the blinders rest with ease—
seams seemingly gaunting;
haunting whispers crunch like teeth,
seekers left to guess
pestering what comes next
be a kiss that is gentle
or bent with tiles filing
finally laying—rather lying;
dying to look you
hook right between the eye
lend the heaven, tongues that speak.
though weepy,
deep and soundly they hide
behind masks clasping dearly
refraining to reclaim their faces
places they’ve felt love.
people they’ve once known—
sewn behind is their truth
and truthfully their pain is plain
written in bold
holding bruises
whether you choose to see it
or be it amiss.
wishing well feels like rope
we can feel it doping us
hoping that our next breath
is the last one to give less.
but living session after session
their weapons once sharp dulling
full hands weaken with tire
and wiry sighs leave the senses
why?
because we weren’t just prizes
disguised to heel blindly
or crawl without first running—
we are not sick and lowly farm animal
simple, dirty, managed to be manageable.
Betsy, the sweet girl, was such a beauty
Never slack on milk, she did her duty
Pouring out her supply, like a fountain
Feeding on the rye across the mountain
She raised sweet, soft eyes to prove her gentle
Always so much love wasn’t accidental
With a soul, good and warm, she’s so friendly
Yet, her master told her she’s too spindly
Despite her hunger, she just wouldn’t gain weight
She worried about things like a soul mate
Her thoughts took her to the fall, and the hay
When the Blue Ridge Mountains switch to deep gray
Thoughts of gold bales left her stomach starving
Though that hay could’ve made a wood carving
So dry and stale, it couldn’t have been tasty
Still, she sprinted to the stall, quite hasty
After eating her fair share, farmer said
“look at Betsy, she’s fat as that pig, Ned”
At last the cow and the pig were happy
Even though their tale is slightly sappy!
Fall from Grace
By Mark Miller
03/24/2018
Betray years saving undone
For misery born Grace as
Blood leaks viscous cold
Falling through hates
Lonely endeavor
Reliving Daughter's cry
Saying missing you
Why you disappear
Where's that smiling face
Missing so much
Your giving gratitude
Wishing daily Dad
Waiting at stop interval
Worldview country fair
Pairing memory day's
Without daddy's protective
Arms reaching out
Wearing our weapons
Keeping us at odds
Behind freezing glass
Do you remember
The time we went to Library
Buying Orwell's book with
The farm animal pigs
You said but hon it's allegory
I laughed then but Dad
I'm older now no longer
Thirteen anymore
With understanding
Why letters come none
From purgatory's dungeon
Just one visit sure would help
For someday to wake up
To wrap your baby warm
Under covers comfort
So snug as a bug
FOWL
a feathered flockin farm animal
just a bird
web footed floater who runs
bird
common domestic rooster or hen
maybe a turkey, I should duck
the meat of a domestic used as food
decontaminate, purge,
disinfect, sanitize
brush rinse, scour
corrupt, rot, spoil
clarify, not cleansed much
bemire, besmirch, daub, grime, mire, smirch, smudge,
decontaminate, purge, purify blight
disinfect, sanitize sweep, wash, wipe
brighten pollute, tainty
straighten,tidy
adulterate, doctor
of something harmful or undesirable
contaminate, taint befoul,
grime, mire, smudge, soil,
corrupt, rotten, spoil smear
clarify, clean, cleanse, clear,
All that and all this is contaminate, pollute, boule
FOWL?
2/24/18
Written by James Edward Lee Sr. 2018©
Dark evening not even a star
Wrong night to be coming home from the bar
It’s an awful long walk to your car
Me thinks your door’s been left ajar
Is there even any gas in that reservoir?
Everything seems so creepy and bizarre
Something's eyeing at you from afar
What’s that noise? Could it be a jaguar?
Or a farm animal being led to an abattoir?
Might it be a monster or a wakened avatar?
Or just some old lady in a peignoir?
Isn’t that an arm sticking out of her armoire?
Me thinks you might get the old feather and tar
Aurevoir
Arrgh…
AP: 2nd place 2022, Honorable Mention 2025, Honorable Mention 2022, Honorable Mention 2022, Honorable Mention 2020
Submitted on October 11, 2020 for contest HALLOWEEN FRIGHT sponsored by CAROLYN DEVONSHIRE - RANKED 2ND
and on October 19, 2017 for contest BOO - MONORHYME sponsored by ALEXIS Y. - RANKED 1ST
Camelia Rose blew her nose,
The noise was quite gigantic,
Elouise goose flapped her wings,
Other animals were acting frantic.
Betsy dog ducked in her kennel
As the din echoed round the farm,
It sounded like a foghorn
And was causing such alarm.
Neddy horse hid in his stall,
Clara cow inside the milking shed,
The pigs no longer at their trough
Waiting to be fed.
When the sound finally disappeared
Camelia Rose spoke in a voice so calm,
"I'm just a llama with a cold,
No one will come to harm."
Farm Animal Speech Lessons
Early morning at the crack of dawn
Farm animals were gathered in the barn
The linguist began his lesson
I know old McDonald taught you “E” “I” “E” “I” “O”
Now let’s move on to consonants
Cows, let’s start with you and your moo…. “Moo!” ... That’s great
Tomorrow we’ll have you say “ve” at the end of that
And after we’re complete
It will be illegal to repeat moo in here or on the street
Moo is obsolete to speak
“Move” is more appropriate and sweet
If you don’t comply
There is this thing called meat
We will find something else for you if you say moo
Did you ever hear of hamburger?
I've heard it’s good to chew and quite tasty too
IN ALL HONESTY I AM DISHONEST
Many people own what they refer to as a “cash cow”
A farm animal who produces milk to drink and make cheese
Well I am like an aged farmer praying for his last field to plow
And all I have is a cow who consumes cash if you please
Many people eat food that rots them from the inside out
I, however, use substances that rot me from the outside in
With certainty I am doomed by daily diatribes of doubt
The result of my walking side by side with sordidness and sin
Many people reap rewards from being reverent, religious and good
I, on the other hand, am plundered by impiousness and a lack of pity
It’s always been my plan to take advantage of those whom I could
And using fools who are foolish enough to find me oh so very witty
In actuality I’d decline a “a cash cow” for a small semblance of peace
The kind of peace I find only in devastating substances which sustain me
My sordidness is self-evidenced by sins that seldom if ever cease
And even foolish fools finally find the intelligence to disdain me
© 2012 copyright PHREEPOETREE…..~free cee!~
IN ALL HONESTY I AM DISHONEST
Many people own what they refer to as a “cash cow”
A farm animal who produces milk to drink and make cheese
Well I am like an aged farmer praying for his last field to plow
And all I have is a cow who consumes cash if you please
Many people eat food that rots them from the inside out
I, however, use substances that rot me from the outside in
With certainty I am doomed by daily diatribes of doubt
The result of my walking side by side with sordidness and sin
Many people reap rewards from being reverent, religious and good
I, on the other hand, am plundered by impiousness and a lack of pity
It’s always been my plan to take advantage of those whom I could
And using fools who are foolish enough to find me oh so very witty
In actuality I’d decline a “a cash cow” for a small semblance of peace
The kind of peace I find only in devastating substances which sustain me
My sordidness is self-evidenced by sins that seldom if ever cease
And even foolish fools finally find the intelligence to disdain me
© 2009…..free cee!
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