August 1, 2016

Three Poems by Stefanie Bennett: "STEALTH," "WINGS," and "EXIT"

Stefanie Bennett has published several books of poetry and had poems appear in Dead Snakes, IS&T, The Galway Review, Boston Poetry Magazine. Illya’s Honey, Shot Glass Journal, The Paterson Literary Review, High Coupe, Mad Swirl, and others. Of mixed ancestry [Irish/Italian/Paugussett-Shawnee] she was born in Queensland, Australia. Stefanie’s latest poetry collection “The Vanishing” is published by Walleah Press and available from Walleah and Amazon.



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Photograph by D. H. Allen





STEALTH

The moon drags like an old stylus.
Earth sounds cackle...
A dropped sparkler going out.

Dark guests afford my open door.
Blue stockinged Blake;
Whitman in worn slippers.

How many titles have tumbled down
From the shelves!
How many mirrors are left to sack!

At least I can forget about reflections
-  Am no longer
Afraid in looking back.

I put the midnight sun out to cool
By Winter’s woodpile:
Call forth Phantasm’s cat.

That’s too tall an order. It
Sits, in the peach tree,
Tail flicking

... A silver mouse-like poet
Pocketed
Within the teeth – such

A ghoulish consternation,
The reminder how
Fashion’s destined for us.



WINGS

What
Shall I bring?
What
Should I bring?

My hands are corned
But none-the-less
Empty.

My shoes?
They’re worn.
My cloak...
Scares the scarecrow.

The handkerchief, Then?
It’s the collection
Of sodden
Weeping.

What
Must I bring you?
You who have
Everything

But the herb
Of my
Epic
- Father.




EXIT

Downsizing, I watch the livestock
Of my years take hold:
Masked personas, animal,
Tree, and rock.

Should I carriage away
The disposition of
A grandfather clock – its bell
As sure as winter-chill?

The tenanted potpourri urn
Aflutter? Books
With spine
When credit’s due?

Moving’s an unaligned monologue.
Could it be the “fiddler
On the roof’s” in freefall!
The rain, lip-syncing
‘Mariah...!’


(The Poem ‘Exit’ is published in the title
“The Vanishing” Walleah Press 2015)


~Stefanie Bennett







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