Submit your work, meet writers and drop the ads. Become a member
 
a quiet man he was
the smiles were rare
signs of affection
non-existent
yet his soul came through
his goodness
his quality
his concealed intelligence
I can see him in his sleeveless tee-shirt
cigarette in right hand
a pen in his left
doing the New York Times crossword puzzle
at the dining room table
he would watch Jeopardy
and reel off the answers
one after another
under his breath
he'd survived 3 heart attacks
diabetes and emphysema
years of working 2 jobs to support 8 children
but the alzheimers was unforgiving
and eventually wore him down
my Father
like his son
had buried a facet of his early years
his gift for verse
which I discovered unbeknownst to him
before his passing
in the early hours of one recent Winter's morning
I heard him call my name from the foot of the bed
I take it as a sign that one day
we will share our love of poetry
my youngest daughter brought to my attention a poem she had discovered by Ezra Pound. I liked it so much I did some research on Ezra and discovered that he had been arrested in Italy and returned to the US to face trial for speaking out about Capitalism. His attorney's pleaded insanity and he was sentenced to do his time at a mental facility called St. Elizabeth's hospital in Washington DC. For the length of his stay, my Father worked at that hospital. I picture them in my mind sitting at one of the benches in the yard and swapping stories and discussing poetry
 Dec 2021 Charles Leonard
Bryan
I used to grow flowers.
Pretty little petals
Sprouted from letters.
Into pretty little paragraphs
Sprouted from words.

Now I only grow lonely.
Ugly little concepts
Sprouted from doubts
Into fetid thoughts
Sprouted from desolation.
Love of mine
When I get old
Only lines upon  on my face
My eyes with pain
Smile still there
Only silently for knowing minds
The heart stays young forever
Most memories are lost.

Will you hold my hand
and comfort me
Before I find my way
Inside myself, no place to go
Think of heaven , only God knows.
I look at you and see a fear.
Fear for when I’m here no more.
Deep in your eyes, you’re not there.
Come back my dear so I can find myself.

Child of mine don’t cry
when I’m gone
You’ve made my life wonderful
My sunshine you will stay wherever I’ll go.
Just wanted you to know.
You made me happy all life long.
My love for you so pure
forever that light will shine
My sparkle in my eyes
Carry that through in your own family
when I’m no longer here.


Shell✨🐚
the red glow of her cigarette.
the fingers of her left hand
yellow  with nicotine
clutching dying flowers

"buy a rose for your lover," she says,
"buy one for your wife. buy 2."

"the flowers are wilted."

"maybe it's your eyes that are wilted.

she had black hair
black as the night
the violent night
and gray eyes
the shade of ***** ice

"you must love
someone,
some of the time, no?
put a rose on
your father s grave, then."

"love is like lost pennies
falling from a broken jar."

she smooths her hair with one pale,
long, fingered hand, "you re crazy."

"my mom says so."

i was born to
have adventure

I followed her up the steps.

i was born to chase the night
through the forest
of dead roses.
Wrap your spring
in the winter.
Only to unleash it
on the rose later.

— The End —