Live Encounters Poetry & Writing Volume Two November-December 2024
Stoic-Faced, poems by Mandy Beattie.
Stoic-Faced
Cypress tree gnarls are kin
to speckled knuckles after years of yarns
in rib, waffle, stockinette stitches: knitting needles
a clacking metronome. On the grapevine-couch
your mama’s namesake a snowdrop
after ebony: her, comfort’s shoulder-yoke
Somewhere underneath were truffles but the canopy
above the tree-line closed ranks as tree rings
became stunted for too much salt
lack of watering, blackout blinds. What else
was there to talk about? Yet, still
his name was mute.
The Heart Is Not a Wallflower
If you find me not within you, you will never find me
For I have been with you, from the beginning of me
– Rumi
learning to let high noon fall away used to be stubborn
as jonquil — settling into stillness, a twitchy infusion
of nettle tea — even though she knows there is no need
to rummage in sand for pearls, resistance was bindweed —
as if running to stand stationary before that deep dive
inside felt like ivy before vine — sometimes she ambles
down aorta’s-ladder at spate of falling snow thirsty
for serenity and celestial music — each rung nudges away
cement-mistrals and keys lost in blackberry brambles —
now after every life-morsel there is a need’s-must deep
as middle earth to escape clashing cymbal-crowds to
the safe space of silence — she slides inwards quicker
than sliding down a fireman’s pole — trusts the plumb line —
holds onto its sliver of silver thread — follows its course
to an oxbow heart-loch — to demist milk-opal lenses
she leaves everything behind at that open door — nothing
can ambush her here in this inner sanctuary of all that
is — bones melt as she floats away in a dandelion puff
through the thin veil to where time stands still — shushes
to hush faster than a cheetah — arrives at the Universe’s
umbilical — it has no need of masks and turtle shells
as everything rejigs into a feng shui of Kintsugi gold
© Mandy Beattie
Mandy Beattie’s poetry appears in, Live Encounters, Poets Republic, Drawn to The Light, Lothlorien Poetry, WordPeace, Crowstep, Full House Literary, Federation of Writers Scotland Anthology, 5 Words, Abridged, Orphic Review, Lunares Zine, Big Girl’s Village Lockdown Showcase, House of Commons, Poetry Super Highway, Knee Brace Press and many more. Winner of Words with Seagulls and City of Poets Competitions. Poets Choice, Marble Poetry. Shortlisted: Creative Future Writer’s Award; 10th International Five Words and Black Box Competitions. Best of Net nominee, 2024. Short Story in Howl New Irish Writing. Forthcoming publications in, Dreich’s swan-song edition, The Banyan Review, Verse-Virtual and Gyroscope Review.