and then I died.

I'm telling you this amazing story
because I know you'll love it my friend
it is full of excitement and glory
you'll be on pins 'til I get to the end.
Everyone else I've told it to
has been so moved they cried
"and then and then what did you do?"
So I told em the truth "then I died!"

"and then I asked for directions"

we sat in traffic,
on a hot day with no
air conditioning.
as we sat she spoke
and told me of
her dreams.
with each sentence
she felt further
away so I asked
where she saw
me in all of this
and she said
she didn't.
so I turned around
and headed
back toward
my life.

AND THEN HE SAID

Oh, you know how love is
First thirteen red roses
An expensive Godiva box
Maybe a genuflection
On one knee for a proposal
Straight out of Don Juan’s notes
You know exactly what I mean
The velvet heart that sings
Two feet hovering in Loveland
A smile tight as a rictus
Declaring life is oh so good
And sunshine’s all over the place
Rabid dogs don’t scare you
And if they nuke the planet
Your dying breath will say
Love made my days
And then he said
Out of the ubiquitous blue
Just when you had signed over
Your body and soul to him
And then he said
Just when you stopped being you
And became a cardboard facsimile
Of what your truly were
And then he said
When he shoved you
Out of the potsy square of bliss
We have to talk
I have something to tell you
Then lets go your lips
Holds down your arms
Stops your heart in mid-beat
And then he said
You’re the sweetest
You’re the cat’s pajamas
You’re the breath of spring
And then he said
Though you hardly heard him
Your heart beating like a fist
And then he said
I found someone else
I don’t want to hurt you
I don’t love you anymore
And then he said
Goodbye

#

And Then He Came out


Strutting, hands on hips,
May child in his mother’s dress.
Peace at rainbow’s end.

NOBODY I KNOW
(And Then We Were No Longer Strangers)

A poet in my own mind
takes on the challenges April brings.
A callous half-hearted attempt
at an art form I would give a week
to purge itself from my system.
Innocuous and twisted, my first,
the origins of Vegetable Dip,
elicited visions of a rapid
departure from another
failed genre of expressive thought.
Three days in and a day short
of total evacuation, I found it.
A blurb of a comment, a patch
for my sinking hot air balloon of muse,
that suddenly refused to die.
A voice from across the Eerie Lake,
that put in place the pontoons that kept
poetry afloat until I found my sea legs.
A stranger, albeit kindred spirit,
nobody I know, and who knew me well.
Knew me in the passion of my words,
the struggle of my time worn heart,
the need for acceptance in a world of words
left unwritten until now. She knew,
because her own angst about the self same
obstacles perplexed and flummoxed her
at every turn. She had passion.
And her heart struggled.
But acceptance awaited her as it did me.
I was nobody she knew.
Poetry pulls many things together.
The best friend I’ve never met. Nobody I know.

Serves You Right

And then the emails stopped coming
I never heard again how poems were
wrought. No more updates, no angry
words spoken, just a twisted glaring gap.

And then it was no longer a transition
but an end. People, places, beliefs and
things were flowing downstream rapidly.
Naked, skinless, submerged, merged.

And then the doors cracked open to another
time. Nothing Mattered. Sounds Realized.
Faint strains from a wooden flute danced
into my meditations, beckoning me to play.

And then my fears lapped my curiosity.
I gave way. Crumbling in God’s hands
softer than pebbles, fine scented magic
reduced, refined, recycled, refabricated.

And then I remained the dream wind
insubstantial, yet powerful, howling.
Climbing in your windows at night
Sneaking into your memories blithely.

And then you asked me when I became
a melody, a song, above your own, not
merely harmonious but point counterpoint
I had no answers. I had no trick lyrics.

Just finished commenting on yesterday, and OH! We are off to a GREAT start today! Excellent! You guys just keep raising the bar! Back later, I hope. Must come up with an idea first. (Can I buy a vowel?)

Chev...no "just about's" to it...that one is perfect...lean and mean...thanks for sharing it with us

ASK ME WHY
(And Then I'll Tell You)

Ask me why (and then I'll tell you)...

Why does my heart skips a beat whenever
the thought of you fills my time?

Why can I feel you long after you've gone,
like I'm feeling you for the first time?

Why will your name be the last utterance
on these lips that miss your kisses?

Why does the song of the bird outside my window
remind me of your sweet refrain?

Who would ever think that after all these years
of teenaged infatuation would burn fully with love's fire?

When will the reasons become clear for me to understand
the meaning of connections that have fallen into place through you?

Will your beauty ever purge itself from my thoughts,
and will I be remiss in allowing that to ever happen?

Do you think I can ever replace what you had unselfishly given?
Do you think I should even try?

Why is my poetry the séance that continues
to join our hearts and minds in hope and spirit?

Ask me why (and then I'll tell you)
It is because love will never die.

Love is always the answer.

And Then the Sun Came Out

I blinked my eyes,
and then the sun came out.
And it was there all the time,
but I was walking fast,
with my head down,
lost in that fog we shroud
ourselves in unconsciously.
I stopped, overwhelmed
by the aura of ecstasy
that flowed into me,
from the depths of the cosmos.
And it is there all the time,
and so I remind myself,
when the hurts of my children,
and the suffering of a world
short on justice and generosity,
cloaks my ability to do my share,
to pause and clear my vision,
to open my heart and soul
to the constant, unremitting,
power that glows like the bright sun,
throughout the broad universe.

And Then There Was One

He sits
alone in his chair
lost in rememberance
of loves gone by
and thinks of her.

He waits
for the sound of her voice
as it fills the emptiness
and caresses his ear
and warms him.

He wants
nothing more
than her presence near.
the scent of her hair
nestle beneath his chin

He wishes
they had met
when silver wasn't his color
and youth was vibrant
children they'd never know
weren't in the plan

He knows
that this time it is real
and love can prevail
even though in the past
it was doomed to fail.

AND THEN . . .

We whizzed past the sign.
“What did that sign say?”
“What sign?”
“The one back there.”
“Didn’t see it.”
“Thought it said something
about bridge out.”
We crested the hill.
I jammed on the brakes
too late.

SIE LIEBT DICH
(And Then I Realized We Didn't Speak the Same Language)

I said, "I Love You"
as she prepared to
board the plane.
And she replied, "Ich Liebt Dich".
I laugh immaturely,
"What is that you're saying?"
"Ich Liebt Dich" she repeated.
My laughter continued.
She was not pleased.
She turned to leave.
I asked the interpretor
what her problem might be.
"Sie Liebt Dich" he said.
Now he was pissing me off.
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU!" I shouted.
"She Loves You, Jackass"
he said in perfect English.
Ha, I thought. It's like those German girls
have a different word for everything!
The realization came too late.
Her plane had departed.

AND THEN SHE MADE HER CHOICE
(Callisto)

Butch young lioness, you were always so proud
hearted, dreadlocked anarchist, dyke on bike, wise
woman never taken aback. You said, Be
strong in your own skin,

demonstrate, protest the injustice we all
suffer. Leather jacket with rainbow pin, you
strode across the world like the queen of all beasts.
No one could stop you,

huntress of the femmes, so then how did this sight
come to pass: your belly in flower, some small
life-force, seed inside of you simmering, nine
months in the crock pot,

who will trust you now that the strip's turned pale blue.
Must've been post-Pride, celebration gone wrong,
blackout drinking's consequence. What will you do,
lioness, what next?

Olyvia the Storyteller

Little Olyvia
sat down beside me
as I was changing my clothes.
She had something on her mind.
But sometimes big ideas
get trapped in that cute curly head
and have to be let out slowly
like air out of a balloon.
“Something happened,” she said,
her brown eyes wide.
“What?” I asked,
pulling off the first clown shoe.
“I got up and ate breakfast.”
“And then?”
“We came here to the hospital.”
“And then?” I kicked off the second shoe.
“We dressed as clowns.”
“And then?” I asked,
pulling off my billowy pants.
“I sat on an old lady’s lap.”
“And then?”
Olyvia took a deep breath.
“She smiled.”
“Is that what you wanted to tell me?”
I asked, pulling up my jeans.
“No.”
“And then?”
“A lady brought a dog in.”
“And then?”
“The people pet the dog.”
“Is that what you wanted to tell me?”
Olyvia shook her head.
I put on my street shoe.
“And then?”
“The dog ran in here.”
She took another deep breath.
I was beginning to wonder
if Olyvia had a point.
I slipped on the second shoe.
“And then?” I said, now suspecting
what she was going to say.
“The dog peed in your shoe.”
“You’re going to have to tell your
stories a little faster,” I said.

And then I decided to just eat an apple…

hoping to not only keep the doctor away,
but wishing that, as I bite and crunch
this red-dipped sweetness, I can forget
about the 100 new militias forged this year, munch
away the thought of Glenn Beck shedding
Visine-tinged tears, find a place filled
with awe and cat-like delight. As I reach
the core of the fruit’s luscious sweetness, I wish
we could touch the center of our humanity and erase
the fear and ignorance that so many cling
to because they’re too scared to listen
to the sound of oneness – choosing instead, to search
through the sewers of life and force us to smell our collective rot.

And then The Horse was Broken

The Horse
felt freedom in her blood
running wild,
Running free
'til it came to hurt her
physically.

The Dragon came
& breathed
into her life & lungs
to ignite a fire deep
from which a well was sprung.

She bucked & bucked
at his advance
as wild Horses do,
at the breaking of
her spirit
The patient Dragon wooed.

Suddenly she realized
that the Dragon
was there for good
the wild Horse was broken
she joined him where he stood.

that is an absolutely terrific first line Robert!

And then she fell

not for the first time, but the first time in a long time in public. She shouldn’t be ashamed. It is amazing that more humans don’t fall on a daily basis given their natural unbalanced nature by constantly standing, not just standing on two feet, but trying to walk, defying gravity with each step and they don’t even have a tail for counterbalance. And it isn’t like she fell down from a normal position. No she was trying to do balancing half-moon. She had her left leg straight and had managed to lean over to touch the floor with her left. She had even formed the 90 degree angle between her left and right legs but as she went to make a straight light from that left hand to her right up into the air for some reason her body thought better of such defiance against the everyday. Her regular tricks of shifting to get back into position without tumbling failed, so she went down without grace or anything more than the thinnest of yoga mats to land on. She immediately declared I’m fine, I’m fine and moved into child’s pose where her head was buried between her knees. I wouldn’t have dared to touch her.

LOL! Connie Peters, loved it!

A Cry for Help

and then silence enveloped the forest.
All day rescuers combed
steep, heavily-timbered hillsides.
She was gone.

Only eight,
a wisp of grace
in a light blue blouse
and matching shorts.

She cried,
called for Mommy
but only the birds
and squirrels answered.

The night so scary,
she slept through day two,
didn’t hear them call her name,
didn’t see them pass her by.

Day three she cried no more.

Day four they found her,
cradled her feather-light body
to doctors and parents.
She will never go camping again.

title: And then you will ask

In the evening, we
sat outside, the
air cicada-deep.
we drank cheap
beer, smoked too
much, and then,
fell, half-clumsy with
love into unwashed
sheets and the sweat-
soaked skin of the

other.

In the morning, I
collect the beer
bottles, find two
cigarettes, smoke part
of one, while I
listen to the run
of the shower, and
fumble with the
coffee maker. Our
eyes will slide past
each other's over
the rims of the
coffee cups. You will
ask for gas money
again, I will dig out a

twenty.

MAGGIE MAE
(And Then, She May Not)

Maggie Mae was a very bad girl,
sending the pirates all scurrying
she showed her frilly pantaloons
for all their shiny spare dabloons,
and with that line, she best be hurrying.

And Then There Was Two
© Rich Atwater Nov 20, 2009

At first there was only one, single, and all alone,
Traveling across the misty mirage of forgotten time,
Searching, ever searching, as a forlorn soul to bemoan--
Not that which was lost, but that which had no rhyme:

“Aloneness”; never to have yet found that chosen ONE,
Seeking for the “missing link of duality” in purposeful life,
Wherein is the meaning of it all, unless there is true fun,
Joyfulness, happy, blissful, togetherness: “man and wife”.

“Separateness”, ‘tis not a kindly word for those who know,
It takes two to bring “the oasis” into a realistic view,
The mirage dissipates into “nothingness” when we grow,
To realization of the facts: “And then there was two”!

Two hearts that beat as one, two minds that see alike,
Coming together in peaceful solidarity of love sublime,
To produce, create, and thus bring forth a newness of life,
Children: “palm trees of the oasis” by the cooling waters shine.

No longer one, but two; and then: three or four more,
Remove the dusty chambers of the past, lone cobwebs,
Sweep out “the sole entity”, make room to pour—
Out the blessings of FAMILY LIFE as the tide ebbs.

And then there was light

The story of the world begins
When everything is dark
And God commands the light to be
And so ignites a spark
A word from God imbued with power
And miracles abound
Across a void and empty place
From chaos, order found

He speaks another word to me
Into this unlit heart
As light floods through at His command
My darkness has to part
I live my days beneath His gaze
And miracles abound
No longer void and empty now
My Light, my life I’ve found

And then they jumped off the cliff

Backs up against the wall
The last bullet explodes from the gun
Out of ammunition
Out of ideas
Shadows and shouts from
The damned posse
That never gave up
And went home
Closing in
No loopholes to crawl through
No “Get out of Jail Free” card
Concealed in a pocket
What are they to do?
Go out as heroes
Unbowed
Unrepentant
With the closing credits ready to roll
They jump off a cliff

LONG TALL SALLY/ KANSAS CITY/ HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY
(And Then Sally Jadlow Took Notice)

A Beatle's medley filled the air,
Little Richard had a hand,
offering songs to be performed,
by this up and coming band.
Meanwhile in Kansas City,
Sally had this to say,
The Beatles are singing that to me,
HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY!

And Then I'm Done

Just one more blog post
And one more website to browse
That's all--I promise!

And Then Begin Anew

You never see it coming
Though you know it will
On a rugged foreign coastline
I stood to face that day

My rifle was so heavy
The sun was all ablaze
Salt tinged sweat upon my brow
did sting these tired eyes

I looked down from my rocky ledge
To spy the battlefield
So little gained, so many lost
The blood that spilled like rain

I'd taken life with my own hand
On this unholy plight
The spirits lost and fallen
Did weigh upon my soul

I'd bourne my arms so proudly
Upon enlistment day
Stood I tall to answer
When the tall of honor came

History my remember
My name upon a book
And judge my action noble
When all is said and done

I fought in name of country
I fought for liberty
But all is measured by the price
And mine has been to high

To feel a brother's smile
Watch the twinkle in his eye
Stand brave to fight along him
THen watch his great light die

Perhaps they'll say I paid the price
The greatest price of all
But that which I have lost here
I lost before this day

And now he stands to take the shot
He has me in his sights
And has I killed his brother
He will now kil me

First shot hits me in the neck
The next one in the head
And in that sting so fatal
I find relief from care

I'll leave this body far away
Rise from this mortal dream
Wash this pain and clean my soul
And then begin anew

Powerful poem, Robert.

AND THEN THE SUN STRUCK

sandstone boulders
raised in monuments by the hands
of eons, uplift and erosion. That instant
of passing sun revealed an opening
among rocks, a way to enter
deeper into labyrinth.
The angle of shadow is a sundial
or a sign. You take it as an open-sesame.
Your footprints dissolve behind you,
forget the way you came.
And there, backlit by setting sun,
is what you’ve come for: a Bighorn
ram atop the highest boulder,
silhouette of an Egyptian god.
You stand there
printing him in memory.
Will you ever find your way out
before dark?

PLEASE, PLEASE ME
(And Then He Begged)

In his carefree days of bachelorhood,
he politely asked, "Please, please me?"

As a young newlywed he said
in loving tones, "Please me."

Twenty five years down the pike,
his query comes as, "PLEASE?"

And Then She Made Babka

“...and then I add a little bit more cinnamon.
But don’t ask me how much. You know –
until it feels right.”

My great grandmother had magic hands
as far as weights and measures
and babkas were concerned.

She could cook up wishes and miracles
in her plain copper pots.
She stirred them all with a wooden spoon,

and no matter how many times I watched
and no matter how many times I asked
it was always, “...and then I add a little bit cinnamon.”

(Sorry - that last line should have been '...a little bit more cinnamon." I'll try again...

And Then She Made Babka

“...and then I add a little bit more cinnamon.
But don’t ask me how much. You know –
until it feels right.”

My great grandmother had magic hands
as far as weights and measures
and babkas were concerned.

She could cook up wishes and miracles
in her plain copper pots.
She stirred them all with a wooden spoon,

and no matter how many times I watched
and no matter how many times I asked
it was always, “...and then I add a little bit more cinnamon.”

And Then I'm Done

I rise, wash, walk the dog, dress
eat, prepare lunch, but still not quiet ready
Sing, dance, pray, then out the door
to face the day

And Then I Stuck to My Diet

and then
just when
I had
the yen

I said
I’ll shed
a pound
instead.

LOL Walt. I'm not the sharpest crayon in the box. Could you please explain?

And Then Came the Error Monkeys

She is satisfied at last,
survived the epic journey
that took her from an average clerk
in a busy solicitor's office
to Champion of Heaven, Queen of the Circle Sea
(via Charing Cross and Seven Sisters)
by defeating the Minotaur of Discounted Tampons
and found her lost love
following her exploits on paper
until she dragged him
deep into the subtext.

With victory so close
she is laid low
by Printer eRRoR
andthesuddenlossofspacesbetweenwords
and the Spectre of Inappropriate Covers
aided by the Dread Pirate of Age Banding.

Our heroine slumps,
defeated.

And Then Suddenly

Faith wasn’t something that burned in my soul.
If it wasn’t right there to be seen,
it would always remain an enigma to me,
or a brace on which others might lean.
Too often I’d been disappointed before
when I reached out for something with zeal.
But you came along, bringing light to my dark.
And then suddenly, faith became real.

Hope would never be my middle name,
The pessimist always took hold.
If something was going to go wrong, it would.
Discouragement never got old.
But one tiny, spark lit my path of despair,
when you offered your heartfelt appeal
to enter my future with you by my side.
And then suddenly, hope became real.

Love took a long time coming my way.
It detoured around me, it seems.
While others I knew were enjoying its fruit,
it left me alone with my dreams.
But the pain from being rejected before
was a pain you were ready to heal
by filling my void with affection so strong.
And then suddenly, love became real.

...AND THEN MORNING WHISPERED...

Feeling a surge of energy
just below the surface, veil
of darkened early morn hours.
Sensing a stirring within, a
place just above my navel. In
awe that the morning is luring
me to waken, soft whisper of a
voice draws me to consciousness.
Inspired by the wonderful secrets
the pale dawn has in store for me.
In the calm before this day's storm,
what wisdom has this sacred allotment
of time? All encompassing peace, consumes
me, my connection is being revived, replenished.
Within this silent space and then morning whispered...

Susan heartfelt, beautiful.

Thank you, Hannah. You have created an exquisite image in words with And Then Morning Whispers.

Tim, the picture you paint in And Then Begin Anew leaves me speechless. All I can say is WOW.

“And Then”


It began with a word, not more than two
Emotions rise, unleashed sensitivity

Feelings mend, as time passes
If tables don’t turn on you.

Overtures, pleas, smiles, kind words
Relentless beseeched attempts

Your mind closed to the world, and above
All sound muted, so unheard

And then, the light of life grew less
In time, reflected dim

Pushed and pulled, stay in, stay out
Enough, no mortal sin

Mattered not, subdued, oppressed,
No one could ever win

“And then,” our bond just died.

And then we all went home.

'I'm not eating that foreign muck,'
said old Auntie Jean.
'I never eat stuff with garlic in it
and neither does the Queen.'

'I'm not eating shellfish it's horrible
How you can even try it!
It looks all slimy and revolting
you don't want slime in your diet.'

'And have you seen the price of bottled water?
They must be having a joke-
I'll be happy with a glass-full out of the tap;
Good enough for normal folk.'

'Oh goodness you aren't having snails
that's absolutely disgusting!
And look at the stains on that candlestick;
you know I think it's rusting.'

Aunty Jean paused to get her breath
and I caught the eye of the waiter;
it held the look I know so well
in the eyes of those who hate her.

I knew that all the courses served
would from now on be 'trouser food';
no matter the reputation of this place
our meals would not be good.

There was no way we would delight
in gourmet food 'neath silver dome
First Auntie Jean had ruined our night
and then we all went home.

The wolf raised his head
and began to howl his song,
and then all was quiet.

Hope, that sounds like a enriching day. :)

Randi, "She could cook up wishes and miracles," this is touching.

Taylor, strong imagery.

Tim. powerful, vivid piece.

Melanie Kerr, that is so beautiful, it could really be featured in a brilliant wall-hanging with the sunrise...

Patricia F. "a wisp of grace," liked this description...sad story.

Pamela, enjoying your horse and dragon theme.

Ellen, "too scared to listen to the sound of oneness.." isn't that the truth?!

Connie, wicked cute! We had a puppy do the doo in my Mom's boot once, she figured it would make it outside eventually!

J. Hugh MacDonald absolutely stunning revelation!

Kumari, this one is beautiful especially the part about the pebbles but really the whole message behind it...love it.

Walt, "love is always the answer," beautiful...

Salvatore and Chev, both power packed, emotional yo-yo.

banana, the story-tellers biggest dilemma.

Robert, your opening line is powerful. Enjoyed the dreamy aquatic feeling of this one.

Thanks a bunch Susan, I appreciate your comment. :)

And then he breathed

Awakened in a sweat
unfamiliar with his surroundings
he relaxes back down
realizing that
the one thing that changed
will always be the same

The softness of her sleeping
beside him every night
quieted forever
thirty-one years beside her
the bed feels like a football field
empty and cold

He sighs
sleep excapes him now
so he'll get out of bed,
turn on the computer
and in it's sickly blueish light
try to write again.

And Then I was Reminded to Let My Buns Cool

I was a girl
playing
with my Easy-bake oven:
mix, slide, bake,
peek, wait, pull,
frost and eat.

Then thirty years,
smoke,
my reminder
of my baking,
the alarm
my reminder
to call.

The fireman
with rippling abs
through his water soaked shirt
and muscled forearms
pulling me to safety,
my reminder
that I am
a woman.

Peek?
Easy

And Then… I Read the Directions

I had always made mashed potatoes
from scratch until the day I had
three Thanksgiving feasts to attend
and no time for such domestication.
So I hastily bought four boxes of
instant potato mix, measured out
the desired amount of water and
butter, and then impatiently
waited for the water to boil,
which did not happen because I
forgot to turn the stove on.
I finally realized my
slight oversight, and then
with trepidation I watched the
clock tick ever so quickly away.

When I finally reached the final
stages of my rushed attempt and
dumped the dry potatoes into the
boiling water, I knew something
was horribly wrong. And then
I read the directions and realized
there were eighteen servings per
box; I had measured water, butter
and milk for six wee servings.
As I tried to backtrack and
salvage these potatoes,adding
more water, more milk, some
sour cream and cheese, and
struggling as I tried to stir
the stiff, gooey glob, I
cursed myself for not
following Plan A-- buying
some already made mashed
potatoes from Popeye’s.
And then I breathed a sigh
of relief as I made it to
the party just in time.

laurie k.

Day 20 – And then…

And then
I opened my eyes
Not a slow creeping up
Of the eyelids
But a full on
Eyes wide open

At first
I was surprised
There was no light
Just a warm
Comforting
Inky
Blackness

It startled me
Was I dead?
Did I finally
Leave the mortal coil
And this was
Eternal heaven’s
Waiting room?

But there was sound
At first it was very faint
Like far off
In the distance

Then it grew louder
Coming closer
And closer

Like a drum beat
Of a travelling
Gypsy caravan

And I realized
At that moment
That it was my heart

And then what?
The great black
curtain dropped
and the back
of the set

showed, all bricks,
dust, cables
and stage tricks.
Then applause
echoed out

from the house.
I never
knew, noticed
or discerned
the weird fact

that somewhere
were watchers.


DA

Pamela, last piece touched a chord. "he breathed" sounds like a familiar story.

Thanks Hannah. I may not always understand the questions, but the answer always comes in clear.

Jane, great "comeback"

Patricia, good lesson learned. The smoke alarm is NOT a baking timer!

Sally, it's this simple to explain. You needed to get the 64-count box of crayons, the one with the built-in sharpener. Then you would have had a point at every turn. lol ;)

RJ, I miss my grandmother's Babka. You stoked some memories. Trying to get the recipe from my sister, but it wouldn't be the same.

Tim, "begin anew" is a powerful piece. Nicely done.

Melanie brings Butch and Sundance to the Poetic Asides stable. Good one.

Connie, Olyvia is extremely adorable.

Michelle & Chev, great kick-off in tandem

Day 20 And Then...

And Then Time Does Not

You search the future
you search the past,
and then time does not last...

You seek tomorrow
you seek today,
and then times does not stay...

You look for a beginning
you look for an end,
and then time does not bend...

And Then What ???


Her little eyes
those of her mother’s,
turned sudden interrupting,
from thoughts breaking the spell
cast by my bedtime story reading.

“Daddy, tell me
how you and mommy met.”

thinking a moment about her
favorite movies and heart’s desire
for fairy tales, I told her…

“Well love, once upon a time we
lived in the same enchanted kingdom,
where when we were growing up we rode
the same magic carpet bus to school
each day wishing to the genie in our
lamp hearts just for one wish, and
at recess it was us who imagined
new worlds of land and deeper seas
that waited for two to explore together.
Later on, we went on many dates,
eventually going to the high school ball
dance where even though we were not
voted prom king and queen we knew that
magic does not end, even after midnight.
Then once in a dream, I saw us living in
a grand castle where every morning i
kiss woke her out of perfect slumber,
from dreaming she was glass encased,
in lonely sleepy past she can’t escape.
And Then I…”

closing the book, tucking her in,
kissing her on forehead, I left her
to sleep fallen dreamy endings…

“And Then What ???”

turning and caught off guard by tearing eyes
and broken voice, my princess bride whispered

this time unable to think, clearly in the moment

“Luckily for us tonight,
the Love story is still being written…”


.................................................
I would like to say thank you to Robert and everyone
for an opportunity to take part and read all submissions
in this Nov Pad event. Being from rural south eastern N.C.
it really means alot because there is absolutely no one
else even remotely close it seems that enjoys this craft,
this is in my view a free workshop that i am glad to be
able to share with such similar minded and so many people.
I can honestly say i was skeptical at first, but wish i
had partaken in earlier events, because there is so much
to be absorbed and learned in everyone else's great work.
I know i don't comment alot, mainly because my internet
troubles are multiplied by slow dial-up connection, but
i really do feel a kinship of community, and know that
already i can see alot of improvement in my work, just
from these first 20 short days enjoying everyone elses.
Thanks again.

AND THEN IT WAS FRIDAY AFTERNOON

The best of intentions began our week:
Write. Two-thousand words per day.
Produce. One poem per day.
Vow. No yelling when our daughter
sleeps late.
Sleep. Get enough.
Pay. The bills before they are due.
Eat. Good stuff, not the candy corn
left from Halloween.
And then it was Friday.
Afternoon.
My legs jiggled to music
from the radio. I could
no more stop myself from that good
hearty shove I gave the papers
on my desk than I could have
stopped. My breath.

And then I was a grandma
I didn’t feel different
Just tired
I looked in the mirror
Time for a shower

The emotions were wild
Daughter was damaged
Grandson was small
Responsibility
Was crushing

Nurses were almost useless
Had to ingratiate
Struggling just to
Keep the baby fed
Within DD’s perimeters

Now I’m a grandma
Super mom

And Then There Was Music

And then he wrote of his love for her.
Her beauty, now fragile, infused his words.
And I felt the depth of his love
In the passion of his written word.

And then he wrote of his love for her.
Her life, now silenced, inhabited his words.
And I grieved for this stranger
Who openly exposed his heart.

And he writes of his love for her.
Her memory, now vivid, permeates his being.
And I listen as words on the page
Sing in the absence of music.

AND THEN…

he dashed around the corner and then
ran head-long into a girl who was
standing there, and then she threw her hands
up in the air and then let go of
her food tray that landed with a loud
crash on the floor, and then Mr. Moore,
the Principal (who was walking through
the cafeteria) stepped on the
slick tray and then went sliding across
the tiles on it, and then the flat skate
stopped abruptly on something that had
spilled, and then Mr. Moore flew forward
landing in front of some guys who were
jogging in from the gym, and then they
fell down, one-by-one, on top of each
other, in a pile, on top of the
Principal, and then everyone
applauded, and then it was over.

W

pretty & perfect, M. E., and probably printed and hung on a wall in Western New York...or it should be

And Then She Knew . . .

"Go within,
And you will know,
The truth of life" . . .
That is,
What all the teachings said.

It filled her head,
With dread.

How can it be that simple?
Can't the meaning of life,
Be seen as an innocence,
Sweet as a baby's dimple?

Don't we have to factor in,
A teen's anguish,
Over the prom night pimple?

"Go within" . . . ?
Ok , let's begin!

She slept most of the day,
Deciding it best to contemplate,
At night, under the stars,
As if the revelations,
Might somehow be sweeter then.

She pulled a chair,
Out onto the deck,
Water nearby to drink,
In the vastness,
Spread out above her.

All sizes of stars,
Seemed to beckon,
To her that night,
All shining and white,
A contempative delight!

She pondered the heavens,
Toured the planets in her mind,
Thought about time, considered light,
And how it changes,
Everything as it,
Signals to us,
Different dimensions,
Of shadow and color,
Which is in the very soul,
Of the awesome human experience.

She looked at the seasons,
That mirror our own growth patterns.
If we are willing to follow.
Learn and expand,
What we know to be true.

The moon lazily joined her
On this night time search.
It urged her on,
When it showed up,
To take a moment,
Noticing the feminine pull,
Related to the tides,
Of change with that experience.

Moonlight served to be her guide,
Her steady spotlight of deep meditation,
As she drifted now in thought,
Or was getting sleepy,
Taking in her new found depth,
Of wanting to know the hidden truth,
Of life's most poignant purpose.

Peacful quiet took hold,
As stillness enveloped her.
A harmonious grace, surrounded her,
Her chair, the deck and the infinite,
Night sky,
With the stars,
Remaining vigilant,
Not stirring,
The oneness was present,
As it always is.

A gentle breeze,
Carressed her cheek,
And she startled awake,
Just in time to see it.

Creeping up,
And over the mountains,
In the east,
It slowly and gracefull . . .

Dawned on her. . .

Sunlight!
Golden essence of life,
Very substance,
Of light, love and living.

And in that sunrise,
She knew . . .

Nothing in us is truly separate,
And in that moment before her . . .

Was the golden truth.

~And Then You Rescued Me~

You saved me from an existence
that was driving me insane
It seemed no matter what I did
it was all in vain

My canvas had no color
my book was empty too
and music had no meaning
until I was with you

Then all my paintings came alive
my words took on life of their own
and music sounded sweetest
when you were at home

We laugh and cuddle on the couch
kiss in front of the fire
our love goes on and on
flames growing higher and higher

I feel sheltered in your embrace
I never worry about losing my way
and these feelings continue
as night drifts into day

Until you took me by the hand
I was a victim of a broken heart
but you held me close
saying we would never part

So now I am content
and peace is mine at last
we'll love each other forever
and loneliness is in the past

For you are my guardian angel
the one who rescued me
the day you said you loved me
setting my spirit free

---

(Captcha how I hate you, let me count the ways... 1, 2, 3, 468...!!!)

Marie Elena, beautiful in so many ways and for so many reasons.

Susan, Hannah, and Walt - Thank you so much for the encouragement.

Did someone mention?

Gathering of these poets,
Talking of the written word?
With food,
To enhance the mood?
I thought,
That is what I heard!
Count me in,
Signal the fun to begin,
The dazzle,
The frazzle,
The city of sin . . .
True sparkle,
And yet . . .

Am I living in Las Vegas . . . ?
You bet! :)

(Although currently at Lake Tahoe,
Where today there is snow! )

And Then There Was A Time

when time was an entitlement
a reward for school and lessons’ tedium.
That’s what I think
as I slice peach after peach,
juice running down my hands.
The world was limitless—
full of hide and seek
in the evenings. Rain brought
games on the porch, salamanders
to the roads. This August
has brought baskets of peaches
and then the tasks of preserving.
Their aroma is dizzying
with the memory of bee music.
And then, crescent after crescent, I
capture summer, like fireflies
in a jar, small suns to warm us
in the depths of winter when
we are chilled with knowledge
of what we cannot save.

AND THEN

a sudden clearing of the Highland clouds
reveals the heights of Ben Bhraggie.
And there stands the Evictor on his bronze column
overlooking the world.
For two hours you’ve skirted the mountain
and might never have seen the shaft.

Talk about clearing. Thousands
of Scots farmers driven from these glens;
their cottages burned; land given to grazing
of the Duke’s sheep. “18,000 square miles
of sheep-walk.” What becomes
of homeless farm folk?

They flee to the coast, survive as fishermen
on the fierce North Sea, if
they can. Or emigrate to Canada – like the sons
of that kind old woman
who sheltered you from the pelting rain.
She couldn’t ask you questions enough

about the unimaginable, unreachable place
called Montreal.
That brazen face crowning Ben Bhraggie’s
somber peak – when it looks out
over the wide world beyond
its sheep-walk, how far can it see?

[based on Elihu Burritt’s A Walk from London to John O’Groats]

Can't go any further . . .
Without saying thank you!

PSC, Susan Schoeffield and Hannah . . .
Your positive words and connection to the poem
was moving for me.

I appreciate your time for sharing your thoughts
and encouragement.

It stirs confidence from the depths.
A glorious experience to be sure.

Thank you.

And also . . . a day is coming soon when I can just sit back and read
everyone's writing and offer my share of comments.
I am using someone else's computer here in the woods.
I am grateful for it . . . but it is so s l o w !

(And Marie Elena . . . you are Good! :)

And then I asked him

“So, is there a story
behind the picture?”
He’d pulled a battered
and creased photograph
from his wallet, the young
version of himself
grinning up at me
through lines of tape.
The hulking teddy bear
of a man next to him?
Babe Ruth.

The man broke into
a smile, straightened
his sweater, and said,
“You got a few hours?”

He spoke of barnstorming,
Mr. Babe Ruth slinging an arm
around his shoulders,
signing baseball and glove.
The man’s wife added details
here or there, a date,
a place. She smiled at me,
thank you in her eyes.

I smiled back, listening
with all my body,
wondering how often
we just want to be heard,
wondering what stories
my own grandpa would’ve told,
if I’d known him enough.

And Then Papi Was Discharged From the Hospital

This time Maria’s patent leather
boots and my red mules clicked rapidly
against the gleaming floor.
Walk too slow and a nurse could catch
up to say there’s been a mistake.
Maria wheeled Papi out.
I got the Durango.
As I drove out of the parking lot,
two surgeons in blue scrubs walked
in my rearview mirror.
"Feliz cumpleanos, Papi."
"Happy birthday to you,
happy birthday to you.."
crooned Maria. And then sunlight opened
inside the car like a giant greeting card.

A step ahead of you "Peace" Pai. Although, not on the wall yet, it is printed.

Janet, she's been Good for as long as I've known her (and you're getting better the more I read you).

And You, thank you for that. I told you earlier where all of that resides. Bank it. I don't know if you realize, but you are now filling the shoes I wore in April. And you're doing a fine job at it. Keep on.

Back to slowing down tonight and hope to get as much reading in with more commentary later.

And Then You'll Stay

I fell in love with you
when we were just sixteen,
at the height of love's revolution
and the hippie Love scene.
I fell in the kind of love
that lifetime stories know,
we were held fast in the moving tide
of best friends, and an undertow.
All that started thirty-eight years ago,
twenty years and then the bitter blow,
eighteen years tomorrow since your body just let go.

I'm glad you no longer fight
the cancer and the pain,
but ah Bonita, what I wouldn't give
to have you in my arms again,
to laugh at the world's insanity,
to marvel at something new.
Ah Bonita what I would not give
to be able to reach out and touch you,
tell the stories of how our babies grew--
I watch over your three for you--
and now you have a grandbumbie too!

I fell with you in love,
the space between the atoms,
Into The Mystic our favourite song.
I'd dive down for you--fathoms!
Our faith and spirit fly,
I call for you and then
the dancing lights of your spirit
dance with mine again--
so t'is with a quintessential friend.
Between the atoms I find you again
and then you'll stay till tomorrows end.
I will cherish the hard tomorrow, my love, my friend,
and then you'll stay until it's time for me to go.

And Then Our Relationship Ended

I had hoped
all my life
as an adult
that my sister and I could share
a clarity of mind and heart,
laughs over lunch,
drinks and dinner,
a Broadway show.
Other sisters squabbled, told
each other troublesome truths
questioned status
of contentment
in life at home.
I tip-toed on eggshells; you
withheld your every emotion.
And then I could
no longer turn
a blind eye.
Family secrets damaged
those I love, forced me to speak
up on issues
of importance,
and I lost you.

"And then the Stars Came Out"

We hiked all day, barely noticing
sunset we were under trees
birdsong to our silence and then
it was dark. We came to the rocks
just in time as the sky paled away
from blue to a darker shade of
night. "I can't see" I said, and your
palm met mine so I walked where
you walked. "There's a secret place"
you said, and there was, but it
was high so your strong grip around
my waist sailed me up.
We could see the valley, tops of trees.
We had walked so far, our legs heavy.
We sat and watched diamonds come
out in the sky. "There's one!" "Look
there!" Your palm met mine and you
whispered "There, the belt of orion" and
the hair near my ear stirred with your
breath. "His sword above", and placed
your arm around my shoulders.
"He'll protect you if you're lost."
I turned just slightly, and your lips
met mine, parted just slightly,
and all the stars went brighter.

And then the rains came

dismal, gloomy day
lingering clouds overhead
good day for sleeping

November 20th, 2009
(prompt-fill in blank and use as title..."and then__________)
(c) Rose Marie Streeter

"And Then I Laughed"

I thought you were taunting me
with cruel words and foul play but here
you just wanted me to be strong.
I thought you hated me when you ran and found
someone to share your view and allowed me to pay for your mistakes.
You were showing me what I might have looked like at your age.
I thought you were serious when you cried because they finally allowed me to
do my part. I wanted you to share in my happiness, so then I laughed.

And then...life’s sliding doors

And then life’s sliding doors slammed shut:
my husband died, quite suddenly.
No warning came – that day we’d loved
before we rose; he’d promised he’d
be home for tea but never came:
only a sad policeman rang
the doorbell late to bring the news,
only my children and my friends
to bear me up, and me to bear
their grief as well as mine. That door
was closed – no going back although
I beat my fists on it and raged
and cried. I thought that I might die
as well, but that’s a door that will
not open yet. And then I met
a man, funny and kind, and fell
in love and made a leap of faith
across the sea. I love my love,
I love my life, I love my place,
but still it’s hard to bear that all
life’s sliding doors are one-way trips.

Jenny Doughty

“And then we will grow.”

We are
the naked children, bathed
in the tintinnabulation of efflorescent youth.

It is the jolt
of time that makes us yield,
the plethora of ineffable urgings,

drawing us to
the labyrinthine
Susquehanna, the chatoyant delta

of our days.
Our childhood
is a dalliance, a gossamer umbrella

that shields us
within the quintessential
zero of years. Our dreams, the opulent bungalow

in which we linger,
kindle fantasies of eternity,
safe from the rippling, fleeting shores

of that flowing river.
We are the halcyon sweethearts,
safe to wander, until the day we run,

murmurous
in the morning light,
to gather beneath the inescapable veil.

And then the sky fell in

and all the tumult in the clouds
ripped and roared
and flung ice balls at earth
then set them floating
with sheets of rain
that skidded red rubber boots
and thick black tires
and the people dared not lift up
their awe-struck faces
but raced for shelter
when the sky fell in

And Then The Song Played

Missing him was
Like a whisper
In her heart
She could
Ignore it
Until
“Something”
Played on the radio
And the whisper
Was his voice
And she had to
Return to
Where her heart
Belonged

I have not had hardly any time to read, though I would like to thank Marie Good for her kind words about "Night Renewed." Just focusing on the work is helping me through a deep month. When I get a chance to glance, I see everyone working it. Hopefully we can all peruse and talk more at the end of the month...but two-thirds through, yay to all...and peace be with you. Lox

And Then, Consciousness

And then I heard strange music
in the time between waking and sleeping.
Was it hallucination or dream,
or was it just my alarm clock
flinging me back to the land of morning?

And then I heard your voice
as you tried to rouse me
but I was in a floating place
and didn’t want to leave, even though you tried
to bring me back to the land of morning.

And then I saw a thousand rays of light
streak through the sunshades of my half closed lids.
And routine began with the edge of my bed
as I left the safety of that extraordinary music
and joined the world, in the land of morning.

And then

I’ll hold you, fold you in my arms
And then I’ll let you go.
I’ll keep you safe and far from harm
And then I’ll let you go.
I’ll soothe your fears and calm your tears
I’ll watch you growing through the years
I’ll see you reach for heaven’s stars and then
I’ll let you go.

2009 November PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 20 And then


And then on stars

Eyes shut tight and laughing
we step off the edge

onto the uncertain path
clasp hands, run

blind into the sunlight,
on the other side of day

mist and chiaroscuro
on this day when promises

burn like St. Elmo’s fire
into the twilight we dance

on butterfly wings
and then on stars.


Carol A. Stephen
November 20, 2009
PAD Chapbook Challenge

Marie Elena GOOD: You are hereby promoted to the rank of "Captain"---"Captain of the Cheerleaders Squad" for outstanding performance in compassionate service to fellow poets.
Walt: YOU are hereby appointed to the station of "BandMaaster Sergeant" over the "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Heart Clubs Band" ---may I request that you strike up the tune "Here Comes the Sun" because "You Light Up My Life with BEATLES Memoriblia of my 1964 high school graduation day!
Hannah "Montana" Gosselin: You are hereby elected to represent me in future discussions pertaining to poetry since you apparently are a fellow "Mainer". I was born in Canton, Oxford county but raised in Saco York County. How about YOU?
Thanks to the several compatriots who made kind comments concerning my mother in relation to "Filling the Clothesline"
I've read many GREAT poems on these postings, thus KUDOS to the entire "crew" and "staff" from top to bottom.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone next week.
from: The Wizard of Oz
(I watched with my daughter on TV 70th anniversary showing)

Hey Richard - another Mainer here (adopted).

I love to read you all and to note all of the ways you support one another from up here in P.E.I. in the Gulf of St Lawrence. J. Hugh

Robert, I had 4 hours sleep--drove TO Atlanta last night, to see New Moon midnight premiere with our daughter for a Girls' Night Out!

And Then I Was Fifty-Eight

Six of us rectangled around the table at Tony’s Pasta
at Bluffview. My gratitude for the life God gave me
spilled out of me like the olive oil for dipping ciabatta.
I didn’t raise my sweet-tea glass in a toast but
Spontaneous words tumbled out from my lips
and the salt-drops welled my eyes.
“I have so much to be thankful for.” Eyes on my
parents, thoughts on his cancer, her stroke. “I could
have lost you both this year. But I have you,
such parents God gave me, and He spared you.
I thank Him for my husband, my children. I’ve lived
a life anyone would envy, so much joy, so much
love packed into only fifty-eight years.”
Our children took it well, with amusement,
my parents were touched,
Steve may have had a tear as well—he says he cries
at a good ribbon-cutting.
Truly, one-hundred-sixteen-years-worth of exuberant loving living
crammed into fifty-eight—God does indeed
provide exceeding abundantly above all I could
ask or even think.

Yay! Banana got top billing, and started us out with her usual excellence, and then more with “and then we all went home.”

Such a great prompt. This yielded such a variety, didn’t it?

As usual, this group’s talent shines … as Walt would say, not a slouch in the bunch.

Some that particularly stood out to me this time around: CONNIE PETERS!!!! Utterly adorable! A must-be-published in a parent mag; Chev; Kumari de Silva (“I had no trick lyrics” – love that); J. Hugh; Pamela Gordon (both); Patricia Frolander (heart breaking); Mary R.; Melanie Kerr (your first is beautiful; your second is excellent); Tim Snodgrass; Taylor Graham; RJ; Hope Evey (made me smile); Rachel Green (you get me every time!); SUSAN SCHOEFFIELD your piece today is just incredible. Wow.; Sweet Hannah, as always; Patricia Hawkenson, you’re such a hoot; LOL, Laurie K!; B.C. Strickland (absolutely darling story … and glad you are enjoying this forum. I agree 100% with you); Janet (and yes, you heard right … bring a dish and join the party!; Alana Sherman (beautiful); Amanda Fall (true story?); Yoli (and good to see you here); Sara McNulty (so sad); Giulietta Spudich (aaahhh…how romantic…); Jenny Doughty; Karen Phillips (completely uplifting, and lifted my eyes toward Him who gives in abundance. Thank you!); and last but not least, Walt. Thank you so much for “Nobody I Don’t Know.” It’s still hard for me to believe I had a direct effect on your continuing to write poetry. I, for one, am thankful you do. And btw, your humorous pieces were sooo you today. Love it! Oh … and one more thing. I don’t fit into your shoes, and they make me look funny. You keep ‘em.

Thanks to Susan, Janet, and Daniel, for the kind words, and to Mr. Atwater for the laugh and lift!

And Then I Said Yes

“Charlie proposed to Pat. They are getting married in the spring,” you said,
with joy in your eyes. I was as happy for them as you.
An elderly couple with a second chance at love is something to celebrate.

“It would be nice if there was a second wedding in spring,” you added.

I smiled one of those I’m-not-exactly-sure-what-you’re-talking-about-but-okay-whatever
smiles. Then your eyes danced, you drew me closer, and you repeated yourself.

And then I realized you had just proposed.

DON'T BOTHER ME
(And Then There Was Silence)

A muse distracted
noise abounds:
the honking of horns,
the barking of hounds
and me sitting at my keyboard blankly.

Phone rings.
Telemarketer intrusion.
"I'm on the list; don't call"
I despise my inclusion,
my train of thought has left without me.

Radio drones softly,
but to me it's a blare,
the music of Christmas,
has played for a week there,
a little bit early for me to care.

The goldfish are making
their goldfishy noises,
the filter just gurgles,
not the best of choices,
I move room to room in search of solitude.

The fridge in the kitchen
rattles and hums,
The washer and dryer
should be sent to the dumps.
And I'm not really focusing on my work.

Finally a room,
a room with a view,
but I'll be damned if you think
I will type on the loo,
and there's nothing that hushes a hundred one flushes.

I unplug appliances,
shut bedroom doors,
I'm away from the kitchen
just splayed out on the floor.
Finally silencio, a non-bloody coop.

Now set before H. Packard
my thoughts in a mess,
I've stared at the screen
for an hour, I guess
but I struggle for my muse to choose me.

A thought hits my head,
I relent to my typing,
the first three lines,
as my forehead, I'm swiping,
it too much ado, to post a haiku.

Well c'mon, you try on clown shoes, you're gonna look funny, honey!

Wait. I thought it was Connie who wore the clown shoes...

Obviously I need some sleep. Say goodnight, Walt.

Goodnight, Walt!

P.S. Good one. The poem, I mean.

P.P.S. It's officially Ohio State vs. Meeeechigan day. GO BUCKS!!

No wonder you're giddy! GO BUCKS!

The teacher constantly reminded us
We couldn’t even get a job as a ditch digger
Or even raise a family, if we didn’t learn typing and shorthand.

We diligently practiced the gibberish
That not so fondly was called “Gregg’s”
With unintelligible lines and whirls in place of letters and words.

We pounded the keys of the old uprights
Memorizing finger placement of each key.
Until our fingers could type without our eyes seeking where to go.

And then I met my soul mate.

Gregg and Underwood faded away
Teacher’s admonitions dwindled to a whimper.
School and studying no longer held great importance in my life.

My attention belonged only to him
With stolen kisses outside the auditorium
Nightly phone calls and weekend dates were my new course of study.

I submerged myself each and every day
In learning all about my new love
As the weeks flew by more swiftly than ever before in my life.

And then he proposed.

We planned our summer wedding
Scheduled around his military demands
Then took our vows one August day so many years ago.

Good times and bad over the years
Ups and downs we have had many
But always and ever our love has endured and grown stronger.

So many memories we have created
And so much of life we have shared
Two people living and loving for over fifty years and counting


And we are still one.

And then I awoke
Because of a sharp ringing
Calling me to the real world
Destiny to be or not to be
Every one must want to know
For each have a dream and a purpose in life
Great people of the past
Have searched their souls for this answer
I would like to know also
Journey with me
Kindred spirits may discover
Lost world of discoveries
Mind you, we might not
No problem, nothing ventured
Obviously one does not try
Putting them in a box
Quit sitting around
Revive that fire
Shut off that
Television
Untie them tent strings
Victory lies ahead
Waiting for those with
Zero tolerance for bums.

Raymond Alberts

Thank you, thank you . . . Dear Walt!
You are worth your weight in salt.
Dash of a valued comment here,
Sprinkle of a praise there,
Pinch of perfection . . .
And you are in the mix,
You serve up poems,
That give us a fix!
Songs of the Beatles,
Have been first rate,
Your touch on love,
Simply put . . . is great!
Your laughter and humor aside,
Is cherished, I confide.
You demonstrate compassion,
Add thoughtful support,
You have tender understanding,
You are perceptive,
Using a sarcastic branding.
You are prolific,
And there is meaning,
Behind your words.
You could out sing,
The melodious birds!

Thank you for your uplifting tone,
Receiving your feedback, I have grown.
You are an inspiration,
To many this November,
A sincere compliment . . .
I hope you will remember!

Thanks, Walt

By the way, who is the other You,
you mentioned below your words to me?
Just thought I would ask . . . to get clarity.

And Then You Leave


We meet, we have coffee, and you walk me home.
And then you ask whether I’m OK, and I
Cannot answer.
And then you cup my chin
Between your thumb and index finger
And tilt my head up
And kiss away my tears.
And then you leave.

And Then We Were Seven

We are seven now,
the number of ancient wonders,
seas,
the number of perfection.

Our family of six call him “the baby who came to stay”—
seven days turned to seven months to seven years
and beyond.

You knew we needed him;
I never would have asked
and You knew that, too.

And Then Jesus Returned

He looked exactly
as He did in all those Bible epics
the long hair
the swimmer’s body
the inexplicable European appearance

and all the faithful
knew it was Him
and they bowed down
and cried out
in fits of orgiastic praise.

After the initial furor died down
He started to speak and
they began doubting themselves.

“Where are my other children?
Where’s Saddam?
Where’s Osama bin Laden?
Where’s Marilyn Manson?”

Among the puzzled masses,
a self-appointed spokesman
offered with confidence:

“Well, they weren’t believers
so we didn’t think
they’d be welcome here.”

Jesus wept.

Jesus went to the jails
to the crackhouses
and the tent villages
looking for his lost sheep.

“Why are My children here?

“Well, Jesus we tried to help them
but they just didn’t change
so we figure they must like
living this way.”

Jesus wept again.

“Please show Me
how you love the Lord, Your God
with all your heart.”

They showed Him
all their religious jewelry
and their beautiful churches
and they played Him
their Contemporary Christian Music.

They just didn’t get it.

They weren’t ready yet.

And then Jesus returned

to Heaven.

And Then It Unfolds

There is a rush of
wind, sheet music scatters like
dandelion snow, you lose your
balance. Off kilter.

You watch yourself
disentangle. They say
you grew the beard to appear
more distinguished. Older.
Wiser.

Just seconds ago your
fingers were skillful and
sure. Already you are
trying to recall how

smooth the keys felt under
your fingertips. The slight
resistance. The delicate
sound of pianissimo. The
exact moment

when you floated away from
the sanctuary of the concert hall and
unraveled knee-deep in
sea grass.

I am so happy I joined this challenge this month! Everyone is doing great work! A shout out to Chev, Salvatore, and Marie Elena; your poems are wonderful!

And Then She Wiped Her Eyes

after picking up the mostly blank pages
off the desks and floor,
realizing the only one
she needed to save
was herself.

And Then the Rains Came

I
am
Noah.
God told me
I must build an ark
for my family and animals.
And then the rains came.
Man was safe ...
until
next
time.

Buddah Moskowitz: If only all of us represented the love of Jesus. Nice work.

Thanks much, Carla Cherry!

Janet, You's me. ;)

And then he lost his jacket

could’ve been at the biggest toy shop in the world
where they spent their pocket money
could’ve left it on his seat on the tube,
probably it’s in the cafeteria at the museum
didn’t realize ‘til we were on the bus to the Serpentine.

I got angry and made him cry
and then felt bad, it was the nicest jacket
a hoodie, turquoise, black and cream stripes.
It’s not the worst that could’ve happened,

my nightmare was one of them too close to the edge
slipping off the platform onto electrified rails
as the tube train approaches.

Thanks to all those taking the time to read the poems and comment. I've been strapped for time, so no specific comments, but I am really impressed with this group and its prolific, often inspiring creative output!

PSC, where in CT? I am in Deep River.

Katherine

Thanks Sally,Hannah, Walt, and Marie Elena and all who have commented on my poems up to this point.

Again, all my poems this month are fictional based on my nanowrimo novel. (I have never worn clown shoes, but my character Jenna has.:))

I've enjoyed the poems I've read this month, but I'm way behind in the reading.

...and then I lost my car keys...

I looked about that giant purse of mine
and under the car seats
and between the cracks in the sofa
and behind the easy chair
and beneath the garage steps
and around the dog food containers (hey - you never know...)
and up on the laundry shelf
and below the bed
and down on the floor of my closet
and among the bracelets in my jewelry box
and against the hall key hooks (obvious, right?)
and throughout the house.

In frustration, I stuck my hands
into my jeans pockets.
At that moment, I felt something hard and a bit pointy
inside the left one.

I yelled out a preposition or two
and finally got on the road.

And then I ate it

Seeds so small,
so easy to forget

Had to remind myself
to water, to watch
at first

Then the morning visits
to tiny lit patch
between concrete
and stand of pine,
like a
mother musing on
mysteries
in her occupied womb

Imagined the
cell on cell
build
below the
opaque soil,
every day a bit
longer
and warmer

Pulled up
the dirty orange baby,
held it by the greens,
head down

The salad had
the taste
of ceremony,
homage to
earth
crowned with
the orange
of the newborn

Idea for those with trouble posting: Not sure if it's just a coincidence, but I seem to have much better luck pasting final poem versions in than writing them or even just revising them right in the blog comments field. May be worth a try!

Aw man - I goofed the final line! That should have been:

"and then finally got on the road."

(And then, see what happens when you hit that post thingee too fast? The capcha didn't even work this time either!)

RJ, I can relate waaay too much to your last poem! LOL!

Thoroughly enjoying reading where all of you are at. :) If you didn't know I was from NW OH, you could certainly figure it out from all the unnecessary prepositions I end my sentences with. ;)

Katherine, thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, the code gods don't have any rhyme or reason. When it works on the first try or two, it's usually coincidental. Thanks for trying though!

And Then He Left


Right place, wrong face.
Isn’t that always the way?
Stranger in the park,
sprawled in the grass
reading. She watching,
unnoticed she thought,
and then he smiled, and
she melted into his warm
chocolate eyes, convinced
he was The One.
Seduced by his smooth
molasses voice,
she gave him more
than he deserved,
receiving more
than she intended,
and then he left.

WOW! That entry “took” on the FIRST try!

I think the “trick” is to minimize the amount of time between when the code is presented, and when you input it and hit enter. (I came right into this day’s entries, maxed to the bottom, “pasted” in my whole poem in one fell swoop, keyed in the code and hit enter -- voila’! Success!)

Got a busy day ahead, (no time to read now), but I DO have a few comments I collected from reading yesterday, so I’m going to try the same technique to add these. (Exit, reenter, paste & bam!) If it takes me more than one try -- I’ll let you know.

Chev Shire - Excellent! Love this one.
Salvatore Buttaci - Well done!
Daniel Paicopulos - I can see your May child coming out - he made me smile. I wish him luck.

Walt - “NOBODY I KNOW (And Then We Were No Longer Strangers)” - Like this poem -- especially the line: “The best friend I’ve never met.” -- very nice!

RJ Clarken - You must be related to MY grandmother! That’s how she made babka, pierogies, etc…
Pamela Gordon - (And Then He Breathed, And Then There Was One) - Both beautiful!

Marie Elena - “And I listen as words on the page Sing in the absence of music.” - Excellent! I love this!
Alana Sherman - Sweet memories - sad - nicely done.

Amanda Fall - A beautiful story!
Jenny Doughty - A powerful piece.

(That’s as far as I got. Gotta run!)
Good writings everyone -- keep up the momentum!

TAKE 2: Rats! Either I was too slow that time, or someone else was also in "bumping heads" with me. Will try again -- using same technique -- back out, back in, bam! (Wish me luck!)

And Then There Was Tressel

‘Twas an era in Ohio
“Cooper years,” and my-oh-my, oh
How I did not like that coach,
Or, at least, his vain approach.
How he acted on the field
With his team, to me revealed
Cooper was about his name
And the Cooper praise and fame.
Then there came a man of merit
In my book a 20-carat.
Diamond in his coaching style,
Gentlemanly, not hostile,
Coaching young men to become
Men of valor as alum.
Tressel’s heart is right on track.
Win or lose, I’ve got his back.

But, I’d rather win. ;)
Go Bucks!!

Ouch. Sorry, PSC. Hope I didn't hurt your head too bad. ;)

“And then all was calm”

I don’t know how long
I clung to the mast
Long enough to recall
My past life and some
It had seemed so easy
To climb to the top
To replace the flag
That was flying there
Then the wind got up
The boated started
Pitching and bucking at will
All night I clutched
At the head of the mast
Thinking each blast
Would be my last
Just when it seemed
That I had to tumble
The wind died down
The sea was stilled
And then all was calm
As I woke from my sleep
In my land-locked
Steady bedroom

Day 20

Why we chose to vacation in Florida
During the hottest month of the year
We will probably never know
We learned a lesson
The children complained it was
“It’s too hot to wait in line” they said in unison
And it rained everyday
We went to a fake beach
and made sand castles
while the clouds floated by
the children splashed in the waves
the water was icy cold
to feel like a kid again
going down the water slide
SPLASH!
I hate being splashed
It was soooo hot
I didn’t complain.
We closed down the man made beach
Once more and then we had ice cream
On the long ride on home
It was the best ice cream
On the best day ever.

IMAGES

I look into a kaleidoscope,
but I see only black, white, and gray,
changing patterns
but never colors. Where have all
my bright colors gone?

The sky of my soul
is overcast. The clouds hover,
but it never rains. If only I were
in the desert in the summertime,
at least the monsoon would come!

I fall to the bottom of a well,
but the well-water is very low,
so I won’t drown if I turn face-up.
In that thick mud and trailing green scum,
I just curl my body around my heart.

And then, when I wake, I look up
and sunlight is shining down
from the sky into the dark well.
I reach up and take hold of the light like a rope,
and someone I can’t see pulls me out.

Jane Beal
sanctuarypoet.net

And then he saw the light


Bartholomew Foggerty, the brilliant weasel
Was stood by the lake behind his easel
Studying the sky and the water’s ripples
Whilst absent-mindedly scratching his nipples
Over the last weeks and days
He’d looked at the lakes in different ways
Capturing their ever changing hues
(Although still using a lot of blue)
He’d taken walks and painted the hills
Which the local folk all called dills
Though the guide book said that they were dales
Which when pronounced correctly rhymes with Wales
He had become entirely enamoured
He had even ceased to get hammered
In the hotel bar at night
In order to rise at first light
The light it was that drew him in
And made him give up Sloe gin
He’d read about it and caught the muse
That numerous artists had previously used
To paint this stunning countryside
And he ordered canvas’ extra wide
So as to do justice to the theme
And properly depict the scenes
He was totally overcome
And now his left leg had gone numb
Which caused him to do a crazy dance
As though he had ants in his pants
A passer-by saw his manic prancing
And stopped to ask why he was dancing
He assumed when glancing at the art
That it was due at least in part
To the glory that Bart had painted
And he himself almost fainted
Bart gave thanks for the praise
But had to confess a little amazed
That what made him jump like a loony beetle
Was just a case of pins and needles
The passer-by (a man o’ t’ north)
Then suddenly gushed forth
And lavished further compliments
On Bart and every word he meant
For it was true that the cunning weasel
Who now returned to his easel
Had truly mastered the foxy trick
Of painting the Lake District
Like Wordsworth and Wainwright of earlier fame
Bart soon became a household name
Not for his diesel and ketchup japes
But for his stunning broad landscapes
Bart determined he would stay
Not just for a few more days
But for as long as he might
Until he’d painted every sight
Every bridge over every rill
And on and on just for the thrill
(And well yes and the cash!)
Before he would home to London dash
And sell to each and every gallery
And more than quadruple his salary
Bartholomew Foggerty, the weasel savant
Was hardly a painting debutante
But finally he had had made the grade
And was for every work highly paid
In the Strand folks would holler
There’s a weasel that can watercolour
For under the Lakeland sky so bright
Old Bart finally saw the light


Iain.

AND THEN..

Priscilla May Alice Anne Riverwood-Hawking
Would never shut up, would never stop talking.
She'd tell you a story and finally when
You thought she would stop, she'd continue, "And then..."

"the dinosaur chased me and ate up my lunch
It trampled the rose bushes and swallowed a bunch.
It love to eat thorns, they help make the fire.
I'm telling the truth, I am not a liar."

Her friends would keep nodding, just hoping she'd stop
but she would keep on and on till they'd drop
from exhaustion and go to their homes once again,
but Priscilla May Allce Anne went on with "and then..."

"last night the aliens came from the stars
and took me up into space to see Mars.
It was beautiful, red and the aliens nice
I'd go back again, I wouldn't think twice."

"What to do?" asked her parents, to make her be quiet.
"Should we put her on a vocabulary diet?"
They told her to stop not later, right then!
but Priscilla May Alice Anne responded "And then..."

"it's not my own fault! You gave me my name,
which takes me a long time to say. You're to blame
To learn how to say it, I had to keep talking!",
said Priscilla May Alice Ann Riverwood-Hawking.


... Funny, but I didn't get any inspiration for this one until I read today's prompt about an "invention". I thought that would be perfect for a kid poem. I haven't written one in a long time and I really wanted to do more. Then I realized that this one could be a kid poem too and it was suddenly there...

Choices: Day 20: And Then _________


And Then She Flew

Little girl lost:
huddles in corner praying away monsters
Daddy long gone, not coming back
Mommy at work ‘til way past dark

Little girl grows:
learns to smile big
big enough to hide the marks the monster left
big enough to make believe she is okay

Little girl found:
her own baby born and grown,
takes a leap, in faith, reborn,
flaps her fledging wings, and flies.

Thanks, Marie Elena and PSC! Yes, I met him a few weeks ago at a craft fair. His wife was browsing through my note cards when he pulled out that wonderful photograph.

And Then I Didn’t


I took it
Hard
I took it
Deep
I took it when I didn’t think
I could take
One second
More

I took it
Without a
Peep
I took it
For so
Long
Without a
Word

I took it
Fire-hot red
Mad as hell for the most part but
Slowly, the colors are
Breaking me
Down to a mellow tone of
Blue

I took it
Black,
Hopeless
I took it with my
Words spewing into a
World that’s tired of listening
I took it because it’s what I had do

I took it
From you
As long as I could

and then Everything changed

is this all there is?
wanting more
searching for the answers to Life
feeling alone, restless
angry and afraid
where is the love?
can there be that connection
i reach out my hand
in an instant is it possible
to tap into something so wonderful?
magical?
is it impossible?
i’m not sure
asleep or awake
maybe i’ve been dreaming all this time
maybe this is all an illusion
how can i really know for sure
i often wonder
there are some things i really ought to know
here I am
different than before
changed

And Then He Hung Up

He said he didn’t love me,
I was not his type, he had
started a new relationship,
we could still be friends--
and then he hung up.

I was left speechless,
holding the receiver,
frozen on the spot, unable
to move, tears spilling
down my cheeks, numb.

Why had I invested so much
time in this man? Why did
I not know I was just a fling?
How could he be so cruel
as to tell me on the phone?

Did I not deserve to be told
face to face? Modern breakups
shatter lives, but next time I
will stick the dreadful dagger,
no remorse, no soft-stepping.

(a shadorma)


Reflection
(And then she sees someone worth saving)

She looks in
past the tear-stained cheeks
small, lost smile
finds hope there
and so she shatters the glass
that stands between them.

Things were getting rough,
everything was piling up-
the money, work, my health.
I was drowning. And then
there was a light. Bright
and glowing. It was you.
You pulled me to the shore,
and saved my life. And
then there was you.

And Then

And then suddenly
it was evening, amazing how
quickly the day passed.
I awoke with many things to do,
optimistic, felt all was possible.
I drank my coffee in the early
hours, savored morning, my
favorite time of day. Felt relaxed,
fresh, time was abundant,
unrushed. Everything in due
time, would be accomplished.
But then, in a blink of the eye,
it was evening. Where had the
day gone? I accomplished,
but not all I wanted to, but
tomorrow will be another day

And Then There Were Three

First fire ocean wind and sea
then crashing ocean bashing away
at enormous mountains in its way

earth’s first sustenance the sea
whether by recreation or improvidence
crumbles the hidden rocky caves

languid rivers disappear
down go piney outcroppings
down goes a precarious precipice

in a crescendo of moaning
morning fake’s a sunrise
as the sky fires die

behind a mountain imploding
into a floating choke-hold of air
where stones thrown to the wind

spin in the earth ocean wind
until eventually chaos ends
waxing waves slow again

the cold mountain is smaller thin
rigidly bearing a settled sea
and then there were just three

with fire our distant guardian

And then the cow confessed

The little dog laughed because
he knew what was going on.

Not that he was in on the cover up.
No, he's just wise that way.

But the cow, he was in on it
from the jump and even agreed
to provide the distraction.

Cat and fiddle? Innocent bystanders.
But they witnessed the whole thing.

Not that you can blame spoon.
Knife was never easy to live with.
And that's why he's never mentioned.

As for dish and spoon?
They were never heard from again.
I suppose they lived happily ever after.

And then a mouse left
on the doorstep by the cat:
early winter's gift.

And then we left forever

There was nothing more to do
The counter tops scrubbed clean
The odds and end of dishes put away
The pots and pans all neatly stacked
When she was here it never looked so neat.

Traces of carry-out food were everywhere
The table cluttered with empty cans and
Fast food wrappers crumpled on the floor
It was never a home, just a place to stay
One-night-stands, of course you couldn’t
Say that to her face, Her fridge contained
Hardly any food, just cans of beer.

The police had come and gone, put up
Their yellow lines, then took them down
The attendants from the morgue filed their
Reports and then a big black plastic bag
Took her away.

And then they let us come and clean as if
Every trace of blood could be scrubbed
And the place would look like a normal
Kitchen – at least the landlord hoped
To rent again – as for me, I’ll always
Wonder what I could have done
My friends insist she wanted to live
That way.

And Then You Died


and I relived the years over and over,
an old movie drowning in celluloid
tears, watched us grow younger,
lighter, less fearful, heedless of death’s
constant invisible presence, until
we stood again at the altar: innocent,
ignorant of anything but love
running down our bodies like new wine.

Once upon a tumbleweed,
            lottery
            sunburn
            (time)
in the land of Cautiousness,
in a/an
bushy, humanoid, complaisant, proverbial
(enchanted)
    mandrake
    touchstone
    yard sale
(castle):  Vantassel
lived
(along with numerous servitors, retainers, aides, helpers, hangers-on, and minor functionaries)
a/an average, unmistakable, stylish,  
    thunderhead,
    earthquake,
    groundhog,
    mime
(princess)
Thoughtful.
Her father was the
    tour de force
    pollywog
    caribou
(king):  Bing.
Her mother,
    sounding board
    scampi
    gift
    quarry
(queen):  Marleen.

And rounding out the cast,
Prince Galileo,
    sweat suit
    excuse
    prelude
    appetite
(brother).




One day, the Queen wanted
a silver bell, a goldfish and a cabin by the sea
a tulip, three gemstones, and a wild mango tree
a pear, a polished stone, and a gray tabby cat
a cardboard box, a mirror, and a feather for her hat

Thoughtful (the princess) figured that,
with a little work, some or most or all of that
could be managed, at the least they could look around.
you never know. things turn up
let’s, she decided, have a scavenger quest.
So,
out from the enchanted castle
Thoughtful, Galileo, their dog,
(Bottle)
and their usual guardsman, Grapes, rode.
they rode down the driveway,
and over the highway,
across the pasture and into the woods.
They rode and they looked
they looked and they rode
they walked and they wandered
peering under rocks, peeking behind trees,
they followed paths
they followed bees
a grand and rambling morning
a picnic with tea and apples
chicken, cheese and cake
ended in contented dozing
until sunset
and then...

Been without access to internet, except for the not now able to post iPhone. Have been writing, can't post!!! (insert Yosemite Sam sounds here.)

And Then He Landed


Take off was rough
He was made to do this
Knowing things might get touch
This was one trip he would not miss

He was going to start a new life
one of the very first
after he settled, he would find a wife
leaving behind the worst

After all, Mars was not to far away
his family might be able to visit
He hoped some day
For others, this trip would be a revisit

As they had been to Mars Before
For him, this was the first time
he had so many dreams and more
Yep, he was going to be fine

Drifting off to sleep
he started to dream of a beautiful Martian ocean
His home, settled deep
In the Martian heaven,
he was glad to sign on for the promotion

And then he landed
There was nothing but red sand everywhere
he couldn’t understand it
he was promised, what was not there

He and the rest had been taken
now they were being stranded
in a land godforsaken
where was the man who commanded

He would have answers and now
He wanted what he was promised
this was not something he would allow
And, what of the wife he suddenly missed

And, what of those who’d been before
the paradise they claimed to have seen
where they telling lies galore
where could they have been

He just did not understand
as he sat there holding in his hand
dry and arid red sand. . .

©Ralph J. Fitcher, November 22, 2009, And then poem.

And then the World was Changed Forever.

He bore the weight of the world
The wrath of the Father
He descended into Hell
and died on the cross.
But He arose.

And then the world was changed forever.

Barbara Y...WONDERFUL. Just wonderful. I'm sooo glad I caught yours. I am literally enchanted, entranced.

November Poetry Challenge day 20 “And then…”


Cause and effect

It occurs to me that most things that follow,
One from the other, can be connected with
“and then,” to wit: (between a pair of siblings, aged
Single digits) “he hit me and then I hit him back, harder;”
Or the very adult “the roast burned and then the oven
Caught on fire;” and even that classic excuse line:
“the dog ate my homework and then the bus came (so
I couldn’t redo it).” That last sometimes works, actually,
But works better if you have a dog.

I've never run so behind with these....


And Then It Was Christmas

Two feet of snow on the ground,
last of January, and their mannequins
parade spring fashions. The last box
of Valentine candy is finally put away,
and Easter goodies hit the shelves.
Apparently I’m supposed to get
a Mother’s Day card on the first day
of spring. By the time I finally shop
for summer swimwear, fall jackets
fill up all the racks. And in October,
the scariest costume in the mall
belongs to Santa Claus.

And Then I Went Shopping


Aidan the wild Irishman
disappeared after a night of drink,
taking my green wool scarf. Bill,
the boy next door, had me at the brink
of marriage but I chickened out.
(Actually, he was no prize.)
Stuart and Jonathan, two guys
who at one point seemed to be
in competition for yours truly,
now live together in D.C.
Boris, the two-week fling
in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg)
married a fifty-two year old
British lady for an exit visa
and to escape the cold. Steven, my ex,
and Ron, my other ex,
turn up occasionally when broke
or melancholy, wanting mercy sex.
How many is that? seven? Wait,
there was that guy on Harmony-dot-com
with whom I had some e-mail chemistry
(or so I thought) until he proved to be
200 pounds. And five foot three.

So I admit, I’m just a bit frustrated
when I consider that my life is now
bereft of partners, except for one:
ever ready, battery operated.

And Then Became Now

Once there was a void, dark and empty
That stretched throughout infinite space,
Empty except for possibility.
And then something happened to fill the void
With light and sound and life.
We have come to this world ignorant
But longing to know the answer
To the question, “And now. . . ?”

And then

I will never
let someone else
get in the way of my dreams,
she said.
I’m my own person,
not a part of someone else.
And then
she fell in love.

I’ll never say
“I told you so”
to my children,
she said.
And then
she had children.

I will respect the privacy
of my children
when I have children,
she said. I will never
read their mail,
search their closets,
or look between
their mattress
and box springs
for contraband.
And then
she had teenagers.

I will never
love again, she said,
in the hot flood of grief,
the bone-rattling
loneliness.
And then
she did.

And Then It Was Quiet

And then it was quiet,
suddenly still, with dogs
chewing bribed treats and the
fridge's constant binging
noise finally silenced.
Raccoon is safely in
the woods. Kris dressed, having
attempted to break up
the fight in his boxers.
The baby cat, hiding
there behind the grape vines,
scooped up and brought inside.
He's off to work, so now
It's just me waiting for
kids to come home, our home
where they used to live full
time, but now come to eat,
see us, and visit friends.
Next week will be quiet
again, but differently.
Raccoon better steer clear.

Katherine Hauswirth - Currently I’m living in Wolcott. :-)

Marie Elena - Yeah, that head bumping can be a painful business. BTW - “And Then I Said Yes“ - Sweet! ;-)

AND THEN DEATH CAME

I had time, in those last hours,
to mull over regret
as I clutched the cold sheets
listening to the machines hum away my life.

And then Death came,
clutching his scythe and a sheaf of paper.

"I'm not ready," I whisper. "I need more time."

Death leaned close,
and winter presses down on chest.
"You are...an editor," he breathes.

I stare into his darkness
where eyes smolder like dying coals.
"I was," I confessed.
"I'm retired now."

A thin rustling,
and cool paper presses into hands.

Death whispers into my ear,
"An extra year
if you read this
and tell me what you think.

And Then we ate Candy

Thanksgiving is here!
We are all full of Cheer.
Who brought pecan pie?

We have been cooking all day.
Trying to say, I love you.
When will the turkey be done?

We have been baking all week.
Hoping to have everyones favorites.
When can I eat the fudge?

Our diets are blown, the turkey is gone
Pecan pie and fudge now a memory.
Now, lets open the big box of candy!

And then he couldn't look away

We got a new teacher the other day,
replacing the one who couldn't cope
with teenage angst. Our eyes locked
the moment he walked into the room.
And then he couldn't look away, but
for all the wrong reasons. He stared
at my chair. Never looked me in the
face. Spoke around me like I couldn't
hear him. Never tried to shake a hand
or try to touch me in any way, like I
carried some kind of paraplegic plague.
He's supposed to be the adult teaching
us how to apply chemistry to real life.
I'd like to tell him about chemistry, the
molecular dislike I've begun to experience
every time he's around. He's not like the
biology teacher last year, who never
went out of his way to include me, or
exclude me. He treated me like any
other kid in his class, who had a constant
case of laryngitis and could only tap
out a response with her tongue.

AND THEN, WE LAUGHED

It had been a wicked day,
full of hurtful mouths
and soggy tears,
but we knew
it would soon be over.

Surely,
it couldn’t last forever –
this torturous day
filled with such hatred
and meanness.

Wouldn’t we be able
to shake off the cruelty?

Couldn’t we overlook
the spite
and dreadful hours
we’d had to endure?

Then, a child spoke.

Without knowing
or planning,
he had changed this loathsome day
into one of favorable spirits.

Our moods were lifted,
our attitudes changed.

And then,
we laughed.

I worried so much,
Feeling inadequate,
Silly, worthless.

And then
I received the test results,
The score,
The real number that
Was mine.

Not only did it say
“Passed”
It also said
“Passed with a 90.”

After reading my number
I no longer felt
Less than.

It was official:
I am adequate,
Smart and I have worth,
I’m even a bit more than!

And now
It’s my job to teach kids
They have the same kind
Of numbers multiplying
Inside of them.
By example they will see
Anything is possible.
Yeah, just look at me.

And then it happened (Sevenling)
By: Meena Rose

She was waiting for three things:
A diamond engagement ring, a job promotion,
A honeymoon in Hawaii.

She loved life,
And being in a relationship,
And having a future all planned out.

… Yet she was killed.

And Then

Life will seem normal for a while
The TV will be on in the background
You’ll be typing away at the computer
He’ll be reading the newspaper
And slurping from his glass of sweet tea
But you will know it’s all a farce
This feeling of contentment
That life will begin again in earnest
Soon enough. You will try to explain
Yourself to no avail. He will stare at
You and then walk off, disgust
Written on his face and filtering through
The air. He’ll write you a note
And tell you he is sick of playing second
String to a computer and all the protestations
You can express will fall on deaf ears
As his face screws up and you wonder
Why it is that he can’t realize that you
Work on the computer just like he does
When he goes off to work outside the home.
And then you’ll realize that you don’t get paid
For your work so his trumps yours and maybe
You are just playing and taking up time, taking up space.

And Then it was Day

Light crept curiously
over the edge of the world
to see what dark had done
while she was gone.

Thank you, Maria Elena. Your cheerfulness is appreciated.

And Then We Walked Away

We could have talked it over
Worked through fears
Gaps in understanding
It seemed too much work
Prying at old walls
That made it possible for us
To remain aloof from the fact that
The house was falling down
Around our ears
We hadn’t sense or
Wherewithal enough to
Save ourselves and all we’d built
So we stopped talking
We turned our backs on one another
And then we walked away

20 AND THEN

First they looked on the web
And then:
They chased down pet events
Craigslist
endless rows of puppy and dog faces
viewed through humane shelter cages
And then
She saw the pictures on the website
Rat terrier brothers
Not greyhounds, not pit bulls
Not lovable labs
Terriers!
And then, before anyone else could take them away
She filled out the application
Kidnapped her husband from work
And then
they went to meet the latest additions to the family
brought Buzz and Woody home
Sure cure for empty-nest syndrome

And then she kissed me
I did not say I love you
and neither did she.

And Then There Were Two

One becomes two
when there is a union
of the hearts.
The couple has a baby
and then they have another.
They raise these babies
the best they know how.
With stumbles and falls
along the way, learning.
The babies become teens
and the parents become old.
They soon grow up
and leave their home.
The empty nest has begun.
But they still have each other,
the one who became two,
and technically one.
Where once there were four,
then there were two.

and then, David braced me

Holding my hand as we walked,
he told me when I was about the age of eight,
when he met his first girlfriend,
(he was six years older)
that he had chosen her, because her name was Brenda.
He said he couldn't find anyone
prettier than his sister.
That he had settled for the next best,
and that was through her name.

I then I clicked the cancel button
even though it was a great deal
two snuggly blanket things for
the price of one and a free reading lamp
but almost as soon as I started entering
my credit card information
I pictured my mom struggling to unzip herself
from that polar fleece bag as
the flames leaped around her
I pushed cancel before
the image of that leopard print
fused with her liver spotted skin
could haunt me
I had to find her a gift
that wouldn't give me nightmares
and then I saw the Makin Bacon.

I then I clicked the cancel button
even though it was a great deal
two snuggly blanket things for
the price of one and a free reading lamp
but almost as soon as I started entering
my credit card information
I pictured my mom struggling to unzip herself
from that polar fleece bag as
the flames leaped around her
I pushed cancel before
the image of that leopard print
fused with her liver spotted skin
could haunt me
I had to find her a gift
that wouldn't give me nightmares
and then I saw the Makin Bacon.

A poem about the plot of my novel.

And Then There Were Three

Two girls born to a wonderful wife and mother,
oblivious to her the depth of her husband’s depravity.
One becomes the latest black market fare,
the other falls ill despite the mother’s care.
Told the first is dead, the second soon died as well,
and the woman finally shattered at the loss of
her trustworthy cohort before she ever left the
bed with bars, emaciated with grief.

The man who fathered many children, all his
and hers despite the difference in the wombs
that carried the last of the offspring, brought
a boy, unblemished, to replace the ailing girl
who became the one that died, forgotten.
And little Valerie fades into the afterbirth
of plausible deniability and laundered blood money.
If her papers lie, does she still exist?

After two became one and one
became zero, the mother of six was left
with one she didn’t name, didn’t know.
As fragments returned, one became two,
then the two became girls, and too many
questions led to searching for answers,
and two became three, with only the boy waiting
to be reunited with the one he never knew.

And Then, Like E.T.

when dreams seem distant
and doors slide shut
and bringing home the bacon
holds sway over every literary
endeavour with which you might
hold truck

you sail on backwards
through trials that would cow
a lesser being or tie
one up in knots but you
hold fast, will not see
all go up in smoke until
you scrape out every last vestige
of dark creativity
sandpaper smooth all
hopes, thoughts, ideas;
and then, like E.T., phone home
and, bleeding out, tell them,
“send up the balloon”.

And then it was Christmas

And then it was Christmas
it was all too soon
turkey not yet digested
and there will be stuffing
on a dinner roll
for a midnight snack
Tomorrow it’s official
Christmas shopping begins
decorating and baking
wrapping, bows and carols
cards, presents and hot chocolate
seeing old friends and family.
Tiring and stressful, yes
It’s the best time of the year!

And Then God Smiled

He had driven through the backcountry
bumping along the road, cow paths, really,
knowing that he might arrive too late
or, if the weather changed, not at all.
Such are the trials of a bush doctor.
Yet, he never gives up reaching out to
those who need him most, reaching out
to those whose lives are cut too short,
reaching out to those who have just begun
the journey into this world of sun and dust,
rain and green trees. This world where the moon
speaks of ancient times and the stars
sing lullabies carried by the winds to
sleeping babies and the grandmothers caring
for them. He had driven for hours,
finally reaching the humble hut, draped in
colorful cloth, surrounded by bits and pieces of
life. As he reaches for his bag, he is surrounded
by a host of upturned faces, at that moment,
he knows he is the one who is blessed.

And Then She Fell Asleep

She didn’t want to take a nap
without her comfort cup of milk.

I’m the Mom
and it’s my job
to break the bad habits that make life easier.

I picked her up gently and held her close
stroked her soft hair with her head on my shoulder.

I’m the Mom
and it’s my job
to comfort my children.

We laid down together for her unwanted nap.
She cried about milk, fruit snacks, and “Sleeping Beauty.”

I’m the Mom
and it’s my job
to calm the babes when they’re sad.

I scratched her back and whispered “shh.”
We took a deep breath together and snuggled.

I’m the Mom
and it’s my job.

And then...
by Juanita Lewison-Snyder

And then
to both enlighten and annoy,
my mother plied me with books...
stacks and stacks of books,
some filled with yellowing pages
reeking of musty attic salutations,
others with handwritten margins
and crumbling old spines;
a few sported hundred year old
autographs or sentimental dedications
as if they mattered one iota to me.

She thought herself clever,
(my cultured bitch of a mother)
she thought her subterfuge
invisible to the naked eye,
but clearly she was mistaken,
for all her misteachings
and premeditated maneuverings
was not lost on this pupil
who had a few of her own.
Se la vie.


© 2009 by Juanita Lewison-Snyder

AND THEN IF DREAM COULD TRUTH FORETELL

I wish to see the world redrawn,
new blueprint of civility,
to taste the first dew of that dawn,
to let her light wash over me.

And then if dream could truth foretell,
my darkest dread would never quell
crescendo of the clarion call
nor rising tide of hope for all.

(Rispetto)