Selected poems by Danny McLaren

Montreal

I’ve gotten used to travelling the long road back to youSailing that great ocean of highways and interstatesConquering the distance that only serves to keep me from youFoot tapping anticipation haunting me for hoursAs cars move with agonizing slownessEvery second that passes a moment stolen from usOur bond spans borders and well-travelled roadsWe are bounced back and forth across train tracks and asphaltRoads that used to be strangers are now old friendsThey sing our greatest hits and ask if you’ve been wellI promise them I’ll have laughter of yours to share on the way back home

Freckles

Dots of imperfection adorn your facePick at them; scratch at the spots of discoloration marking up your skin all you likeBut the universe crafted you with careLike flicking paint onto a canvas,To add that finishing touchThey may be haphazard,Debris or blemishes to some,Flecks of dust that have made your cheeks their homeBut I see stars coming together to form constellations on your bodyI see a road map to your subtle beautyYou are charming with these worlds that exist upon your very skinYou are endearing with a nose that’s speckled like a robin’s eggLike the very Earth from which you came,You are painted by the soil and claimed by the sand