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 Oct 2016 May
jackierutherford
Thousands of us were displaced
Started careers late
Not lucky enough to have had great jobs

So we work hard
Put ourselves through night school
While taking care of family

Finally ...
Yes, yeah,  whoopee
Did it !
Once again completed school

Another certificate added to the growing list of achievements.
More bills owed to uncle Sam

Going on numerous job interviews
No one's responding
Instead ...
All this knowledge stored in your head

Current jobs pays minimum wages
Those colleges attended; mounting

When you try to get ahead  -
They hold on to their employments
As if,
It's Rocket science

Looking for younger, greener admits

Once AARP comes a knocking on
Your door
You know they don't want your
Expertise anymore

What's one to do
Still strong, healthy, seasoned
Educated, no strings to boot

Hopelessly stuck in a world of
"We will call you "

So at the tender age of fifty
Thoughts of starting your own business floats in your head

Right
Now, back to school
For another certificate
A chance to use that knowledge
Put bread on the table
Feel useful

Quality of life renewed.

JRap /2016
 Oct 2016 May
brian odongo
You were my perfect poem
Brief but of many lessons
Our life was the perfect paradox
For love I thought we could rhyme

You hated all I ever loved,I loved all you hated
You said dirt was clean and the sun was cold
You desired tears for years
And resisted all advances of happiness

All you hated I had to forsake
For our love was at stake
But like a toddler you had fun with my feelings
Leaving our blindest love in darkness reeling

Yet my greatest victory was losing you
My severest pain was my sweetest gain
You schooled me through experience
My all-time worst teacher

You were my perfect poem
Eternity would be short to describe the undescribable
For when my hand is strong to hold the pen
Then my heart is weak to pen the words
 Oct 2016 May
Timothy Ward
shallow people
seemingly unaware
reviled most
by themselves
deceitful reflectors
loathsome lonesome
interlocutors
lurking
in their own
shadows
devouring affection
utterly incapable
of reciprocity
Every now and then I bump into this type who charm the pants off me - well not quite! - and I have to ask myself to slow the f down Timmy! These are the "shape shifters" who seem to have an uncanny ability to find my tender spots and tap them to their own advantage- if only for the sake of stoking their ego or whatever bizarre agenda they might have. I don't try to figure them out - but time exposes them if they are genuine or not.
 Oct 2016 May
Timothy Ward
You embrace
Fears
But shun
Your gay son

You embrace
Life
But not
My "lifestyle"

You embrace
Publicly
But loathe
Me privately

I embrace
Your ignorance
But spurn
Your rejection
Coming out is a mixed bag for everyone. My parents were jerks about it to put it mildly. I'm over them and the process and hope others see that life is too **** short to worry about eyes, skin, weight, height or sexuality. Only the judgementally religious, deeply insecure and the salaciosly gossipy seem preoccupied with the sexuality of others! Get over yourselves! ;)
 Oct 2016 May
Timothy Ward
A poet struggles
While mockingbirds entertain
The forest echoes
Man v Nature The struggle continues unabated.
 Oct 2016 May
Timothy Ward
Honest souls
Dishonest lives
Gracious hearts
Calculating minds
Fractured families
Love unwinds
When you find yourself at polar opposites on almost every issue that bifurcates the family it is time to question belongingness. Especially when you find yourself on the wrong side of bigotry, intolerance, prejudice, pettiness and conditional affection. Time to move on.
 Oct 2016 May
Doug Potter
I cup a Pall Mall, it is 10:30 p.m.,
December & Montana
frigid.

The store’s back window is unlocked,
I take white bread, ham
& mustard.

Hunker curbside, make sandwiches
& eat, I am less

hungry, cold
& 14-years
old.
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