The Poetry Marathon

Farewell to Poets

Staying awake all night.

Ready for bed with the morning light.

While others plan for Sunday,

A little swimming, a little play,

I will sleep, and dream, and probably snore.

Writing haibuns, please no more.

My head is blurry, my thoughts are weak

I have to, have to go to sleep.

Farewell, my fellow poets.

It’s been real; it’s been fun.

But, seriously, I’m done.

E moe malie me ka ‘ala o napua ‘awapuhi

Walking across the carpet, feet sink into heavenly clouds

Fragrances of ginger and plumeria kiss the air

Sliding open the glass door, the linai reveals the ocean landscape

Palm trees sway gently in the trade winds

As day eases into night, tired souls retire into feathery comfort

But only after reading the Aloha greeting:

E moe malie me ka ‘ala o napua ‘awapuhi

Sleep soundly with the sweet scent of ginger blossoms.

The Night is for Sleeping

The death watches creeping

No sugar plum fairies dancing in my head

Because all I want

Is to go to bed.

Dear Sleep,

I miss you so,

So much that you’ll never know.

I’ve replaced you with caffeine,

But that will never do, as you can see.

Without you, I’m silly and goofy and weird.

I want to return to the me before you disappeared.

Please come back.

I really, really want to hit the sack.

Sincerely,

One Tired Poet

Fool Fox, Brother Bear, and Sister Red

What does the fox say?

“Brother Bear and Sister Red, hurry and keep up with me.”

What does the black bear say?

“Go on, fool fox, I’m here to enjoy the day.”

What does Sister Red say?

“This walk is just right.”

The street artist says,

“We declare this world as our canvas!”

And all the while, the trees and plants

Flourish in the cracks of the concrete.

La Casita Corbeil

“Welcome Home” bakes cinnamon apples

“Thank you” washes and dries the dishes

“Excuse me” sands the porch railing

“Have a nice day” plants flowers along the stone path

“Pardon me” buffs the wood with lemon oil

“How are you?” polishes the silver

“It’s my pleasure” pours another glass of Chardonnay

“Enjoy your stay” hangs an abstract Distefano on the parlour wall

“Good morning” prepares a breakfast with mimosas, teas, and homemade blueberry muffins

“Until next time” arranges a basket of wine and cheese

Our Two Rescues

We love our rescues, Qatar and Blacky.

Qatar came from a local rescue.

She is a terrier mix, part miniature Manchester terrier, and part who knows what.

She is mama’s girl, a snuggler who makes you earn her love.

She doesn’t warm up to everybody, but when she does, she’s your lap buddy for life.

She sleeps in our bed (only after I ask her, “You wanna go night night?),

and snuggles up under the blankies with us.

Blacky was a street dog who started following us on our nightly walks.

He was such a skinny little guy, so we started taking little pieces of bologna with us.

Eventually, his trust grew, and he allowed us to pet him, and then he became part of our family.

Six months of heartworm treatment and regular feedings, he is now a healthy black shining beauty, who smiles when he runs.

He’s dad’s boy and takes every chance to love on him.

We love our babies, rescue organizations, and responsible pet parents who spay and neuter.

I thought you were so cute

Standing there in your Levi’s 501s

Your brown eyes melted inside me

Then you gave me your Golden Gloves jacket

And I knew I loved you.

My mom didn’t like you—

Which made me love you even more

I imagined our future together

Then you found someone new

And asked for your Golden Gloves jacket back.

You broke my heart

And walked away.

You still looked fine in those Levi’s.

The handle turns slowly in silence

Darkness and worry play tricks on the mind

Objects appear to move on the floor

Shadows dance across the walls

Lights reflect in mystery

Creaks and groans fill the night

It’s only imagination

(But sometimes it’s not)

The handle turns slowly in silence

Heart Felt

So many metaphors for the heart

How odd it would be

To take them literally?

Imagine wearing your heart on your sleeve?

Having a heart of gold?

Or a heart of glass?

Eating a bowl of hearty soup?

Breaking someone’s heart?

I’ll stick with the figurative,

Thank you very much.

(And I mean that with all of my heart)