I was born in the pause between two coordinates
drawn by cartographers with sterilized hands.
My soul was indexed in miles and postal codes
Filed under miscellaneous anomaly at checkpoints.
I crossed borders that did not exist,
except in the mouths of men with rifles.
My breath was weighed against paperwork,
my shadow flagged by predictive suspicion.
I was processed in buildings with no windows,
where hope was a form to be filled in triplicate.
My story was annexed, taped to a strangers' bias,
then shelved into the limbo of “pending.”
I failed the empathy test of the world
where spectacle outperforms survival.
My life was too procedural for pity,
and my death was redacted for efficiency.
Categories:
triplicate, conflict,
Form: Free verse
Young Todd pinched his bankers’ certificate
Forged two more, so he had a triplicate
Now Todd would fulfill his dream
‘Good old boys’ downplayed his scheme
~ On the fast track to run the syndicate
Categories:
triplicate, business, evil, friend,
Form: Limerick
Imagination only comes when you privilege the subconscious,
when you make delay and procrastination work for you.
—Hilary Mantel
The cogs and wheels turning, nonetheless, as I ponder
the preparation before me, having looked over the lesson;
turned over the less obvious loneliness of being left
with a lesson I’ll never forget; abandoned, but not by God.
—quote by Poet
Procrastinating
Cold am I in my pyjamas;
not wearing any socks.
Shivering with coffee in hand;
it’s warmed up to the cold.
Frozen, the morning program;
I will likely release its heat.
Procrastinating, except for laundry.
Waiting on my inspiration socks.
Shall I pick up my next read
or throw the book at something unseen?
Pens and pencils in an Irish mug.
Two leprechauns kiss; Dad misses that warmth.
Observant am I, as now I see, scattered,
yellow and pink silicone muffins.
My mess in triplicate.
I must duplicate my stress.
Press in to the obvious…
Once I begin, where will it end?
Work, without end,
to upend my mind.
Categories:
triplicate, angst, winter, work,
Form: Free verse
Heading into Bethlehem ...
Three Wise Men,
In search of a stable.
Heading out of Bethlehem ...
Three Wise Turkeys,
While they were - still able.
Categories:
triplicate, christian, christmas, fun, humor,
Form: Rhyme
took them to the breast
fed them with love…tenderness
joy in triplicate
they won’t remember kindness
so private and personal
with kids of their own
milk flows to their very bones
bare naked to wise
a grown woman’s pure pleasure
and a husband’s jealousy
Categories:
triplicate, baby, food, mother,
Form: Tanka
Holly McGilly was mean and rude to her mother today
Justice, the old honest hen heard her and was blown away
I will make that rude teenager take her rude words away
She took Holly down in the barnyard that day
She clucked on her head and she spit on her chin, so soft.
She rolled her in pig manure, and knocked her glasses off
She tromped her with her talons and she pecked her with her beak.
The rooster knew better to call her off, so the animals did not speak.
Your mother is terrific, kind and wonderful, the hen said.
Next time you hurt her feelings, you are going to wind up dead.
Holly ran back to apologize in triplicate to her mother that day.
But the second she turned eighteen, she moved far far away.
Categories:
triplicate, 10th grade, 4th grade,
Form: Rhyme
Heading into Bethlehem ...
Three Wise Men,
In search of a stable.
Heading out of Bethlehem ...
Three Wise Turkeys,
While they were - still able.
Categories:
triplicate, bible, christian, christmas, fun,
Form: Rhyme
Teeth chattering like monkeys
She went on and on
Clicking and clacking in ears that had
Turned sorrowful and disappeared into
No man’s land
Teeth chattering like monkeys
The words spewed forth
Snapping and barking in the air where
many dreams died a natural death
The promise land never promising this
Teeth chattering like monkeys
The monologue droned in triplicate
Underneath the backs of others
the students began texting with
bright happy cell phones
Teeth chattering like monkeys
The professor’s tirade kept on the track
With a click and a clack
as the rails fell into the bowels of .....
and still she had no clue
Categories:
triplicate, life,
Form: Free verse
I've your tub of salt
Stood in my kitchen
I hope you haven't
Gone out with a hot water bottle strapped to your chest
Cuz I love you, you're simply the best
Shall we open the curtains?
Let him in
Triplicate, sin, bin
Eternal life, choose Him, please so that he may see
What we see. Truth, love, free set me
Categories:
triplicate, adventure, appreciation, beauty, bible,
Form: Light Verse
Galaxy in triplicate
if you don’t mind
my tail is lagging
it’s simply behind
Galaxy for all three of you?
The gentlest Greek gods?
Galaxy in triplicate, now?
What are the odds?
If you get your galaxies,
If I come through and deliver,
Will you make me happy I did?
Will you make me laugh and quiver?
Categories:
triplicate, 10th grade, 11th grade,
Form: Light Verse
A pleasant sleep eludes her bed of stars.
Her crumpled sheets in twisted heap aloof.
The restless mind of mirth responds afar —
In moonlight serenade she scales the roof.
Arouse his sunlight glimpse of fleeting gown.
In tempest shines the greenest glow of eyes.
His busy hands are empty tools that drown
In longest days — he yearns to bid goodbye.
They bond at dusk and dawn where breath holds hands.
Godspeed In triplicate their spirit’s kiss.
Their eyes so tired — a desert full of sand.
The carbuncle-worn hearts adrift...amiss.
So soon, but not quite soon enough, he’ll land
To satisfy cooled sheets at love’s command.
10/4/2018
Categories:
triplicate, absence, longing, love,
Form: Sonnet
Welcome KMart shoppers blares through the air as a mosh pit of greedy Holiday buggers hurl themselves through the glass and aluminum doors—Obese bodies press (children jammed between white-bread). Trolls in strollers screech in pain and howls of Christ mask laughter. The shopper's feet bombard the glossy, line-oh-lea-ummm floors as the overwrought, over-privileged, truffle sniffers, poke through the hundred and fifty percent marked-up—mark-downs, for things they already own in triplicate.
canned music
jiggle bells the room:
torn wrapping paper
Categories:
triplicate, holiday,
Form: Haibun
Make a list of objects worthy of merit
They must sparkle in the dark
Glow in the light of day
And cost you your life if lost
No diamonds or gold permitted
Fossils are prohibited from all lists
Only things from alien worlds will do
Coded and wet in small letters
Get started right now
And when you are through
Submit the list in triplicate
Go to the next general in compartment Q
Big ideas will be extinguished there
If you are not included in the paper
It is no big deal
We will handle you and the list later
It’s an alien thing
Created on 5/19/15 for “WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA!” – Poetry Contest Sponsored by: Lyric Man
Categories:
triplicate, business, identity, image, mystery,
Form: Free verse
The maiden was carrying a basket
it was full of sweet flowers for market
once she got there she places a blanket
then lays the bunches around a casket
A toff came along and got one for Ascot
he doffed his hat showing a crew cut
the fabric of his trousers was tricot
made up fashionably in cross cut
He invites her to join him at Ascot
leading her down to a leafy short cut
intentions clear he opens his tricot
so she made good use of hidden off cut
Flees from situation most delicate
to get involved much too intricate
after all you must follow etiquette
to remain in the temple's syndicate
Collecting up her flowers and basket
she made her way home out of the market
she wrote never again in triplicate
as her cat came over to affricate
She sat down to a dinner of brisket
followed by a nice tasty biscuit
getting it down, she cleaned the musket
finishes day ironing her weskit
~~~~~~
affricate means to rub up against
Tricot is a fabric or material
weskit is a word for waistcoat usually very ornate
Categories:
triplicate, flower, men, woman,
Form: Monorhyme
Hic, Hic, hiccup, oh my
had several drinks
over the last few hours
and my poor head is spinning
Hic pardon me 'tis the drink
my feet seem to be both left
I keep tripping over ouch
maybe a last one for the road
Hic that was not so wise
my hame is down this way
ohm maybe not I can't see
everything is in triplicate
"Hey there Tommy help me hame
I can not seem to find it"
"Well, Jimmy my lad, dear me
you sure are a sad sight
Looking like you fell
landing in a dirty gutter
lets get you to your hame
afore ought else happens"
Staggering along together
they heard the bells ring
"ock, New Year, hells bells
the hen will be mad at me"
I promised I would be hame
afore the midnite hour
Jimmy, came a harsh call
get your backside in here
Hey, hen do not be mad
I brought Tommy hame
he helped me after I fell
pour us a round of drinks
Let us toast in the New Year
several drinks later
not a simple peep
just the odd snore and snort
hen scottish for partner or wife
hame scottish for home
midnite scottish for midnight
Categories:
triplicate, drink, fun, humorous, new
Form: Free verse
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