Melissa Huff

Melissa Huff returned to her love of writing after fifteen satisfying years making one-of-a-kind jewelry, which can be seen at www.melissahuff.com. An award-winning poet, Melissa enjoys exploring both metered poetry and free verse, and loves to perform poetry aloud.

Recent and upcoming publishing credits include Brush Talks: A Journal of China, The Ekphrastic Review, Halfway Down the Stairs and Red Eft Review. She splits her time between Chicago and Champaign, IL and is delighted to be a member of the Plumb Line Poets of Evanston, Illinois.

Photo by Zach Damberger

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► Melissa's microchap & selected poems are available below. Download the single-page microchap by clicking the title.

Origami Microchap

Spring is a Strong Verb

Click on above title to download PDF microchap.

Melissa Huff CVR Spring is a Strong Verb March 2019

Cover photo by author

Every microchap

may be downloaded

for free

from this website.

(Set printer for landscape)

Spring is a Strong Verb

Do not suppose it gentle
this season of greening
when bundled fibers gather
their juices until girdled
with power they push
through the earth, drive
into the sky wielding buds
filled with fierce energy
that defy gravity until
time to unfold and hold
the strength of the sun.

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Come to me in April

Wrap me in the first strong
supple leaves of spring—
let their yellow-green
infuse me.

Sing to me those songs
embedded in the breeze—
rock me to the rhythm
of their breath.

Feed me eager buds
before they open—
newness plucked with ease
from fertile earth.

Fill my lungs
with younger air—
a sweetness seeping out
of winter’s fringe.

Watch me run
through rain-soaked streams
rinsing out debris
from seasons left behind.

Walk with me
along the furrowed edge
of fields in which
tomorrow grows.

Sit with me
and let us gather
sips of sunlight—
gold upon our lips.

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In which the formal gardens are made less
formal by the folks who frequent them

This mysterious    mound
pulsating    on the lawn
appears to be    a young couple
entwined    one of his legs draped
over hers    arms too tangled
to sort    murmurings
making their way
to the surface    one head
bobbing    repeatedly
as he bends    toward her lips
not    an unexpected display
what with new couples
cropping up    each summer
just like    the annuals.

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