24 Poems ~ 24 Hours
I can still see the sheet metal
held overhead, charging. One
missed step, a portable guillotine.
Running around the bonfire
at 3am drunk on Everclear
and guilt. Not afraid for himself.
Not afraid for me.
Reckless piece of shit.
pit. pat. pit. pat. pit. pat.
pit pat pit pat pit pat pit pat
pitter patter pitter patter pitter patter pitter
patter pitter patter crack patter pitter patter
gruuuumble patter pitter patter crash patter pitter
patter gruuuUMMMble pitter thonk pitter plink BOOM! plink plonk
thonk plink THUUUUURRRRR—RRRRRUUUUUUMMBLE patter
CLASH! BANG! plonk patter GGRRRUUUUUMMMMMMMMMBLE
pitter thonk plink patter plonk crack pitter patter
rruuuuuummmmm patter pitter patter pitter patter
pitter pat pitter pat pitter pat pitter pat
pit. pat. pit. pat. pit. pat. pit.
The darkness holds secrets
They thrive when hidden
There’s no way for them to slip out
The world right before my eyes now they seem to laugh and tell all sorts of lies, it isn’t gentle anymore. Stand alone. Don’t conform, don’t fade away, an option for everyone. I will not be a fool. Open for everyone to explore. Make a difference
Coffee
7-Up
Water
An embarrassment of Peanut M&M’s
Deli turkey on croissant sandwich with Caesar salad on the side
Peanut butter pretzels
More water
Water
As if possible, more Peanut M&M’s
Next up, via my gracious wife, rotisserie chicken with a scrumptious side dish or two
See what happens when I’m let loose in the marathon zoo?
I lust for sugar
many sweets I crave
just as strong as a drug
it lures me, kills me
makes me bug
like lunatic I rave.
There is no power greater
than any sugarnado
the addiction spins, and later
makes me sick, a hater.
Yet always return to the hive
like a bee, I always thrive
secretly, I feed, and grow each comb
my stomach, resembling mama’s womb.
This sweet lust, it must be stopped
or else soon eat at me
turn my body into mush
to die, horribly and untimely.
So I must end this insane dance
all sugar, cut off this lulling trance
instead choose natural, healthy fruit
to wean, finally give lust the boot.
– Sandra Johnson, June 25, 2022
The opportunity for the perfect duet is out there somewhere;
you just haven’t found it yet
or she’s just not ready to take to the stage alongside you
& belt out auld lang syne as if no one else were around.
But you know exactly the kind of song partner who will be sitting across from you on those stools no one should eve be subjected to.
She’ll be kind, thoughtful, funny, never hesitating to put anyone else before herself, up for anything, & someone who can match you wit for wit.
& you promise to keep the mic warm for her until such time as she’s ready to see just how far vibrato can get you in the real world.
In the corner of the market
Duck beneath the ivy arch
Into dusty verdant perfume,
There you’ll find a witches’ storeroom.
Endless bright and pungent spices,
What they cure they will not tell.
Winding words and bargain vices
And they too eager for the sell.
If you can, ignore those pages,
Find instead the leaf-vein cages,
Delicate and doorless they
Each hold a hapless, formless fae.
Bring me one such silken lantern
Take it to the river clear
And if its spirit you return, in turn
I’ll make the price less dear.
DogSpeak #14 Raceway
Welcome folks to the Indy 500!
No cars, no tracks, just two dogs
and a stairway.
Get set for some excitement
as we ready at the start of lap 1.
Motors revving, we’re inching over
the line, go! Uh oh, here comes Mommy
with a big basket full of clean laundry.
She’s two steps up and we can’t stop!
She saw us, sidestepped, and we tied
at the landing. Lap 2 is down, another tie.
We’re huffing hard but ready for lap 3 –
we’re intent – it’s race day! Oh no,
here comes Mommy again, this time
on her cell phone. She knows us,
knows our games, but she’s distracted.
Whoa, Mommy held on, down went
the empty basket, landed on my brother
and he’s in a cage, haha! Mommy’s
yelling, he’s running with the basket
on his back and I’m on the couch
laughing.
Dad’s in the basement, hears the ruckus
and is stomping up the steps. My brother
shucks the basket, we’re at the top of
the stairs in a flash, falling fast. Dad
sees us, puts his hands up to warn us
but it’s too late, we’re tumbling down,
arms, legs, paws, and tails spinning;
we land on a pile of dog blankets, soft
and cushy, a face full of kisses for Dad
for catching us. But we got caught
for the last time.
Sorry folks but the raceway is closed
for the season, forever really. We’re
grounded – that means we have to stay
on one floor, no tandem stair races,
no laps up and down, but lots of sloppy
kisses for Mommy and Daddy.
We can’t be stopped, we need to race.
Now to set up some dirt tracks across
the backyard, around the veggie garden,
through the garage, and to the pool, yeah!
Stayed tuned for the next race day!
~ J R Turek
Betrayal -Haiku
By: LuvMiFreely
I didn’t want to believe
You would place the knife so deep
Thought you were my friend