Once upon a time, Rumple
Stein sat by the glowing fire
and called the children close.
"Tonight," he whispered with
a wicked smile, "I will tell you
about the Dust- Gnasher."
This creature has skin like old
parchment and razor- sharp fingers
long enough to wrap around the
mattress.
It waits in absolute silence,
completely flattered beneath
your dark bed frame all night
long.
The moment the bedroom
lights click off, its yellow eyes
pop open in the shadows.
It listens for the sound of
deep breathing to know you
are finally fast asleep.
Then, it slowly slides out to
sniff the air, looking for tiny
bare feet hanging off the edge.
If you leave a toe uncovered,
it's cold, bristly tongue will
give it a tiny bite.
It loves to steal loose socks
and chew on plastic toys with
its full, clicking teeth.
"So tuck your blankets tightly
tonight," Rumple chuckled,
"because it is listening right
now."
tuckered and tucked in with him
ebb and flow of pillow head
personalities have dreams
we walk on the sea
we see no sun, with eyes shut
lily pads and no frog legs
and the sky’s a blinding blue
our feet toss and turn
pebbles rise into the clouds
a curious sight, indeed
even in the darkest night
distressing whale song
whistle salts breeze into face
we walk our separate ways
sleepy fits of temperament
hopeful peppermint
a couple buoys apart
harbor of port and starboard
ahoy, matey…don’t walk plank
drop splash to the deck
wakey…wakey…the seas wake
the blasting siren alarm
no one cares less where wave crests
it rests on the bed
that is the crumpled bed sheet
only need to straighten it
a boat left in the harbor
the sea’s now placid
summertime has passed
memories are left
of our lovely days
shared with family
special times held dear
grown grands in the pool
great granddaughters too
memories to last
yes, those days flew by
all too soon it came
close the pool- to sleep
tucked in, covered tight
and await next year
when in early June
twill embrace once more
loved ones in my life
Every morning when I wake
The first thing that I'll do
Is look out of my window
And search the sky for you
I'll do it every day I live
In hopes someday I'll see
My precious little Bluebird
Coming home to me
Way out there from a distance
You'll see my arms stretched wide
To welcome and to catch you
To bring you safe inside
The future's not for us to know
All roads lead to somewhere
But one thing that's for certain
I'll be waiting for you there
And if your thoughts for me have gone
If they're no longer so
I understand, but as for me
I always will, yoU kNOw
EVERY TUNIC’S TUCKED
squeamish that every tunic’s tucked
on one side, lopsided, uncouth
on the page, in the book - why is
every model told to tuck her hand
inside her pocket, jam her socket
into her pants, plunge me into distress.
If they want us to buy online, can’t
we size it up ourselves. I laugh
like crazy…going crazy…the lazy
love to push buttons and tuck.
well i’m out of luck, looking through
glaring pages, glossing over, needled.
insensitive to my plight? perhaps
you have your own quirk. don’t
laugh behind my back…hit me
on the chin. just don’t tuck your tunic
with your hand in one pocket. i panic
at the unprofessional modelling. i turn
away, i scorn, i feel sick. the lazy
like to set up every one the same.
their camera should be ashamed…
how lame. let me speak…let me shout.
i was kidding about the chin -
keep it to yourself…
We’ve always done for each other what we thought was good and right.
Tucked up in our little corner under the rainy mist of our street light.
Tucked up in our little life where we know that we only have each other when the world chooses us with which to fight.
We found love and peace in one another in this beautiful little life.
All the years that we’ve been together through the laughter, fears, tears, felines and cries. Tucked up here together, well that’s alright.
Because, I’ll never regret a moment, not one single moment of our life, when I see you, my you, my love, our little corner tucked up in your loving blue eyes.
Across uneven terrain
tightrope-walking
narrow mountain passes
dodging sniper fire
He carries her picture
tucked into his heart
From that wrinkled photo
his thoughts ne'er depart
Lately, my love, you’ve folded me neatly
into a corner of your consciousness
Tucked away
From the prying eyes of acquaintances
whose tongues stick to the backs of their teeth
Tucked away
As the gift you give me is faceless soundlessness
Because we know that ours is a love best
Tucked away
As you get
when you lay between the hills of my thighs,
the whispers on whiskeyed breaths
sharing the tales so secret as to be
Tucked away
Can a tree cramped in the box of shadow and doubt
find the sun while
Tucked away?
Tucked away in a forest, where treetops did sway
Lived a family pondering why they felt this way,
A miracle was to happen, which was certain to heal,
And their faith to God, was a joy to reveal.
The forest was giving, they lived off the land, ,
Each member of the family, lending a hand
Dad a carpenter, crafted a variety of toys,
Mother sewed outfits for the girls and the boys.
Dad went out in the snow and spotted a tree,
He heard it whisper, please choose and take me,
A bright star shone brightly, and there it did stay,
Angels opening a pathway to the babe in the hay.
Poem Competition: A Christmas Carol Poetry Contest
Lyric written to the Christmas Carol of: AWAY IN A MANGER
Sponsor: Regina McIntosh
2021/12/08
It came upon a blizzard day
with gloriest rays of old
she stole the Babe
that blessed night,
and wisked Him home away
A pooring girl so sad and torn
she saw Him shivering cold
and from the church she ran
towards her dwelling place
to wrap Him in her fray
It came upon a Christmas day
as churches round the world
sang Halleluja praise the Lord
with a Babe inside a crib ,
that little Jesus reappeared
all safe, tucked in and warm !
Me Mother tucked me in, when I was small,
And made the nighttime monsters run away,
And kissed my cheek, still, when I’d grown up tall,
And broke me down when I had gone astray.
She gave her love through music, art and books
And loved Truth, only, more than us, I think!
She taught us to be humble, by her looks
Of disapproval, when we left a chink
Of falsehood in the walls of Truth we built.
My memory counts but three lies that I told,
And these, I still stain with a smear of guilt.
But she forgave me, once she had grown old.
I made my way, because my mother had,
Because I went forth in Truth’s Armor clad.
9/16/2019
I LONG TO SEE
MY LOVER
SHE'LL BE MY
CHILDREN'S MOTHER
WE'LL GOOD TO ONE
ANOTHER
JUST YOU WANT AND SEE
LOVE AINT ALL THAT COMPLICATED
SHE'LL HAVE ME HUSBANDNATED
GRATISFACTION AND SATISFACTION
I GUARANTEE
I LONG TO SEE
MY LOVER
SHE'LL BE MY
CHILDREN'S MOTHER
WE'LL TALK AND
HONOR ONE ANOTHER
JUST YOU WANT AND SEE
CLEVER CONVERSATIONS
TALKING AND NEGOTIATING
I LONG TO SEE
MY LOVER
SOMEWHERE SHE WAITS FOR ME
ROMANTIC SUPPERS
AND SPECIAL EVENINGS
CANDLELIGHT AND KISSING
WE'LL SPEND TIME REMINISCING
JUST WAIT AND SEE
I LONG TO SEE MY LOVER
SOMEWHERE SHE WAITS FOR ME
Childhood truth is tucked away good and hard
Hurting no one but me,
I dare not take her out even for a brief peek
for to look at her would make her real again.
Give her even more power
Which I dare not do
for I have so little left now....
I know not what else she could take from me
She has taken so much already
What little is left I throw onto a canvas
and paint into my dreams
and write bits and itsy bits about
Little by little
As she takes a piece of my soul away
and squirrels it where no one dares to go
not even me in my most enlightened hours.
So I keep her there, tucked, safely away
where she cannot hurt me
or take any more of my
power for if she did
what of me could
possibly
remain?
eyes shut as books close
the gray-moon peeks through the blinds
— boys dream in color
7/30/2018
Bought a little gun today
Then tucked it safely away
Younger brother found it soon
Organs screaming and limbs strewn
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