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She stands before the bathroom mirror
Creating several different faces
Tryng to find the one that doesn’t
Make her look so tired and old.

Some of them make her look ill
A couple more look silly.
The one she finally settles on:
A wan and disappointed smile -

Accepted as least ugly of the bunch
It’s not the face she’d hoped to wear
In this the Autumn of her life.
She expected some small trace
Of former beauty to remain.

She tried to make a little sparkle
To liven up her somber eyes
And find the muscle in her cheek
That lifts her lips into a grin.

A sorry rictus of despair
Was all that effort brought her
So she gave up and threw the switch
And slipped away in darkness
ljm
I remember seeing my mother standing in front of the mirror trying different ways of smiling and holding her face.  She wasn't happy about growing older.  Hey...neither am I.
 Aug 2020
Graff1980
I remember her so dearly.
The third-grade girl
who chased me.

Cherubic face
blushing
while I ran away.
Now I wished
that I had stayed,
letting her catch me.

Similar soul,
I know
we were reading
the same books and
standing on the outside
of the same social life.
We talked a bit
and went on one date
but by the time I realized
she was something special
it was far too late.

Not all things
work out for the best,
but facebook pictures
makes me think
she is pretty happy,
so I am happy for her.
 Aug 2020
Graff1980
I am a bit of a thief,
a killer king
stealing things
that are not mine,
to write
another line.

I pilfered
the filtered
through which others see,
to expand
the breadth
of what I understand.

I leveraged
past experiences,
to supplement my view
that despite my ambitions
come off slightly skewed.

I even bargained
and borrowed
my voice
from tomorrow,
so I could pass
pleasant wisdom
down to
all who
come to
view
this poetry
I wrote.
 Aug 2020
Graff1980
I am not a really fit
dude who can take
a super anime hit.

Even though, I
have a great gift
that lets me
write a bit
I don’t expect
my words will
change ****.

I am smarter than
most humans,
but this brain I have
won’t solve the world’s
problems,
won’t beat
the greedy goblins
that I meet.

I can make people laugh
but I know that
is not uncommon.

So, my greatest aspect,
or so
I suspect
is my gentle disposition,
desire to show respect
and above all else
be kind.
 Aug 2020
Sarah Spang
I watched the wind on summer days,
The way it plays havoc with the meadow grass
And wish the words
MY words-
Could be plucked and carried on that breeze
Like a seedling
To go where they need to
And where I cannot.
 Aug 2020
Mike Hauser
In crazy times these days I find
A word I often use
When forced on me these sufferings
In todays to-do's

So don your masks and your name tags
In this new faze of meet and greet
The word in hand if need be said
...Seriously?!

With no simple rhyme nor heart-felt reason
To all that's going on
My guess is it's just in keeping
With this societal breakdown

When common sense loses its essence
And everything smells fishy
I've said it before and I'll say it again
...Seriously?!

What comes out of people's mouths
These days is quite insane
Not taking time out to think about
The way they are behaving

I've about had enough to the point of done
Someone please stick a fork in me
Have you not heard it's all absurd
...Seriously?!
Seriously! Cra! Cra!
 Aug 2020
Graff1980
I’ll rock this ride,
till the day I die,
driving high
into the night.

Tired as I am
I move with
no plan,
just step
one foot forward
away from the herd.

The spirit that resides
is the light that I
give to this life.

Engine full throttle
no time to coddle,
the cattle is coming,
and I keep on running.

So, I drive
moving in time
as each glow
fades fast behind
and I know
I will not find
a single second
returned to me.

I won’t miss me
when I am gone,
and I am sorry
if I was wrong
but this river
only runs
in one direction.
 Aug 2020
Graff1980
When it’s finally over
and you sign the disclosure
to satisfy this sick
back room deal closer,

when you bend down
to submit to the controller
that hellfire holder
who was bolder
than the wiser
and the older,

I will kiss
the sharp bits
that ripped
at your lips
and bleed
the same
pain as you.

I will scrape
the nape
of my neck
till my spinal cord
is open to explore
and you can see
all the electricity
that makes me, me.

I will stand and confess
that you were
the worse and the best
parts of my humanity.
 Aug 2020
Graff1980
You can paint infinity
on a set of plates
that lay here before me,

share a season’s story
leaving out what is gory.

You can dance in skewed
perspectives,
make rainbows cry
while a little child
staves off this painted rain.

You can make manifest
the spirit over which
you give dominion
to all who live in
this little world.

Let lovers walk
from pools reflecting
many shades
that illuminate
the end of days.

Can take the infinitude
of every instance
that made you, you
and summarize it
in multiple tints
of blue;

Take the beauty
and wonder of
a stranger’s face
lit by inspiration
as she reads
by a windowpane,

while I can take apart
and break the art
you made with your heart,
to write this silly little poem.
 Aug 2020
Graff1980
I am not sick,
or a sociopath,
but I’ve got years
of watching people
laugh at that
which should bring tears.

So, when I see
a young girl crying
in solidarity
with the suffering
of a stranger,

I think it is beautiful,
and I cry to.

When I know you
can sympathize
with guys
whose lives
are so different,

Then the numbness,
the cold shield
that I built
to block myself
from feeling,
slowly starts melting,
the tears start falling,
and I finally feel
connected.
My mid has drifted, I'm sad to say
You cannot say I'm lying
It's bigger still than yesterday
And that is why I'm crying.
                                ljm
That one was just too easy, BLT  ha ha ha
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