FOURTEEN WORDS: X’s 3 GIVES BIRTH TO 42

Aromatic 

Gypsophila’s breath—godly. 

Bohemia 

Star stands out brilliantly, brightly—silent.  

Creativity 

Crack open the paint, piano, the purity of imagination. 

Dancing 

Inspiration poured into me from the Queen who birthed me. Flying high. 

Ethereal 

I once believed so hard I bled a rainbow—for love. Gut entrails, tried, true. 

Forecast 

Monster, angel, or somewhere in the dirty between.  

When a storm of emotions invades the heart’s soft vessel. 

Ghostly 

“Remember, we want complete transparency at The 

Lion company.” 

“Well, I’ve got something you can eat up. Better bow your heads.”  

Heated 

“Don’t talk to me about anger, Lettie. My goldfish is dead. You buried him behind my back and flushed him? Prepare for revenge.” 

Ill-Will 

No river ever looked, smelled, or felt like this one. The wingy water washed me.  

And kept me embedded deep beneath its dank, devilish 

wetness. For now, forever.   

Judgment 

Empowerment class taught, let no one disgrace, disrespect, or disregard you.  

Don’t back down. He talked about her breast salaciously with a snake-like sneer.  

She stood; he slept. Slain. 

Keeper 

It was everyone’s hope to catch it—l-o-v-e  

To get sick with it. Sweat, swallow, and swoon with.  

To fall down and bleed out for love.  

To have it reciprocated, just one time. 

Level Headed 

Jimmy King, that was his given name, didn’t expect the elevation.  

The woman sat reposed in the ill-lit limo. Was she purring?  

Long, unadorned legs touched his. When, without warning, he lunged for the ice bucket. 

Motivated 

I saw the decision ahead of me—thought I’d jump ahead of it.  

I saw my mistake. I was too late.  

I missed the good meant for me by listening to me, and not He who holds the key.  

Notorious 

Her name should have been anything but what lay on her birth certificate.  

Fiona, Fontaine, Fountain, or Fortune.  

Great Uncle from Tallahassee had a nasty lisp. 

Instead of Faye, a name she preferred; Faith arrived.  

No belief here. She was faithfully faithless. 

This piece was taken from my poetry book published in July 2024.

Human As I Am: Talking Paper is for purchase on this website.

To all who stop by to read my work, I’m appreciative ... truly and I am sincerely thankful you did!

Nedra Russell © All Rights Reserved 2025