for anything,
And work hard for it,
You will get it,
But if you wish for getting
younger,
Forget it.
22/12/2023

She was a good soul,
Kind hearted,
Alas! Her tongue worked faster than her mind.
22/12/2023

heavy rain from a darkening sky
and buildings  fall

no one knows what will be left
running down the nowhere
where dreams die
on a metal tray
at the hospital morgue

trouser leg pushed up
the search for black ink
and a child's name
begins

perhaps the arm
the hip

the back?

and the children plead,
lie to me,
tell me,
i won't die,
today

and the silent screams
are left in an eternity of why?

foul and bitter hearts
will prevail
on both sides,
this is the poetry of death

he carried her heart in his heart
loved her despite the allegory
that was her life, despite the pity
in his eyes, despite the pity in his eyes

he carried her soul in his soul
loved her despite the spite
loved her ***** soul despite her filth,
despite the doom of her soul,
despite the doom of her soul

he loved her with his spirit
carried her spirit in his spirit
loved her despite her dooms of love
despite her dooms of love

loved her despite her dooms


c. 2023 Roberta Compton Rainwater

People who really know me ask, “Do you still write?”
“Oh yeah,” I say, “I’ve never been more inventive or less relevant.”

Lawrence Hall, HSG
Mhall46184@aol.com

                                    An Envelope is its Own Story

An envelope in the post office parking lot
A woman parks next to it, looks down, and sneers
And puffs and heaves her ponderousness inside
To dock at the counter and make demands

I rescue the envelope and note the name and address
Oh, yes. I remember. That was all so sad
At least the daughter’s in the Army and safe enough
It’s a Christmas card. The man must have dropped it

I leave it at the counter, explaining the circs
The postal clerk accepts it back, and sneers

i’ve blown all my dosh
on a brand new Bosch!
my clothes will be super clean
with this amazing new machine
i’ve burnt all my dosh
singing swish, swash, swosh,
singing splish, splash, splosh,
a ladies got to wash!
i’m in love with my new Bosch!