she lived in a world of lopsided pinks, yellows and purples
he favored tans, grays, blacks and crisp clean white
they disliked each other the first few times they met
their encounters were as catastrophic as a natural disaster
This changed when they were stuck in an elevator together
It happened at 5:47 p.m. on a Friday night in 1979.
They were the only two in there – chameleon and analytic.
This was before cell phones, and the elevator phone was broken.
At first, they were silent, not paying attention to each other.
But she is a Gemini, and Gemini loves to talk and listen.
She coaxed information out of this set-in-his-ways Libra.
Their friends said it would never last.
They are still married forty-six years later
Before and after house decoration photos amuse me
so many designers specialize in blah tans and grays
the before photos are often wild, whimsical and carefree
toned down to blah, gloomy and faux in various ways
I like oranges, reds, pinks and purples especially
designers ignore fabulous colors as far as I can see
I’ll live in a cement garage if I want plain dull gray
tan and beige also, do not take my breath away
color calls your name, gives the viewers a peek
at your preferences and attitude, let the walls speak
throw on whimsical touches of you here and there
don’t ooh and awe over blah-ness, that goes nowhere.
Domestic violence
The couple had nice tans, but she had a black eye
He was courteous towards her, tried to hold
her hand, but she refused to hold his hand
His face reddened angrily, and he got his way
Both were nicely dressed, meeting friends
No doubt they would tell a droll story on how
She got that Eye
Polite laughter, the men accepted the story
But the women exchange glances,
In the powder room, they will now know the truth
The unlucky one would beg them not to
tell anyone, saying he loves me, but has a quick
temper; when I nag him, he sometimes slaps me
But it always says sorry and begs forgiveness
She was a rather bland woman
Dowdy, dressed in tans and browns
She did not share any history
I did not know any of her towns
She brought pumpernickel bread to work
And shared it with me, along with butter.
I did not care if she did not speak anymore.
It was fabulous with dollops of peanut butter.
Where’s twenty-twenty four
Standing by the door
Ready to leave
Would you believe?
Another annual cycle is done
Completing three hundred sixty-five day run
Fifty-two-week span
Now inserted into the time capsule can
Events remembered
January to December
Moments treasured
Memories pressured
Take the good with the bad
Happy and sad
There were tears
Cheers
Nothing fear
Going to twenty-twenty five
Healthy and alive
Starting with bitter cold
Quarter term getting old
Half way home
Heat tans our skin tone
Then the crispy air
Fall we will share
Once again together we will fight
Freezing temperatures with a bite
Since the next chapter will be here soon
Circling the sun and moon
Monitoring rotations on the clock
Never stopping the tick and tock
As it makes another lap around the anniversary block
Do we say good riddance? My dear,
Or just grabbed the new aged barley beer
For the traditional good luck toast
Before digging into the reason for the New Year’s roast
The Last Moment
The last moment of light
But it is not gone
The sun travels around the globe
The light is shared with every person
It feeds every plant
Warms the air around us
And tans every inch of our bodies
So, when the sun sets in the west
Just remember that it will be back
Unless it is really cloudy outside
Then you’ll have to wait … sorry
© Poem – VIII/XIII/MMXXIV
LRET
As summer exits – stage left
Shall we afford it a standing “O”
Bask in the fireworks of its bounty
Weep for the hoar frost tinged roses
Shall we long for one more breath of heat
As tans fade on our bus stop children
Laugh at the faceless pumpkin gatherings
Run through the “pick your own” orchids
Will we bid adieu to a dimming sunshine
Chase our shrinking shadows through dry grass
Rollick in the too soon crisp of leaves
Gaze at the arrow tips of geese
Let us sit and tell our stories
Of secrets shared when summer’s gone
You might know me by my wear;
Sorely I stand before me, yet the me not really me, yet surely be
if you were to open door therein is hangers full of clothes that’s just there...
Shirts, cargo pants as well as regular pants by George ™
Matching flora, colorful plaids;
Hanging on hooks and Newspaper Boy Caps™ and Tams™;
Love me some denim jeans and cotton
Light blues, pink, reds, browns, tans blacks and white
Flowered, neon, purples and violet, yeah still in them 70’s seams
My closet full of also Walmart George Wranglers™ and Levi™
Mustn’t forget them T-shirts by TEMU™
You might know me by my wear
7/15/24
For Sartorial Self Portrait Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Jaymee Thomas
Lights are glowing gently
The curtains have been drawn
The radio plays softly
An old, well loved song
The summer night is calm
With the moon on the rise
Racoons head for the corn
Much to no one's surprise
Darkness coats the hillside
Cattle have settled down
Village streets are emptied
'Till morning comes around
A new day approaches
Sun will rise in the east
Towns and farms grow active
As daylight is increased
Swimming pool is open
Picnics are in the plans
All the white skinned children
Are working on their tans
Life keeps rolling along
Through all the summer days
Young kids hit fishing holes
Farmers round up the strays
Woman start preserving
From artichokes to plums
Will be food a' plenty
When the hard winter comes
Soon baseball and swimming
Gives way to football games
Then there is harvesting
Between the autumn rains
Kids will return to school
For studies and class plays
And all will tell stories
About their summer days
Her colors are outrageous the grays and tans said.
I loved them myself, so thought they were off in their head.
The other kids loved Auntie’s slather of gorgeous hues too.
For blah beige-type colors we truly wanted to give a loud boo.
Auntie’s house was full of giggles, play, happiness and fun.
We loved everything about her, she had us nieces on the run.
Her décor was no more colorful than she was herself.
She designed every wall, window, pillow, and overhead shelf.
Time to pack our suitcases and leave winter with the snow on the ground
The beaches of Waikiki await are arrival, soon to greet us with their warmth and tropical sounds
A lifetime of fond memories soon to be created and stored for all eternity
A relaxing week of fun and entertainment is now a virtual certainty
The colorful waters of the ocean lapping at the shore greet us as our feet hit the sand
Surfboarders ride with the waves with their sculptured bodies and beautiful tans
Tonight a luau is ours to partake in, an island feast with hula dancers swaying in the night breeze
Tropical drinks abound, and I am sure will go down with ease
After dinner, a stroll down the beach with the moonbeams lighting the way
A trip to paradise what an experience, I wish I could stay
If you need to get away I promise this is the place you want to be
A smorgasbord for your senses just wait and see
autumn is "calling"
falling leaves as rain showers
beauty colorful
~
kaleidoscope dorn
brilliant tint of beige
greens tans oranges
~
yellows and reds hues
fall leaves as rain showers dawn
beautiful autumn
11/9/23
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr © 2023
Her husband wanted everything blah.
He loved tans, grays, and whites in the raw.
She was sad for a few weeks when he passed.
But then someone said “It is your chance, Mrs. Rast.”
She started out small with two colors – red and blue.
They boded well, so she added gold and silver too.
Her house is filled with colors that she loves; it doth glow.
Heavenly husband says wistfully, “I wish this had always been so.”
Dorthea had a way with wolves, foxes, coyotes too, for sure, oh, yes.
Wore their tans and browns, in her most fashionable coat and dress.
One crept up on a log and wandered clear up to her pretty face.
A fox who felt her kindship to him, his relatives and the human race.
No one knew, for she did not tell a soul, being a quiet girl, yet sweet.
The fox came more often now, being his friend was an accomplished feat.
Dorthea and the fox did not spread their relationship around.
But they were friends for life, until the fox was finally heaven-bound.
She felt like she had a gray cloud hanging over her head.
When her husband expired, she changed her bathroom to red.
Threw all of her grays, tans and light blues to the wind.
Brought in the brightest colors, my cousin Bree Brind.
He did not like brights, she said, but I love them, you see.
We were flabbergasted, because we did not know this of Bree.
She changed her whole house putting in the brightest of the brights.
We spend lots of time over there, loving her house, almost all nights.
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