Never were you an ally
Walking the halls of home
Chaos erupting
Leaving babies all alone
We learned early to be busy
Keeping the energy flying
Shushing the evils
That blood was buying
So many secrets in disguise
Operating the huge machine
Presenting pretty pictures
Showing out golden seams
You are not welcome, my friend
In a home full of fear
You must always keep your distance
Though LOVE draws you near
There must always be noise
Dying thoughts lie in silence
No one wants to face the truth
Of what family secrets bought through violence
...move along little doggie...move along
Written by Trudy Schrader on 06-09-2026
There is a fine line between a friend and a foe,
One careless step – and fractures take their toll.
A fragile thread by unseen tensions spun,
One step too far – and what was whole undone.
So often formed with little strain,
Yet just as fast dissolve in pain.
What once felt easy, light, and strong,
Can turn to silence, cold and wrong.
What blooms in trust may rot without a sound
For trust once cracked is rarely ever found.
For bonds are built through patient art,
With love and kindness at their heart.
Yet when mistakes and tensions crawl,
Those pillars crack — and shadows fall.
Thus guard the line no eyes are trained to see,
For foes are often friends we used to be.
I Smell The Danger
Of An Ant Invasion!
Just: Give 'Em A Little Slack...
And They're Everywhere,
Gettin' Into Everything,
Leaving A Spore...
Ick. IT IS SAD!
Just: Head Back Down
That Beanstalk And
Leave The Geese Alone.
Or Not, Right?
Now I've Gotta Wipe
You All Up...
Fummm.
-Gray Squirrel
11-18-2025
O my life! What a beautiful disaster it has become!
For the doses of my sunny days and starry nights grew numb,
And the sweet caress of my existence has partly succumbed.
It paralyzed me—as though my foresight had been overcome
By whispers creeping into my mind like an intruder's hum.
If I could depose the noisy image of my tomorrow,
Would it bring me silent war or peace amid the undertow?
How could I unfetter the finitude of my own window?
For my soul could barely perceive the playful tongue of a foe,
Or a friend's delightful persona behind an ugly show.
Yet I lament that the world has made its own foolish nickname
When filtered righteousness and glamorous deceit have enflamed.
On whom should I lean when moral transgressions take on their name?
Or should I wish to fly to the Heavens far from where I came?
For illusions seem true—and truth can be an elusive game.
How do we ever know
If those we love
Are really friend or foe?
And if there is real love involved
Despite all we don’t know
Does it even matter at all?
(11/3/25)
I chased hope like a star fading in the gray,
its light soft as promises and sharp as chains.
I knelt at its altar, trembling,
asking for its touch to heal me,
but it scorched instead.
Hope, you say, is a friend,
but it is a foe in disguise,
demanding, ever demanding—
each promise a contract in invisible ink
that binds tighter the more you give.
I called for its grace in the dark,
but in return, it pointed fingers at my failures,
whispered blame in my ear
like the voice of a false god—
always distant, always just beyond reach.
I reached out and reached again,
but it danced out of grasp,
taunting, its hand an illusion,
its face a blur.
I sought it, bled for it,
and found nothing but an empty sky,
a horizon that only deepened the night.
There is no salvation in this game.
Only the illusion of salvation.
Hope has no face but the one you create—
and when it fails,
you wear its broken mask.
Is AI a staunch friend with double face
that whispers “I love you, but will replace
Do its words capture a thought we just had
write it much better; if so, why be mad
Its chest of words is much greater by far
synonym surplus, its door stands ajar
by the way, their paintings lovely, also
Can there be wrong in the things they bestow
In our minds linger a strong scence of fear
as the future is becoming more clear
If our brains become inactive, then stall
AI will, in a word, shrug as we fall
Shadows fall on the words we try to mix
AI will ask, “why do humans exist”
Perhaps our love affair should be erased
Before we become only Unused Space
Tardigrade
Consider the lowly Tardigrade
To survive any environment, it is tailor made
Commonly known as the water bear
This handsome creature can live any where
From underground to the vacuum of space
It is no threat to the human race
Unless, it mutates and does grow
Then it looks like it could be a ferocious foe
****modeled on Ogden Nash Style*****
there is a parasite amoung us that hides most of the year
once the temperature starts falling as does the leaves its there
right in our sight but out of our reach
so many stories on how it came about
some thought it brought fertility and others protection
it brought death to a Norse god
when all other plants are dying its thriving and even blooms
I am of course talking about mistletoe
every year I hope to find some low enough to gather myself
but more often than not I have to buy some from someone
how wonderful to have this little parasite hanging around demanding a kiss
You pushed me down
you pulled my feet
you broke my crown
you made me bleed
you were my foe
and I didn't see
that you were right there
living with me.
Jessica
"I'll be there for you",
Said by the scars it drew.
I've got a will,
which was made to steal.
Eyes were too used to it.
Now they are just blind without it.
Never wanted it at any bait,
But that's what people call fate.
Now, I'll let it go.
Even if it makes me a foe.
You can never see me again.
Because I am going to fade in vain.
Just know that I'll be there with you.
Feel me through the cool breeze in which the echoes of our moments flew.
Oh, no revengeful girl,
don't step on my toe...
thinking it won't hurt;
weren't you a precious pearl?
Oh no, you go from friend to foe,
digging up unnecessary dirt!
Stop going around in mad circles,
you can try to hide every truth;
no, the cleverest scheme is not worth
stirring up the water with pebbles!
Oh, no I have spoiled you enough,
it's time to be really tough;
change gear and speed,
don't show your greed!
If this guy denies you everything
is because you fake all feeling;
oh, no, odds have been in your favor,
oh, no, lying changes all flavor!
Oh, no, no, don't step on my toe,
oh, no, you go from friend to foe;
oh, yeah, treasure our friendship,
oh, yeah save this sinking ship!
dainty web, tumbling
over limbs, leaves still as breath
spider, creepy mate
3
Substance with death plan or harm,
To recover from it Luck’s charm;
Planter taker has lost his farm,
Not likely to help ‘Raised Alarm’.
In one’s bowel begins its strike,
All good organs poison dislike;
Doctor fetched with the quickest bike
One should not with poison self spike…
Some poison through in a minute
Their wasting strength quite infinite:
Who solves problems with one nitwit;
He has his own very throat slit!
Poison could permit life hours,
Time giving one to watch flowers;
As the plagues of effect tower,
Quick transfer to Airy bower…
Death from poison often trauma
Privileged eyes watch a drama
The eloquent takers stammer
While being hit by brutish hammer:
Some figure bent double squawking
Or trying last-minute walking;
A clear attempt to keep talking
Like hunters down but not stalking…
Poison for foes formidable:
The reason for it credible;
Often loud a killing gunshot,
Ears would it hear exposed your plot…
I’ve observed that one’s big mistake
Ties others to as big a stake
And an all-the-time “Time to drink!”
Enough to a vibrant mind shrink:
A mistake to tell “Get out, Snake!”
And duly fear like a dark lake…
I’ve noticed: one’s daily night walk
A reason for foe to one stalk;
Certainly, not for a sweet talk:
For a fight he might mark with chalk!
You should know: every wedding cake
Multiplies bags of flour we make;
Marriage hurt when scarcity fake:
Bride and bridegroom pay more and rake.
I’ve discerned it: one looks much old,
When wife now makes of one Cuckold:
It’s face that begins to fold
Now stammers from the once-bold.
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