I sat under a tree somewhere in Nebraska
after a late-night drive in a storm to here
my assignment. Nestled in the sandhills
the morning whispered. In silence I stayed
by a lake where a drive ended. The sun
reflected off a pond, my reflections
to begin the day. Trees and grasses sprouted
from sand fed by underground streams.
A soft breeze whispered, too. I closed
my eyes. Serenity. Pioneers had given their lives
to discover this land. It was mine for now.
I discovered the land for myself. A white cabin
near me was quiet, whether abandoned or not
it didn’t matter. I embraced the silence. Lost
in time. I felt in my mind a new poem form
the words I longed to share when I’d get
back home. Lines broke and found new lines.
Stanzas white spaces moments of silence
always said more than I could say as I gazed
at clouds drifting through open skies. A poem
or two I could take home with me on the long drive.
I had to admit I never knew what I would find.
Trapped into slavery, wanting freedom, freedom to retire and live life with enjoyment.
Trapped into a life with limited options, without the needed stuff to be a success.
Success with living a way that makes us feel okay, like freedom to walk around in a safe environment, free to have food that is healthy and will not make us sick, free to pick the apples and take home to eat, free to enjoy all the free stuff God gave us.
Trapped can come in many forms, and we cannot get free because of many reasons, some known and some unknown.
So, lets pray today for all to be free, to be able to achieve all we can be.
Lifting prayers to God, today and always.
Aichi, I wrote three poems with you.
A total of 107,000 steps,
and three heavy suitcases when I left.
An antique store I wandered into
no photos allowed,
but for an antique enthusiast,
it lives vividly in my memory.
The vintage watch I almost bought,
that cameo necklace I kept staring at,
the no-tripod rule at the Ghibli park,
the pink dial I didn’t take home,
and the clock I arrived too late to see.
Aichi, you made me realize
that money always finds its way back
but time never does.
From the postcards I printed
to the cherry blossoms drifting quietly,
the theme song echoing in bright aisles,
and the first treasures I carried home.
But more than anything
it was the wind against my face,
whispering hope,
telling me we can always become
who we choose to be.
————
Thank you, Aichi
you leave quietly,
But you will always have
a special place in my heart.
10 crabs together in a plastic bag
A friend who brought them for dinner to take home
Crab feast
Subway ride
MTA NYC D train to the Bronx
Observed one of the crabs maneuvering through the subway car
Fast mover that got far
There’s your dinner, after it
Get that crab
However, the crab was spotted by several commuters as one woman screamed and total chaos began
I wanted to laugh, but didn’t make it obvious
So I just held back, and acted like nothing happened
Before I got off to change trains, I told my friend, good luck crabbing home
I changed subway lines at Rockefeller Center for my fantastic F for Queens, New York
Once I got home, I called and asked my friend did she make it home with her bundle of crabs minus one
My friend said yes, but she stated when she unloaded them, they were fighting each other
Crabs will be crabs I responded
Such a crabby scene.
Crystals.
Follows its own shapes and lines.
Explodes like text messages about food and friends.
Heavily guarded.
Everyone knows the rare metals.
Not by name, just by the shine.
Like vampire shine.
Random uncrystalized feelings.
End up in the dumpster that’s only my own stuff.
Rare metals.
It’s not gold out there.
It’s just eternal space ships.
Follows its own shapes and lines.
Confuses itself into nothing.
Crystal shaped stuff.
Filled treasure chests feeling glazed over.
Thoughts bubbles crystalized.
Not so rare after all.
Stuff from caves and mines.
Belonged to me all along.
Carving out stuff for me to take home.
Never made it.
It took the planted seed forever to germinate
Its beautiful blossom withered, welcoming a friendly rain
I have seen the sun fall before the dawn rises
Yet watered every sweat to the rooted root like a basket fully holding it
The Can is yours to take home; let go of the watering and allow nature to grow
It was a miraculous mirage, hoping it would turn a new green leaf
I sat with my imprisoned inner eye beneath another long armed tree
Ready to be plucked without ado or stress
Where I had no handful sown yet reaped from ripened fruitful fruits
Awakening your oblivion to the begotten truthful tale
Wherever on fertile land, a seed drop shall rise again
Adam wasn't fearlessly fearful of Eve but of the favourite forbidden fruits
(C) Yusuf, A.O
Vineyard discovery
Winery cellar somewhere in Pennsylvania
It was an Escorted Tour by Defuncted BISS TOURS
We tasted several wines
The alcoholic Apple Pie wine caught my attention
The blend of ingredient
No nutrient
Senses of aroma opened and taste
I am no wine drinker
I was intrigued in the Apple Pie wine
It was genuine
No bake nor oven
Quality at its best
From the very first sip
That was my tip
Brought a bottle of the Apple Pie wine to take home
Remember and always will of that wine
Didn’t get drunk
First time hearing of Apple Pie wine
Compelling name
No shame
Only the taste taking aim
Unhappy lunch
I could sense as soon as we entered
the restaurant that was a family run business
there had been a turmoil in the kitchen
the servers were father and daughter who
normally worked well together, but to day he
was in the kitchen, his daughter said, when
I asked
There were still many costumers, but they
kept a low profile and spoke subdual when
eating, we had entered a war zone
when our food came it was served on a dish
where my meat was grey like it had been
boiled, fries were uneven remanded of sailor
who had jut made ashore from a sinking ship
falling exhausted to the ground, and the
fried egg had been killed into a hard shell
However the salat, possible made before the
civil war, was good
Needless to say I refused to eat the served
my wife more skilled in diplomatic niceness
told the girl server to pack the food to take home
that I for some reason was not hungry
the lesson is, do not upset chefs in their kitchen
in a strange foreign land
lone outsider
waiting on the sidelines
stumbles upon friendship
and finds comfort
soul to soul
securing a safety net
experiences the freedom to let loose
to laugh and share the freedom to be free
within confines set by the heart
indelibly forging a lasting memory
to take home and treasure always
AP: 3rd place 2025
Inspired by the movie 'Lost in Translation'
At the animal shelter, I looked at them all
The dogs were aplenty, some large and some small.
Some of them were barking, and others looked quite meek.
Would I find a dog to take home this week?
I wanted one badly, I had almost given up,
But then I saw Noah, oh a sweet little pup.
He looked at me shyly, his eyes were quite sad.
I said, I like him, but they said he was mad!
He bites, he jumps, and is not a good choice,
How about this other one? he asked in a soft voice.
But there was something about Noah, that drew me in,
I was determined to walk him, but he did nothing but spin.
He pulled so hard, he nearly broke my arm.
The excitement was real, but he did no harm.
He finally settled down, and looked at me deep.
Like he knew what I was thinking, he was mine to keep.
I brought Noah home, and we got to know each other,
He is my friend for life, I am his new mother.
When I find myself in times of trouble…
That’s right, Mother Mary and all the rest.
Always right there on our shoulder
And in our hearts.
It’s all good you know,
And there can really be no regrets.
You wouldn’t know what you do now
If you hadn’t known what you did then…
And so it goes
Around and ‘round.
Until all that’s left of the terrifying tiger
is a cup of ghee to take home to mother.
(4/27/25)
Study from bee
You will see: Mercy and Unity
In a safe bed hole
Mother feeds baby bee
Feed on pretty flowers
After absorbing the pollen
Leave flowers without stains.
Help breed future flowers.
Take home, sweet food,
To produce honey: A nutritional value
Sometimes, somehow,
Man unwillingly commits something,
With a lack of consciousness.
Many people often say
that they have no luck in love
even when they pray
each time they see a red dove.
I say that they have no luck
with their type
and that they hit a hard rock
each time they believe the hype.
It is time for them to step outside
their comfort zone
and search far and wide
for the one whose heart they can take home.
The man lost his wallet
He asked the lady for some change
To buy lunch with promise to pay
The lady gave him enough money
And went along to the market to sell the pig
Later, the man went to see her at the market
To pay for what he owed telling her
He found his wallet in his car
Then he offered money and paid for the pig
And then offered to drive her home two hours by car
She declined unless he agreed to payment for the ride
On arrival, the matron owner of the pig
Grabbed the payment for the pig and left
The lady was heart broken
The man then offered some more money
But the lady refused, telling him that he had
Helped her more than enough
She then gave the man some home product
For him to take home
In the end, he placed the money in the sack
And returned to her claiming it was too bulky.
2
a tea party for two
just me & you
in your best birthday dress
you'll be a success
we'll have jelly,cream&cake
& a take-home keepsake
there will be games&songs
some solos & a few singalongs
so please.. quickly... r s v p
by text to yours so very truly
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