longing, leaving part of me behind.
Pain, in parting, inflicted like a knife
Relentless time so quickly passed.
Hopeful, desire holds memory fast.

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Oh Heart

Oh heart, lament no more for me,
For there my lover walks
Just o'er the rise, or the next.
Faceless he is, unknown to my eyes,
Yet he carries my song of love in his heart
I cast long ago to the skies

Oh eyes, weep no more for me,
For there my lover drifts
Just o'er the rising swell or the next,
In the misty spray, veiled by the haze,
Yet he holds my hope of love to his breast
I cast long ago to the seas.

Oh dream, wake no more for me,
For there my lover lies
Just before the dawn or the next,
In the shadowy dark, unknown to my sight,
Yet he sees my vision of love in his mind
I cast long ago to the night.

Oh soul, ache no more for me,
For there my lover shines
Just before the rising sun or the next,
In the blinding light, unknown to my mind,
Yet he whispers my prayer of love within
I cast long ago to the winds.

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The Seasons of Our Love

Our love blossoms in eternal spring abundance
And strengthens by summer's striking storm.
Fall fills our bed with crimson passion,
Our roots in winter's icy ground hold firm.

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One

Out of cosmos we are, beyond the stars borne, words our soul connection.
Both pure of heart, though far apart, one the other's affection.
Affection for you, all that you do, set my heart to beckoning.
Answered my call, your wherewithal set a course by dead reckoning.

From time beyond, beyond all time, for one tick of eternity's clock.
Safe in my arms shielded from harm, your arms around me lock.
Locked in embrace, peaceful this place, one in the other unwind.
For words we lose need, indeed, for we are one in the other's mind.

This love we share is I dare say, not borne of passion's fire.
The kisses we kiss nevertheless, do kindle wondrous desire.
Desire to be the we, we could be, the one and one adjoined.
Urgent the lust, my love we must lie, one and one entwined.

To the cosmic realm, at the helm fast, you return from whence you came.
In the wake, painful ache of hearts each one apart, the same.
Same as in our moment came a thief, our hearts purloined.
Soul to soul, heart to heart, the one and one are joined.

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In the Eye of a Dragonfly

When the summer heat simmers and the dragonflies float like dandelion seeds upon the rising air, among them I will be, unsure if I am observing, or if the world is observing me.

I stand patiently with outstretched hand and in time, (confidence gained), one upon my fingertip, will alight. Not any one, but one with heart.

I draw the brave insect slowly toward me for closer inspection and to my delight the diminutive creature is focusing on me.

The imp taking in my every detail, its head cocked to one side, meets my gaze.

Upon the reflective glaze of intelligent eyes, it wears my smile, happily it seems.