Passion By Dave Donelson

Dave Donelson is a writer, photographer, and artist with some three million words in print. His works appear regularly in over three dozen national publications and he is the author of numerous books of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and memoir.

Today’s poem, Passion, comes from Dave’s book, Visions of a Certain Age, which chronicles the highs and lows of growing older in today’s America. You’ve seen many of Dave’s inspiring graphic poems on agebuzz. Dave also recently published Provence Reflections, which is a captivating artistic journey that delves into the enchanting world of Provence through a diverse and imaginative lens. This immersive collection is not a travel guide or memoir but rather a celebration of the profound connection between art and the region’s rich cultural heritage. It’s an artistic odyssey that blends visual art, photography, history, and literature, offering a multifaceted view of Provence that will captivate anyone who wants to experience Provence not just through its landscapes, but through the eyes of artists and historical figures who have shaped and been inspired by this iconic region. The book is available from the author at DSDA, Inc., or from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your favorite bookseller. Please feel free to reach out to Dave at [email protected].

Passion

When Venus danced on the fields of Mars,

Hot blood boiled through our veins.

Our throats swelled with war cries.

We clutched, we choked, we kissed, we stroked, 

We mashed our sweaty faces fast together 

With unrelenting fervor to satiate our lust. 

We scalded our hearts, scorched our boney parts, 

Scarred the channels of our reason,

Imprisoned our moment in breathless torment.

We ravished without remorse, regrets aside, 

Talons extended, desire on the edge of pain, 

Loss of control relapsed, morality collapsed,

Defeated.

Mars waned as Venus tired, inevitably. 

The candle flickered, sputtered, it dimmed, it muttered 

The vermillion light faded in the gloaming

Frenzied clutches slowed to clawless paws

No domination, no submission 

Timeless obsession in recession.

Our blazing hair turned ashen, limp sans passion 

Years dulled our bite, softened our insistence 

Memories of battle cries receded, 

Drowned in the murmurs of placid evenings, 

Energies spent, rectitude and reconciliation,

No truth or lies, no complaint,

Exhausted.

When Venus abandoned the field of Mars,

We wrote truce, no war, no sores, no score. 

We adopted everlasting peace.

Peace, my love, to unite us,

Softly touching soft for softness’ sake,

Cleaving side by congenial side,

Tranquil.