Friday Love Poem: Danielle Carriveau!

DO NOT FEAR THIS

Sometime I bluster.  

Just shy of shouting with my viper stare,

I will tell you of how you don't please me. 

I will tell you I am frustrated.

I will tell you lies.

Do not fear this.

It is only a construct,

A simple retelling of a story to satisfy my quaking

At the delicate danger of love.

These thorns are my fierce warriors,

Valiantly protecting my blithe heart from the aching

It has known before.

These conscripts are anachronistic, I know.

But my heart is easily fooled and 

mercilessly connives my thoughts 

into acts of war.

I try to be the empty teacup,

The meditative place where I observe but do not engage.

But I am a lousy teacup.

I am constantly full of rage, ecstasy, and appetite-

Crashing against the edges and storm cloud heavy,

Pulling out gentle roots in my wake.

Do not fear this.

I replant,

Rebuild,

Reestablish.

I will not let you down.

And when I find myself to be a knuckle dragger 

An emotional maturity backslider,

I will want to run away where no one knows 

My imperfect record.

But for you,

I'll remember that we all forge elegantly absurd mistakes.

We all suffer a little at the hands of fear.

I will study your deep roots -

And remember how I like to nestle between them,

Wishing for nothing more than your starry night

To blanket me.

Says Danielle: I don't have a proper bio... but this was written up for a feature I did last year by the host: 

"2009 Worcester Slam Team Member, DANIELLE CARRIVEAU, multi-talented artist who currently resides in Western Massachusetts. Danielle returned to slam poetry after a 15 year hiatus (an early Boston Slam Veteran) and immediately made an lasting impression on us Worcesterites with honest, well crafted work delivered with all the passion and grace you could ever want! An excellent photographer, visual artist and writer, Danielle has re-engaged her performance poetry career, garnering invitations to perform across the region and hosting her own series in Northampton. Tough, smart and heart breakingly poignant, Danielle’s a voice not to be missed!"