RAY WHITAKER

 

 

In Iceland

 

A vision of the raven flying

many black birds towards a higher place

 

three of them yet stay behind

each perched on wet rocks nearby

as the waterfall roars

a short distance away.

 

Wet footfalls leave their mark

black sand on the surging riverbank

grainey, such from a crumbled lava flow

of those many years gone by.

 

One raven flys into the spray

of the falling water.

 

Turning into a woman nymph, beautiful,

marvelous standing there, hair wet, unatired

beckoning towards the sky

with intent.

 

Up on top there lies another

the Goddess Fulla, perched on a dias

in judgment

of the direction to be taken

 

she nods to the water nymph

suddenly surrounded by shield maidens

runes in dark blue,

upon the shields of a lighter hue.

There are many

countless as the black sands

beneath their boots.

 

No outsider, no man

can stand in the way.

 

Walking That Old Road Again

 

Deep in the woods

there are flat stones to cross the stream on.

Down by the creek

where the turtles are up on the flat rock

look closely now clouds suddenly cover wood light

its dim, you may see Mr No-shoulders on the bank too.

 

The journey continues through the thick standing woods

to where the log cabin once stood

four cornerstones still mark their job

support plain, even these many years later

further down by the creek is where the turtles sun

and where the otters play.

 

This woods walk gives a time for reflection

on your considerations this day

deep behind the leaves just off the path

the deer are watching your paces.

Closing your eyes, you can still hear

her sweet sad voice singing y’all’s touching song.

 

You can sit on the place of the broad, open bank

with your feet in the water

sunlight and water splashing on wet toes, it’s just stirling

wondering where next is it you need to go,

to continue to grow,

which path is there, carrying you to destiny bare.

 

The Great Dark Doors

 

For certain, influences

can begat a physical depression

stronger than the energy of the self,

than those storms in the eye of Jupiter.

 

Standing, in racism

swimming the constant of dire waves

seeking a bright yellow light to illuminate

stronger than a flickering candle in a wind.

 

Politicos gaining, only for themselves

it is raucous, ribald play on the Globe Theater stage

and a debauchery on Whore Street, NW

never to be emulated, loved.

 

Unnoticed, the chest’s pulmonary pressures,

always there, causing inhalation of all the blue breaths

it is a compulsion, necessary to continue onto the greenway,

continuing to enable   Meaning.     For.     The.     World.

 

being handed a key

to unlock the great wooden doors

to swing open their flemish carved panels

to reveal nothing but the black absence of light.

 

Surviving, One can choose to swing those doors shut.

Having only visited the great dark doors

is never a good enough reason

to quit.

 

One day they will stay open for you, irregardless.

 

Not yet. Breathe in and out, quicken in strength.

 

More Of A Perspective

 

This is how I need it,

verses this is how You want it,

what are we waiting to hear?

 

Not the accountability

of being tied to the whipping post,

feel the differences between the sexes,

 

it is a lifetime like I’m not living anymore

sensing that I want to feel normal

as a kid does when in a Children’s Hospital.

 

RAY WHITAKER

 

RAY WHITAKER: All writers and poets are writing out of "the Self" however there are directions that the self speaks into, that change. Now Ray’s writing is to put foremost in his work, just who he is writing for. He intends on writing for the everyday man and woman. He firmly believes that poems need to reach into the everyday person's pictures in their minds, and engage with those. This is where he aims to make a difference in his creative writing. He’s fulfilled when he sees that his work is provoking thought in his readers. Ray has four books published, and two chapbooks. His work has been published in eleven different countries. Ray was a Delegate to the 2024 Writer’s International Panorama Festival this past January. 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.  In July he is the reading featured poet in David Leo Sirois. Spoken World Online., and in August upcoming, will be one of six poets featured at the CHAUTAUQUA Arts Festival in Palmer Lake, Colorado.