The air clings to vintage cherry wood, scalloped & ruffled as it curves, standing on robust intricately carved lions feet, crafted well over 100 yrs ago, living many years in one of Chicago's many stately red-brick row houses, now watching over me in my small condominium in the heart of Minneapolis where Grandpa helped my parents establish a life that would include room for Grandma & Grandpa to age close to their grandchildren & Mom & Dad, Sadly, Grandpa fell with a heart attack hurrying to find his neighbor in a bar downtown Chicago so he could attend his son's highschool graduation, Grandma lived a very short time here with us, but was encouraged to fly (her first nerve-wracked time) back to Chicago for her 50th. high school reunion, where she too, fell and died from a heart attack, anyway, these hardwood family pieces keep me rooted with memories of all the precious loved ones they served and hope for the future.
4/12/26
Tasteless, puckered galoot,
suited to the cold, he has gout.
Shriveled up, with deep veins,
covering up his shameful ways.
She wears umbrella suits.
He wears rubber boots.
Puddles, of mold, paint the walls;
they stare at the ink blots.
A condominium-plot, paid for,
after they bought lashes, teeth,
and progeny - false. Their money
in the grave, would elude
the kittens. Big galoot
and umbrella suit wish they could
watch their kin crumble,
turn blue
and sour too…
An elderly television
speaks to her
in a deafened condominium.
Curtains billow
turning daylight on and off.
Sometimes she looks
into her mind,
often an old movie is playing.
She sees her late husband
dancing with Ginger Rogers.
She goes to the bathroom,
puts her teeth in wanting to look
her best.
Her lover will appear soon
appear in her recliner,
he will sit relaxed and smiling
with that dangerous grin of his.
She must hurry
if her aching hips will allow.
of course there are absurd mornings
for example this one where the rain gives in
the sun shines displayed
and it's almost may
can i keep the weapons
collect the traps
is the security of solid wednesdays
I already knew that we would be saved
when the mall next door closed
but my old neighbor is still bloodthirsty
insulting the janitor
there is something proverbial with these two
a cruel clash between generations
as for me, I stopped being a rebel
I don't press all the elevator buttons anymore
now I almost separate the dry waste from the organic
I greet everyone falsely
and with the guide half loose
I walk my fierce dog.
we don't know why we wake up this way,
feeling that something is wrong,
feeling late,
as if it had already passed the time
to commit our crimes
and it was too late to go to the balcony
to dry the blood on our hands in the sunlight.
when will we be able to sacrifice the pure,
immolate the naive
that disgust us by their innocence?
us maniacs,
raving naked around our apartments.
condominium sociopaths,
blustering and slipping in slippers
through these urban labyrinths where we kill dreams,
armed with the infamy of styleless criminals,
using ridiculous blows from rheumatic assassins.
Human sparkle spirit runs the shine chasing you
We are poor yet we want penny for your thoughts
You bring war I stand here with raised hands and an olive branch
The clowns red nose strikes a pose stopped up congested
Aura color spectrum forget Me Not
~
Wishing wells hoping to be filled all the way through
Concrete grass stains on a basement condominium just bought
Embracing running together via a chance dance
Off the deep end tip of the tongue invested
Dead bodies melt-disintegrate physically rot
So that I am instilled installed compassion
Within my vision I'm blinded in rose colored glasses
Humanity viewed
11/27/21
Written by James Edward Lee Sr ©
June 29, 2021, in an early morning hour,
While most of the residents in a Surfside condominium were asleep
The South apartment building of the Champlain Tower
Collapsed, with 97 confirmed dead and counting, over 60 more missing.
Horrible pictures document the building rubble in a ghastly heap;
Leaving South Miami residents in shock, while rescuers and recovery units scour
Through the ruins looking for anything relatives will want to keep.
SECOND PLACE WINNER
Written July 20, 2021
Especially for “Julyme” poetry contest
Sponsored by William Kekaula
Tableaus’
An elderly television speaks to her
in a deaf condominium.
Her garden is a cluster of cobwebs,
it rattles and spins as stiff
as the skeletons of the sun.
Her ears listen to the world
as it ascends into a fairy tale.
The dragons are back,
the good knights and the bad,
she recalls their fictitious deeds,
they ride again in her garden of bones;
those lovers that have succumbed
knit together more daylight dreams.
Outside her window
anxious gangs of newborn brawlers
via for the earths attention.
The clatter of arms
and the crush of concurrence
are hardly noticed at all.
From time to time,
F.D.R calls but his fireside chats
are a dusty furnace long unlit.
The condominium cools
inside a dark-stockinged twilight
then she, unseen and younger,
slips into another
of her timeworn party dresses.
"Faith Can Move Mountains."
I have heard that term time and time again,
but it is for the most part a misunderstanding.
The only time that I witnessed faith move mountains,
was when an entrepreneur had FAITH in his vision,
and then took ACTION,
to bulldoze those mountains into the background,
and erect where they once stood a complex condominium.
Faith alone does not accomplish anything,
unless you approach that faith with the appropriate action.
I am hooked deep inside my cavern-hanging host
replicating in cosy subterranean cell
night-time radar feeding my needful innermost
viral reservoirs overflow with gruesome gel
I slurp onto scaly creature, grimly scuttling
fissures unfold, revealing gory condominium
caged meal within a meal, proximity shuttling
re-absorbed, disturbed, unsettling equilibrium
I emerge, swimming 'Trojan' in moisture flowing
aqueous channel opening, internal organ-treat
indulged, engorged, rapacious appetite growing
coughed-up bipedal phlegm, damp cold air to greet
I am scooped again, adjacent cloth, nearby skin
bodies pressing, heavy breath, compulsive sneeze
defences haemorrhage, weakened corpses grin
death is killing me, wretched repulsive wheeze
I seep through porous mask and sweating gland
my time is spent, havoc wrought, no place to go
anti-bodies gathering, hostile hordes at hand
I am oblivion but still have many names to know
An elderly television
speaks to her
in a deafened condominium.
Curtains billow
turning daylight on and off.
Sometimes she looks
in her mind,
often an old movie is playing.
She sees her late husband
dancing with Ginger Rogers.
She goes to the bathroom,
puts in her teeth, wanting to look
her very best.
The sandy beach awaited the celebration,
We were with relatives and friends.
We had a lovely dinner together,
After dinner we went out on the porch facing the beach.
I had collected shells which I had displayed on the bench
Shells of varying shapes and sizes.
They had fireworks profiled with excellence,
The sky was the background for the display.
We were with our favorite companions,
Enjoying the warmth of the Sarasota weather.
A midnight swim in the swimming pool guested,
We all liked swimming, our parents had taught us.
i wore a royal purple swim suit especially for the Christmas holidays,
My relatives liked swimming in the swimming pool.
A glass of champagne guested where we celebrated the New Year,
With relatives, friends and good neighbors.
We retired in the evening to our very comfortable and somewhat posh
condominium,
These are good memories that God and our parents have given us.
Author: Gwen von Erlach Schutz
i would rather go south for the winter,
The beautiful white sand along the beach.
Sea shells to be gathered by the ardent fan,
The sound of the waves roaring with delight.
The beautiful condominium time share,
Where i stayed with my sons.
Walk to the local restaurant,
Where our grandparents invited us to lunch with my sister.
Days together in the warm sunlight,
Sitting on the balcony, good memories.
Visits with friends and neighbors,
Watching the fireworks on display.
This is paradise I said to myself,
I wish I could travel there again.
St Armands is my favorite shopping discourse,
With the piano on the sidewalk of a cafe.
Such good memories, god provides us.
I am truly thankful for these beautiful days.
Author; Gwen von Erlach Schutz
Harvard, Princeton or Yale?
I'll take some courses by mail
Engineering or Mathematics?
I'm majoring in Acrobatics
Piano, Violin, Flute or Clarinet?
I'll play my music on the Internet
Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton or Dickens?
Give me a J.K. Rowling tale of Wiccans
Pheasant under Glass with Caviar?
Slice of pizza and fries with that, sir
Sparkling wine, Liqueur or Pink Champagne?
Make mine tapwater -- plain
Mansion or Penthouse Condominium?
A dreary shack, the bare minimum
Representative or Parliamentary Democracy?
Socialist Republic, where everything's given to me
Life offers you choices, let there be no doubt
The worst thing you can do is take the easy way out
The beautiful St. Armands, Sarasota, Florida,
A holiday with my children Kirk and Erik and my parents.
The timeshare at the beach,
Owned by Dr. Erika and Dr. Wolf.
Condominium was exquisitely decorated,
My sons Kirk and Erik stayed with me.
There was a beautiful white sandy beach,
Where we would go for long walks and collect sea shells.
We would go dinning at the nearby restaurant ,
Which had delicious foods, my favorite was the place by the sea.
I collected sea shells of different shapes and sizes,
My favorite shell was the abalone which I received complimentary when i bought a necklace.
My mother and I went shopping together,
I also bought T-shirts for my sons.
Mother would also invite us for dinner, she would cook a delicious dinner,
That is a very good memory, we would visit with my sister Antje and mom and dad.
Those our days to remember , blessed by God,
We returned safely to our parents' Lorne Park house.
Author: Gwen von Erlach Schutz
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