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Free verse
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She was flexible, accepting a variety of lifestyles and ways of living
This helped her find her spot in the world among interesting varieties
She was ostracized and belittled by some absolutists
“"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." her mother said.
A reminder to be herself and do what she thought was right.
So, she forgave the ones who had bullied her and put her down.
Two of them met her at the pearly gates upon their deaths.
It is your decision, the angel told her. Shall they have mercy?
Mercy for everyone, she replied, ushering them in ahead of her.
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Dramatic Monologue
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Don't. Can't. Won't. Listen. Listen.
My mind is awhirl. Too much of that stuff.
Life is redundant. My friends are boring.
My parents are fussy. Absolutists.
No room for me. I try to get in my truth.
Screaming it out in looks
For I am not allowed to speak
Unless spoken to. Right?
My mind is awhirl. Wanting to break out.
Of this prison where I was put right away.
Little ladies don't get dirty.
Don't speak until spoken to.
My friends jabber about the same stuff.
Every day. A rewind conversation.
I am screaming with my eyes
And my body language.
No one cares.
As long as I
don't show
my crazy.
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Free verse
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I cannot be her friend because she has pink yarn in her hair.
Who says?
My mother.
Can you at least be her friend at school?
No.
Let me guess.
You have an Absolute Book at your house….
Yes, and we sing the absolute song at our house nightly.
How does that go again?
“Absolutely no yarn in hair,
Absolutely no tattoos or rings.
Absolutely no make-up.
Absolutely no outsiders can learn these sings.”
But you are sharing the song with me?
Yes.
But I am an outsider.
Oh. I did not know that.
Forget you heard it, okay?
I do not want to lose my standing in my family.
They have already disowned three of my sisters and two brothers.
Your secret is safe with me.
Absolutists. Nothing like them.
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Prose Poetry
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She is a knock out! The space cowboys were whispering.
I turned and looked. In her earth costume they were not wrong.
I am the alien’s doctor, so I know how they look naturally.
They have four eyes, two mouths and a beak.
They have learned not to show themselves to Earthlings.
In their natural forms anyway, Earthlings are absolutists.
With an absolute way of thinking – people have to look a certain way.
If they do not, they are not accepted. I kept their confidence.
I wanted this get-together between Earthlings and aliens to go well.
So far, so good. The space cowboys were duly impressed.
They were arguing who was going to invite the sexy alien to a dance.
The alien woman caught my eye and grinned, loving the attention.
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Prose Poetry
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Leftie I was and leftie I be.
I never watch stupidity on reality TV
Except Married at First Sight
Which gives me delight
I am a hippie, a gypsy, a faerie, I flee….
From those who have absolute ideas, for they frighten me.
My ideas are flexible,
I am a listener, and a jumper.
I jump from this to that easily,
Fearful of the thumpers and stumpers.
I am the most liberal liberal I know, and I know many for sure
I have over fifteen hundred Facebook followers, so eclectic and pure.
I run from those who want me to believe in their ways
I follow my heart, and my spirit guides, dancing through my days.
My spirit animals are there, I am open to empaths galore.
They are my kind of people.
Absolutists I abhor.
I do not hate anyone, or want anyone to have any harm.
Love is the key I think, it is part of my charm.
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Free verse
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I grew up in the fifties and sixties.
Gender roles were almost absolute
Back in small town Iowa.
Daddies worked. Mommies didn’t.
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Dad’s escaped from the drudgery of housework,
homework, cleaning, cooking, laundry, dusting,
gardening, painting, sewing, knitting.
My mother was constantly busy from five a.m.
Until midnight when she went to bed.
I watched my father go to work all dressed up
In shirts and ties she pressed and clothes she cleaned.
I watched him come home at six, eat his supper,
Lie on the floor, and watch TV until he fell asleep.
Gender roles were easy to understand as a child.
Moms worked constantly. Dad’s worked from eight to six.
I bought my parents’ ideas of gender roles immediately and completely.
Made it exceedingly easy for husband to move our family thirty times.
I could pack an entire house, three kids and six pets in three days.
When my husband returned from work the moving truck was filled up.
For thirty-five years my husband did not make his own sandwich,
Wash a sock, or dust a counter. Then one day I snapped.
I decided I was not going to cook, clean or dust another thing.
For the past twelve years my husband has washed the clothes.
He has made our meal about sixty percent of the time since 2008.
He has done all of the grocery shopping; and he seems to love it.
I have always despised grocery shopping, so I love it too.
Gender roles were established and absolute at our house - by me.
My daughters and their husbands take turns cleaning, cooking, dusting.
Their life is totally better than mine, but no one’s fault but my own.
I learned from the best of the absolutists - a mommy who worked nonstop, and a daddy who slept most of the time he was home,
I am sad it took me so long to figure out there was another way to live.
I truly was resentful and angry most of my life because I hate cleaning.
Cooking is my third less favorite thing to do, and grocery shopping....
Let's not even go there, okay?
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