The Poetry Marathon

reframed illusion

both of us

subscribing

hoping to mirror

our delicate days

when we thought

we were flourishing

squinting our eyes

as we dodge regrets

falling heavily around us

~we tiptoe through

~this time~

instead of around~

holding hands

(feels so warm

and alive…) 

seemingly centered 

plausibly relaxed

surrounded

by hard earth

darkness encroaching

waiting to engage the world

she sat

with her legs crossed 

peering into the depths

of the future

decade ahead of me

more misery

little joy

~flip~flopping~

changing me

into my own stranger

“This is how she found us/the past draped about us like a cloak”

Selkie Weaning Young (Redux)

~by Diana Khoi Nguyen

she did not know 

her past was our future

she ran through us

we all fall down 

passion interrupted 

faces of shame and fear

confused face rushing away

to something of timed importance

she sat in a daze

changed

realizing her new past

and old future

altered

she had been blind

to the love she gave

so lovingly to us

but no more

There once was a writer from Dayton

Who wrote despite ALL of her cats

She’d like to relax~~

She’s RUN OUT of snacks!!!

Her last poem is now done ’til next year ❤️

i’m trying to write

so many cats on my lap

harder than you think

T owards the

E nd of her life

N early bereft of love

D eep in thought with

E veryone around her

R emembering suddenly

N obody

E ver really left her alone

S he realized

S he had had love all along

eyes shaped like almonds

she wished they were bigger

and round like her sister’s

both brown eyed girls

just like their mother’s

who wished hers were darker

like when she was younger

all seen through the eyes

of the next generation

with nothing but love

now isn’t that amazing?

“Echo Husband”

when we were young

your love was so loud

the older we got

how it faded away

though still together

after all of these years

whispers of your heart

i can hardly hear

my favorite city

in all of the world

smells like exhaust

very old buildings

blackened with soot

still charming

giant gold clock

towers high

with four faces

my favorite statue

of horses

nearby on a bridge

i once sat upon

a base of bronze lions

one two three four

i laughed feeding pigeons

loved watching them soar

fell into a river

(shoulda let go of the oar!)