chances of me leaving home
chances of me donning blues
chances of me wearing a flight suit
chances of me being chosen
to carry the sports flag
chances of me staying
what chance do I have to find love
chances of living a life apart
from what I had known
chances of being whistled at by ships
chances of the greatest adventure of my life
chances of boogie boarding the Pacific
chances of kittens
yes, kittens…mom wasn’t a fan
chances of tempura and teriyaki
chances of children in muumuus and leis
chances of sunshine and rainy season days
chances motor pedaling a bit far away
what we won’t do when we are pinch-cheek young
chances of wading, submerging, merging
with (parrot- butterfly- trigger- trumpet- ) fish; and tangs
chances of Hanauma reef and frozen peas
chances of being half a world away
chances of my son finding love in Guam
chances of my daughters marrying Southerners
chances of happiness
chances of me leaving home
In Twenty Fourty Six a group of men
hacked into a bible printing companies
computer
gaining access to the revisions
in the new book.
They removed copied and placed new sections of
the script.
People thought it was a joke at first
until they found it had been planned as a script for interputations
meaning the reader would find translations
and define the text reveealing
where and when to
donate and tgift properties to peoples.
It was said to have been an international event.
It was clever and geniues
in that only certain books where changed
and enough where printed
to where the Governor of Guam made a statement after
a wealthy woman donated her billions to a student on
the island.
There once was a restaurant in Guam.
You don't want to bring your mom.
There was a goat
In a fur coat.
And weird things were going on.
The goat was up on the stage.
He was amazing given his age.
There were lots of questions.
A few suggestions.
Then he got back in his cage.
The cage was down on the floor.
It was locked the night before.
We heard the goat
Scream from his throat.
When they took him back to the store.
There are great dragons in my life
that came to me from long ago.
They traveled far across the sea
inside some boxes stored below
his seat, safe for the flight's long trip-
to be a gift for sister, dear;
in nineteen forty-four, on leave
from World War II, that distant year.
My Uncle, Air Force pilot then,
came home, this time, to be his last.
His Sis, my Mom, had cherished them;
but, when she died, to me they passed.
There are great dragons in my life
that came to me from long ago.
They traveled far across the sea
inside some boxes packed, and so,
within my home, now safe and sound,
for me to keep close in my care;
gifts from the war, my Uncle brought-
my antique set of Dragonware.
Tea set for eight, dessert plates too-
all these with dragons painted on,
in moriage, raised slip decor-
made in Japan, but bought in Guam.
There are great dragons in my life-
they traveled far across the sea.
This gift is all that's left of him;
his gift of dragons saved for me.
I read soup mail from Mrs. Doris Bettencourt
which would be a waste of my time to report
She claims to be ill and wearing widow's weeds
then goes on to tell me all about her needs
I'll not reply and her message I shall thwart
She wants me to email her, but I know it's a trap.
I guess this culprit must think I'm quite a sap.
She has a charity mission which must need money
but not one penny will you get from me, honey.
If you got her mail, don't fall for this scam crap.
The diagnosis is about her chronic illness skin
Words written backwards and that made me grin
She threw in breast cancer to get more sympathy
I repeat, whoever it is will get nothing from me
Playing upon a person's empathy was the lead-in
Don't write mrsdorisbettencourt1001@gmail.com
This scammer could be in India, Guam or Viet Nam
No poems are posted by the bearer of this name
So, how do they send us soup mail? It's a shame
If I had their real address, I'd send a stink bomb.
While condemning Putin, let us recall
That Americans are not blameless, after all,
Guilty, too, of invading our weaker neighbors
Increasing our land area by rattling sabers.
We forced the weaker Spain Florida to cede
Drove the Mexicans out of Texas, I believe,
Cheated the Indians out of their native land
Our destiny from coast to coast to expand.
We took protectorates after World War II:
Guam, Samoa, Puerto Rico, and others, too,
In fact, we started the Spanish-American war
To gain control in the Western hemisphere.
Putin is evil, and wrong for what he is doing
Like Hitler his territorial aggression pursuing,
But, we need to remember history’s lessons
And, recalling our own national aggressions,
Decide we must put an end to any awful war
And swear by our sovereignty, war no more!
Written March 20, 2022
Hymn to an Art-o-matic Laundromat
by Michael R. Burch
after Richard Thomas Moore’s “Hymn to an Automatic Washer”
O, terrible-immaculate
ALL-cleansing godly Laundromat,
where cleanliness is next to Art
—a bright Kinkade (bought at K-Mart),
a Persian rug (made in Taiwan),
a Royal Bonn Clock (time zone Guam)—
embrace my ass in cushioned vinyl,
erase all marks: ****, v-g-nal,
penile, inkspot, red wine, dirt.
O, sterilize her skirt, my shirt,
my skidmarked briefs, her padded bra;
suds-away in your white maw
all filth, the day’s accumulation.
Make us pure by INUNDATION.
Published by The Oldie, where it was the winner of a poetry contest. Keywords/Tags: hymn, art, America, laundry, laundromat, washer, dryer, appliances, clean, cleaning, cleanliness, clothes, clothing, underwear, god, godly, godliness, water, baptism, inundation, sonnet, analogy
This poem was inspired by the incongruence of discovering "works of art" while doing laundry at a laundromat with coin-operated washers and dryers. I was reminded of the experience while reading Richard Moore’s “Hymn to an Automatic Washer.”
I witnessed pure love spilled out in front of me
I watched him caressed her lovely face,
a tenderness of his touch eased her distress.
I heard him spoke of their love,
and the melody of his voice gave her strength to gaze at him awhile.
I saw his hazel eyes filled with unconditional love overshadowing the sadness creeping up behind his voice whilst a smile never left his face.
I knew then what the true meaning of love,
she’s the everything that matter to him!
She lay there,
motionless!
Brown eyes focused only on him,
and I glimpsed deep into her brown eyes,
her soul yearning to reach out to him,
wanting to speak of her unconditional love.
But in spite of her condition,
her love for him is written all over her lovely face.
Never fade never halt,
pure love shine on.
I knew then what a true love is,
He’s the reason she’s still breathing!
Through smile they communicate.
Holding hands they are forever one,
love embraced them peacefully,
forever side by side...
~ I wrote this during my vacation on Guam 9/9/19
And I was so captivated witnessing true love...
Akkina
MY LIFE
Born in Dublin on Saint Patrick's Day
School; spelling champ; steady girl
Senior Prom; graduation; went away
Air Force career; traveled the world
Turkey; Germany; England; Japan
Korea; Vietnam; Philippines; Guam
Austria; Hawaii; Azores; Alaska; all grand
Thirty eight contiguous states fit the plan
Fully retired -- more to be told -- stay tuned
22 September 2018
For the contest sponsored by Anthony Slausen
I never know what fun I will have when I open my Soup Mail.
When I was young, it took a long time for a letter to arrive from
Canada or the Virgin Islands or Guam, but with Soup Mail here it
is in seconds.
What a fantastic way to keep in touch with new friends,
and to find out things I wish I had always known, but never did.
I have had so many good wishes, friendly advice, and happy thoughts
from this quick and happy mail program.
I cannot believe I accidentally clicked on it one day, when I was
horsing around and discovered it.
Instant pen pals.
Sending happy thoughts.
Making me feel loved.
Thank you my friends.
I adore you and your kind words
both secretly through SoupMail and
in the comment lines.
Soup Mail.
I will always think
of you fondly, and with
the warmest of regards.
You are my new communication
method of choice, today.
There it was loud on the intercom
“Please come to the office, Tom’
And just like a bad sitcom
They dropped the bomb
No discussion just a blunt axiom
Told to grab his pompom
And march off to Guam
To retrieve a precious rhomb
Tom was in quite a conundrum
So he went home and chanted Om
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
It's my day off
Can I sleep longer
My body agree
My mind disagree
My body needs to rest
My mind scream many things needs be done
But I don't want to get up
Oh yes your room is a mess
But who cares
You do you lazy Smurf
Oh but it's my day off
So what
So I don't have to do anything I don't want to
Ugh, who do you think you are
Me the one who's body is tired and need some lazy day in bed
Where do you think you at on Guam
No but I wish right now
Your lazy smurf don't have days off in NY
I just don't care right about now
Oh ok if you say so
Yes I say so and I'm gonna call it
... My lazy day...
Oh but you have so much to do
Nope I'm not listening
Oh but you need to go get coffee
Nope I don't drink coffee
What about for lunch and dinner
I'll eat PBJ for lunch and soup for dinner
Ugh I gave up but you're gonna pay for it
Yey it's about time you persistent mind
Now let's both relax and read some of the great poems on PoetrySoup
Yes I'd love that all day long my lazy day... Smile!
Akkina R Downing
12-27-16
Strings
The night is still young
But by these strings I am strung,
Life is so guam
Constraints seem so long,
The puppet master controls me
As he tries to wear me down He tolls me,
He tries to wear me down
For His voice is in the near background,
Cut these connective wires
And sell them to the highest do buyer,
Free the marionette
Now singularity off are all bets,
It now today has worth
For It really has had Its new birth.
Travis “Ceijaeh” Klein
Mexico again and more Injun and back to Mexico,
Tick off Lakota, Dakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho,
The Great Sioux War and lots more fuss before we invade Brazil,
Let’s hop around some islands first (punch out the Yaqui as well)
We’re beating drums to call your sons to help us as we raid,
It’s carnival of glory for the patriot’s parade.
That empire of the Spanish state is really ripe for gleanings,
We’ll pick up Puerto Rico, Guam, Cuba and the Phillipenes.
Let’s not overlook those Boxers and their crazy Kung Fu too!
It simply would look bad if monks kick us out using mushu.
Author: I’m not beating this damned drum anymore…
Muse: But we haven’t even gotten to the world wars!
Author: I’m starting to think the mad hatter’s leading this damned Patriot Parade
Muse: It’s only 1901! We still have the whole 20th century left to go!
Author: Screw you muse, I’m out. Peace.
There are great dragons in my life
that came to me from long ago.
They traveled from across the sea
inside some boxes stored below
His seat during the flight's long trip,
to be a gift for sister dear.
In nineteen forty-four, on leave
from World War II, that distant year,
My Uncle, Air Force pilot then,
came home this time, to be his last.
His sis, my mom, had cherished them,
and when she died, to me they passed.
There are great dragons in my life
that came to me from long ago.
They traveled from across the sea
inside some boxes packed, and so,
Within my home now safe and sound
for me to keep close in my care;
gifts from the war, my Uncle brought
my antique set of Dragonware.
Tea set for eight, dessert plates too
all these with dragons painted on,
in moriage, raised slip decor
made in Japan, but bought in Guam.
There are great dragons in my life
this antique set came 'cross the sea.
His gift is all that's left of him
His gift of dragons saved for me.
October 19, 2015
Contest: Dragons
Sponsor: Silent One
4th Place
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