She was a pariah
In her own family
Two angry parents
Said “I wish you had died”
She was two
But she got the message
They were angry
Because her surgery cost them money
Mice in the shed, she demanded
I do something.
I found three mice,
surprisingly easy to catch, like they
had been saved.
Living on old newspapers and
stillborn manuscripts
not much of a diet.
Kill them, she demanded.
I put them in a shoebox
made a few holes and gave them
some bread crumbs.
In the tall grass, by the road verge
I let them out, and that they would
rather stay in the box.
Finally, they got the message and
disappeared.
I looked up and said:
“What about it, God? Any chance to
Win on the lotto?
The sun’s long since set on the British Empire
Spain’s armada no more rules the waves
The European Union projects only weakness
France still treats women as sex-slaves
Mr. Z got the message
He has nowhere to turn
But Trump’s USA
If Ukraine’s not to burn
Willow Feather sent up the signal
expecting the Great Father to send the right help
Other native Americans saw, but many did not know his language
I wish my dad was still alive, he thought
He would get the message and come help
His father got the message
Implanted new ideas into the young brave's head
so he could save himself
and he did
It took three weeks to get the
wife’s cat to eat ‘whatever’
I put in front of it.
No longer it terrorizes us when
time comes to feed it.
It took three week to change its status
back to family pet,
last one in the pecking order.
An animal that should be grateful
we let it live with us provide shelter
from storms its counterparts
must endure outside.
Three weeks it took of not folding
& opening new cans of food cause
it wouldn’t eat the first can given it.
Cause maybe it had gravy or maybe it didn’t,
or the meat wasn’t chopped or chopped way too much,
or whatever excuse the old lady came up with for it!
Three weeks of letting it mope around cry
in front of its bowl as if it was in heat.
Three weeks till it got the message.
A new sheriff was in town, and
he doesn’t give a damn,
if you starve to death!
there is a cat on the beach the hounds reported.
They knew this cat was special, maybe imported.
For the beach was overrun with dogs of every size.
Cats were not welcome here, no big surprise.
Someone should tell her, a yellow lab said.
He took six friends who all ran ahead.
The cat disappeared before they got very near.
She got the message one said, feeling her fear.
Years ago ... I once considered her my best friend
we would go shopping and stop for lunch or just tea
we liked to talk of all sorts of things
she complimented my writing and art
I liked her a lot
I trusted her too
and I thought she was loyal
I never imagined cruelty
that she would just turn
disappear from my life ... gone
with no reason or the explaining of why
I left messages
but with no reply
I got the message loud and clear
I tried to figure it out
for I knew that I had done nothing wrong
never spoke to her again or tried
and that's okay I was just fine with being me
though I did feel hurt and rejected, and
I felt like ... I could never trust again
_____________________
February 10, 2023
Poetry/Free Verse/Hurt and Rejected - IFL
Copyright Protected, ID 02-1524-474-10
All Rights Reserve, 2023, Constance La France
Written for the Standard contest, I Felt Like
sponsor, Charles Messina, Judged 02/20/2023
Second Place
Yes, we’ve got the message
But what of its passage?
From your factories vapor
That does not foster rapport:
To residents a mission
Cushioning the emission…
I fear rearing stalemate
And a final waiting bait.
I wonder the smart platform
You’ll set up to quell the storm.
Whom you choose as Delegate
They shall behind relegate…
To Angering Pollution
Bribery not solution
Early dawn I got the message. I knew - it was going to come. It really came. Fond childhood memories glided by …through my mind. After three hours, I am in the serene garden - he loved gardening. it’s still a sun-drenched morning, mellifluous birds are chirping, lush willow leaves are swaying in the breeze. Everything is the same. The day I am gone, same will happen, nothing will change, the world will not stop for a moment. But perhaps the world will stop for a moment in someone’s mind.
born brave, truly kind…
stood for neediest
strong and bold in death
a lighthouse beacon
voice tranquil ocean
refuge for me and many,
life with compassion
birds keep crooning songs,
breeze carries wistful music
sun bright ruby-radiant
hydrangea blossomed
how can he be not here?
I always saw myself as a strong person but it was only a show and a lie.
I have never felt so powerless until there was no way to save your life.
The day came I got the message it was time to say goodbye.
I thought I was making the most of our moments and the rest of your life.
I made the mistake of thinking I had more time.
I tried so hard to make everything right.
You fought hard till the end to hang on to this life.
If love were only enough you would still be here with everyone.
But today death won.
God decided he needed you more.
Now you don’t feel pain anymore.
It’s a sadder world without you in it.
This hurts way more then I want to admit.
I tell everyone I’m fine and I try to be strong.
But it’s all a lie and I have to convince myself you’re really gone.
I thought I was unbreakable, strong, and nothing could ever touch me.
Until the day I watched you die and were taken from me.
Now all there is, is a numbness and a wall.
Have you ever hurt so much that you feel nothing at all?
He’s so present
Ever present, so
He is God
God all mighty, ya?
Hallelujah
So inviting
Ever exciting
My, my, my, Father
He is God
He is God almighty
And He’s mighty
HE IS GOD YES HE IS GOD GOD ALMIGHTY-
Oh
And Woos
All of my sins
Jesus has wash them away
Did I say
Hey! Jesus has washed my sins away
And Oh, oh, oh and OH
So inviting
Ever exciting
My, my, my, Father
He is God
He is God almighty
And He’s mighty
HE IS GOD YES HE IS GOD GOD ALMIGHTY-
I got the message
I’ve learnt my lesson
He’s so present
Ever present, so
He is God
God all mighty, ya?
Hallelujah
HE IS GOD YES HE IS GOD GOD ALMIGHTY-
SELAH
Hallelujah
HE IS GOD YES HE IS GOD GOD ALMIGHTY-
4/21/2021
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr. 2021 ©
“From anthology -“Exodus 15:2 The LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND SONG”
I once had that Afro hair you now rock, oh yes i once had it.
Not in the 40s, not in the 50s but in the summer of the dark age. I was a pretty little thing, A fish and oh yes i swimmed all waters.
My blackness got it strength from that Afro hair, not the wigs you rock now that has no shadow under.
My Afro hair.
I rocked it in front of the mirror and it sent messages to the slave masters that i have scribbled their skeletons on my wall.
My Afro hair.
I rocked it in the club and a white brother got the message that liberty needs a glass.
My young Africans.
You rock your Afro hair in front of sloths, drink wild, your winks die and you lie you represent the liberation party.
My young Africans.
In the summer of the dark age i was among the black panthers, we pounced on herods and never wore another skin.
My young Africans.
How do you rock your Afro hair?
What do you make of the coco butter inside your skin?
Oh what an ebony skin you got.
My young Africans.
I'm Sekani
I must be sure that I got it all together in and outside my minds I just say whatever
Just got the message and the message is I AM PERPLEX?
11/16/20
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr. 2020©
I asked the white student to take off his hood
The police might suspect he was up to no good
He glared at me, said, "Oh, really, teacher
Since when are you a teen-fashion preacher?"
That tall, skinny kid shook his head; I shook mine
My world started spinning; perhaps that was the sign
When I heard about the shooting on the evening news
I felt that my blood, not his, on the sidewalk had oozed
The rest of his class got the message
They all got rid of their hoodies --
Too late to save one teen's life, so precious, so dear
Color matters not when it comes to fear
A banana is the fruit of choice
for monkeys in the trees
Ben's girlfriend got the message
and put it 'tween her door-keys
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