we buried witchcraft
but kept old snake oil bottles
lined up on our shelves
hooked up with magic potions
to give hope when logic fails
science displays signs
fate is foretold on the screen
yet we plead for cures
still brewed over smoky fires
hope fixes we can't forgo
hunger stays away
concoctions remove old stains
herbs promise rebirth
purging latter-day poisons
making tomorrow spotless
old curses survive
though no cauldron lights the room
we demand revenge
through hidden spells and curses
that only witchcraft provides
when reason falls short
shadowy figures emerge
in crystal ball veils
to give our nameless fears cause
rather than leave darkness blank
science lights the room
yet something circles in flames
older than knowledge
witchcraft belatedly lives
where reason cannot go
Suddenly, the crashing sounds of broken glass
as all the doors closed with nowhere to pass
Time stood still as so many innocent souls breath their last
the tragedy which happened unexpectedly so fast
with blood and fire mixing together on the ground
the city transformed into a great battleground
the hand of terror forced its way with a heavy sound
to hit a target for which it was mount to bound
So many left with unfinished dreams after the blow
to leave the world in darkness moving away the glow
no one had a clue even to use a whistle for anyone to know
that within a few seconds the towers will come below
Perhaps this would never had happened should one foresight
while everyone was so busy about their duty under the light
to commit themselves with intelligence to do everything right
unknowingly they got caught by evil in life to lose the fight
The memory of that one day no one can erase from the mind
which continue to stain the hearts of those who escape death behind
The statue of liberty will forever mourn those patriots who are gone
as well as the earth with open arms sit and wait for hose unborn
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME
ALL YEAR, DANIELLE SMITH DOES CHIME
LATE SUNRISE A CRIME
Said the fool
to Hamlet, Macbeth,
the Joker, and every other
lovable madman
Through sand, fractures,
dirt, dust,
and all life’s ambiguities
Something still stands
I don't know what's wrong
But I know it could be better
I don't miss my home
My sister or my mother
But still I feel alone
And don't know if it gets better
I went to sick call yesterday
Corporal Gonzalez said rate the pain
I said "maybe 3", he said "9 pills a day"
I know I'm in pain, but I don't feel the ache
I notice when my limbs stop bending
But don't know if its numb or stinging
Not until PT makes me cry
But I must be fine to have covered 30 miles
Why am I crying?
YEAR AGO TODAY
CARNEY BLEW PIERRE AWAY
CARNEY STILL HOLDS SWAY
I was a wounded child
At the age of three.
I wondered where you had gone,
But I didn’t understand anything.
I just woke up—
The yard was filled with people,
Mourning.
But I couldn’t mourn with them,
Because I didn’t understand.
I had so many questions,
And no one was brave enough to answer.
I wondered why the woman who gave me life
Disappeared overnight.
“Oh, my… death.”
That was a new word to me.
I didn’t know what it meant
Until you were gone.
I thought maybe you had gone somewhere,
Some place you would return from.
But as time went on,
I began to lose hope—
Hope of ever seeing you again.
Twenty-one years later,
Still three years old in your eyes,
Still carrying this pain
I will hold for a lifetime.
I love you,
Even though I never got the chance to tell you.
I miss you,
And I will miss you every day of my life.
Oh, my beautiful Rose,
Oh, my mother—
Twenty-one years later,
And I still miss
I’ll look at things your way
if you look at things mine
That will help us connect
Straighten us out, get us aligned
I won’t ask you your pronouns
~ if you don’t ask me my sign
bored today so I wrote a poem
about a dog, a cat, a squirrel, a home
dissatisfied, I stopped at that
“Take a break!” meowed the saucy cat
the dog kept quiet, the squirrel ran away
I’ll pick up this missive another day
Life isn't an order of event
If you get married late
Meet later, what's the harm
The series of appearance is plan
Well and good, but different
The outcome may quite change.
If you come early or late
Give every one a priority
Eventually, it will come
It doesn't matter if it's a little later
We have already grown up
Lest become better version of ourselves.
At the most mature time
Meet you who are late
But just came in on time.
I wish that I could relive the wonder of
making a slight run, then lifting into air.
This floating-up sensation is one I love
though it happened only in dreams and was rare.
Now when I sleep, vanished are my flying dreams.
But like a leaf, I might glide with gentle streams
or ride the sky in a big hot-air balloon.
Oh, to float, weightless, among the stars and moon!
A few times in my life, I have chanced to sink
in waters of a river or of a lake,
tangled in ski ropes and feeling on the brink
of being held down as if by a large snake -
death’s suffocating serpent! Oh, how I hate
that feeling. I hope it never is my fate
to plunge into despair; how I'd dread as well
sinking into the bottomless pit of hell.
If later in life you find regret for all that's done or not yet done, find the strength to realise, it took great courage to establish one, for not all things are human bound, some are holy like angels prayer, and when you go to cross on over, the rest in done, and waiting there.
Braving all odds she dares
step out into the rain sans umbrella
~ hair will surely pay dearly
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Not now
Too busy
Much to do
Lot on my plate
Later
Later
Later
Maybe tomorrow
Maybe next week
Maybe on the weekend
Maybe if I can find the time
Later
Later
Later
Got important things to do
Gotta concentrate
Gotta focus
Got too much going on
Later
Later
Later
When there’s time
When I get a minute
When I can
When I have the energy
Later
Later
Later
I’ll be there when it matters
When it’s important
When it counts
You can depend on me!
Later.
I Like The
AWARENESS,
You Know,
That We've
Made Out
Of Man...
Oh, Yeah,
Me Too...
And, He
Thinks He
KNOWS
EVERYTHING!
Yeah Yeah!
All The Time!
Man-Kind!
Hee-Hee...
Horribly Funny!
Yeah, It Is
FUNNY,
Though.
-Gray Squirrel
06-23-2025
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