The Poetry Marathon

It feels like yesterday we spent so much time together.

The laughter was easy and filled entire afternoon.

I am not sure why you left or where you went.

You just seemed to disappear slowly and then, were gone.

Without you, I am surrounded by a garrulous cloud of voices;

tumultuous noise of doubts and fears.

I relish the times you pop in, brief respites of joy.

I miss the person I was when you were here.

Before the prompt is out, sigh,

The pencils are already moving, why?

Their ears are closed, goodbye,

as minds feverishly try to rhyme.

Heads are bent over papers, be kind,

maybe they heard me (in my mind).

I will teach them to write.

I will create a bright light that guides them to learning.

The directions are given, clearly.

It is a simple act of reading, merely.

Ah… but the hands are up, dear me.

Air fills with the repeated question, tears.

Hold it together, don’t yell, “Hear me!”

Point at the directions near me,

and demand, read it out loud for me.

I will teach them to do math.

I will create a clear path that guides them to learning.

There is plenty of blame.

It has become a drinking game.

Every year, it’s the same.

There are new faces and names,

but the struggle remains;

how to get them to use their brains?

I will teach them to learn.

I will create a fire that burns to guide them to a love of learning.

Ingredients:

People: variety of colors and creeds

Emotions: be sure to have a large quantity of compassion and empathy, but don’t forget anger for the “kick”

Comforts: availability will vary according to environment and temperament, use your intuition

Liberties: should be enough to cover all people evenly

Revolution: fill to about 2/3 of pot

Directions:

• Blend Emotions (remember to leave out anger till later) with Comforts until smooth; set aside
• Gently toss People with Liberties until completely coated
• Heat your Revolution to an even bubble and place Liberties coated People into pot; you are looking for an al dente texture, firm recognizable exteriors with soft interior ready to listen to other’s opinions and seek solutions.
• After cooling, dust in anger and fold into Emotions-Comfort blend
• Place on rock with plenty of water and foliage in well lit part of space to bake for several millennia

Best served with steaming cup of inspiration. (see recipe pg 143)

Sister

Strong, Enduring

Hurting, Helping, Hiding

Love, Envy, You, Pride, Hope

Angry, Fighting, Wishing

Mysterious, Indomitable

Woman

Ink flows on the paper
  as the pen knows what to write
each stroke a new character
  the broken lines filling with tight
script that tells stories
  hip tales of heroes, their actions
throes of pain and glories
  I have no need for names or thought
for the pen knows all
  about their battles fought
My hand is but the vessel
  giving voice to the caper

Jimmy and Jeb lived in a loft

Jimmy never paid attention to what things cost

Poor Jeb paid it all

Until he took a fall

and Jimmy’s saprophytic existence was lost

chip- one little movement
chip- one little moment
chip- one little minute
Like a game of Jenga
Life crashes around me

I wrestle with words,
 create the perfect advice,
I know I won't take

The fir wood is barely discernible through the fog,
as we sit sipping coffee on the dock.
There is a hush settling around us, but for the frogs,
as, slowly, a moonbeam breaks through.
It trips across the unbroken surface of the lake,
dancing on the mirrored aspect now view able.
I wriggle a little, attempting to shake the numbness
from the concrete shelf we rest upon.
You whisper a soft "Damn." when tipping the canteen
to refill my mug, shows evidence of its emptiness. 
As a sadness settles heavily on to the scene,
you assist me to standing, and we start for home.

iridescent flitters just to the corner of my eye
close enough to touch, but outside of capture

small creatures swiping at the web of dreams
a visual siren's song to come play away from safety

bejeweled wings whirring in motion designed to entrance
figments of illusion persuading unsuspecting sleepers to yield

beings of fantasy from days of magic and unicorns
lay siege on the one's who left them behind