He blinks in and out in a wingchair,
overhears what visitors say
when patients
can be talked about
as if not there.
People speak well of the dying,
even of dying strangers,
to him their words
prematurely shovel earth.
The terminally sick
must be accommodated,
penciled into time slots,
eased gently into oblivion.
He listens as he slips downstream
on a raft of morphine.
These last trips are scenes taken
from childhood books.
His own life story has become
absurd, it is almost as if
he is a character in someone else's life,
a Huckleberry Finn
whistling through Dantes Inferno.
What he really wants
is a rocking horse and ice-cream.
A nurse brings him ice-cream,
but it's the wrong flavor.
He wonders if anyone can see
the horse he rides upon,
his ten-gallon hat is as white
as a flying nun's Cornette.
The occasional visitors
watch the dying in dreadful relief.
Hypnotic minds drone like trapped bee's.
Frank Sinatra jets in from wonderland,
hands him a coloring book.
If only he had crayons
to fill in the blanks.
Categories:
overhears, poetry,
Form: Free verse
interesting
the girl has red hair
she is around 200 pounds
she dances well
people throw coins
into a violin case
no violin
there are pidgins on the pavement
they are also dancing
between the hurrying legs
The girl is an angel
I know these things
gut response things
reflected everywhere
glass me
moves in dozens of directions
the red head
follows my window forms
Interesting
skimming under thin ice
from underneath
i have no head
but the hat is very smartly placed
dancing particles are named
only when they join
even when the street has no name
the cold weather has dead-fisheyes
sex talk overhears itself
interesting
naked slippers walk quietly into the light
a red face melts on its own hot breath
fat girl stops dancing
winks at my thin lips
the thin coat and thinly disguised admiration
only my ankles are swollen
interesting
Categories:
overhears, poetry,
Form: Free verse
A fellow poet has passed away.
I did not know him in person,
in person he was a name
with a only a shallowly linked life
unknown to me.
Yet on an internet forum
we talked of poetry
gathering jottings of character
and personality. Picking-up
on the nuances of our persona's.
Don't know what he died of
but hope he was not alone,
death should be a last line in a poem
at least somebody overhears.
Categories:
overhears, poetry,
Form: Free verse
A turkey flew over the cuckoo's nest.
A net overhead - flight was not his best.
Caught in the buff.
Now life is rough.
Overhears them drooling for drumstick and breast.
11/3/2022
Categories:
overhears, animal, humor, thanksgiving,
Form: Limerick
What crashes into them
is the oceans voice beheaded.
Seabirds skim upon verge and crest,
a green swell of rise and fall.
Open mouths trawl the air
then plunge into a rising wave
to scoop a thrashing fin
that dangles now
between life and death.
Gullets gulp down then wide wings
swim on.
Indoor cats stare out of windows
as the heckling hunters tumble and dive
for shadows of silver iridescence.
Those engaged upon the land
hear the piratical calls of ocean winds,
the harsh and throaty feasting
above the seas rolling tongue.
A fishing village witnesses
this wild dance of catch and hide,
overhears that high cry above
the restless surf and spray;
and when the fishing boats return
they haul the harvest in.
Here under a shale roofed salty cottage
a portly house cat abides beside a tin dish
for its daily dine of scaly fish.
© 4 hours ago
Categories:
overhears, poetry,
Form: Free verse
Lofty lush green trees
bearing bright berries
Enthrall energy balls monkeys
that traverse through the air
to reveal ripened fruits matter
to thrushes, which then flutter
and sing songs to share the info
with the sportive flying squirrels.
Deer drinking water in the river
overhears the overwhelming happy news
and confides it to the cows that always chew
Everyone then ecstatically eats berries
unitedly as they abide by ubuntu
and so they live happily and making us live
April 18 2021
For the contest In the forest of my dreams sponsored by Mystic rose
Categories:
overhears, animal, appreciation, beauty,
Form: Free verse
As we focus shoot with our floppy lobes,
A gossamer film disguise the eardrums,
Echoes entertain all malicious probes,
Tidings beseech fortuitous pilgrims.
Jealousy encourage hostile intents,
Embittered rivalry host the defied,
Chief points yield unfavorable segments,
Relentless attacks hearten the implied.
Siblings, friends one day, then foes being hexed,
Vices sprung snoops, spies, all those overhears,
Cornered lab specimen hopelessly vexed,
Tuning in abate when choice disappears.
Ancient habits fester long before youth,
Prized intrigues unravel lies than the truth.
2019 December 15
Rhyming scheme;
abab, cdcd, efef, gg
Howmanysyllables;
14 lines x 10 syllables per = 140 syllables total
Categories:
overhears, anxiety, depression, life, meaningful,
Form: Sonnet
Seize the Moment
Written: by Tom Wright
1/14/2013
There’s nothing about us,
That God doesn’t know.
He knows where we’ve been,
And yet where we’ll go;
He discerns what we see,
And overhears us speak.
But give him our heart,
And our life He will tweak.
While days are numbered,
And we’re not in charge.
We can live our beliefs,
Living out our life large;
Always being cognizant,
Of each thing we do.
For when least expected,
Death will call you.
Does the sunrise take your breath each morning?
God made that!
Categories:
overhears, death, god, hope, life,
Form: Lyric
FURY OF THE FIRESTORM
as car handles melt and the fury of the firestorm
surrounds this frightened nurse
who thinks she’s dead
her husband metes out an order — “RUN!”
does he think of neatly lined streets of
parallel fire lines, cheering you on
but truth is much hotter
the earth is on fire
she runs as her shoes melt
climbs into a friend’s car
a butt sits and vinyl burns
the two pray and as smoke grabs
this car too she remembers her husband’s words
“RUN!”
she leaves this car too until she finds a fire truck
they take her in and cover her with a fire blanket
still she overhears no help is coming
but then it does
and the way is made clear for a turnaround
which brings a hero back to her hospital
selflessly she cares for others
11/12/2018
Categories:
overhears, fire, hero,
Form: Free verse
There's nothing about us,
That God doesn't know.
He knows where we've been,
And yet where we'll go.
He discerns what we see,
And overhears us speak.
But give Him our heart,
And our life He will tweak.
While days are numbered,
And we're not in charge.
We can live our beliefs,
Living out our life large.
Always being cognizant,
Of each thing we do.
For when least expected,
Death will find you.
Categories:
overhears, religious, life,
Form: Lyric
narrative
Logan squirms in his seat starting home for the day
he cannot ride like the other small kids.
One leg is shorter, but all is well.
He begs from the back of his big brother's bike -
please, just one more time, Lucas don't quit now
one more lap 'tween the lake and the trees;
this is better than candy.
Turning back, bro is brief -
you know I'm getting too old for this
but all is well, just one more round,
better hang on tight, Lo.
Go faster, Bubba, they're calling us names
straight ahead, we can pass up those guys -
and prove we're not wimps.
All is fading fast.
Rounding the next bend one tyke takes a tumble.
Shrewdly, big brother, Luke, pretends to fall too;
No real harm done, all is well.
More fun than winning - ending in hullabaloo
with ev'ryone on the ground.
Without a word, we all head for the lake -
past time for a break and time to cool off.
Then as they arrive home, mom overhears...
One thing about you, Luke, you know when to fake.
And, Logan, you know there are more ways to win
than just beating someone.
All is well.
Categories:
overhears, adventure, children,
Form: Narrative
To whom should read my words could then explain,
How much is fact or mystery they've caused,
That overhears with insight, fraught or plain
And fact remains between the words you've paused,
Shall crack the code with detail, as you will;
Enable much to understand what's read-
Words, whose pieced together have until
You've found the key to something that I've said;
This strength in words are yours to solely keep
So treasure them as if they were your own
Until a time when you shall find in sleep-
The curse to many fears your dreams have sown.
With meaning you evolve as someone who
Makes something out of nothing, all come true.
Categories:
overhears, urban, visionary, work, words,
Form: Sonnet