Three Poems by Dane Karnick

Land of Nod

 

Rosario strait

crumples my view

of quietude

anchored on

Orcas island

that has speckles

of granite and

brush strokes of fir

along its canvass

though negligible

to the business

of toes writing

zeros in waves

where the tide yields

to beach sand

with a curtsy

to the sun

granting lavender

for a kayaker

to paddle the rest

of water's lisp

and pull ashore

the close of day

while I wait

for Cygnus

the swan

to guide night

overhead as

ebony

undresses

color from sky

so inertia

can slip in bed

with everyone.

 

 

Vital Signs

 

A madrone leaf

in the shelter

of granite

is nursed

by a puddle

for the days left

behind the streak

of brown

unhitching

existence from

chlorophyll

as plant cells

dismantle

their membrane

in a farewell

to alliance.

 

 

Out of Place

 

A beached fir

lays on its side

exhibiting

at one end

lost treasure

full of stones

that spill out

their wealth

of smoothness

gliding under

my fingers

in contact with

tabula rasa

as I skim

the ocean

of amnesia.

 

 

Dane Karnick grew up by the Colorado “Rockies” and lives in Seattle. His poetry has recently appeared in Subliminal Interiors, Orion headless, The Rainbow Rose and Montucky Review. Visit him at www.danekarnick.com.