Old Souls, New Coat of Paint

By Heidi Van Dolah

The mostly free-verse poetry in this collection relates to life's journey and the stops we make along the way. It contains poetry regarding the age-old subject of love in its many forms, desire, death is touched upon, appreciation for life's various adventures and some general story-telling. It is the telling of these moments through the author's very particular positioning and perspective, and it is that perspective that makes each piece within the collection special, interesting, and exciting. Full of nuance and complexity, heart and soul, this collection will move you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Feb 10, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456720667

Heidi Van Dolah

Heidi has been writing poetry for most of her life. After a few years' break the fire was rekindled when she began learning about hip hop via underground hip hop sites; the people posting and battling there inspired and moved her. She moved from the hip hop sites to posting on a poetry site that she now helps moderate. Throughout her time at the University of Iowa, though she received her BA in Communication Studies, she always took a writing, art, music, or theater class each semester. She always finds herself returning to writing as a creative outlet and feels the need to express her unique perspective via poetry. She also paints and has recently begun creating an album of original music with her husband. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and two children, and everything she does creatively is for the purpose of enrichment of all their lives.

Book preview

Land, Sea and Sky in Bed

Your eyes search my skull for that Kingfisher while I

undress in the land of gods; while your eyes try to

penetrate my defenses built from materials yet to be discovered,

I turn my cheek when you want my lips.

Nesting, here we have perched our birds in our branches,

supine with your vines in mine, you want to dance;

and I turn my cheek when you want my lips,

your tendrils seek a resting place among my hips.

Our breath slows like ocean tides calm in the protected Gulf,

my Poseidon looms in blue electric light until the tears come,

like shrieking sea gulls to a deserted clam my naked voice pulls

your arms around me; I turn my face into your chest.

You seek demons in me that will not fly, but your attempts at

priesthood grow like berries for my fledgling motherhood-

food to strengthen it despite my inadequacies; my lips need yours,

otherwise shaking nervously, cold, wet and blind-

without you, homeless, without you, no rest.

We sleep in eggshell dreams that release the sea into the

canopies of our marital revelry- my fish ever obey your trident’s

power and my leaves fall among your roots. Still, I will turn my

cheek when you want my lips- it is my lightning when I am Koi.

And I Will Love You

And I will love you

until the sky falls.

And I will love you regardless

of how you look/act/feel,

how you stand up

like a pillar

holding up the roof

and sit down,

like you don’t care

when I know you do.

I will love you

like my heart

has no boundaries

like the earth before

becoming civil

made us hate freedom.

I will love you

because of you

and you cannot

stop me.

Learning to Fly

The bubble popped

I fell

Catch me

I fell

Endlessly

It seemed

Until he stopped

and looked up

finally.

Now floating

Helium filled

He