from tendril
(7 Aug)
small blue bead on the table
a penny, tails crumpled paper, blank
pull from my pocket, place here
and here, between us I tell you
the story of each treasure you listen
my every word you watch me take me
in, breathe deeply in my presence
of my presence scented by the spray
of roses in the bud vase things are more
right in the world now
I give you the bead I give you
the penny I write words
on the paper I give you the paper
my hands touch yours, hold for a moment
fingers linger release
(1 Nov)
if hair could speak snaky and coily
entrancing you whispers, slithery sounds
each strand saying something, together a chorus
if they could mesmerize you, reach you
from afar, tickle your cheek, touch your awareness
call for a reservation, a ticket, a car, pack now
want you want you come to me
make it so, make it happen, make us happen
black car speeding along the freeway
to the airport you gather your wits, plunge
ahead anyway stop briefly along the way once landed
gather flowers from the supermarket stand
red rose, no blue or pink hydrangea, no what
will you choose a mixed bouquet, several shades
as you love me all the colors
(19 Nov)
late afternoon golden sunlight, November ocean
by the Bay, nearing sunset a walk, wind rushing
pull a black sweater closer tighten arms
then loose, release remember why this walk
this coastline, give in to the wind I can’t fight
everything you’re going to have to choose
your battles I do. I choose all of them
stone Diana, copy of Diana, copy of Artemis
family resemblances like that, iterations
variations on a theme once upon a time
some choices were made do the genes
not learn anything? little daisy chain
crown left at goddess feet her pedestal
heavy solid stone, to last and last
eroding nonetheless, and small green mosses
\
Poet and publisher Jill Stengel’s (https://dusie.blogspot.com/2025/05/tuesday-poem-633-jill-stengel-from.html) work has been published in more than a dozen print and online chapbooks, including tend (The Bodily Press, 2026) and Sadie (above/ground press, 2025). A collection of her chapbooks is forthcoming from Chax Press, and will be her second full-length collection, with her first being Dear Jack (Black Radish Books, 2013). As a publisher, Stengel founded a+bend press in San Francisco in 1999, originally as a reading and publication series. She has published more than 50 poetry titles, mostly chapbooks, including work by some of the country’s foremost experimental women writers. She resides in Davis, Calif.