Long Tomboy Poems

Disability, Illness and Fundamentalism

My brother died of Cystic Fibrosis, 
When I was twelve and he fourteen, 
It took away his ambitions, 
To study at Oxford - the pipe organ’s steam. 

I understand being born with...

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Mother, sometimes memories are fraught

                              ...

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I remember…

Being 3 and crying, screaming
Because my mommy was leaving
For a day at work, … dreaded hours
As loneliness for her fell like black
Rain drenching me in awful rejection

I remember…

Being 6 and climbing out of bed
At...

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These are the thoughts and 
feelings of a
plus sized chick,
One who is defined as plump and 
thick,
With chunks of fat and extra skin,
Rounded edges and puffed up 
cheeks.
This is her being raw and real
Saying it...

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Julie had never been one to partake in

Girly things, dollies and frills

Julie was one of those tomboy like girls

Who looked out for adventurous thrills

She loved riding bikes, down the hill at high speed

Screaming loud with...

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"The first time that I saw you, dear, we both were wearing swimsuits...I was pushin' twelve years old and you were pushin' ten...
And, bad as I'd been smitten - (I could not recall my name...

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She bustles
her boys out of bed
grouse, groan, growl
groggy gripes
snarky snipes, as they squabble
their way to breakfast

Packs their lunch
crunch, smack, munch, they eat
hurry boys-
catch the bus
flurry and fuss all the way
outdoors, scuffing floors

She sighs, so
relieved, can't...

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Larry was the oldest,  seemed every day he grew 
Bubbling with mischief,   like a cackling witches brew 
At the time just  10  or so,  but that’s a long way...

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"recently scenes of early life have stolen into my mind, like breezes blown ..."
                     ...

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I am one breathtaking moment
I am one who is lost or alone
I am one raindrop, or one flowering rose
I am a distant star or a meadow lark
Or one dark cloud that hovers on the horizon
I...

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On the south-western side of the old mission school,
on the corner of 1st,  where the blackberries grew
a field claimed by children, was crosshatched with tracks
It was riddled by gophers and, nettled with foxtails
and youthful...

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The Mystery Of Girls.

When I was just a nipper
And I was very small
I didn’t really like girls
At all

I found most were very spiteful
And when at primary school
No one wanted to kiss me
When we played in...

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i am my mother's daughter 
a little bit flighty
kind of a tomboy
feminine and ladylike
when you want to be
counting on my hand
the times i saw you in a dress
or put blush on your cheeks
and reddened your...

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I set up my easel in the shade of my beach umbrella. Wanting to paint by the morning light, I dabbed my colors onto the palette...sea foam green, azure blue, titanium white, and ochre.
 
...

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I watched on her journey; the one she’d make alone;
Down roads of pain and solitude on toward her final home.
My mind went back those many years when we were both still young;
The warm and endless...

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Do you see that girl? 
The one over there. 
With earbuds in and curly hair. 

Curly hair that no one liked. 
That’s brought mild contempt a good part of her life. 

Do you see that...

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They were loyal sisters.
The older
was also more fair,
prettier in an Original Barbie kind of way.

She had been sick
when her younger,
darker,
more tomboy sister
met and first desired
my tall, dark, and handsome Uncle.

When older and fairest of all...

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I set up an easel in the shade of my beach umbrella. Wanting to paint by the morning light, I dabbed colors onto the palette...sea foam green, azure, titanium white, and ochre.

   ...

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In memory she’s pretty and young, 
Dressed in Land Army girls dress
(Where my memory starts to fail
False memory fills in the rest),
Fresh faced, full breasted, shirt
Sleeves rolled, her arms half bare 
Talking and joking and...

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CHILDREN OF SPRING

Spring spreads out her parasol
 In April, June – always May;
Invites the children of her garden
Come with her to play today.

Yellow Daffodil stands straight up
 Announcing Spring with his horn;
Spring arriving! See! Spring...

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Life is confusing sometimes
At least it has been for me
I was Mom’s “change of life” baby
two siblings far older

change in the birth certificate
three days spent as Marilyn
then I became Carolyn

not many toys in our city...

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I am from a house full of kids and vacations with family reunions at my relatives' farm,
I am from the smells of fruits and flowers and the smell of wet earth, and mischief without intent...

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To marvel how fast the world spins around,
or how the years have been sifting, (too quickly, I've found)...
This is not something new....from a mom's point of view
Some will say that my eyes have been clouded
Perhaps...

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Who what when where, which what kind how many whose, is am are was were be being 
been, have has had do does did, shall will should would, may might must can could, 
7th grade...

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As a youngster, I looked like a boy…there was nothing girly to be seen
I could run topless without comment until the age of about fifteen.
I could climb the highest tree, jump the highest fence
I even...

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