Santa

I never liked the holidays
Especially in December
They aren’t what they used to be
Not the way that I remember.
As children we were happy
With whatever Santa brought
Sometimes we got nothing
And that too was something taught.
Appreciation dwindled
As the years they seemed to fly
Not knowing what it was
To see the struggle in her eyes
Santa was the woman
That worked hard
For us to eat
She provided all our needs
For our Dad was obsolete.
Because she was a warrior
And she never let us down
Every year at Christmas time
Mom was the only Santa in town.

Rebelí

don’t let the lights go out

winter’s early darkness

shouts out let there be light

and there it is nine candles

flickering, wax dripping

radiantly glowing into the night

menorah burning bright

reminding us that miracles

did and do happen

 

 

 

 

 

Holymen

when blue flames play games

weaving through neuropathways

brain can trick the soul

 

the spiritual calls

spirituality falls

icons prey upon

 

can you find your way

if you allow others to

say which god to pray

Hour 3 – “Done” doesn’t rhyme with “Bone”

I just wanna go home.

But the park I came to roam:

So that I could be alone.

.           No electronic prisons or cell-phone.

.                                  …To try to set an artistic tone.

.                                     … And now my tired feet just pound the stone.

.                                                                      As I try to figure out my 8:00 AM poem.

But I find only .. endless fury as i contemplate that   ” D-O-N-E” does *not*  rhyme with ” BONE

 

Hour Ten

The Holidays

My family sits all around
as I begin to open my presents
another year older and yet
two more steps behind

“When will you get married?”
“Why are you studying English?”
“How do you expect to make a living?”
“Writing won’t pay the bills.”

When did such a beautiful time
become such a nightmare?
I always seem to be the butt of the jokes
every holiday season

“Right now, I am focusing on me.”
“I love English that’s why.”
“I’ll figure it out, I always do.”
“It keeps me alive, doesn’t it?”

Isn’t the holiday supposed to be
a time of joy?
Maybe, I am the reason it isn’t
After all, who wants to spend the holidays alone?

Income

Shares.

The brokers holds.

In JP Morgan, and Chase Banks.

Days after days.

To win, win.

There future.

Investments,

Once again.

Peking

Clouds of smog cover the city,
Winter in Beijing.
Stern looks as the visa is stamped.

The driver points to KFC, all that’s wrong with the world, we smile and zip those lips.

Tiananmen square, I know what happened here,
Again with the lips zipping,
People ask to take my picture,
I’m 5’10, is that why?

Acrobats, Beijing opera,
Almost an international incident as I refuse the fork,
chasing fish balls around the table.

Why didn’t I buy the jade lion??
Regret to this day.
Peking duck shoots juice all over my face,
Legendary meal.

North Face coats 90% cheaper,
Lost at the second embassy, why two?
Summer Palace, heritage being reclaimed.
The Great Wall, is still in place.

Christmas Memories

Delicate cookies baking in rows
A tower of lights twinkling
Mystery packages with sticky bows
Footie pajamas and puffy over-clothes
Long nights and cold, cold air
Anticipation everywhere
Album art with snow-themed scenes
Icicles hanging from eaves
Fireplace with dancing flames
A cup of cocoa each
Television specials and variety shows
Being tucked in
And kissed on the nose
The night before rich with tradition
Dreams bursting with intuition
Childhood Christmas was blessed
Peace and joy to the rest

Thanksgiving, 1991

Mother stroked and I cried in the bathroom.

I was acting so strangely, trying not

 

to yell at the kids. But I did, and my sister

yelled at me. We did pull it together,

 

roasting the turkey and mashing potatoes.

There was gravy and the candied yams

 

she loved so much. The ones with 1/2 C. of brandy.

Don carved “the bird”, that’s what Mom called it.

 

And, we drank wine, toasting our mother who loved

her mashed potatoes and gravy. And her vino.

Christmas Snow (Hour 10 – Half Marathon 2021)

Christmas Snow

(Hour 10 – Half Marathon 2021)

I have wandered among the snowflakes
Wondering what it is about the end of December
That everyone loves snow
I live in a city
And snow becomes
Dirty and slippery
On the sidewalks and streets
We cannot ski
We cannot skate
We do not enjoy the cold snow takes
I know there are movies
And tv shows
And songs about Christmas snow
People actually dream of snow
But the original movie
With the song
Took place in a ski resort
Where snow made sense
For those who spent their vacation
Wanting to ski there.

I know that wishing for snow is not the same
As making it happen
Ski resorts these days can make artificial snow.
But we in the City must spend money removing it.

Don’t call me scrooge
I enjoy exchanging gifts
Having a nice meal with family
And all other Christmasy things
As much as the next guy.
I hate the cold and I hate snow.
And I don’t dream of snow unless it is a nightmare
And the snow causes me to crash my car
Or fall and break a leg or wrist.
My gift to G-d is a prayer for peace,
And as a return gift,
I would appreciate a season without snow.