Like a garden is my family - mostly sisters,
for I and they grew up without our father.
The oldest, I’m September’s aster,
gathering words like rain as in wind’s rhythm I sway.
After me is Jen, a gracious geranium, abloom with generosity.
Third in line is charming Mel, a marigold smiling in the sun.
Fourth is Dori, a hardy diligent daylily enduring many a storm.
Last is Thea. A delicate Mimosa, she gives and requires tenderness.
At garden’s center is our mother, our ever-loving spiritual rose.
Surrounding us all are beautiful friends, our sister flowers.
I keep a pencil in my pocket,
Here is why,
It's my electric socket,
Without it I'll cry.
When I get an idea,
I write it down,
A bird, My freind Thea,
Even about a clown.
I make it into a poem,
When i'm free,
Which is not often,
I am very busy.
To write a poem,
Here's what you need,
A pen and imagination,
Another poem you'll plead
T-he
H-eart
E-mbraces
A-ll
M-emories
A-bout
R-emembered
I-mages
A-s
L-ove
C-ontinuously
A-dorns
N-ostalgic
T-imelines
A-nd
R-ewinded
A-nnals
©bfa062925
Monocrostic (Birthday of Thea Mari S. Alcantara)
It’s busy at tha deli,
So get ya-self in line an take a numba.
Got a special on baloney.
We’re gonna dance tha reputation rumba.
No matta its location,
A house is only ca-pentry and lumba.
You can neva be a homey
Unless ya do tha reputation rumba.
Tha butta betta be thea,
Rega-dless o tha pressa ya been unda.
Once tha lobsta’s on tha boila,
It’s time to do tha reputation rumba.
Tha masta’s on a benda;
That menace in his pocket’s no cucumba.
Betta shake ya salt and peppa,
He means to dance tha reputation rumba.
Miss Scarlett come a callin’
With demons gonna haunt you while you slumba.
Left a baby on ya da-step.
That’s how ya do tha reputation rumba.
And since ya daddy took a powda,
Ya can hea the sound o’ gossip loud as thunda.
It’s as clea as oysta chowda,
That dance step’s called tha reputation rumba.
My mother, whom I still can call any day.
My grandparents all long-since passed away.
My dad, deceased, I hardly got to know.
My stepdad who sadly died years ago.
My daughter and her family so great.
My son, his wife and kids- all out of state.
Dear brother Dale who left this world too soon.
Fun Aunt Joan who passed away last June.
Church folks, old friends, and students I have known.
Peers from then and now with whom I’ve grown.
My sister Jenny, such a loving one.
My second sister Mel who is such fun.
Third sister Dori, from her ex now FREE.
Baby sister Thea – health nut like me!
Cousins, aunts and uncles, most still alive.
Nephews and nieces who by now all drive!
My friends in poetry who mean a lot.
Closest and sweet friends that I still have got.
Old boyfriends of my youth -(wonder where they are!!)
and my hubbie Joe who’s a super star.
March 17, 2021
for charles messina's List With A Twist Poetry Contest
K-nowledge
E-nthusiast
I-s
S-imply
H-aving
A-ptitude
T-ill
H-ead
E-mploys
A-ble
M-ind
A-s
R-eader
Q-uickly
U-nderstands
E-xcellence
Z-one
Topic: Birthday of Keisha Thea Marquez (August 29)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
T-his
H-eartfelt
E-xpression
A-pplies
J-oviality
O-f
Y-ou
P-oetically
E-mploying
N-ame
A-s
R-egards
E-ndorse
D-ivine
O-pus'
N-ice
D-edication
A-nnually
Topic: Birthday of Thea Joy D. Peñaredonda (January 20)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
T-he
H-appy
E-xpression's
A-uthor
J-ust
O-ffers
Y-early
P-oetic
E-xcitement
N-icely
A-pplying
R-eader's
E-motional
D-elight
O-n
N-atal
D-ay
A-ffair
Topic: Birthday of Thea Joy D. Peñaredonda (January 20)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
T-he
H-eavenly
E-xpression
A-bout
M-eaningful
A-nd
R-ighteous
I-dea
A-dvances
L-iterary
C-reativity
A-llowing
N-ame
T-o
A-pply
R-emarkable
A-crostic
Topic: Birthday of Thea Mari S. Alcantara (June 29)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
T-he
H-eart
E-xpresses
A-wesome
P-assion
E-mploying
N-iceness
A-s
R-ighteous
E-motional
D-evotion
O-pens
N-atural
D-eep
A-ffection
Topic: Birthday of Thea Peñaredonda (January 20)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
K-nowing
E-verything
I-s
S-o
H-ard
A-s
T-he
H-uman's
E-agerness
A-nd
M-ind's
A-ptitude
R-eally
Q-uest
U-sing
E-normous
Z-eal
Topic: Birthday of Keisha Thea Marquez (August 29)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
T-etractys
H-as
E-ndorsed
A-crostic
M-essage
A-nd
R-hyme
I-s
A-pplied
L-etting
C-ouplet
A-llow
N-ice
T-anka
A-s
R-eaders
A-ppreciate
Topic: Birthday of Thea Mari S. Alcantara (June 29)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
Your best friends with angels now
Do you spread your wings and fly do you watch me, do you know me, will you remember me
I bet they love you up there like we loved you down here
Why sometimes I say without a thought of what the angels would say
Do you laugh I bet you sing and dance with the angels
It has been a while your far away far away from me yet a picture of you is right next to me
Things are different now without you to have passed through grief and a way out of the cloud of doom one day I know I will be thea too
flowers are women
in my family’s garden -
Mom and her daughters
rhythm surrounds me
as I sway in contentment -
September’s Aster
Geranium Jen
bends graciously in the breeze -
our southern comfort
charming Melanie
with her sunflower brightness
warms us with her smiles
Our sister Doris
the stalwart Gladiolus
will never fail us
With perseverance
Thea boldly holds her own -
sweet Delphinium
Mom at our center
a spiritual iris
simply inspires us
A forget-me-not
for my sisters and mother -
and roses of love
WRitten May 3, 2016 for the Haiku on "My Family"Poetry Contest of marvin celestial
(I used flowers that symbolized the traits of my sisters and my mother)
Here you are, only twelve, at our kitchen table.
Such a carrot top you were! Strangers used to think
you were our red-head mother’s natural son.
And here’s that photo you took of me at college.
Though you’re not in it, how could I ever forget
it was you in front of me that snapped that shot?
For I’m laughing and so glad you came to see me!
In this one, all ten of us are in the back yard
dressed in our Sunday best - our first big reunion!
I’m nearly 30; just look at my silly perm!
Folks still mistake me for Dori in this picture!
Look how Mom and Thea - for once - are smiling!
You’re standing behind me, in a lovely grey suit,
only 32 and almost out of law school!
Here from more recent pictures, this shows a rare time
we were joined, but sadly, for Dad‘s funeral.
You‘re not in this one, Dale . . . nor in any others.
That picture in our back yard was to be the last.
My dear stepbrother, the best man I ever knew -
Taken from us so young. . . you remain beloved.
Written 10/9/13
Used today March 24, 2021 for
A Meaningful Poem - Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Constance La France
Sub Categories
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.