3 poems by C. L. Carol

breathing

calm mind,
smooth tranquility
glass surface quiet pond
dare I disturb it with a stone?
gentle thoughts ripple
flow outward inward

leap frog kamikaze

francis, the suicidal toad,
had had enough.
he’d timed it out
planned it perfectly.
he knew exactly where I’d be
at 7:47 in the a.m.:
riding too fast to notice
the little bugger
hopping
into my bike path—

it was too late to stop
and poor francis extinguished
himself on my tire tread

damn thing.
he nearly killed
both of us

polite devotion

september’s rain 
is different
from november’s
different
from april’s or may’s

less inviting;
heavier
more
foreboding

september’s rain
is different
just as her kiss
is different
from yours

softer;
more urgent
less
lingering

subtle
like watered down
green tea