Live Encounters Poetry & Writing 16th Anniversary Volume Six
November- December 2025
Only So Much, poems by Ray Whitaker.
Only So Much
The crickets sound so optimistic.
They still tune their instruments
at twilight, evensong. They fill my ears
with their chorus of yeses, sighs, maracas.
The crescendo and then, en masse,
diminuendo. Virtuoso phrasing,
offbeat percussion in the grass.
Crickets stand in for a nightingale,
and the sun goes down on the earth.
A Boisterous Act Of Explanation
Wondering how the puzzle pieces
would fit
if there was no illustration
to model on
long shapes, multi colored
tabs that don’t quite go.
Woke up hungry
nothing, and everything to do with food
hungry for interactions
and avoiding tasting a bloody lip
the fork sliding into the entree
an appetite from dreaming
of that, that is possible
the voraciousness in a table setting
a carving knife held
in eager anticipation,
salting the portions.
Thinking ahead to the how of it
contemplating the why
of the spoon placed on the left.
Those conversations around
the dinner table
a boisterous act of explanation intervened
with God’s words
as he chews on a drumstick,
the phone rings
that conversation
stopped for a second or two
electronic trumpet ringtone
a fanfare ignored
this feast more important
than anything outside of it. The long table is vibrant
with people. God too, making points
gesturing with cutlery and bones
no spilt wine tonight.
Petroglyph
High up on a canyon wall
a long panel of sheer desert lacquer inscribed
sunshine just breaking thru
illuminates the symbols there.
Leaving us to wonder
those man-like figures bring questions to we moderns
standing sententials for a thousand years
centurions now for lost meaning
a two dimensional showing
the rock face hammered so long ago
perhaps by the artist of that Clan
who, like all artists was little understood
by the rest of his clan, who were only concerned
with the next meal, or the children.
A way of well-being placed just so,
not perched on a wooden ladder
leaned on a cliff face
drawing a male figure for time to interpret.
© Ray Whitaker
Ray Whitaker has five books published, and two chapbooks. His work has been published in thirteen different countries. He’s working on two new manuscripts now. Ray was a Delegate to the 2024 and 2025 Writer’s International Panorama Festival. He participates regularly with several zoom poetic events worldwide. Among them, he has been spotlighted on a US National Poetry broadcast from Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio In April, ’24; and also an International Poetry Recital hosted by The Fertile Minds out of India this past April 19th, 2024. In July od 2025, he has been the featured poet reading in David Leo Sirois’ Spoken Word Online, associated with Spoken Word Paris; and a featured poet for the Chicauga Arts Festival, in Plamer Lake, Colorado He is Moderator for Michael Lee Johnson’s FB “My Voice,Your Words- Poetry In Action” page; and an Editor for Masticadores Canada Journal.