The Poetry Marathon

Vellichor- Scent of old books

Prompt 5

(I used the following words: hardback, sunflower, knitting, cheddar cheese, space, wine glass)

 

With a hardback I sit in my lawn

With every story, I’m newly born

A sunflower is tickling my feet

My knitting left for a yellowed sheet

My heart melts gooyey like chedder cheese

Every book makes me plead, “One more please!”

When disturbed or sad, I need some space

My poetry book’s a saving grace

The sweet and bitter of a wine glass

Drinking my joy, ’tis a happy lass!

Hey Gal

Remember riding in my Chevy Nova
through downtown Traverse City
how we blasted the Talking Heads
all the way down Front Street?

How was it that we had
so much time in our lives
to just sit around talking
and drinking Labatts and smoking Camels?

My kids are grown now
about that age we were
when we became thick and thieves
and probably did illegal stuff.

But we never got caught
and I hope they never do either
but if they do, meh – I’ll
chalk it up to chance.

We had it good for a while
didn’t we?
We had our whole lives
ahead of us.

Now here we are.
Age found us both.
I’m a mom, maybe a grandma soon
and you – how are you?

[Prompt 6: Write a letter to yourself from the perspective of someone who is no longer in your life.]

Hour 5 (2022)

I crave a day
without pavement.
Basking in the space
between sunflowers
and oak trees.
A place where I can rest
and feel holy in the sunshine.
Knitting my body and mind
back together again.
Where grass tickles my feet
and my worries blow away
on laughter in the wind.

Hour 6 – Dog Birthday -Image Prompt

A pup on the sofa

Today’s its birthday

It doesn’t care, but happy birthday

Pup on the sofa

Smiles at the camera

It just wants to eat the cake

Mom put on the counter

A pup on the sofa

A moment so pristine

The minute that this is over

It stops being so clean.

The pup flies from the sofa

To the kitchen to the cake

And starts tearing it apart

Good thing it’s a dog cake

Mom is frustrated but it’s worth it

So she doesn’t yell

Her sweet pup from the sofa

Earned a treat as well

Keeping her safe all these years

Doing its job swell

Happy birthday sheepdog

Your ancestors were wolves

That wanted a good meal

And now you’re here with us

A loving pet who feels

To My Granddaughter

I wanted to write and let you know…
I understand so much more about you from here
Your thirst for independence, but you still held us dear.
I remember you cooking meals with me
And changing the dishes
Doing so much work and being innovative
Against my wishes
You embraced change while I resisted.
We talked of modern times and I nearly fainted
It always surprised me how morals are now so tainted.
I am grateful I saw my great granddaughter
I hope she knows how much you wanted her.
I leave you with one piece of advice on this day
Love all you have in every way.

Text Prompt -Poem 6 Ode to a Mother

 

Choir – Hour 6

Dear Mrs. Booth,

You didn’t like me much

in high school choir. You 

thought I was lazy and 

believed me to be a slouch. 

You never knew how much 

I adored the wonderful music 

you chose.  The class,

so in awe of the other students. 

I adored everyone, except me.

 

I wanted to sing for you more than

you could know, though you did try,

you did. Once you looked right

at me astonished, up there

hidden away in the back row.

 

Only three of us sang alto

and first soprano in the choir.

One was already a soloist 

for you at recitals and such. 

That left two of us, she and I.  

 

You looked directly at me 

you knew, you knew! 

I looked away, I looked 

at the floor and I pointedly 

looked at her beside me.  

 

Please, please do not pick me,

Mrs. Booth. I mantra’d to you

over and over again and you 

did not pick me, thankfully

you picked her, but she knew too. 

 

So I’d like to apologize today

for my inadequacy in your eyes. For my lack

of gumption, my lack of ambition, and extreme

shyness, now there’s a name for it –

Aspergers Syndrome.  

Desert Lover

Desert Lover

 

Walking through

the alleys of old Bisbee,

I thought I saw

the ghost of an ex-junkie

 

who captured my attention

in these same streets,

twenty-three years ago.

 

A face like Richard Gere’s—

eyes wandering

inward, as if bored.

 

Cheap boots caked

with layers of dust,

probably given to him

by an ex-girlfriend.

 

Always, his shrill fixation

on his one

great achievement:

 

a novel picked up by a

major publisher, then

out of print

five years later,

 

with no further plans

for distribution.

 

His inability to stay in bed

for more than an hour

after sex. And, most of all,

 

his uncanny communication

with extraterrestrials,

 

who somehow couldn’t

keep their hands

off his genitals.

 

Who could blame them?

Neither could I.

Prompt Six: (letter) I hope you did not learn from me

 

I hope you did not listen to me
what little did I know
and how little did I know it
how often did it show?

I hope you did not learn from me
I hope that it was clear
my life was plagued by past regrets
there were no lessons here

Except to forge your own way through
the obstacles you face
not to become like your old man
not to just take up space

Pursue the passions of your heart
have pride in who you are
for doing what you’re meant to do
is sure to take you far

And if you know not what that is
don’t wallow in a pit
nor imagine what you could have done
whilst there’s still chance to do it

I hope you did not learn from me
for what had I to teach
except that, if your dreams are small,
that’s all you’ll ever reach

 

Photo by Johnny Cohen on Unsplash

A Place Under The Stars

The stars shines so brightly like the sun

Comforting the souls of many from dark days

A piece of God’s heart

Looking over us

Waves of lights yellow hues

Sparks the life we live over again

White pure lights

Burns with God’s might

Central part of the universe

Gives hope to us

Glows of his miracles of blessing

A place under the stars

A place within God’s home

Where we are safe