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Best Poems Written by Kathryn Collins

Below are the all-time best Kathryn Collins poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

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Where Did the Time Go

Where did the time Go?

“Mom I think my finger’s falling off”
Not to worry I’ll be there in a second.

“Mom I think the roof caved in”
Get under the bed for now, I’m on the phone.

“Mom, Sister’s on the roof”
Sooooo?

“Mom, the house behind us is on fire”
Bring them a bucket; I’m drying my hair.

“Mom, there’s a black spider on my wall”
He’ll keep; I’m watching Days of Our Lives.

“Mom, the paper boy’s collecting”
I don’t have $2.  I’ll be at the bank. 

“Mom, there’s a policeman at the door”
Get Daddy.  Now.


 “Mom, I’m married with kids”
Where was I?


For Colette from Mama
Mother’s Day 2013

Details | Kathryn Collins Poem

Onward Christian Soldiers

Onward Christian Soldiers
(Chivalry Dead)

God’s crusade upon them laid
a stubborn suit of mail brocade.

Knights Templar, Teutonic thugs
Mercenaries out for blood.

In guarantee of resurrection. 
Skull bludgeoning insurrection.

For every heathen to the cemetery
Pope so grants indulgence plenary.  

Urban calls to cut out “sin.”
with war for Jesus, champion.

Death to every infidel.
Damn them all to endless hell.

Allah-backed brave Saladin
“Jihad” shouts Islamic paladin 

Jerusalem. Jerusalem.
Devastated paragon.



Kathy Collins
1/31/14

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Chamber Music Chopped

Chamber Music Chopped

Sailing to heaven,
the violin and viola
never noticed

the cello sleeping
dangling in the sky
until it was too late. 

their anchor was gone
and the trio became
a broken record.


©Kathryn McLoughlin Collins
January 8, 2013

Details | Kathryn Collins Poem

Catch a Falling Star

I can’t quite recall
The feel of your fingers
In my hand and

The sound of your voice
Escapes me today,
But I’ll remember it.

What was that song we sang?
Solo I can’t quite get the tune.
No one else thinks it’s funny.

You thought putting
a falling star in your pocket
was silly.

But it’s rainy now
and I need one on this
starless night.


©March 28, 2003
Kathryn McL. Collins

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Only Leaves

Only Leaves

Their numbers are overwhelming
golden and brown transversing my path.
I abandon every one in each step forward.

Green lives, lived,finally 
fallen to the battlefield of my morning walk,
some burning red, the last fire extinguished.

Others are dry and crisp,
burnt toast of maples,
drifting and rolling as Mariah scoots them.

Is it the wind;
or are these pointy little corpses
positioning for Halloween tricks?

Details | Kathryn Collins Poem

Only I Decide My Fate

Only I Decide My Fate 

By Kathryn Collins and Terry O'Leary

At times when I am dark and deep 
joy but flickering dim, 
I upon the portal keep 
stilled like phantom limb. 

Braced by winter's welkin wind, 
distant clouds unfold, 
where once the roar of laughter dinned 
I taste the burning cold. 

Stood in life's predicament 
immobile on the sill, 
I wait for grand encouragement, 
to warm this awful chill. 

Stranded in the winter bleak, 
with breezes bitter blown 
slicing like the sleet oblique 
I find myself alone 

If frozen at the brink I stand, 
persist in stagnant stall, 
my feet will melt to silken sand. 
gone my soul, my all.

Details | Kathryn Collins Poem

Writing's a Drag

The Drag of Writing

A smidgeon of silly,
a scintilla of sad,
a wee gong of rhyming wit,

a sentence to start me
a participle dangling
a lead to bring me to it,

a last ditch lurch to my
personal God, who says 
“this is not worthy of prayer”

six single words is all I need
for my fingers to fly with a flourish, 
a little ole ‘v’ to victory,

parse me up
and parse me down
I’ll carelessly click the keys,

till I alphabetically ache
and a roll of the dice 
brings a poem for the centuries

Is that how THEY did it
Longfellow and Poe?
I’m not so sure they were so slow.



©Kathryn McLoughlin Collins
May 28, 2013

Details | Kathryn Collins Poem

Paper Plate

Paper Plate

serve me well friend poet;
flavor anew words I've
eaten all my life.

Kathryn McLoughlin Collins
July 16, 2011

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The Byway

The Byway

I may have been a place or two
Where your foot has fallen or wishes to.  
I have known a decibel of fright
And shrieked aloud the cold dark night

In braveness have you reached in aid?
In kindness have you sought to save
Sweet precious feelings of a friend
And sacrificed your own true end?

Stoop not at indignity nor
Puff and gel in praise.     
For both fade fickle in the light
And melt away in haze.

We’ll not be judged on cleverness
Instead we will succeed
On our state of readiness
To lend a hand in need.

Details | Kathryn Collins Poem

Lazarus Walk

Boots
in the closet;
I wait for them to walk
so I can follow.

Wallet
in my drawer;
he needs his license, money,
not a lot, 

t-shirt,
pair of pants,
running shoes,
his watch,

binoculars,
field guide, 
floppy hat.
I won’t forget.

I’m ready, boots;
lead me;
it’s not too late;
it’s not.

©Kathryn Collins 
June 14, 2007