God
loves us
all
then si-
lence
I was driving a station wagon, Dad on my right
Mom, young kids, and dog in back seat
Construction ahead, a warning light
In my mind I keep the scene on repeat
I saw the truck in my rearview mirror
It was going fast, I was going slow
I couldn't accelerate as it got nearer
It climbed on our wagon, in Idaho.
It forced the rear of the car into asphalt
The rear doors sealed, but the dog did a vault
Mom lifted the kids over, seared her skin
Moved sideways and a flame shot up where she'd been.
We all made it out, and Mormons took us in
Kids made Mormon friends, and we regrouped
Took an airplane the rest of the way to the coast
Not a story of which I can boast.
Dad's summer teaching had to cover the cost
But we won something, not just lost
We found strength and friendship where we didn't expect
From people whose kindness I'll never forget.
Now every flashing warning light
Takes me back to that July.
A rearview mirror, one long breath,
The line between life and death.
Besides the Mormons, I also thank fate
Death has to come, but death had to wait.
In the darkness of despair where shadows loom,
Evolves the diamond from the ashy gloom.
From fiery trials and pressured pain,
Emerges the diamond struggling - not in vain.
The cuts and chips make the light shine bright,
Revealing beauty hidden from sight.
The diamond in the ashes formed by the flame,
A witness of resilience, it does proclaim.
Each facet carved and every tear shed,
Polishes the diamond and the soul’s thread.
Through disdainful despair, hope still thrives
Like the diamond in the furnace, our spirit survives.
For in the deep dangerous dark and doomed night,
The diamond, the survivor – brilliantly beautiful, bold and bright.
Copyright © 2019 by Crystal David John
(I wrote this poem for my niece who went through such difficulty and yet shone through it all. She continues to face her challenges with God's grace and her own willpower.)
The scooter raced past my auto.
My heart skipped a beat.
He hit another scooter beside us —
a heavy thud split the road.
It happened all of a sudden.
For a moment, I could not understand.
I felt sorry for those who were hit.
My auto paused; I felt scared.
I wanted the auto to move.
I did not wish to look at their pain.
Luckily, the auto moved on,
and I felt relief.
Someone would pick them up.
They would gather themselves somehow.
Accidents are easy to read in the news,
but ugly to witness.
O my God,
I was lucky it was not me.
What was their hurry?
They could have slowed down,
could have avoided hitting each other.
I felt better as we moved past.
It would become another story
I would eventually forget.
Adieu, Grandma. We loved you.
Christmas won't be the same without you.
We'll miss you a bunch.
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2026
The Joy Of
Letting It All Be
Free.
Free FREER Free
Free.
I Don’t Care, What?
Oh, Just LET IT BE
Hilarious!
Free Life!
Surprised?
I Am.
TeeHeeHee Hee He.
Accidently, I Guess.
Lucky Me.
-Gray Squirrel
02-27-2026
?
Shhh...
There's Always
A
CATCH... Meow.
Driving uphill with only faith.
Stay in your lane at all cost.
Chance meetings can be catastrophic.
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2026
Cigarette butts tossed to wind.
Planet earth seemingly one big dirty ashtray.
A simple question of respect.
Also major cause of 'accidental' forest fires.
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
The Accident
Two automatic cars collided
They were going to pick up their owners
at their place of work
Who are we to blame
It was reported that a man casting no shadows
had stood near the accident
It was said by an onlooker that the man had
concentrated hard on something before
the crash
The authorities are investigating the case
It must be well known by all that thinking
It is illegal to be in a public place
However, thoughts at home are legal, providing
It is not shared with anyone or written down
The car crash still awaits a solution
Aerial acrobatics at the circus.
They have everyone in oohs and ahhs.
One slip and fall ~ it’s all over.
Broken bones won’t be the worst of it.
I'd travel back to yesterday
for lunch and thereupon
because I'd had my chili hot
I wouldn't leave the john!
I'm looking for my brother
Could he be hiding in the kitchen?
Oops ~ methinks I found him
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: 3rd place 2025
I walked in the garden
yeah, that was me
I stepped on a plant
accidentally.
In my defense it was gloomy,
there was no moon
I would have missed it
if it had been noon
I’m afraid it was fatal
you’re the first with the results
it was limp and unresponsive
and it had no pulse
I decided I’d bury it - it was gone.
I’d do it after jogging, about dawn
I thought it improvident and beyond needs,
it turned out fine - it recovered - it’s a weed..
.
Songs for this:
A Girl In Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing) by Romeo Void
Can't Be Sure by The Sundays
The snow is silent
The waiting room is empty,
Crash in the ER
entry for Charles Messina's "Fourtle" contest, September 17, 2025
no stair, light blown
climbed chair, broke bone
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