Allow me the privilege of stopping to stare—
At a pretty young girl with bright purple hair.
Or, that buxom maiden who has quite a pair
The one wearing no bra, standing over there.
A brash young fellow with cap turned around
Britches pulled down--almost to the ground.
A grossly fat dude tattooed head down to toe
With a breath-takingly beautiful lady in tow.
I stopped to help this homeless man in need
He suddenly offered me a toke on his weed.
“Music” from the car in the next lane is blaring
I am holding my ears, but I cannot stop staring.
The exhaust of a motorcycle deafening loud
I suppose it makes the hog’s owner feel proud.
A man wearing a pigtail reaching to his butt
In our local grocery a woman carrying a mutt.
An aged woman riding on a three-wheel tricycle
Juggling from hand to hand a half-eaten popsicle.
Things are normal, quite ordinary, as you can see
Nothing wrong with anybody – I guess it’s me!
FOURTH PLACE WINNER
written July 23, 2021
for "An Interesting Couplet" poetry contest
sponsored by Funom Makama
Allow me the privilege of stopping to stare--
At a pretty young girl with bright purple hair,
A brash young fellow with cap turned around
Britches pulled down--almost to the ground,
A grossly fat dude tattooed head down to toe
With a breath-takingly beautiful lady in tow,
The exhaust of a motorcycle deafening loud
I suppose it makes the hog’s owner feel proud,
A man wearing a pigtail reaching to his butt
In our local grocery a woman carrying a mutt,
I want to say to them what’s happening there
Allow me the privilege of stopping to stare—
May 26, 2021
Looking at flowers, then leaves, I began to wonder about the roots and seeds. Yes, I thought, that's what I learned in Biology, Botany, Biodiversity ... But a brilliant, brainy, breath-takingly beautiful budgerigar whispered to me:
"You are "thought" [taught to think in boxes, as PT says] to objectify Nature from birth, almost. For us critters, the entire plant or tree is one of us, a community where we help, house, and hallow each other. It is all ONE life form, don''t you see. What are leaves but flowers yet to be? What are flowers but leaves modified for reproduction? Are your reproductive organs separate in type and origin than the rest of your body? Don't humans start life as one-and-two cells? Don't you see the seed - small and insignificant, perhaps - carries generations of trees, fruit, food, and shelter in it?"