We stood at the edge
of the back yard,
next to the garage—
where I’d pretended to be
an astronaut in a
cardboard spaceship—
on a chill November night,
watching Sputnik II
arc across the sky.
I didn’t know why
he was rarely home—
or why it wasn’t always
like this when he was:
quiet,
steady,
present.
All I knew was the stars were out,
and he was beside me—
and Laika was aboard.
I didn’t know then
she had no way back—
no reentry plan,
no soft descent.
I pictured her peering
through a tiny window,
tongue lolling,
stars reflected in her eyes.
I thought
someone would bring her home.
Now I know
she died within hours—
heat and panic rising
in that cramped metal cradle
while I, warm in my pajamas,
believed in science,
believed in rescue,
believed in my father’s voice
saying, Look, there she goes.
At least they finally gave
her a monument
in Moscow.
Categories:
naivete, 1st grade, dad, dog,
Form: Free verse
Focused on the butterfly without wings
A beauty that is yet to be realized
Comforted by the cocoon wrapped in ridicule
For only time will reveal her true purpose
Emergence from stagnation into the great unknown
Whatever remains unseen, will remain unattainable
With a rebellious spirit, she urges others to see her beauty within
An ugly truth hidden under wraps
Blanketed with the burden of those who emerged before her
Into the light she goes, still trapped within the darkness
Categories:
naivete, abuse, confusion, society,
Form: Free verse
Snared for an errant tweet
Never thought to be discreet
Escorted by a kick to the seat
Hope fell to grieve at his feet
Kremlin brass-knuckle browbeat
~ Carves innocence into mincemeat
Categories:
naivete, evil, innocence, international, violence,
Form: Monorhyme
Thinking 'twould endear him to the fairer sex
He'd ever worn his heart upon his sleeve
By the time he found he'd been naive
~ The girl he'd married called him 'ex'
Categories:
naivete, heart, lost love, marriage,
Form: Rhyme
Her story will seem
But a mystery, as long
As all people thrive,
While she longs, in misery,
For worlds that’ll never be.
Categories:
naivete, spiritual, visionary, wisdom,
Form: Tanka
That golden time of glorious naivete
When the future and the past
simply don’t exist
A time that we think
will endure eternal
That now is forever
And will always persist
That magical time when…
We can be
the wind in the trees
Take close heed
of Spring blossoms and
Become birds…become bees
Keen senses fine tuned
In careful inspection
Of all things…
Great and small
Of scarce heard inflections
Of days unencumbered
With mundane worldly woes
But in their stead…
Dance in their head
Princes and Princesses
And Fairy tale foes
An age that goes by
In the blink of an eye
Yet remains firmly fixed
Forever in the memories
Of you and I
Let your children be children
Allow their spirits to swell
to roam free…unfurled
Let them dwell a long spell
In that wondrous, magical world
…Of childish naivete…
Categories:
naivete, beauty, childhood, imagination, memory,
Form: Light Verse
A fistfull of sand
clenched
tightly
too tightly
to her breast.
Trickle grains sift
through slender fingers
~ beautiful hands
clutching
that which could not
be
contained.
Categories:
naivete, life, loss, sad,
Form: Free verse