She notes how the days
have grown shorter.
A cacophony of grackles
near a cornfield fills the air.
A farmer across the road
walks along his field
checking his corn before harvest.
Leaves rustling
in the wind sing.
The construction crew
has passed her driveway.
She asks the flagger to
help her daughter across.
The school bus arrives
late afternoon. Lights flash
She rushes onto the porch
and hugs her daughter
who wears a backpack.
The mother notices
the sky is gold
as she looks out the window
and cooks supper on the stove.
Her daughter sits in a chair
hands folded on her lap.
So good to see her daughter
she thinks after letting go
in the morning and waiting
for a late afternoon embrace.
A glowing lantern in the dark,
A quiet, silver, distant spark.
It dances through the velvet night,
And paints the world in pastel light.
Without a sound,
it shifts its grace,
From slender crescent to full face.
A watchful guide for dreaming eyes,
The silent giant of the skies.
Outside my window, lightening flashes;
Thunder rattles the glass in the window pain;
Dark clouds have turned the day to night
In anticipation of the coming rain.
I kick off my slippers; roll up my pants legs;
Dancing in the rain is my only goal.
Uptight neighbors watch me with disgust
As the rain now cleanses my soul.
Their prying eyes worry me not
I shed all my clothes showing everything that I’ve got.
Let their shrinks come and take me away.
When the sun returns drying me and my world
The soul cleansing comes to an end
I go back inside with nothing to hide
Waiting for it to rain once again.
In people’s front yards
(That is, if they’re allowed),
They can have a display
Which will make them feel proud.
Some have flowers and banners
Or bushes and hedges
Or humorous statues
Lined up on the edges.
A spinner or whirligig
Might add some fun
Or a sculpture or wind sock
When not overdone.
Now, my personal taste
May be different from yours,
But some people have yards
No one ever ignores
For they’re filled with such tchotchkes
They make my head swim;
Yet although my opinion
Of this might be dim
To those owners, such plenty
Brings joy and such pride
It’s a wonder they ever
Come in from outside.
As I browsed this morning's science news,
what I read knocked off my shoes.
Now, the entire educated world reflects,
understanding now that FISH HAVE NECKS!
....and in the air, a million "What the heck!"s
Driving my old, worn-out car,
By chance, near the campus of Chosun University,
I saw a beautiful woman walking by.
Before I knew it, my eyes were locked on her.
Inside my "Blackie," a car with window tinting long faded,
It felt as if I were breathing in her sweet scent
For nearly a thousand seconds,
Sending her a silent, admiring greeting.
But with the sharp instinct of a cat’s whiskers,
She sensed the wave of my gaze
In a mere 0.00001 seconds.
"What a loser, staring at me like that!"
"At least he recognizes beauty when he sees it!"
And then, she furiously began to type on her smartphone,
As if channeling her pure rage.
"Hey girl, some loser in a total junk car
Keeps staring at me. So gross!"
Passing her by in my old, black junk car, leaving her far behind,
I kept driving as if trapped in a sweet, fleeting dream.
While she, as if she had just encountered a nightmare,
Shuddered in disgust and hurried on her way.
My yard stands quietly in the sun,
Morning bones of adobe bright,
Measured shadows lean like questions,
Muted fences breathe warm dust,
Mesa winds hum through still air,
Memory settles in soft light,
Motionless heart of the desert.
Mom,
I remember so much
From my childhood…
In the morning running through the wet grass
And going swimming…
In the winter sledding down the hill
And in the evening by the fire
With all the village children…
And I still remember mom,
When I went to school on the first day
With you…
Of my brothers and cousins
Going on hikes
In the mountains…
Of Lyudmila
Whom I loved
From the first day…
Now mom,
In the dark night
I am alone and wounded
In a mud pit
On the front…
With one last breath
The young Russian soldier
Wrote one more line:
Why did mom vote for Putin? Why?
.
if'n
mine were
eyne
close'd
i woulduh thought
i fromg
hit'er
behind
')>
A 15-year-old’s eyes, sharp and bright,
Watching his mother through day and night.
She stands strong, but her heart feels torn,
In the classroom, she’s a beacon, but at home, she’s worn.
She teaches with passion, guiding each mind,
But when the bell rings, her smile’s hard to find.
Her shoulders, heavy, weighed by the years,
Fighting silent battles, hidden in tears.
Her lesson plans scattered, books left unread,
She’s up late working while he’s tucked in bed.
A mother and teacher, both roles she plays,
Sacrificing herself in so many ways.
Her hands are tired, but her spirit won’t bend,
The world asks much, but she won’t let it end.
He sees the tired eyes, the stress on her face,
Yet, she smiles when he calls her, offering grace.
She’s the heart of the house, the rock they rely on,
But there’s a loneliness that lingers till dawn.
A single mom, giving all that she can,
Hoping that he’ll grow to understand.
To the boy, she’s everything, a love so true,
And he silently vows, as the years pass through,
To lift her burden, to help her stand tall,
For the woman who gave him everything, after all.
When I began the journey, fifty odd years ago
to become a parent
There were no books or journals then
to guide this experiment
It's mostly based on mentorship
each of us has gained
Often full of potholes
mistakes we have obtained
So when I look in hindsight
not having skills required
Had parenting been my full time job
I would surely have been fired
But life provides us
with a chance to make amends
To bless with love my children
and treat them as my friends
There is no doubt challenges
existing on the way
Some families face adversity
every single day
Sometimes it seems
that life is back to front
The wisdom that we need when young
arrives when ageing fills our wont
To be a grandparent prior to parenting
would elicit a necessary skill
To raise five children, share more prudence
to a loving life, which they can then fulfil
Death arrived at my
Front door today
I was waiting for a long time
For that to arrive
I had pray
So many months ago
Telling God
I am not healthy anymore
I have bad healthy
I have bad lungs
I have to use a
Oxigen tank
It is not fun
People come and pay
Tribute to me
They leave flowers
Cards and teddy bears
For me
I been loved by
My readers
when you fall in front of a bear
pretend to play dead, take this dare
might save your life said my cousin Jer
He’s a crazy coot with Einstein hair
it had been incredibly hot
tv weather person gives us a warning
cold front coming in
it’s a mere seventy-eight degrees
cooling down nicely
but not fast enough if you ask me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
summer's breath still warm~
then the sky cracks like wet slate.
a gasp of cold air
stitches through the golden grass.
the earth shivers, half-undressed.
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