Peace and the white dress

Posted on June 11, 2025 by michaelstephendaigle

Peace is loud, climactic,

Filled with songs and shouts

And screams of joy; a rhythm of touch.

Hands  clasped, widespread.

Smiles like prayers;

Words of thanks yelled

Current image: woman dancing in a field

To drown the moan of war.

She will dance with you,

She in the white dress

To  waltzes whispered,

Troubling  tangos

Body slamming la bambas

Dance, foot slamming and jumping

Till the marching boots stop

Till the weapons’ grinding fades

Till the sterile madness of war

Becomes  cracking, wet, open

Dripping love;

Explored till words and tongues taste the world.

And she in the white dress smiles, eyes glowing.

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Passaic County Book Fest June 14 — cancelled by rain

Posted on June 8, 2025 by michaelstephendaigle

Organizers said Friday June13 the event is cancelled because of rain.

I’ll be one of  70 authors at the Passaic County Book Festival on Saturday, June 14.

The event runs  from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Weasel Brook Park, Clifton.

I’m looking forward to this event.

I attended two well-run  BookNJ events run  by the Passaic County Library in 2015

and 2017.

I’ll have copies of my 5-book, NJ-based Frank Nagler mysteries on hand.

Kirkus Reviews  called Nagler,  “One of modern fiction’s expertly drawn detectives.”

The Nagler mysteries at the Book& Puppet, Easton, Pa. and Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookshop, Mechanicsburg, Pa.

The Passaic County Book Festival will be an all-day event, featuring local authors, scholars, and poets across every genre. The event is a county-wide event that aims to promote and bring awareness to the arts and community through exchanging ideas, encouragement of continued research and creative expression, and the promotion of your local libraries. The County is partnered with PALS Plus to bring lectures, programs, and activities for all ages, centered around the written word.

#passaiccountybookfestival #pcbookfestival #pcbf #pcbf2025 #palsplus #seepassaiccounty #RichHistoryBrightFuture #books #booklovers #cliftonnj #tourism #palsplus #palspluslibraries #librariesconnectingcommunities 

Posted in Bergen County Cooperative Library System, Greater Lehigh Valley Writer's Group, Hackettstown Public Library, Hot in Hunterdon Georjean Trinkle, http://www.sallyember.com, Michael Stephen Daigle, www.michaelstephendaigle.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White dress waiting

Posted on May 27, 2025 by michaelstephendaigle

Where to find her

Current image: woman in white tank top

With everything bottled up,

When to sound those words is relief.

Say a word; say two.

Whisper, then scream.

Listen.

She waits.

A catch in her voice,

Something soft that stings.

She waits.

The white dress clings,

Hangs from a shoulder.

Time circles, not endless.

Posted in Hot in Hunterdon Georjean Trinkle | Leave a comment

The white dress and starlight

Posted on May 9, 2025 by michaelstephendaigle

She’s in your hand when you hold it to the sky.

The simple silent voice she cast returns.

That’s the thing about love.

Current image: wet model in dress standing in sea in the evening

It floats, hides at time and filters back

Like starlight once around  the sun;

Sometimes chipped and bruised,

Sometimes wanting, asking why.

Feel the touch of her in your hand.

Gently wrap your fingers around

The weight of her.

It’s how to seek forgiveness.

Hold tight.

Posted in Hot in Hunterdon Georjean Trinkle | Leave a comment

A white dress morning

Posted on April 28, 2025 by michaelstephendaigle

She reminds you

With dark eyes that glow in sunlight

With soft fingers brushing purple flower buds

Current image: woman in wedding dress on flower field

Then your cheek;

Reminds you

That time needs care

To peel back the skins of error;

Just start, so simple

To find that raw moment

When it was just a look

That opened it all;

When she in the  white dress turned,

Showed the  air vast and wild,

Said, this is  me

Said follow;

And you had to be

Willing to leap.

Posted in Hot in Hunterdon Georjean Trinkle, Hot in Hunterdon, Georjean Trinkle | Leave a comment

NO!

Posted on April 18, 2025 by michaelstephendaigle

It was the only word that mattered.

NO!

So she painted it in blue.

NO!

These things can not stand.

She painted it in green.

And the paint dripped down the wall.

You can’t have me.

You can’t have them.

Can’t hide them, steal them, beat them.

NO!!!!

She painted it in red.

One foot tall.

NO.

Then bending, three feet tall.

There are more than just me.

You can’t stop us.

No.

The word on the wall everywhere.

Resist

Fight back.

Tell them NO.

The last word

A running start, ten feet long, drippy, uneven, as ragged as the moment,

A scream from us all.

NNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!

What’s it mean? Someone asked.

“It’s how we win.”

Posted in Bergen County Cooperative Library System, Greater Lehigh Valley Writer's Group, Hackettstown Public Library, Hot in Hunterdon Georjean Trinkle, Liberty States Fiction Writers Group, Michael Stephen Daigle, New Jersey, www.michaelstephendaigle.com | Leave a comment

White dress rising

Posted on April 18, 2025 by michaelstephendaigle

She draws you from  the place

Current image: woman in green field during sunset

Where you left yourself

In darkness.

Hair in the wind

Fingers brushing grass tops;

Eyes wide and round

A voice like silk,

Says follow.

The glow finds her,

like sunlight finds the air.

Frames her.

Draws you.

Rise.

It is the only choice.

It is the weight of light that saves you.

Posted in Hot in Hunterdon Georjean Trinkle | Leave a comment

When the white dress is free

Posted on April 11, 2025 by michaelstephendaigle

Ankles crossed, arms wrapping knees, waiting

Current image: a woman wearing a white dress jumping

As  sunlight strips mist

From lips and shoulders

Drenched by passing rain;

Brown bodied

Changed from white dress

Open

Smiling

Giving, taking.

Joyous leaping.

Loving.

Free.

Posted in Hot in Hunterdon, Georjean Trinkle | Leave a comment

Revolution

Posted on April 6, 2025 by michaelstephendaigle

We never thought we’d have to,

March, that is,

Not for this.

Not for everything.

Didn’t they fight this war centuries ago?

But we have always marched,

Current image: photo of people on street

A few at first, then more

And more and more

For every version of freedom we can define.

Marched, pressed bodies against the will of oppressors

Till they weaken and run.

Because they will weaken

And run and hide and lie;

and when defeated stand bewildered

and angry and unlearned.

as we grabbed back with they have taken.

Marched, a million voices filling

The air with a ragged cry:  No, No, No.

The  echo of slaves, heroes, lovers and friends;

Rough hands, slim fingers, cane limpers,

Legless, slightless, born and unborn

War torn and innocent

Breathing the air of imperfect freedom,

Cracking the leaning wall with

The righteous defiance of love.

Marched because the past taught us how;

Marched to teach the future;

Marched to a common place,

And raised voices like thunder,

Voices like prayer

Voices like song.

Marched, again eyes wide

Marched again aroused,

Marched again awake.

Posted in Bergen County Cooperative Library System, Greater Lehigh Valley Writer's Group, Hackettstown Public Library, Hot in Hunterdon Georjean Trinkle, Liberty States Fiction Writers Group, New Jersey, Paramus Public Library, Parsippany Public Library, www.michaelstephendaigle.com | Leave a comment

White dress without words

Posted on April 3, 2025 by michaelstephendaigle

What can you bring her that she hasn’t offered?

Current image: white dress hanging on a tree branch

What can you say that she hasn’t said?

But says with her fingers light on your neck

Says with eyes dark and moody, offering surprise

Says with silence that lingered too long

Leaving room for an answer

Without words

As the white dress glows transparent

In sunlight like an open soul.

Posted in Hot in Hunterdon Georjean Trinkle | Leave a comment