David Iribarne earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from CSUS.  He currently resides  in Sacramento.  He has had poems published in  Poetry Now, Tule Review, Sussurus, Catchword, Medusa’s Kitchen, Primal Urge, WTF?!, Monterey Poetry Review, Convergence, Coalesce Magazine  and  has  had work in a The Creating Freedom exhibit on Domestic Violence at California Museum.   He also won second prize in Sacramento News & Review’s student poetry contest in 2005.  Peaches.   One He also has a piece published in SPC’s Sacramento Anthology Late of his poems also was recently developed with other authors’ poems into a play by playwright Ed Claudio entitled The River City Anthology.  His book of poetry, Bones, Skin, and Soul is forthcoming from Cold River Press.

 

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Refuge

Afghans, sweaters, scarves, blankets
it was part of her nightly routine.
Sitting on the couch across from her
I marveled at how she knitted her web.

I loved watching her creations.
She began with just a ball of yarn
and within a couple of hours
she had the makings of blanket or scarf.

It was how she masked the pain.

Knitting was one of the few things
she could do to divert her mind.
It helped her escape.

I wondered if sometimes
she used the needles as weapons.
In her mind, she was stabbing
the monster repeatedly,
but he just wouldn’t die.
She used all her rage,
all her anger,
all to no avail.

I still have one of the afghans she made.
It’s a crimson red.
I often use it
during cold winter nights.
I think of the effort
she went through to make it.
The pain, the agony, but more so
the care, the love.
It keeps me warm and safe.

Heart and Soul

I held you in my hands
like you held me
when I was young.
Gently, softly touching
your head.

Slowly I traced my fingers
around the scars,
the scabs, the rough skin.
I tried to comfort you,
but not hurt you.

I wanted to hug you,
but it may cause you pain.
Difficult to think that
an act of love could cause injury.

I never imagined that
I would have to be careful
with my touch,
with my kiss,
with my heart,
when it came to you.

Then again I never thought
I would be the one
to be holding your weight,
to be holding your heart,
to be holding your soul,
like you did mine.

 

Don’t Die In The Winter

Don’t die in the winter
for I cannot bear how cold
my heart will become.
Please follow me close.
Have our voices echo
one another.
Trust me, I will provide
strength to get you through
to another season.

Don’t die in the winter,
please don’t.
Freezing cold rain
hail, thunder, lightning–
it is just too much
for me to fathom.

When I first met you
I never envisioned you
as someone I could dance with
but you took my hand
and took the lead.
You pulled me near
and when I looked
into your eyes I knew
I wanted to continue
dancing with you
through every season.

Don’t die in the winter.
If you were to
my legs would turn to stone
my arms would hang limp.

Don’t die in the winter.
I promise I will be here for you
to get through another day.
I promise I will listen
to the rain.
I will listen to every drop
and savor the water’s juices
and give them to you
every time we kiss.

Don’t Die in the winter,
for my soul would
turn to ice
every part of me would be chilled
and I would never
never be able to dance again.