Best Nadine Poems
my soul is the shape of a bloodstain
poured there by Nadine Maraschino
my right eye sits
in the ruby voodoo goblet
that she wears upon her head
Nadine was a 3-toed egg laying harpy
from the cauldron of shame
but she used her brain cleverly
with candor and anti-obfuscatory ardor
it was the mystic East
humping the mystic West
so said the gaming industry statistics
don’t believe me then
talk to my lawyers then
Circumstance & Circumstance
writs tarts and exonerations
they’ll tell you of the settlement
coded instruction to the next generation
Nadine's heart was as big as a catcher's mitt
her white garments billowed
like clouds passing before the moon
we met in an emergency room
after I pulled my best pickup line
hi I'm a friend to the entire human race
and she countered with
want auntie Nadine to show you
how to be a big boy
a buzzard shadow passed over her face
she pulled me close and hissed
if no one wants to look foolish
why so many truth murdering fools
I weakly countered with
if thoughts are differentiated
one from the other then so are you
Nadine’s lizard tongue gave him
the secret to the garden
descending down his throat
like a black lung miner
how can you tell if it's morning noon or night
hint you'll need a sense of sequence
hers was a dangerous mission
for both covert and overt ends
the life's a ***** and then you die cynics
took us for a pack of numbskulls
well we were arrayed in a tatty splendor
consisting of zero camouflage
but there was no substitute for living deep
even in Happy Valley
the slightly assisted living community
well hell we're all assisted
aren't we supposed to get smarter
as time scurries us along
and last I'd like to thank
my non-existent financial backers
for timely script development
From "Engine of Didactic Beauty" available on Amazon
Artist Portfolio: http://walteralter.byethost32.com/
The Zebra Mussel Invasion (The Story Of The Three Hump Clam)
God’s opalescence-
Mississippi riverbed
Suffocating sleep
_________________________________________________
Dedicated to Nadine and Burl, of “River City Pearls” in Alma
Wisconsin, fighting heroically to save the many species of
Mississippi river clams, bordering on extinction, from the
Choking Zebra Mussel invasion, your effort is honorable.
.
For you history buffs, Nadine was a pioneer in the Chinese
“mother of pearl” button-trade industry over 50 yrs. ago,
(now vanished) originating from this area of the Mississippi near
Alma called “Lake Pepin” a vast expanse of the river with
Minnesota on one side, and Wisconsin on the other, her River
Pearl Jewelry and Oil Paintings are internationally acclaimed.
There was a cute girl named Nadine,
Who loved to snatch things that were green.
An emerald she took
From Grandmother's nook
And thought what she stole wasn't seen.
Now Granny was simply amused
To see how Nadine's face changed hues.
She asked what was that
Inside of her hat
That looked like a ring she did lose.
Nadine then began to invent
A tale of the emerald's descent.
"The cat knocked it down.
It fell on my crown.
Been stuck in my hair ever since."
Well Granny could not be beguiled
From the looks of an "innocent" child
"Oh dear, it got snared?
Let's cut off your hair!",
Said she in a tone oh so mild.
Nadine shrieked, "Oh please don't do that!
It really was not the poor cat.
I took your grand ring
For the praises it'd bring.
I should not have acted like that!"
My father stole my wife, Nadine,
And they run off together.
My brother took off after them,
Hell bent for leather.
I would have gone myself but then,
I was on the job,
So who was there to turn to then,
But Brother Billy-Bob.
He found them in a cheap motel,
The other side of the mountain,
Burst in the room and pulled his gun,
And Dad went down 'thout countin'.
Billy-Bob then grabbed Nadine,
And threw her in the truck,
You'd think he'd bring her straight to me,
But there ain't no such luck.
He looked into her big blue eyes,
Said, You are now my gal.
I really ought to take you home,
But yer purty as a spotted cow.
So now Nadine's with Bill-Bob,
But I guess I'll just leave her.
The best revenge on both of them,
Is fer me to let him keep her.
O Nadine,
death has momentarily
revealed its face.
Thy name shall ne'er go in vain.
Yea, thou prepareth for a
journey of splendor and grace.
O he Lord
hath laid a destine path for thee
leading unto a divinely,
heavenly, serenely kind of place.
For thou art a
flawless redest rose and the
heavens be thy vase.
My father stole my wife, Nadine,
And they run off together.
My brother took off after them,
Hell bent fer leather.
I would have gone myself but then,
I was on the job,
So who was there to turn to then,
But Brother Billy-Bob.
He found them in a cheap motel,
The other side of the mountain,
Burst in the room and pulled his gun,
And Dad went down 'thout countin'.
Billy-Bob then grabbed Nadine,
And threw her in the truck.
You'd think he'd bring her straight to me,
But there ain't no such luck.
He looked into her big blue eyes,
Said,"You are now my gal.
I really ought to take you home,
But yer purty as a spotted cow."
So now Nadine's with Billy-Bob,
But I guess I'll just leave her.
The best revenge on both of them,
Is for me to let him keep her.
I’m dining at a small café
alone—that’s nothing new--
when suddenly THEY sashay by
and blind me with the view!
Just look at that huge shiny sight,
a devastating thing!
Nothing could have readied me
for seeing her fine ring.
While looking at my own left hand,
I think of when I wore
a diamond solitaire much like
the one she now adores.
What hurts the most is knowing that
the man engaged to me
six months ago is the same one
that, through my tears, I see
embracing her. I hear him say,
“We’ll never be apart.”
He gave to her one precious stone,
a bullet to my heart.
Then, rubbing salt into my wound,
as she walked by, she said,
“Oh, have you seen my ring, Nadine?”
She smirked as my heart bled.
entered in Line Gauthier's Another 2017 Stunner Contest, April 2018
placed 2nd
July 20, 2018, entered in Kai Michael Newmann's A Moment in Time Contest
June 15, 2020, entered in Anthony Biaanco's Crushed Poetry Contest
September 21, 2020
entered in Brian Strand's Completely Your Choice (14) Poetry Contest
February 24, 2021
entered in the Salt Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Anthony Biaanco
HOLLYWOOD SQUARES
most wouldn’t find names interesting, but I would
draw squares representing student desks.
i loved looking at the baby book of names,
my mother bought, in my thirteenth year.
so i’d put a name to each of these squares,
Hollywood would give their squares faces
as would the children’s game Guess Who.
Names were simple back in my day.
Mary and Joseph, Nadine and Peter...
Of course Hollywood had fun with names.
One word - Cher, Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn.
Today names are manipulated. They sound
the same with just a tweak of letters.
Like Kym, Davyd, and Naatlee.
And Poetry Soup, you are much
like that stew of names — our own game
of Hollywood Squares.
With questions, truth and lies, a variety of categories.
We have our Phyllis Dillers, Paul Lyndes and even Vincent Prices.
I swim in the sea of names, enjoy our friendship, our love
for poetry. Like pen pals from around the world — we write.
5/25/2018
*Hollywood Squares - American Game Show
*Guess Who - American Board Game for kids
I won’t clean up my room
No matter how you try
To bribe me with all sorts of things
I know it’s just a lie
Don’t think that I will pick up
That sock that’s on the floor
If you don’t want to see it
I’ll simply close the door
You’re bossy and demanding
You act like such a mum
You act like you’re the adult
Well I say you’re not much fun
Don’t think I’ll do my washing
How can you think I could?
I don’t know where to start with that
I don’t see why I should
My clothes don’t need to be folded
Just put them on the floor
I’ll find them in the room somewhere
Don’t put them in the drawer
You tell me that I am spoiled
Well you made me that way
I’ve had a lot of practice
Being who I am today
And when you say I’m childish
What do you expect of me
How can you expect me to be grown up
When I am only 33!
-Nadine Hof, 1 March 2007-
To be read in the voice of Thurston Howell, III
from "Gilligan's Island"
At the club
we drop Poetrysoup
premium memberships
like names
on a social calendar
Binky and Nadine
drink more Bloodies
than I have had tees
on the fairway
Their mansion
rages rococo
For minimalists
they really
are too much
6/1/17
Hags with snaggled teeth and black hats of cone
Amidst the moldy graves that mark death's zone
Laugh a cackle that chills one to the bone.
Let the dead come forth and release their moan.
Only tortured souls venture to atone
While the living shrink from this sight alone.
Even strong men quiver as smells are blown
Endless from roaming corpses who must groan.
Nadine watches all as the ruling crone.
'Neath a moonless sky young children appear
Inviting strangers to treat or have fear
Goblins will never again look so dear
Hags with snaggled teeth are shocked as they hear,
"Trick or treat my friends, all Hallows are here."
10/18/2016
For contest Halloween
Marty's Diner is a cozy rendezvous for folks of this wee country town.
People come from miles about to enjoy the fixin's fer which it's renown!
It ain't a fancy place - I s'pose there's maybe a dozen tables or so.
It's just Marty, the waitress Nadine and Joe the cook who run the show!
There's a 'liar's table' where guys meet ever' mornin' fer a cup o' joe,
To discuss the attributes of local women, the price of hogs and the world's woe.
Nadine scurries about joinin' in the banter makin' sure their cups is full.
Marty circulates about the place greetin' guests - things is never dull!
On rainy days, farmers park their pickups and settle in fer grub and beer.
They brag about their hound dawgs and gittin' ready for huntin' deer,
The high cost of farmin' and the neighbor's auction comin' up nex' week,
And when the price for corn, oats and soy beans is apt to peak
There's music playin' on KRCC, the local country and western radio.
People rave about the sandwiches and red hot chili concocted by Joe!
A favorite is 'butcher's revenge' (meatloaf) with gravy and smashed pertaters,
Garden fresh peas, a pair of biscuits and a salad with fresh picked termaters!
The Red Hat Society holds their meetin's there the first Thursday at eleven.
The Green Thumb Garden Club meets the third Tuesday at half past seven.
Marty, Nadine and Joe meet their patrons with a 'howdy' and open arms.
They welcome you like family - the fellership is one of its many charms!
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
© All Rights Reserved
We met when we were five
We played and count
Biscuit and ketchup were our meals…a perfect feast
In our teens, we became fashion conscious loving our reflections
You went east and I went west…SADNESS
You found your king and your beautiful little princess
I'm still searching for my happiness, still fighting my inner child
Oh, what an incredible friendship
We don't need to speak daily to honor our attachment, we know our love is endless
Now in our twilight years we still have the bond of friendship...you’re still my best friend.
To: Nadine Conover
wishing you happiness
Why do we need laces?
To tie up our shoes
Why make is so difficult?
To tie that annoying thread through
Mum makes me wear lace ups
I don’t know why she tries
For tying is the thing I hate
And have come to despise
I see my friends with sandals
Or thongs to walk around
Why mum makes me wear sneakers
Is really quite profound
I try to tie the laces
But end up in a fit
For I tie the wrong ones together
And that just makes me trip
And so I keep on trying
To make those laces stay
In a pretty bow upon my shoes
So I can run and play
And when I thought I lost all hope
My mother sat me down
She handed me a present
In a box big and brown
I opened and there they were
Pink and glowing bright
A new pair of sneakers
And oh to my delight
No laces could be found
But velcro to strip them tight
No more fighting with my laces
To do my shoes up right
So now I love my shoes
I wear them everyday
And though one day I might get lace ups
Right now its velcro all the way!
Nadine Hof 23 February 2007
Many families start out poor, and for some
in life all they want is more and more.
Jack could not read very well, but had
a wife, Nadine, who could, and was
wonderful her place to fill.
She read the Bible, Jack preached GODS word.
They were rich in GODS love, and read his word,
and listened for instructions from above.
Jack preached for years about GODS love.
Eight children GOD blessed them with,
now three sons who preach GODS word,
and 2 daughters married to ministers.
Several grandchildren in heaven above.
All eight at one time sang, until all glory and heaven rang.
Twila and Jack to heaven went, and the others are
blest and try daily GODS word to send.
Nadine is 90 and full of GODS love and grace,
no one can ever take her place.
The boys travel and preach GODS word.
and songs so wonderful you can feel GODS
love, grace and mercy to be heard.
Grandchildren worship GOD and sing,
and constantly try others to him bring.
What a wonderful family legacy this little
Arkansas Preacher did to this world bring.