dab joy on your face
let a smile ignite the heart—
sending seeds flying
to roost in your perceptions
to transform what's becoming
close your eyes, recall—
the sun's caress, the cool breeze
moments amplified
memories can bloom again
to gleeful, serene, alive
silver linings flare
hope bends more towards the flame
rewriting the script
building smiling resilience
that shows in how the heart glows
Hang ups,
I’ve got plenty of those
Like a phone with
too many busy signals,
I couldn’t get through to you.
I think the number you gave me was out of service.
You said, “Dial me up”
but the damn phone was a push button.
I called long distance,
the operator said
“Put another quarter in.”
Sadly I only had one thin dime. I wonder if I should have called collect?
All along you had my number. You could have,
given me a ring. After-all I was the marrying kind.
It seems my dial tone was slightly out of tune??
I scratched your number out of my little black book. It was time to find another connection.
I could say I don’t remember you, but that would be a lie.
You are the crush that never made it to speed dial.
Can I borrow your smile for a while?
'cos I'm so happy to see YOU smile!
Here are some things in my smile-a-while-pile
A wagging puppy tail rattling on the wall
A pussy cat with walking-stick tail up tall
Dandelion flower seeds puffed into the air
Blowing out candles, one-two-three, puff!
The wink and glint of eyes looking my way
The pop of popcorn popping in the pot
Skipping and hopping on way to playground park
The whee and glee of the slippy-dip slide
The hanging-out twirl on round-about rides
The pitter-patter rattle tap of rain on glass
The twit, chat, twerp of birds calling at dawn
The smell of bread straight from the oven
Walking hand-in-hand, arms swinging to-and-fro
Singing along to my favorite song with you
Watching a rainbow reach for its pot of gold
Crumpets and honey, hot chocolate and sweets
Hearing funny stories read, or told to me
I smile when YOU smile - so Come On!
Make me smile!
Don't say a word
It's time to finally leave this world
The difference between close and lose
Is the letter c the chance to choose
And once and for all
The leaves begin to burn and fall
A spiral staircase
And you're running down
Out of this place
Away from it all
Away from this face
You’re packed up
Delicately with a sheet
The doors are closed
We’re following behind
Closely like sheep
We're all alone
But all we can hear
Is this steady dial tone
And you can’t pick up the phone
But I’ll give it all away
For the missing piece
And I’d scream my lungs out
Just to have some peace
My mind will wear thin
Like a ribbon tied to your wrist
I’ll bear this pain
For a new plot twist
Dial
In an unnamed part of
Elmwood there’s a
dial showing information about
dove fantasies.
Creatures come out of their hiding,
The moon is gloriously abiding,
Stars adorn the night's sheet,
Nature and hope meet,
It's a journey ahead,
Courage aids their sojourn.
May 23, 2023.
The phone number of death we dial,
When we near a poisoned phial
To rashly swallow its content,
And actualize a suicidal intent:
Our breathing soon in wheezes,
What the cemetery richly pleases,
A gripping of our tummies in feeble resistance
Every offered revival, vain assistance
Others to start rehearsing their goodbye
To us on a wished hearse lie
And the same phone number we try,
As we enrage folks that skin fry
Before advancing cops of pity dry
And into claims of being surrounded not pry
To pick their life sentence with smiles wry…
Now that I’ve said so I shan’t cry.
Who? -- Me?!
I never thought I'd see
This wily jockstrap
writing poetry
And you, Mr. Businessman
Investing ldly in a product
that can't return a profit
on a mini-garbage can...
When our bodies
make their final plans ~
Our souls the farthest heavens scan
Two clouds hugged the sun
Sinking on the horizon
Slipping day now done.
15.12.2020
HI-KU (2)
Brian Strand.
Masses love fear
Immensely so very wrong
Fear has scary claws
That glow in the night
Robbing us of all our might
March 12, 2020
4pm PST
Tanka Form
The Dial-a-Ride crew are here for you,
ready with a smile we go the extra mile,
take you door to door - who could ask for more ?
We take your wheelchair for no extra fare,
£3 each way is all you pay,
so you can afford to come on board,
call us now to find out how.
getting attracted to someone
who might not g
jive with what you're doing
speaking great about something
that someone else can ruin
staying true to something
that aint worth pursuing
is a waste of time
can be a waste of time
gesturing when you can't explain
messaging to say things changed
listening to what you say
am I just wasting my time
say I am not wasting my time
some time we need direction
sometimes we need to think
about what we are addressing
getting me emotional
getting me feeling ya'll
stop me for I go to far
something just aint right with me
something just aint right with me
some times we need to know
everything will change
sometimes it's best when someone
else tell you things are strange
cause I know
see think you feel what's happening
research with your toys
science means mind adventures...
it's how progress' made
old sol's on the deck
now every day for ten hours...
the floors thirty boards
wide posts and railings
to act as marker shadows...
on sun dial marked tape
scaled three boards per hour
twenty minutes for one plank...
three for every inch
at middle of year
july first twenty nineteen...
a water clock next
stan sand
fresh and new I choose
dialed back veneer new view
dial it back when
the hands of times send
myself back into the grace
life in heaven space
live new in mom's womb
to beginnings before back
before now way back
5/2/19
Dial It Back Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Maureen McGreavy
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