There was once
a pink plaid elephant
whose trunk I kissed to sleep.
I won her fair and square—
a coloring contest,
Top Value Stamps.
She slept beside me
every night.
Her trunk, softened by chewing.
One ear, forever folding
from a bent wire frame.
And a stab wound—
just below her left flank—
a potato peeler,
courtesy of my sister.
Then one day,
she vanished.
We moved.
Boxes swallowed childhood things.
Grown-ups said nothing.
I missed her for fifty years
until one day
I typed her name into eBay—
a whisper
into a well
not expecting an answer.
And there she was—
chewed trunk,
crumpled ear,
scar stitched
in the same exact place.
Time is a circle.
And miracles wear plaid.
I held her in both hands,
afraid to blink.
She’d come back.
She had always
been coming back.
Kidding around, I called mother “Lou”
Short for Louella between us two.
She’d return the favor; call me “number three.”
At the time it was cute, now it’s precious to me.
“Thank you, Lou” always brought a smile,
A wink and shoulder shrug also beguiled
For only between us, we understood
The love that we shared, was incredibly good!
“Smells great, Lou” I would say in the kitchen
She would toss me a peeler and I’d pitch in.
And when she would sing with her old guitar
A “love that, Lou” wouldn’t follow far.
“How are you feeling"? I worried to ask
“Oh, you know Thomas, I’ll finish the task.
Whether easy or hard, Lou never gave up
Always serving and filling another's cup.
“I’m missing you Lou the magnificent!”
As I sense a same sentiment… heaven sent.
The bond that we know, will forever exist
Till at heaven’s gate, will grow more with a kiss.
Till then, I will whisper and pray and sing
Of the love that I have for our little “Thing.”
Until next time, you'll hear a son’s eager “Lou!”
Because number three, has been pining for you.
'A watched pot never boils'...
well, that's not entirely true
I've scrubbed the stove for hours
removing burnt on sticky goo
I guess I'm easily distracted
from trying to multitask
cooking tea while washing windows
is a monumental ask
stuff falls down onto the floor
every dish is in the sink
I can't find the potato peeler
I'm completely out of sync
so, a watched pot always boils
in my house, anyway
overflowing on stove and bench
if I dare to look away!
An apple peeler is a gadget
That peels the apple and
removes the cores
It sits on the counter top
Open the log bar-
Slide the apple on to it
Then close the opening
Turn the handle slowly
The apple peeler slowly
slowly removes the peels
Open the long bar
Open the long bar
Remove apple core
Now the gadget is ready
For another apple to be peeled
When you have enough apples
Peeled cut into small pieces
Then cook apples making
applesauce
In a back room in downtrodden and sleazy Manila
On the table cards money and a bottle of Tequila
Fortune lay in the hands of Jose the crooked dealer
Had piercing eyes and a nose like a broken tortilla
As if he had been groomed with a potatoe peeler
Always had an ace up his sleeves this amazing dealer
But to even the game his foes applied silicon sealer
To his coat and bankrupted the dishonest stealer
He found his comeuppance and glue was the healer
Gone were his days as slick professional concealer
He now resides in a prison cell in a disused castilla
Bread and water for him and no more grenadilla
30th December 2019
Layer upon
layer upon
layer
Living always adds another thick layer over hope.
Sometimes hope is rescued from this layered darkness.
Then slung into the suddenness of light.
Gasping and wide-eyed.
What is it trying to say?
What is it thinking?
Will it re-sprout its wings?
Has its voice become entangled?
Can it still hold a golden harmony?
Will it still be peaceful- will it scream war?
Will it share secrets- will it listen to yours?
Has is it turned into a simpleton-a reclusive savant.
Does it remember the day it was born.
Or simply forgotten what it wants-
Is it still the big dreamer?
Dodging a million potholes of the reaper.
What can it teach you?
is it still tame or has it gone feral?
will it bite or will it kiss you?
will it curl on your lap?
will it love you forever or cut you in half.
He's my potato peeler, my heartbreak healer
My apple cider, my daytime rider
My strength and my source, my high and powerful force
My armor barrier, my mail carrier
My breakfast mate, my late night date
My song I sing, my everything
He's my... yea, yea He's my...
He fights my battles and my wars
He heals my wounds and my scars
He pays my bills when I am broke
You best believe He ain't no joke
He wakes me up to start my day
And follows me along the way
And every night before I sleep
I pray to Him my soul to keep
He's my... yea, yea He's my...
He is the cup when I drink tea
So don't be mad He favors me
He irons the wrinkles out my clothes
He's my t.v remote control
He cools me off in summer heat
He is the socks that's on my feet
I trust in Him, oh yes indeed
He's all I got, He's all I need
He's my... yea, yea He's my...
Thank You Heavenly Father for being my EVERYTHING!
WIPE THE TEARS FROM YOUR EYES
THE ONIONS ARE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU
CRY NO MORE THAT THEY SHALL
BE SAUTEED AND EATIN!
THAT THE LABORS OF THESE PERSONS SHALL NOT BE IN VAIN
THAT THESE ONIONS SHALL MAKE FOOD FOR HUNGRY PERSONS
TO COMPLIMENT THE MEAT OF THEIR CHOSING
AND SHALL (SOME) BE SAUCED IN GRAVY
THE ONIONS SHALL BE TASTED AND LOVED
THAT THE EFFORDS OF THOSE WHO LABORED MIGHT NOT BE
OR HAVE BEEN IN VAIN!
POTATO PEELER
I want to peel potatoes all day long.
I love peeling potatoes because of their lovely round shape
and their lovely little nodules. I like to feel the earthy texture
of their skin and I love to take a potato peeler to them.
Just to feel the knife bite through their skin and to reveal
the white flesh underneath.
There is such joy to behold in taking a bite
of an unpeeled potato. The feel of the earthy skin
on your tongue and those acidic juices running down your chin.
Such is heaven in my warped little head.
The Deal Killer,
The Heart Stomper,
The Grain Grinder,
The Mind Stealer,
The Spine Feeler,
The Mind Peeler,
The Spine Dealer,
The Chain Binder,
The Strained Reminder,
The Shamed Re-teller...
And now that all have spoken...
The deal is broken.
< covered chocolate
bursting ...... cherry implosions
over pallets tongue
a bit of sunshine
waiting for the right peeler ....
orange ya glad its you