A.J. Huffman- Three Poems

In the Wavelength of Light

red is the longest color, a primary,

bold, blazoning in shades of look-at-me

daring.  Embracing natural undertones

of expressiveness, it has become the face of

danger.  Nature’s warning of venom’s presence,

man’s signal to cease progression.  Yet its allure

remains.  Tangible desire drips from its hue

as it shades our eyes with images of love. 

Hearts and roses give rise to depth, the heated

center of passion, sex.  Lipstick and lingerie

resonate with resilient ability to incinerate

all male defense.  A fitting tribute, a reminder that

while biting the apple may have caused the fall,

Eve must have looked good holding it.

The Road to Egg Road

is cracked, and adamantly screaming

that it came first.  Ranting, it rages, rising

to temperatures that surely should scramble

the brain.  Focuses only on building

roadblocks specifically designed to keep

that incorrigible chicken from crossing.

My Brain is Not Awake

Still tucked beneath down

comforter in a darkened room

without blinds, it waits

for its umpteen millionth injection

of caffeine, knowing it has grown resistant

to rejuvenating effects.  My body, on the other

hand, is waist deep in work.  Sinking quickly,

a ship without a captain, continues

muscle-memoried motions.  Immune

to all forms of shaking and alarms, it refuses

to function without infusion of wind and sun.

Briefly I contemplate jumping from office ledge

for sheer shock value, settle for a five-minute

break at cracked window.

A.J. Huffman has published six solo chapbooks and one joint chapbook through various small presses.  She is a Pushcart Prize nominee, and the winner of the 2012 Promise of Light Haiku Contest.  Her poetry, fiction, and haiku have appeared in hundreds of national and international journals, including Labletter, The James Dickey Review, Bone Orchard, EgoPHobia, Kritya, and Offerta Speciale, in which her work appeared in both English and Italian translation.  She is also the founding editor of Kind of a Hurricane Press.  www.kindofahurricanepress.com