Best Papers Poems
Papers, papers that I never
thought I would have to sign.
Is that blood or ink drops
dripping on the dotted line?
Hair matted and stuck like
glue to a dirty head—
as I lay motionless, days
on end in my coffin like bed.
I never knew it was possible
to sob so hard you couldn't
catch your breath—
But now I know, living in this
agony— I would welcome death.
They say only Time will heal
all wounds, so I intently wait
for that elusive moment to come
that will soothingly seal my fate.
© 2012 Connie Marcum Wong
*This poem is dedicated to the
50% of you whose marriages didn't
succeed. I am happy to say I am
on the positive side this time.
fragile rice papers
cling to a thrashed wicker wall
and silent gazes
kanji-stained blots become buds
some bloom into ureshii
________________________________
1. "Ureshii" means happiness (Japanese).
2. Formerly titled Minamisanriku's List.
I sit in front of the fireplace,
in a house empty and cold;
I throw in another waded up piece of paper
from a box all tattered and old.
The flames consume the paper,
like the hundred pieces it did before,
from love letters that she wrote me,
before my heart, in half, she tore.
I sit in front of the fireplace;
one last piece of paper in my hand -
it is the marriage certificate
that goes along with my golden band.
I sit in front of the fireplace;
the box, now empty, like the house;
the papers now are burnt and gone –
no more evidence I had a spouse.
The Silent white grave,
Muted chirrups of sparrows
Fallen petals of Green dreams
Just put your ear very close
Hear the last melodies
Sung by a cuckoo.
Gaze at the White surface
See the last steps of grassy dances!
Just Smell it,
Feel the last blooming of a jasmine!
A forest is sleeping inside a paper.
You are strange Creature!
Same as a human,
Writing poems about forests,
trees, worms, rivers, and leaves.
Pretending not to see
That you are writing on a white grave!
Killing the word “Sincerity”
Burying the corpse of a forest!
the State of Arizona has signed a very crazy law
that in the opinion of most Americans has some major flaws
it requires each and every person who trods upon their land
to walk around with proof of citizenship papers in their hands
they say it's not racial profiling, they say it's fair and just
to make an assumption about anyone's immigration status
I don't know, maybe it's me
but doesn't this bill violate our basic civil liberties
Arizona is the only state which wanted no part of that federal determination
that made the birthday of the Rev. Dr. M.L. King a day of national celebration
I don't know about you America but I see the writing on the wall
If we don't stop this Bill the integrity of America will fall
most every person in the United States is a product of immigration
be it first, second, third, fourth or fifth generation
how dare those racists in Arizona try to pass this crazy law
that undermines everything that America stands for
"Give me your tired, your hungry and your poor" are the words on the Statue of Liberty
yet this law that demands proof of status is an Unconstitutional absurdity
the Police in turn won't be able to deal with any real crime
if they're going around asking people for citizenship papers all the time
no warrant is required, just a reasonable suspicion
but who has the wherewithall to determine that decision?
Heaven forbid if they should ever encounter a child
would they say "papers please" with a badge and a smile?
this is some BS, why can't they see that this bill is wrong?
and who in hell gave them the authority to tell people where they belong?
this Bill I call "Papers Please" this Bill we must fight
so that every American will sustain their inalienable rights
for this country to be like South Africa was with its aparthied situation
would be a grievous mistake and a true abomination
"Papers Please" Arizona's Senate Bill 1070 we must defeat
we need to let the State of Arizona know that we will take it to the streets
The spiral staircase made her high heels sing,
She ran down to meet him at the doorbells ring,
It has been ages since they last met,
He told her not to worry and not to fret,
A nervous fluttering of butterflies filled her,
Last time the age of sixteen they were,
As they climbed up the steps in her right shaky hand an envelope she held,
She knew the moment he opened it he would instantly be spelled,
From here the City churches pierced the mist,
His lips curved into a twist,
They stood for ages in deathly silence,
Her phone rang and she ignored it out of defiance,
He had pity for the man on the other end,
The poor naive man who believed that all these years was only speaking to a friend,
She opened the crinkled pale yellow envelope for his and her eyes to share,
He closed it, and, now smiling, crossed the square,
Intertwining the new couples hands,
Off to the church to get their desired wedding bands.
June 1, 2018
One Nine and Sixteen Upgrade Version Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Viv Wigley
5th Place
When I'm cleaning
I find her hope;
little pieces of little papers
tucked away
in little places.
silent, secret wishes
of what needs repaired - that no one
can fix or fully understand
her urgency - for
they see no flaws.
And I cry, a cry
for her, because
she won't - So, I dust
around her notes
respecting her reminders
of miracle ears;
little pictures of little things
promising to hide
that which she displays everyday
alone in this
in-between world
that the deaf can't hear
and the hearing can -
what she can't
change, without her little pieces
of little papers
that she tucks away
in little places.
The rock, paper and scissors game
at first glance may seem very tame,
but if you are the loser
and he's an abuser
your wrists may be set quite aflame.
For pd.s contest
Pretty papers piled perfectly perpendicular
Pappy’s preference prefers papers piled properly
Patricia Pappy’s precious princess plunders pile
Pappy painfully piles papers properly precise
Precious princess packs precise papers perfectly
Pappy pondering protecting pretty piled papers
Purposely purchases proper padlock protection
Pouting Precious Princess Patricia picks padlock
Pappy paddles Pouting Precious Princess Patricia
Low-level office drone,
you move cautiously in the corporate hive
Never bringing any attention to yourself,
especially when the pink slip memos fly by
The queen bee of your department,
protects her workers very well
Although from time to time,
she has a tendency to raise living hell
But you never challenge her authority;
you keep your head down, and your voice low
With five more years to a solid pension,
quietly pushing the papers is the prudent way to go
Make no waves,
utter no dissident voice
Management is always monitoring:
so even when they're wrong,
you say they've made the right choice
Keep pushing the papers,
let your conscience live to work another day
on company pay
Don't examine the papers too close,
do exactly what the company say
You ain't a fearless whistle blower,
you're just a low-level rung on the management ladder
A middle-aged balding guy with a bad bladder
So you keep pushing the papers,
'cause everybody ain't brave like Karen Silkwood
Meltdown of a nuclear reactor from faulty parts
the company sold, which you knew were no good
But you pushed the papers on through anyway,
'cause it was time to punch out at the end of the day
We're not papers in crime
Nothing to be discussed
Of what it was
Favor bliss of an epic
And it's verdict
But you fill those empty spaces
Of empty scratches
Of empty me
You give proofread of who I really am
And it's successes
You're an ink of never ending
Always refilled and never broken
It's red just like thee
And your humanity
For what is the use of life
Nor the use of words?
Without any risks?
We're not papers in crime
Our hearts sublime
Beyond time I bow down
And I'll be fine.
News papers like food,
Hot today,
Stale tomorrow!
David Cameron’s been avoiding tax
He’d better pay back,
How’s he gonna make tax laws?
I could have earned a penny more
If I had the right papers
Would have paid tax of the little for sure
If I had the right papers
The man who pays us under the table
Works us for nothing because he is able
I could have believed in all this stuff
If they gave me papers
Every web glistens, every speech a bluff
Without the proper papers
Self interest is the only game here, friend
We are dragnetted as slaves, why pretend?
We store important papers
In a fire-proof metal box,
Which isn’t really that secure,
Not having codes or locks.
It’s where we keep our passports,
Title to the car and deed,
Plus a bunch of envelopes with notes
That we no longer need.
But it was fun to sort through
Items sitting there for years,
Like certificates and paperwork
From both of our careers.
My favorite find contained a list
Of wedding gifts galore
We received from friends and family,
Many on this earth no more.
A coffee pot, a vase, a wok
And an electric knife
And lots of checks both large and small
To start our married life.
We tossed outdated papers
But I couldn’t quite resist
Holding on to just a few, including
Our old wedding list.