24 Poems ~ 24 Hours
H – Helping others to overcome trials, challenges, disasters, and despair.
O – Overcoming prejudice to offer love and assistance to all, no matter their color or gender or sexual practices.
P – Promising to perform to the best of our abilities within our communities to support and nurture one another.
E – Everyone deserves love. Everyone deserves care. Everyone deserves assistance. Everyone needs HOPE.
There’s a million ways to say goodbye
A belt buckle embossed with a flower and vines,
large at the center, spindling out into nothingness
M&Ms with our faces stamped on them, colors
brightened by our smiles and doting wide eyes
A diamond cross necklace shining bright in the light,
another with engraved hearts glowing as one
A luggage tag that says With Love From Chicago,
paired with hope that reaches down to Nashville
Skies filled with white clouds
fluffy and untainted by gasses and crud
Brilliant sparks of radiant sunshine
piercing straight through
Azure waters gently lap the shore
pink sand free of debris and trash
River beds strewn with rocks
not plastic or paper hats
Forests grown so tall in the rich soil
branches extend tendrils of moss intertwine form bridges and
places for huge birds nests
A breeze so crisp and clear moves green leaves to sing in the wind
Some day I hope to see Mother Earth
back this way again
Pizza pizza we love pizza
Pizza here pizza there
Pizza everywhere
Even pizza in our hair
I like mine white in white
no red sauce on mine if you please
Most like salsa and mozzarella
Just white cheese for me is all I need
Keep your bacon and anchovies
heed no tomatoes or tomato seeds
Just plain cheese that is white all
over will do me proudly – see?
Caitlin’s Hair
is a long ladder to her ears,
each rung a wave that follows
not what OSHA rules but
its own curvy direction.
It is a strawberry red umbrella,
a super-thick invisibility cloak
smelling all too wonderful
to hide Caitlin. Caitlin’s hair
is the unhemmed fringe of the world’s
longest pair of jeans
walking through the art gallery
in search of Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”
or Renoir’s “Young Girl Combing Her Hair”
or works of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
who were the dudes who totally got
Caitlin’s hair. Some say a little mouse
lives in there and hides cheese
under her shirt collars
and swings from hoop earrings
when it’s frisky. It’s a lovely mystery.
(based on image prompt from hour 2)
It was only a nap
Just a half hour
That was all I needed
I set an alarm
I couldn’t stay awake
I slept past it
My final poem
Late
Running water soothes the soul
replenishes the soil
cleans the spirit
calms the mind
Running water from the rain
feeds the plants
revives the trees
flows deep to cool and ease
Running water in my bath
a deep blue lagoon of blue
Pretending instead
it’s a glistening waterfall running
A Slice of Life
A knock on my door: Pizza Boy.
Handing me a cheese, he looked down,
Nice jacket. I winked and scrawled
my number on his hand, he held
it to his heart, smiled. I’ll see you
around. I closed the door, not wanting
another tug at my heart. But
it was too late. I let him inside
even when I didn’t want to.
One pup was just enough
so decided to get two
more one than makes quite a mess
two make lots of poo!
Up with the sun
to feed the young
furry pups that is
or hear their barking sung
Clean up the bits
those darn kibble bits
they go between my toes
giving me a fit
By noon they beg
come on mom
time to go
for another walk in the lawn
Finally a respite tired they are down for a nap I sit myself down to rest
Soon both have stirred and
now sleep in my lap
Stomachs begin to growl
one wakes then the other as well
tussle and play then time to eat
my day ends as it began can you tell?
Belt Buckle
Shine and see your reflection in the bronze,
flower swirling across your nose as you blink
away the grime in you. Christmas is here.
Valentines alone, but you promised you’d stay.
Words left to linger on empty air, waves
float unheard in your ears: I’ll always love you.