Poetry by Tracy Duffy

Like a…rat-a-tap-tap
from the drummers—drum
goes the night-time, in the forest
like the crickets—hum
Chiming in, the hooting
of the owl at night

set the tempo, set the tempo
to the music, midnight

Neon shiny stars
grant the stage, its light
the rattle—ssh, – rattle – ssh
of a sliding snake
and the dripdrop, dripdrop
of fish into the lake

set the tempo, set the tempo
like the drummers-drum
Hum…hum…hoo
Ssh…ssh…shey
Drip…drop…doo
Tempo Set


Tracy Duffy writes poetry while taking a gap year from a lifetime of work in medical cosmetology. Earned BS in Organizational Management while raising a family. Published in Bacopa, Writers Alliance Gainesville; P’AN KU, BCC Student Literary/Arts Magazine; Tiny Seed Literary Journal; Open Door Magazine Labyrinth; Anti-Herion Chic; Passage: The River.