Best Goods Poems
I love to reminisce about great Aunt Mattie.
Her home perched atop of an old barber shop;
a barber pole below her apartment told my young eyes
that we’d arrived at her place.
Her tiny space, smelled of a million confections and
um, lilacs; house a plethora of oriental treasures;
stories fed my wild imagination.
She worked as a nurse but, she was born with a baker’s soul and
she should have had her own bakery.
The old candy cane pole was so appropriate;
revealed her subconscious desires.
I believed her canary sang so well;
of sweet scents wafting silently throughout the rooms;
he was so blessed to reside there inhaling the,
buttery chocolate and caramel bliss.
I was blessed to visit and savor them as
I perused her, “what knots”;
the Chinese dragons and lions who shared her home,
her brass dragon gong, now lives with me;
it still sings of her creations;
each time that I awaken it and my palate joins the song,
as I travel once again through, “what knot”, stories; breathing in butterscotch, cocoa and lilac memories.
The scent of linen,
Slacks, creams, leather. Mellow tunes.
Soft muted bustle.
We move promptly to our quest.
In the purse, Mom’s hard won cash.
~
The shoe department...
Always with my size and style.
The well-groomed salesman,
His warm charm sooths my unease
At the cold chrome size device.
~
Brylcreem, tweed, Old Spice.
Soft caring hands hold my feet.
New shoes. Perfect fit.
And now, such memories past
Bring warm solace to my years.
* Reworked version submitted in tanka format.
Damaged Goods
In summer sun’s sagacious rays
A butterfly with ragged wings
Settled on the sidewalk
In search of food or rest or other things
Slow, strolling steps brought me to her side that day
Her wings were slowly yawning to and fro
I saw the ragged edges marred
A predator had tried to take her life
She got away but bore the scar
Now she flies erratically, and slow
But ah, her colors shimmered so!
Blue purer than the air
In the sun, sparkled like a million atom stars
Yellow so shy it was hardly there
Emerald splashed like strokes by Michelangelo
They froze my gait
And captured my eyes
‘til I was lost in a universe
of delicate size
and majestic fate
I held my breath
My throat grew tight
I fell in love
With the spirits’ fight
To live beyond its brush with death
Feelings tumbled from my breast
If I could only paste a part of my soul
On her wing to repair its ragged loss
I gladly would, to make her whole
Who more than measure, she had blest
But hope and want rarely comply
With harsh reality
Or the step of time.
Nor can beauty cure insanity
Or heart enfold a butterfly
So I stood entranced by her beauty there
And caught the spirit of her bravery
Though torn and damaged goods
She was the loveliest butterfly I shall ever see
Her injury made her only all the more fair
She could not have known how much I cared
We both were bound by destiny
The moment passed as moments do
And then she flew away from me
Fluttering and stumbling through the air
D-eliver the goods,
A-nd do what is required;
S-imply obey and never complain,
Y-ou'll gain what you've desired.
J-ust deliver the goods,
A-nd come up to the expectation;
N-ever delay nor linger,
E-ndure till the day of salvation.
B-egin to deliver the goods,
U-ntil you touch the sky;
R-emain firm and faithful,
E-arly thirty-first of July.
R-each your greatest goal,
O-r be lost into the woods;
S-tay strong and brave, deliver the goods.
It's clear to me I'm damaged goods,
The world's not always kind,
This fact, (for you are wounded too),
Weighs heavy on my mind.
I know I disappoint myself,
What chance that I won't you.
The truth is most feel lost in woods,
Fear others might be WOLF!
World's full of those who choose to harm,
YOU BLEED, THEY'RE NOT ALONE,
Please understand, but hate their choice,
A sin like this is stone
That they must wear around their neck,
A karmic warning voice,
That sends to others strong alarm,
That evil stay in check!
Though you SHOULD HATE the weakness shown,
FORGIVE the one who's weak,
To guard against it in ourselves,
Err on the side of meek,
With conscious choice first not to harm,
Don't look for lucky elves
Or friend (that you call on the phone).
React! Don't trust in charm!
Extend your hand to one who's down,
Trust God will aid your cause.
No tit for tat (deserved reward)
Find favor in His Laws,
His gift to those who know His Grace:
His servants! So adored,
They never fear their Father's frown
(Though no one sees his face).
Long Tooth
April 24, 2018
There they stood,
naked and heartbroken,
beyond words, beyond expression.
Still, frozen in time,
beyond their prime,
lost in silence, thunderstruck.
To the core.
Obviously, utterly,
bitterly beyond heartbroken.
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
You stole my soul
left me hollow inside
Broke my heart open
and left me to cry
You scratched my surface
to find my weakness
Threw it back in my face
so I could feel your sickness
Now I’m damaged goods
that’s how you left me
No one wants what’s broken
I’m damaged goods
and thanks to you
truer words were never spoken
You knocked me down
So you’d be above me
Then fed your ego
with all of my misery
You ripped me to shreds
for the littlest things
You broke my spirit
Left me here cringing
Now I’m damaged goods
that’s how you left me
No one wants what’s broken
I’m damaged goods
and thanks to you
truer words were never spoken
Everyone makes it appear so easy,
being able to connect with somebody.
It's as if no one ever told them how hard it is,
but then again I am damaged goods.
Brown hands are red in the white sea
Picking white things in the scourging yellow
Tired drops of sweat fall from the bodies
Skin deep beauty stolen from the Mother Land
Forced to travel in hell on water
Brought to the White Land to serve the superior
Cry little girl don't you stop
For your mami and daddy are rotting fruits on a tree
Soon master will grab your brown neck with his white claws
Billie Holiday sweetly sang in Strange Fruit:
"Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh"
The stolen bodies only plain existed in life
But now they are spirits and alive in death
For in Heaven power voices sweetly sing FREEDOM AT
LAST!
Give me your pain I will put it with mine
I will save it for later in the back of my mind
Give me your tears I will keep them around
To be taken out daily and worn with a frown
Give me your fears I will put them away
What good is your fear when I die every day
Give me your hatred I will use it with care
To direct at myself when I lay my soul bare
But don't give me a kindness I could never return
Because bitterness and hatred is all I have learned
Do not give me your love for it wouldn't be safe
I've a hole in my heart with no love to replace
Do not give me your trust for I wouldn't know how
Mine has always been broken replaced only with doubt
And don't give me your laughter for it would not sit well
With the pain and self loathing that lives where I dwell
Excuse me please can I return this heart,
The one you sold me was torn apart,
I have a receipt folded so neat,
Have you one in stock that doesn't beat,
Sorry love I've changed my mind,
Keep that heart it was never mine.
We are killing our earth
It's dying away
In the future we'll reap
What we sow today
Our children's inheritance
A dead empty shell
Nothing left of the beauty
That we know so well
The green of the forest
Is turning to brown
As acre by acre
The trees tumble down
The fox and the badger
The tiger the deer
Will be hunted down
Till they all disappear
If our earth is threatened
Then so are we
With no planet to live on
Where will we be?
So what can we do?
Surely you see
The answer's in you
And the answer's in me
The damage we've done
There's still time to repair
If only we'd listen
If only we'd care
If we all work together
We will find the right way
So let's start this moment
Let's start today
I ask for refuge to Allah from Satan the exiled evildoer.
In the name of Allah the Kind and the Merciful Giver.
Abundance of goods blindfolds you
Until you come to the graves
O yea! what you are thinking is not true
O sure! what you are thinking is not true
If you had the knowledge of the faith
You could see the inferno
You will see it with your own eyes later
Then you will be questioned about God’s favor.
The merchandise looked perfect
Longing to have this master's work
Everything about it would make my life complete
The legs were perfect even and balanced
Even the color of the merchandise glowed and I desired
It spoke to me of how it would fit in a nook in my lonely life
I planned and planned how I could have it
Dreaming day and night
The day finally arrived
It was delivered to my home but where I placed it
The whole area it consumed
It seem to overpower everything
The color so beautiful at the store
Became dull unfashionable
In my life it became a bore
Looking at the monstrousity
As it smiled so cunningly at me
I wanted to throw it out the door
I called Salvation Army come get this merchandise
Remove it out my door
I should have know that it was a White Elephant
The minute I eyed it at the store!!!
Never accept shoddy goods or poor service, you have consumer rights, if they don't address your concerns, contact their chairman.
Quote by poet
When I was growing up my dear mother often said to me
Always speak when spoken to and be courteous as can be
So, it riles me when folks are ignorant and couldn't give a dime
But I give them benefit of the doubt and say it a second time.
Faulty goods suck too when you take them back to the store
They make out that it's been misused and show you the door
But you have consumer rights and are entitled to your money back
Make sure you're assertive and calm but never go on the attack.
There's no excuse for poor service either or they choose to ignore you
But their attitude changes completely when you threaten to sue
First, they'll fob you off and try to provide an excuse that is lame
But stand your ground firmly and play them at their own game.
I once heard a quote 'there's no friendship in business' ; that is so true
Companies often forget it's you paying them, it's not them paying you
Loyal customers should be rewarded and treated with respect
So, look around and go elsewhere if they show you any disrespect.
Thankfully, those kinds of sad ignorant people are in a minority
And most people will go the extra mile, so you're left feeling happy
So, If you've been fobbed off with poor service or dealt a poor hand
Use X, Facebook or TikTok to warn others and make a firm stand.
Written on the 3rd may 2025.