En Garde

The meekest among us, scared but not
witless, takes pen in hand
and swords beware!

There is might in the word well written
no armament
can deter.

© Perle Champion 1995

Here’s to Saving the World

As girls,
how many times
did we save the world
over a glass of wine on a barstool
or a couch in front of a cozy fire
or in bed with a lover?

Solutions
to the world’s problems seemed so simple
so fluidly obvious - so readily at hand, and
if we ruled the world, what a wonderful world it would be.

As women,
standing sober
in the bright light of day
those carefree, easy
interludes are so very far away.

Solutions
to the world’s problems are not so simple
not so patently obvious - nor are they readily at hand, but
if we wait to rule the world, that wonderful world will never be.

© Perle Champion

Where To Now

emptiness
unlike any i have ever felt
when i doubt
the god to whom once i knelt

it’s as if
tomorrow is forever in coming
if indeed
it comes at all

the once
ideal and noble thinking
slowly
fades and then does fall

reality
is such a void
escape
is all i know
i want
to run and hide
but
where is there to go

the answer
comes, but oh, so slow
as pain
subsides, i finally know

on
is the only way that I can go.

© Perle Champion

The Hunt

Tread softly in the forest
else
the wild things will run away.
They know
what man does with wild things -
puts them safely into cages
molds them
to his will.
So,
tread softly in your
coming
or I can’t be still,
no wild thing
will,

again.

© Perle Champion

Far Away

far away and

long ago
there is a child
i used to know
with wide sad eyes
asking why
not out loud but
deep inside
why do we live
why do we
die

those clouds those

insubstantial
faery vapors which
upheld us
have given way
to the ground
i wonder if we shall
walk together
as easily as we
flew

© Perle Champion

The Bard

The Bard's song is

a piece of soul sung out loud
to the absent crowd
through time, the bards cant
the deeds, tell the stories
preach the morals, ask the questions, make the protest.

They strum the heart strings

touching part
of the common fabric of our being

reminding us of the one song

the uni-

verse.

© Perle Champion

Run, Child, Run

...run and run and run
some more
reach up high on the tips
of toes
who knows - you might just touch
the moon
or reach a star, but right now
it's the cookie jar

i remember when you said
when i grow up
i'm going to be a bird so i
can fly
i am - i really am.
i didn'nt have the heart
to tell you, you can't fly
but i kept a watchful eye
for training to start

i remember when you offered
me your prayer-folded hands and asked
do you want to talk to god?
i said no, but you say hi for me and you did
hello god, mom says, hi
bye god

i remember that Christmas mass when
you climbed into the crèche
rocked the baby jesus doll and sang
happy birthday to you in full voice
i was embarrassed - the priest cried and
he changed his sermon to 'and a little
child shall lead them...'

why must innocence end
why must we ever grow to think
we know more now than
we did then

(Excerpt from my journal when my daughter was 5)
© Perle Champion

Alice

I sometimes feel like Alice
bewildered and amazed.
One moment I am ten feet tall
the next I am so very small
hardly there at all.
Too bad I wasn’t given a script
what to do and how to do it
what to say and who to say it to
It’s all improvisation, and I have to
make do, muddle through
for me and you.

© Perle Champion





Which way did that rabbit go?

Persephone

As Persephone descends
to the dark kingdom
holding close the colors
of things needful for
next season
Stoic and brave she closes
the door on sol and
greets her dark lord
once more and
Keeps spring deep within
her heart.

© Perle Champion

Mad Hatter

I want to know what madness is
and where the edge of its beginnings are.
I have skirted its hem and felt its cold breath
raise the hackles on the back of my neck
a cat's whisker sensing what
comes in stealth to
rob me of peace
of mind
of me.
Flee.

© Perle Champion

Conflagration

they did it and did it
all too well
an instant of whim – a decision
and then - decimation
stupid, stupid men
build it all up then tear it down
again and, again and
again

© Perle Champion 2007

Poems in Ten Words

Bow
Obelisk, obelus icon
pylon reached – breached
faceless god fled – gone.

Desert
Meridies – cloaked
Xerophyte – Dew kiss gone
Xeric store – Xylem stash.

Drink
Maenadic maven quaffed
vines blood – divine rite
chasing night’s flight.

En Garde
Quixotic quodlibet
magic surreal encounter
Windwhipped flame
eternal, finite quest.

Poet
Poets doomed, entombed
prize covered coffin
mind soar – heart sore.

Encore
Pygmalion, Pinnocchio, Daneel,
Data
Micro whirring chips
soulless memory speaks

© Perle Champion
First Published in Birmingham Weekly, Birmingham, AL
The Poetry Issue