Selected poems by Danny McLaren
Montreal
I’ve gotten used to travelling the long road back to you
Sailing that great ocean of highways and interstates
Conquering the distance that only serves to keep me from you
Foot tapping anticipation haunting me for hours
As cars move with agonizing slowness
Every second that passes a moment stolen from us
Our bond spans borders and well-travelled roads
We are bounced back and forth across train tracks and asphalt
Roads that used to be strangers are now old friends
They sing our greatest hits and ask if you’ve been well
I promise them I’ll have laughter of yours to share on the way back home
Freckles
Dots of imperfection adorn your face
Pick at them; scratch at the spots of discoloration marking up your skin all you like
But the universe crafted you with care
Like flicking paint onto a canvas,
To add that finishing touch
They may be haphazard,
Debris or blemishes to some,
Flecks of dust that have made your cheeks their home
But I see stars coming together to form constellations on your body
I see a road map to your subtle beauty
You are charming with these worlds that exist upon your very skin
You are endearing with a nose that’s speckled like a robin’s egg
Like the very Earth from which you came,
You are painted by the soil and claimed by the sand