Only Silence
I remember
When people spilled out
And doors spewed them
I remember
When children burst in seams
And flew in the air
I remember laughter
And banter
And mirth
Now, there is only silence
Hour Ten – Holy Snake
Hour Ten – Personify an animal. Switch its trait. Example: a disinterested lion, a polite gorilla, an aggressive giraffe…
Holy Snake
She slithered across the floor
over the mat, where they sat, folded hands.
Palms, which unfolded briefly
to touch her, pet her, as she slid by.
The ones who touched her, felt blessed
their prayers answered, their wishes met.
For they had come to negotiate with God.
Bargain. Barter. Bribe
You give me a son, and I’ll give up smoking.
You make my sick wife well, and I’ll quit cheating.
Give me. Give me. Give me.
Sneha helped them.
She curled up on the lap of the favoured one,
and took his desires to her master.
And lapped the milk with her pointed tongue
almost purring with feline delight.
As they left, satisfied, into the night.
For Sneha would liaise for them.
Sneha, the Holy Sssnake
After You (Hour 10)
After You
I am one of Harvey’s hummingbirds.
I know…it ridiculous to act like he owns me.
But ya know he’s got some of the best sugar water around.
And he doesn’t forget to refill it like his lazy neighbors.
So it’s an easy gig but there is a catch.
I wish I wasn’t so intuitive but I can see
Harvey’s not so crazy about when I chase
Chester away every time he tries to swipe
my food.
Oh, excuse me – there’s Zoe.
I need to fly way high like this
and, hang on, swooooop down so fassssst!
That must have really impressed her!
But back to Harvey and Chester.
Yeah it’s kinda hard to do I admit
but I don’t want to disappoint Harvey
so Chester go ahead, after you.
Ya gotta realize I lap up nectar
eighteen times a second,
I ain’t no slouch.
I can catch up.
So go ahead Chester
Please you first.
But stay away from Zoe!
10. My visit to the Zoo
The other day I went to the zoo,
to my amazement, the gorilla tipped his
bowler hat and greeted me with a
” How do you do!”
It’s a topsy turvy world out there,
as I got invited to partake in a
honey n cinnamon toast by a bear.
A python slithered next to me
and grinning with its forked mouth
placed a gentle kiss on my knee.
To the parrot I said hello
and he sqauked back,
” Get lost, you F#$@** dirty fellow”
Now I scratch my head
and begin to wonder, if all this is true
or was I just dreaming
that I went to the zoo!
Poem 10. To Be Kind Humans and Gentle Bears
A bear greeted them
gently on their wooded path
would they be so kind
as to share a cookie or
perhaps a half a sandwich.
In my head he spoke
a proper British accent,
but it could have been
any polite whisper I
suppose, being a bear and
all who speaks instead
of growls. With sandwich in hand
he further asked to
join them on their midday hike
and being such a gentle
and such a strong bear,
he carried all the backpacks.
When his friends saw him
not eating his new hiking
pals, they taunted and teased him.
But, the gentle bear
offered the others halves of
sandwiches, too, which
filled their bellies and softened
their big and growly bear hearts.
They all walked along
together, with the hikers
sharing their canteens
And the bears picking the most
perfect berries on the trail
for them all.
HOUR TEN ~ Big Sharp Pointy Teeth
BIG SHARP POINTY TEETH
maybe we aren’t bunnies after all
we cry, we bite, we stomp the ground
we could be dangerous if pressed
we have fluff but we have fangs too
and no it’s not a quest for the holy grail
although some will think it should be
especially if some call him tim
there’s blood and bones but we look so innocent
pat warned us how love was a battlefield
we knew it was a dangerous game
but we believed in the stories we tell
through our bodies and our eyes
we’re not just hungry and horny
though one could be forgiven for thinking so
there’s a rage to all the niceties
bundled in the center of our cuddle puddle
so maybe just consider that a warning
kindness comes worthwhile for its own sake
but if that motivation won’t make do
fear can stand in with a smile and suffice
My Patient Cat: A Fantasy
My patient cat waits for me
to finish reading. She knows
I’ll feed her.
She gets up from my keyboard
when I need to work. Waits
for my lap until I’ve finished
eating, writing, chopping vegetables.
Obeys when I tell her to stay off the counter.
If her bowl is empty at night, she waits
until I wake up in the morning
She would never wake me by licking my forehead
until she has my attention.
If she needs a drink from the filter tap,
she stands by until the sink is empty
before she jumps in.
What a well-behaved cat Sissy is.
Oh hell, who am I kidding?
Hour Ten – Haiku
The disloyal dog
Watches me leave aburptly
I lost faith that day
Hour Ten: A Family Secret
Boxed wine and 7-up
That’s the way she likes to fuck
Up her memory of the day
“Wind down” she likes to say
A clever disguise to hide
Behind the truth which is
My mom’s an alcoholic
Hour 10 (Left Behind)
Didnt realize how fast the time goes
Only to realize
I am behind
Nevertheless I will do my best.
Poetry is a must.
Copyright(C)2022 Roxann Lawrence