Fred Karns




Love in the Air at the Ice Cream Shop


He saw her standing in line
at the ice cream shop
He couldn’t help staring
She couldn’t help noticing
She smiled
He saw her smile
He then noticed how crowded and hot
it was in the ice cream shop
and the longer he stared
the warmer it got and a rivulet
of sweat made its way down his back
He thought of her smile
She thought of his stare
He then thought that love
might be in the air
while she thought she’d probably
have chocolate banana



Dawn


stands before my bed
as she undresses as if
only for me

unsure of herself well,
maybe a little
her face lightly blushed
but unashamed
of her nakedness as

her shawl of night
slips from her shoulders
exposing her
naked white breasts

and with barely a murmur
drifts slowly
silently down
softly
softly
down

as it whispers over
her naked body
stroking it lightly
as it passes and
settles at her feet
still in the shadows

And like a new bride
on her wedding night
she slips furtively
into my bed

holding me
in her embrace
offering herself
to me as if

I were
her bridegroom
and this were
our first time or
our very last

and as we lie there
our arms around each other
I quietly pray

for a morning
such as this one
every morning
forever.





Fred Karns is a novice poet finding the courage to share his work. With a career as a professional musician, particularly in jazz, he has always seen a connection between poetry and music, especially through improvisation. He spent years as a sought-after theater musician before becoming a full-time composer and conductor. For over a decade, he was the music director and composer for National Geographic TV, also working with networks like Discovery Channel, BBC, and PBS, alongside various theater projects. Throughout it all, he has continued to explore poetry.