Red in her hair
Fire in her personality
Debbie was an unforgettable spark
She ignited an interest in what she was about
From Maynard to gnomes
From love for her friends and sweet gestures to her coworkers
She was a beautiful soul
I got to know her so well
The weekends we spent together at work
Where some of the hardest but the most rewarding
She brought that infectious smile everywhere she went
I'd always tease her about that crappy mustang she drove and she was so fierce about her love for that thing
Like everyone and everything in her life she took great proud in being true to herself
I hope heaven is ready for one of the most caring souls ever to walk through those holy gates.
I will miss you so and so will everyone else you touched
Rest easy now for that flame will always burn bright in our hearts
Bigotry flows through their veins
Sharing happiness at other peoples pain.
Sitting pretty in their privilege they never earned.
Their comfort built on the backs of Black people burned.
No color is a color of evil.
No giving a damn if it's not your own people.
Hate for others hiding behind pale skin.
At least we weren't the ones destroying our kin.
Evolution has not gone very far.
Their design is a design built to leave scars.
They are your coworkers, your friends, your doctors
Quietly holding all that hate stands for.
Wake up and start caring about the world.
They are revealing themselves with more than just words.
They only care about themselves.
Discernment is a gift you should give yourself.
He was going to choose coffee.
But this matcha drink intrigued him.
Made him buy it on a lark.
Monday coffee?
Monday Matcha sounds better!
He wanted to share matcha with his coworkers.
But then they would hate him.
Glaring at him as if his clothes were melting away.
And also his hair is dripping with some goo.
They’ve always hated him.
He keeps the matcha a secret.
He hands everyone their coffee drinks.
The lattes, the doubles, even the triples.
He takes a sip of this green drink.
The taste is odd.
Like drinking footprints.
He takes another sip.
The taste is like some person handed him this green drink.
Except it doesn't taste green, or gray, or even orange.
Or floral, or bright, or happy.
He had been drinking coffee since college.
Terrible times.
Do people like matcha?
Do people hate matcha?
They sure hate him.
Yet, somehow the rest of the week was…
Like matcha.
You can’t spit it out.
You can’t undo it.
Everyone hates you.
Matcha Monday…
The coffeeshop asked what he wanted.
And he really didn’t know.
CONTROLLING
AGONIZING
NAUSEA
CHEMO
ENERGY LOSS
RADIATION
Diagnosis cancer two-thousand and nine
Emotion overload, life frozen in time
Tracheotomy - Chemo - Radiation
Depression - Anger - Trepidation
Strong sense of survival, don't want to die
Praying to God, while starting to cry
With support of family and God above
Friends a coworkers showing their love
Chemotherapy times eight
Radiation therapy thirty-five
Nausea , dry mouth, and thing you hate
Six months later and you survived
Some are set in stone
working day and night till death
just to please the boss
As the sun bleeds through a haze
a bird off somewhere sings.
For how long, I ask.
How long before it’s gone?
A leaf falls from an oak
as a branch sways.
I’m waking to a quiet conversation
and the chair I’m sitting on creaks.
Neighbors moved out of the house
two doors down before I had the chance
to know them.
Neighbors have always come and gone.
Cut branches litter the front yard
but in back lies a patch of flowers.
I look at a birthday card sent late
from someone I knew. It says
he’s moved from a seven-room house
to assisted living. I look at shadows
on the wall and ask, Wasn’t it just
yesterday when we went for long runs
and told jokes on Sundays
to make the miles pass
and celebrate the life we had?
But it’s Wednesday and I have bills to pay
before going to work, where coworkers and I
make small talk, but inside I know
we are strangers, each filling a role.
My ears ring as I look out the window.
It’s a new day, I say, then sigh
as the sun bleeds through a haze.
Doris was quick-thinking
quick-acting, clever, and shrewd
But pointedly polite and polished
Never abrupt or rude
Her knowledge of psychology helped her get by with much
Fooling relatives, acquaintances, coworkers, and such
they were eagerly outsmarted and outmaneuvered by her.
She had an open heart, and a face that was open and pure.
I dreamt last night of my father.
He played on roller-skates, with
grandchildren, more likely great grandchildren,
yet to be born.
It was a family get together,
perhaps his birthday, or
Father’s Day, coming four days from now.
He wore his famous big smile.
The one that makes everyone smile back.
The children screamed with excitement
and he laughed joyfully with them.
Though older, he was not fragile,
but had the vigor of his youth.
Like in the picture that stares back at me.
Family, friends and coworkers always
spoke highly of him.
Their comments and praise made me
proud to be his son.
I hope that he knew and felt that.
A farm boy from a small town,
not rich or famous, but kind and generous.
He never met a stranger, nor
refuse someone in need.
His work ethic that was matched by few.
I wish I knew the reason / meaning of the dream.
I think about my children, and grandchildren,
wonder how they will think of me?
My hope would be, similar to mine of the man
in the picture, that stares back at me.
I can’t sleep because I can’t breathe
My mind is bleeding red thoughts so odd
Thoughts like I wish to eat and not get fat
To stop coughing up my blue heart
It occurs to me COVID is the beast
That killed my clairvoyant auntie
And I suddenly realize that
I did not have it harder than her
She battled breast cancer
With chemotherapy and her work laptop
So valuable to her coworkers it was
Nothing for them to email during procedures
So why take her and leave me
It’s not my time it seems
But I am sad she passed
Before shots were available
So I don’t get to woe is me
But I do wish to see her again
When it is my time.
As most days go this seems pretty good
Doesn't take much to affect my mood
Just a simple greeting like “Have a good day”
As I show up at the office in the nude
The reaction of coworkers sure tickles my fancy
With my dangly bits dancing around
They try not to stare but it's kind of impossible
As my studly maleness astounds
When I settle down on my black leather chair
I let out a childlike whimper
My super warm flesh on the this super cold leather
Makes me scream out the name of my vicar
The ladies gather round never ever having seen
An eighty year old dangly his bits
I start twisting and turning like a beautiful ballerina
Slapping a giddy-up on my hips
Well as it goes today's not necessarily the best
Got rid of some of my inhibitions
Till the security dudes burst into the office
Felt like the Spanish Inquisition
Coworker Blabberfmouth Jim
Coworkers come
Coworkers go
Coworkers work fast
Coworkers work slow
We know less than nothing about them
Unless you work with blabbermouth Jim.
He talks all day long about nothing but him.
He has had six wives.
They are long gone he said.
Some thought they had all gotten sick.
Others thought they were all dead.
Most of them ran off to get away from him.
This tidbit was told to me by his quiet cousin Little Slim
Welcome to the World of Retirement!
There are no more Monday blues.
You wake up late wondering... what to do?
No student data,
No coworkers to avoid,
No care about ADA
or if you should even shave today!
You could read a book for pleasure now and
not because you have to teach.
Make room for yourself and get some needed sleep.
Don't forget to create your bucket list!
It's time for you to travel and have fun
knowing that you'll never need to answer to DOE or anyone!
Happy Retirement!
You survived! Live long, strong, and hold on to what's left of your minds!
I am a bird of prey at work
Consider myself head of the food chain
Keep it to myself of course
I fly off before my talons rip or tear
shredding my coworkers into rethinking
I am proud to be a no-kill predator
Here comes one of the baby birds now
She flits around, tweeting and trilling
I hold myself back
I hear them in the hallway giggling and laughing.
A bunch of excited geese, making loud exuberant noises.
My co-workers who are arriving a few minutes early.
I listen and smile, wondering if they know how happy they sound.
It brings the day forward on a good note.
Clear cut clarity colored Claire’s comprehensions
Complicated complex constructs couldn’t compete or compute
Complacent confidence completed controlled conceptualizations
Claire controlled, contorted, challenged, confronted and chastised
Coworkers, cousins, and colleagues conflicting comprehensions.
Capable, confident, and constant, she was clearly consistent.
Her complacency and constancy to conservation was crazy.
Kept her continually in a cataclysmic circular cell of corrupted castigation.
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