Against the Light

Watermarks are visible when held against light
whispering quality, distinction, louder than a shout—
are also used in banknotes ensuring they’re alright:
some marks are more visible than others that are about.

Whispering quality, distinction, louder than a shout
made by subtle paper thickness and density variations
some marks are more visible than others that are about
in passports, stamps, and other applications.

Made by subtle paper thickness and density variations
watermarks can show quality, mill trademarks, age
in passports, stamps, and other applications
providing a crucial consumer protection gauge.

Watermarks can show quality, mill trademarks, age
are also used in banknotes ensuring they’re alright
providing a crucial consumer protection gauge:
Watermarks are visible when held against light.

 

Hard to Explain

After the Holy Grail of physics, the Big Bang,
came the battle of anti-matter and matter
which is hard to explain scientifically or in slang.
The Holy Grail of physics, the Big Bang
shouldn’t be considered a fool’s harangue
since experts named it after prolonged chatter.
After the Holy Grail of physics, the Big Bang,
came the battle of anti-matter and matter.

 

Carol Smallwood’s over four dozen books include Women on Poetry: Writing, Revising, Publishing and Teaching, on Poets & Writers Magazine list of Best Books for Writers. Water, Earth, Air, Fire, and Picket Fences is a 2014 collection from Lamar University Press; Divining the Prime Meridian, is forthcoming from WordTech Editions. She has appeared in such journals as: Drunken Boat; The Writer’s Chronicle; The Main Street Rag; Jelly Bucket; English Journal. Carol has founded, supports humane societies.

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The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary.


CODEC Stories:

3 Responses

  1. Durlabh Singh

    WITH MY EYES.

    With my eyes overhanging the running
    River
    With my hands flirting with the sandy
    Bends
    Straddling moistures within the clouds
    Overhead
    In silences spurned for markers of earth.

    I was not the man to steal the
    Crown jewels
    Not a comforter for the life’s
    Little ills
    Just to form some gossamers
    For the dews
    When pain strained through
    Along fingers outstretched.

    My songs of the spring
    May not be yet born
    A dance with the flies
    May yet be in trial
    Some curfew put on grace
    For sake of beliefs
    Here and there and which?
    It does not matter.

    Romance controlled in some
    Reckless space
    For foes on the roadside
    Dazzled in maze
    A flap for failures to escape
    Without payment in pungent dues
    Looking for a stranger to arrive
    To admire those impassioned views.

    Durlabh Singh.

    Reply
  3. Carole Mertz

    Carol, “Against the Light” is such a blend of inspiration and language control. Wonderful!

    Reply

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