I took up poetry after my stroke to help me recover from the dyslexia and to help me write short sentences on the computer. At first, the poems were simple and later I tried complex thoughts. Once I found Steemit, I wrote some of these poems for @Freewritehouse. This week allow me to take you on a ride of the southwest and Mojave deserts with poetry collected from my blog and Steemit in my new poetry book Under the Lone Pine. Under the Lone Pine is a poetry chapbook focused on the theme of finding lost people and dreams in the American Southwest. Each poem speaks to travelers seeking redemption, love, and happiness, while illustrating emotions, random thoughts, and dreams about people traveling through the desert.

Under the Lone Pine - Free Kindle Download

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Selections from Under the Lone Pine

In the Mirage

A rodent's fate demise
I ponder the tan path to the tragic end

In the mirage

A fan palm hides rock art mysteries
A spear thrown ripples past a prize
Landing short of red rock bloodshed

A hunter stands apart from his band;
Defiant brave friend
I sit alone too stoic on my perch of granite gneiss

In the mirage

The Moment a Heartbeat Shifts Trice Snow dusting the crest of Mount Tom, Patches of orange and brown balm, Cold air smell of jet metal-cased gneiss, The moment a heartbeat shifts trice. Valley awaits the brewing storm, Sunshine blocked behind veil swarm, An aversion to inclement vice, The moment a heartbeat shifts trice.

Wakan Tanka Waits For Me Staring at the tapered top Of the ceiling seeing stars Aerial above the black desert night Musing about ghostly riders Traveling the mother road We dream in deep sleep slumber.

Twilight Settled Around the Texas Spoon Hammer man tuned the piano, sunlight gave way to moon Barmaid dried the glasses, as twilight settled around the Texas Spoon He tipped his hat back, swayed over the loam The girl he knew would be home With a shower, steak, eggs, coffee and biscuits To sober him up for the next day of excess Copyright © 2018 Michael Shawn Sommermeyer

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