The Poetry Marathon

Waiting for winter

As autumn appears

Colors colliding

Stars sparkle superb

Greens hold gently

Before bursting below

Chilled cold mornings

Find crystals of frost

Willow is waiting

Patient with pride

Long lanky arms

Take twizzling turns

Refresh and relax

Enough is enough

There’s always another

Time for a test

Belly rubs before all else

Food prepared then we roam

A morning skip on dewy grass

Relief a romp return to home

This soft warm roommate

Has little choice to share

As morning news brightens

That dark corner there

My many barks may sound good

As I look into her eyes

She twists and turns a furry head

Curiously wondering why

Just like this for weeks and years

We never speak of it ending

As the thought brings tears

Reminding each our time is pending

Vintage continues to survive

Forgotten in the back of a drawer

Cherished perhaps saved for others

Who may never truly deserve

Smiles for those people passed

Salvaged in black and white

Glossy paper patterned edges

Turned over names and dates

Times were better then echoed

As if troubles began only now

Heads knowingly nod in unison

Those censored memories endure

Loving toads the way I do

May seem a bit disturbed

Warts and all I love these guys

They’re smart haven’t you heard

Nightcrawlers are about the best

Long and soft and wiggly round

Keep several in my cold fridge

Hoping fishing pole is found

Ladybugs will come and go

I’ll never sweep them out

Promises my wish comes true

I’m sure without a doubt

Little critters can be good pals

Please keep them far from harm

Be careful when you move about

They could be your lucky charm

Waiting for the bus

Listening for the train

Waving up a yellow cab

Riding subway cars again

Workers downtown at NYU

Washington Square Park

Old fellas playing chess

As walking dogs just bark

People feeding pigeons

Corn kernels spread about

Afternoon sun moves west

Mothers give their kids a shout

Uptown on the Lexington line

Time to take it home

City’s not for everyone

Though magnificent to some

Have no doubt

You will have to go

Unless there’s something

I don’t know

As we say

All days above ground

Offer us all

Another go round

Sure it’s tough

And sometimes hard

We all have problems

With fewer cards

Piss and moan

All you want

About those folks

You’ll get to haunt

Bury Me in Georgia

Now my favorite song

Though not a country gal

I could belong

Beneath peach trees

Lay me to rest

As I sing alone

That I did my best

Fireflies listen by windows

Swooping bats sneak a peek

Buzzing bugs want a taste

Mouse in the corner waits

Embrace summer happenings

Hide n seek with your pals

Games of tag before dark

Gotcha last won’t last

small changes keep

whispering over there

soon to creep closer

turn off the box

to unknow what happens

where is the respite

when roused at three

the brain reminds

us awake

We made puppets with our hands and feet

We had a Christian cemetery for dead birds

We wrote plays to be performed in the basement

We had The Apple Lovers Club without apples

We believed in Santa despite being Jewish

We traveled by bicycle to meet up with friends

We had a backyard army tent no parents allowed

We wore ponytails pedal pushers and Keds

We smoked Marlboros down by the brook

We watched Vincent Price scary movies

We never had a telephone in our bedroom

We went to the little green store for Yoo-hoos

We understood that we were on the same team

Working in the dirt

Measure edges and depth

Remove just enough

Not to return again

Cover the opening

A neatly squared hole

With painted green board

Soft micro-grass carpet

Do not disturb surrounding

Planted red yellow purple

Flowers placed by loved ones

Each spring when ground thaws

Returning to tuck in

The old widow’s ashes

While son and daughter

And grandchildren look on

All have gone home

While the ground is raked

Leaving the old gal with him

To rest in peace