She bought this light green chair at an estate sale, with a red pillow as an accoutrement she smiled like a young child; proud of her find, all I could do was smile back, afraid to hurt her feelings, you hate it she said, I can tell-would it make you want it more if I told you it was from Ernest Hemingway's estate, such a find- I  was in a bidding war with another woman, I purchased it for you

its been a couple years hence, sitting in my light green chair, she knew it was the perfect chair, to do my writing, she would smile, if she could see me here, shades of the writer that I am

time to move on, all the memories left- I sold everything; never though, would I sell the light green chair with the red pillow, as it reminds me of her always


By Michael Perry

JUST US 2

me and you  together  
in love just us 2
                     we will be

so happy

then along came he and
now we are 3

there is love for all
to go around
can't you see, we can she said to me

another year another day
by mistake, now we are 4
my head hit the floor- surprise you said to me

add a dog and a cat
house in the burbs
living out the dream

with bills up to the hilt
make it day to day- what to do
when love is in the house, no matter you see
she said to me-  We- are a family

by Michael Perry

SHOCK OF WINTER

the ashen grey sky leads
as the forerunner of whats to come
whilst the taste of snow flakes
incite the buds on the tongue, it is as if
when warm turns to cold, we are lead to believe
that this grip of ice bearing down, may feel
like forever, and for you already growing old
thereby freezing your impression of what to believe
that somehow this is not living, hence
given your preferred inclination for a few degree's  more
you might wish though, to be somewhere else
for at least a few months time until
the cold shock of winter barrels and blows over, in its due time

by Michael Perry

JUST LOOK UP

the night is dark, so dark as i
look up in the inky blackness with no beginning, or end
- like a blanket, it unfolds before me, extolling peace
making way for transition, i continue
my star gazing, looking at the stars on display, they seem
ready to tell a story, as they blink on off, like some SOS
a code in  need of breaking, off and on, it goes till it
takes me a minute more to decipher, now at once
the message becomes clear, a feeling of familiar, comforting
as relayed to me, today may be over for now, but
behind the scenes, changes are constantly taking place
another  tomorrow, is not far off,  better than today, so just wait
settle back, be content, take every moment to,  just look up

By Michael Perry

THE STRANGER IN US ALL

i am,  have been, will always be,  the unfamiliar
if maybe, just like you, we are one and the same
though not without my shame, which outweighs, by far

for me, i walk mostly the nights, cause of the stares
regardless the weather to me and my surroundings
think what if, test me, itching for a fight; dare me

i am sure, each day as you walk right passed
taking no measure of me, for i am just  another someone
left aside, you don't want to know me , first last, that's that

your pre-conceived opinions aside, check them at the door
as you venture to the store or a favorite restaurant, look there  
in front of you, in the alleys, under passes, dumpster; what's more

been a stranger to many, ready or not unable to see beyond
so you walk to the other side of the street, staring at my *****  
façade, open your eyes, see me, what was lost is found

by Michael Perry

THERE IS LIFE

the flowers have all died now
under the cold assault of the seasons
blast of chill, never to reawaken
in colorful splendor as they did weeks before
sadly death is everywhere, coming to pass
as the dried up leaves, crinkle and fall
lost to a wind, that claims and takes in
full on assault, the pines shed their needles
now minus of smell, the sky darkens early
and stays longer, until and then when the
kiss of spring renews and can attest to resurgence
revealing once more, that after death, there is life, still more

by Michael Perry

WHAT OF MY MOTHER?

my father was a young man when
my mother died suddenly, both
families encouraged him time
and again saying, he was young
he needed a wife, his boys needed
a mother, after  awhile, he took their
advice and my father did remarry, for
better or worse he was ready to move on-
what of my mother, would  she have been
given the same advice? if the circumstances
had been reversed-  probably not, they would
have said, tend to your children, and tend to
your husbands grave, be a dutiful wife
you do not need to be married again, so she
would have poured herself into her duties, raising us
as best she could, and she would have continued
being the grieving wife, for as long as it took
until it was her turn to die, doing everything she
could to make his lasting repose;  her life's work
like a good wife if the situation had been reversed, she
would have accepted her circumstances; not changing a thing