The Poetry Marathon

Bane of Men

I can stare down the most ferocious of beasts.

Ripping splinters from my hand is as painful as swatting away a fly.

Why is it then that when a woman glances in my direction,

My knees become so weak?

Is it out of love?

A natural desire for that which I cannot have?

Or perhaps, it is the emotion that all men hide.

 

Fear.

Fear of rejection.

Fear of heartache.

Fear of how quickly her laugh can turn from blissful to sadistic.

 

Such is the bane of man, such is the suffering of the soul.

Curse this confliction! The old adage is true.

“Can’t live with them, can’t live without them.”

Alteration

Alteration

He pulled her inside
The bus took off noisily
She screamed – they ignored.

Heaven into hell.
Black Clouds moved over the sun.
Her end was near.

Light. Dark. In between.
Joy. Laughter. Success. Destroyed.
Where is the justice?

Why must women hurt?
Do our vaginas Make us weak?
It has to stop now.

Rape. Murder. Lies.
One human against others?
Let’s save each other.

Fireflies

As she dances to the music of the setting sun,
her shadow plays with fireflies

Thread

The string we shared was a thin one,

little steel cable, shimmering

in the glow of bliss,

and even as our days grow dark,

I can feel the string pulling me out, pulling me in,

though you’re 2000 miles away,

I can’t help myself, I’m strung to you

and the night is full and bright,

and I have miles to go before I sleep,

and the string is singing of lovely lullabies,

dreams and late-night goodbyes.

Elementally Different

You see yourself above me,

like wind in Starry, Starry Night.

You see yourself as my support,

the earth, dry and warm,

You see yourself as needed,

life giving water, quenching my thirst.

You see yourself as passionate,

with a fire dangerously close.

I see you as elementally different

needed and wanted more than hoped.

Elementally different,

life forces throughout my days –

I learn to accept and accommodate

and have and live with you.

Elemenatlly different,

life forces throughout my nights –

I learn to accept and accommodate

and have and love with you.

 

impermanence

follicles of once

mighty dandelions’ manes

scatter in the breeze

 

The “Me” Time

From dusk to dawn,

The womanly chores goes on.

 

Cleaning, washing, ironing, cooking,

baby sitting and the list goes on.

 

Delegating official tasks, managing reports,

signing important documents, holding meetings,

planning futuristic goals and the corporate

responsibilities goes on.

 

The evening falls, family takes the stroll,

Discussions on the whole day long,

Sorting complicated issues and the

Family chit-chat goes on.

 

Dinner over, day ends, womanly subject

Roles accomplished, but the “Me” time

Never comes up and never goes on.

 

I am “I” and nobody can ever be,

But the “Me” time is stolen from now on

And will soon go on.

 

Now the dawn comes, meditation spreads,

Exercise does its role, beautification snaps

A goal and the “Me” time goes on.

 

Yes it’s me- the very “Me” and

My “Me” time is a precious regime

That will forever go on.

 

 

MORE… I WANT MORE

Hour 2

MORE… I WANT MORE

More, I want more.
The years have gone too fast
for photographs to
capture,
on a page.
Lest those dearest would see our fall,
Some, we don’t share at all.
Grieving, I want more…
the precious moments and
joyful laughs;
stories from a sage.
Time once spent with
glad remembrance.
Now, with exuberance,
those moments I retrace.
Longing, I want more.
Oh, to simply see your face;
to hear you say
those words of love
you cannot speak
from far above.
Your blood runs through my vein.
Your features, on my face, remain
Words you spoke
often crowd my head
Your hug is what I want instead.

© 2017 Kathleen J Kidder

Goodbye

You said goodbye and walked

Into the fading afternoon sun

 

I stood looking at you hoping

That you will turn back

 

But you continued on until

You disappeared from my sight

 

I moved away with not

A tear in my eye

 

Life will go on, we will go on

Only, in separate ways

Paranoia

 

At night I lay awake,
And the floors start to shake!
The doors start creaking,
And the walls start speaking,
As my chest truly aches.