Author: Mike U.

“The Daisy Ring” published at Manuela Timofte’s Blog In A Love World

On By Mike U.In Poetry6 Comments

Hi, friends. Manuela Timofte has kindly published my poem “The Daisy Ring” on her blog In A Love World. I’m grateful for Manuela’s continued support of my writing. Her blog is a treasure trove of international poetry, and well worth the visit. Thanks so much, Manuela.

“The Daisy Ring”
© 2021 by Michael L. Utley

“I found thee in a faerie copse…”

“Hmm?” she murmured
Her gaze caught somewhere
In the rainy neon night-world
Beyond the coffee shop window
Her fingers weightless
Feather-like
In my hand
Ethereal
Furnace-hot

“I found thee in a faerie copse
Alighting on each flower fair
And as I ‘proached thee in the hopes
Of snaring thee in lovers’ ropes
Thou disappeared into thin air…”

She looked at me then
A faint smile teasing
Her lips
“Your poetry is terrible,” she said…

You can read the rest of my poem here:

The Daisy Ring

Also, please consider following and subscribing to In A Love World, a place where wonderful poetry abounds.

“The Footbridge” published at Manuela Timofte’s blog In A Love World

On By Mike U.In Poetry21 Comments

Hey, everyone. My poem “The Footbridge” is available for your perusal at Manuela Timofte’s blog In A Love World. Sincere thanks to Manuela for her kindness in sharing my poetry on her wonderful blog.

“The Footbridge”
© 2021 by Michael L. Utley

That derelict footbridge
Has finally failed
Stranding us on
Opposite shores
Of the abyss
Words
Like rotted planks
Litter the gorge
Below
Desires and dreams
Dashed
Upon indifferent rocks
Silence is all
I hear from you…

You can read the rest of my poem here:

The Footbridge

Also, please consider following and subscribing to In A Love World, a place where wonderful poetry abounds.

“There Were Daisies,” a collaborative story by Joni Caggiano and Mike Utley, published at Hotel by Masticadores

On By Mike U.In Stories21 Comments
Photo © Joni Caggiano

Greetings, folks. Just a note to let you know “There Were Daisies,” a new story collaboration with my friend and poet extraordinaire Joni Caggiano, is available at Hotel by Masticadores. A big tip o’ the cap goes to Joni for sharing this adventure with me and providing her uniquely lyrical and profound writing. You can find more of Joni’s poetry, prose and photography on her blog Rum and Robots. Also, many thanks to editor Michelle Navajas for sharing this story with her readers. Be sure to check out Michelle’s new book Afternoons That Tasted Like Love in Manilla.

An excerpt from “There Were Daisies”:

The sickly pond, lifeless, the hue of bad dreams and uneasy regrets, fumed quietly, forever giving up its pallid ghost to the aloof heavens. With anguish stinging my dry eyes, I was drawn to a fleeting remembrance…

We sniff petrichor, my wife’s smile brighter than the morning sun. An early kiss of water on the green grass in fertile soil draws us toward a tender embrace. We interlace fingers and hold tight, clinging to this treasured happenstance. We hear the sigh of the oaks and see a white quilt of dandelions and daisies dotting our clear pond. Fish jump as frogs meander along the edge. Bass notes from bullfrogs cling to our ears as my wife begins to pirouette barefoot, and I am without words, enamored and in love with her grace.

Ghosts, my mind whispered, this is a world of ghosts, ephemeral, intangible memories that linger in shadows and call in soundless cries to no one. Where once was life, now there is only the torpid peal of silent bells amid an eternal night…

You can read the rest of our story here:

“There Were Daisies” © 2026 by Michael L. Utley and Joni Caggiano

Also, please consider following and subscribing to Hotel by Masticadores, where you’ll discover a world of wonderfully imaginative and profound writing.

“For Bonobo” (reprise)

On By Mike U.In Poetry35 Comments

“For Bonobo”
© 2016 by Michael L. Utley

I used to know a Bonobo
Who had a silly a grin
And every time I’d say “Hello”
He’d kick me in the shin

I’d feed him whey and kidney pie
It made his tummy sore
And when I’d tuck him into bed
He’d bite and scream and roar

He played guitar and learned to sing
A monkey tour de force
And afterwards could barely talk
His voice was much too hoarse

And then that fateful day arrived
When monkey ran away
To seek his fortune on the road
To be a man someday

The years have passed like faded leaves
That fall from solemn elms
I sit alone on evening porch
As sadness overwhelms

I watch the west as sun slips down
And stars alight the sky
Will Bonobo come home someday
To visit you and I?

Then hark! What’s that? A hirsute form
That gambols down the lane?
It’s Bonobo, my monkey friend
He’s coming home again!

He shares his tales of travels far
O’er whey and kidney pie
And plays guitar and sings his songs
With twinkles in his eye

And then it’s time to part again
My monkey friend and me
“I’ll come again another time,
I shall return, you’ll see!”

And so I’ll wait until that day
With happiness and glee
When Bonobo, my monkey friend
Comes back to visit me

(Author’s note: Before anyone objects, I do know bonobos are apes, not monkeys. However, for the sake of this piece, I threw caution (and facts) to the wind and used the term “monkey” instead. The term “monkey” just has a much more whimsical connotation than the term “ape.” So, some fact-bending and artistic license were employed. Also, this piece was written for a friend whose username was Bonobo, so changing the name would alter the purpose of the piece. Just a little background if anyone cares.)

“Walking Tree,” a collaborative poem by Joni Caggiano and Mike Utley, published at LatinosUSA

On By Mike U.In Poetry19 Comments

Hi, folks. “Walking Tree,” a recent poetic collaboration with esteemed poet Joni Caggiano, is now available at LatinosUSA. Many thanks to editor Michelle Navajas for publishing this collaboration, and, of course, to Joni for inviting me to work with her on this piece. It was such an honor and a delight to team up with such a brilliant writer and cherished friend. Joni’s deeply moving writing and stunning photography can be found on her blog, Rum and Robots.

“Walking Tree”
© 2026 collaboration by Joni Caggiano and Mike Utley

sorrow whispers, a trail of ants
vapors torpid, their sting savage
memories choke, a riff on my sanity
night terrors open a door; I navigate

this silence is not silence
it is the groaning of eternity
the synaptic death-throes of
what once made me human

innate images, a stolen span of time
sacred sensations indelibly imprinted
naked bodies on airbrushed fields
heat rises, a bashful sun misleads

the stones of the fallow field
understand this moribund keening
in their granite hearts
atoms tremble and thrum…

You can read the rest of our poem here:

“Walking Tree” © 2026 collaboration by Joni Caggiano and Mike Utley

I hope you’ll consider following and subscribing to LatinosUSA–a place of unique visions and creative voices from around the world.

“Fade” published at Manuela Timofte’s blog In A Love World

On By Mike U.In Poetry19 Comments

Hi, friends. My poem “Fade” is now available at Manuela Timofte’s blog In A Love World. I’m grateful to Manuela for continuing to share my poetry with her readers.

“Fade”
© 2021 by Michael L. Utley

Dusk has fallen as
Stars scream heavenward and doves
Murmur mournfully
Evening-song has come and I
Cannot hear day’s parting cry

Night blooms above as
Insects whisper mysteries
And wolves share solemn
Oaths on phantom breeze and I
Cannot hear dark’s somber sigh…

You can read the rest of my poem here:

Fade

Also, please consider following and subscribing to In A Love World, a place where wonderful poetry abounds.

Michelle Ayon Navajas’ new book Afternoons That Tasted Like Love in Manila coming July 2026

On By Mike U.In Previews / Reviews20 Comments
Image by Michelle Ayon Navajas

Mark your calendars, everyone—July will usher in the newest book from prolific author/publisher/editor Michelle Ayon Navajas: Afternoons That Tasted Like Love in Manila.

Michelle is an international best-selling author of poetry and prose, editor of several online literary magazines, and a tireless advocate for victims of domestic abuse and violence. A former educator, she now operates her own publishing company, Michelle Ayon Navajas Publishing House, and actively supports and encourages writers of all levels.

Here’s what Michelle has to say about her upcoming book:

“This collection of flash fiction is my love letter to Manila—a city that lives in memory as much as it does in geography. Set against the backdrop of golden afternoons, crowded streets, familiar corners, and fleeting encounters, these stories explore love, loss, longing, and the quiet moments that leave lasting marks on our lives. They are stories about people finding each other and losing each other. About memories that linger long after the moment has passed. About the versions of ourselves we leave behind and the ones we carry forward. Most of all, they are stories about home. Not just the place we come from, but the places and people we continue to return to in our hearts. If you’ve ever missed a city, a person, or a former version of yourself, I hope you’ll find a piece of your own story in these pages.”

A personal note: I’ve known Michelle for a while now. As an editor, she’s published much of my poetry; as a publisher, she’s shared my poetry in her anthology dealing with domestic abuse and violence; as a friend, she’s been incredibly supportive and kind. Michelle represents what all of us should aspire to reach in our lives—a level of compassion, humility and genuine authenticity that spans boundaries and brings people together. It goes without saying that I’m beyond excited for her new book to hit the shelves. Afternoons That Tasted Like Love in Manila promises to be amazing, and I encourage you all to check it out when it launches in July.

Image by Michelle Ayon Navajas

Michelle’s personal blog is Michnavs – Poetry by Mich

“Walking Tree,” a collaborative poem by Joni Caggiano and Mike Utley, published at Hotel by Masticadores

On By Mike U.In Poetry34 Comments

Hello, everyone. Recently, I collaborated with esteemed poet Joni Caggiano to create a piece of poetry, and this poem, “Walking Tree,” is now available at Hotel by Masticadores. A special thanks to editor Michelle Navajas for publishing this collaborative effort, and, of course, to Joni for asking me to work with her on this piece. It was truly an honor to team up with such a brilliant writer and wonderful friend. Joni’s profound and moving writing and beautiful photography can be experienced on her blog, Rum and Robots.

“Walking Tree”

© 2026 collaboration by Joni Caggiano and Mike Utley

sorrow whispers, a trail of ants
vapors torpid, their sting savage
memories choke, a riff on my sanity
night terrors open a door; I navigate

this silence is not silence
it is the groaning of eternity
the synaptic death-throes of
what once made me human

innate images, a stolen span of time
sacred sensations indelibly imprinted
naked bodies on airbrushed fields
heat rises, a bashful sun misleads

the stones of the fallow field
understand this moribund keening
in their granite hearts
atoms tremble and thrum…

You can read the rest of our poem here:

“Walking Tree” Collaboration by Joni Caggiano and Mike Utley © 2026

Also, please consider following and subscribing to Hotel by Masticadores, where you’ll discover a world of wonderfully imaginative and profound writing.

“The Trunk” published at Manuela Timofte’s blog In A Love World

On By Mike U.In Poetry30 Comments

Hey, everybody. Just a note to let you know my poem “The Trunk” is now live at Manuela Timofte’s blog In A Love World. My sincere appreciation goes to Manuela for her generosity in sharing this poem.

“The Trunk”
(c) 2021 by Michael L. Utley

There is a place for things
That don’t belong in
Other places
That sere and weathered
Trunk that hunkers lupine-like
Amid dust-addled attic shadows
Wood split and gouged
With time and neglect
Iron bands and fittings
A crumble of rust
Lockless clasp broken
From endless breeches
And pryings
I should have
Replaced that lock
Eons ago
The ill-fitting lid
Is too loose
More decoration
Than function
And tends to rattle
Of its own accord
Far too often
For what’s inside wants to
Breathe
Stretch
Pop knuckles
Champ teeth
And feed
And only I can
Contain it…

You can read the rest of my poem here:

The Trunk

Also, please consider following and subscribing to In A Love World, a place where wonderful poetry abounds.

“Bus Stop” published at LatinosUSA

On By Mike U.In Poetry26 Comments

Hello, folks. I’d like to let you know my poem “Bus Stop” is now available to read at LatinosUSA. Much gratitude goes to esteemed editor Michelle Navajas for sharing this poem with all of you. Sincerely appreciated, Michelle.

“Bus Stop”
© 2025 by Michael L. Utley

she stood there
stoic and still
as a river rock cairn
at the crossroads
bus stop
every afternoon
alone
save for her
reluctant shadow
that always seemed
to pull away from her
clawing at the gravel
to unpin itself from this
dirty-faced girl
with willow whip arms
and a mangled knot
of corn silk hair…

You can read the rest of my poem here:

“Bus Stop” by Michael L. Utley

I hope you’ll consider following and subscribing to LatinosUSA–a place of unique visions and creative voices from around the world.