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"casseroles" poems
Last night I had a dream that you died. Everyone we knew came, said their I’m-so-sorry’s, and left, filtering out the front door slowly like sand through a sideways sifter, leaving behind pieces, words and memories and casseroles I could not taste. And the whole time everyone was here, you were here, too. I could hear you, smell you, feel you. I could feel you surrounding me like the ghost of the baby blanket I once had and could never leave at home. I loved you here and here you would stay, with me, and now you would never leave. I could keep you. You were bound to me. But the ties that bind are tight and you did not like me leaving. You could not go with me and you accidentally and without words by holding, enveloping, suffocating you told me that you did not want me to ever leave again. So I stopped. I stopped leaving. And the calls stopped, too. The invites. The lunches. The impromptu trips to town. All unnecessary noise. The people left. And then it was just you and me. Until one day I saw what you had done. Tripping I glanced in the mirror and saw. You had etched yourself into my face. Dug with your nails terrifying ravines escaping the corners of my eyes. Pulled down my mouth and every shallow natural valley turned to deep empty bowl, hungry and wanting. My eyes no longer held light. I saw this, all evidence against you, and I still loved you. You had hurt me in ways you never had while you were here – here – and I knew. And I still loved you. Slinking up the stairs I called you to me. I felt you surround faster than before and closer, tighter, colder. Suffocating, stifling and so destructive in how you loved me. Slowly but faster I grew to know I would not become you and you would not become me. We were stuck on other sides of the mirror. I was so angry at what you had allowed me made me begged me to become. Realizing I gasped and put hand to heart it hurt so. I stood upright how long have I been bent took in one long deep breath of stuffy air how long since I opened the windows and called you to me when have I last heard a voice not my own called you to listen. I felt the loss of everything else friends family adventure excitement. Nothing was left of that here and I was so angry and I am so sorry and I yelled       I screamed       I roared why are you still here why are you making me like you why did you come here and hold me and keep me here with you I am not the one who is dead and I said and I regret and I am so sorry I can’t have you here go away and leave me alone and you did. You left me all alone. Why would you leave me?
0
May 8, 2014
May 8, 2014 at 1:06 AM UTC
Leaving
Last night I had a dream that you died. Everyone we knew came, said their I’m-so-sorry’s, and left, filtering out the front door slowly like sand through a sideways sifter, leaving behind pieces, words and memories and casseroles I could not taste. And the whole time everyone was here, you were here, too. I could hear you, smell you, feel you. I could feel you surrounding me like the ghost of the baby blanket I once had and could never leave at home. I loved you here and here you would stay, with me, and now you would never leave. I could keep you. You were bound to me. But the ties that bind are tight and you did not like me leaving. You could not go with me and you accidentally and without words by holding, enveloping, suffocating you told me that you did not want me to ever leave again. So I stopped. I stopped leaving. And the calls stopped, too. The invites. The lunches. The impromptu trips to town. All unnecessary noise. The people left. And then it was just you and me. Until one day I saw what you had done. Tripping I glanced in the mirror and saw. You had etched yourself into my face. Dug with your nails terrifying ravines escaping the corners of my eyes. Pulled down my mouth and every shallow natural valley turned to deep empty bowl, hungry and wanting. My eyes no longer held light. I saw this, all evidence against you, and I still loved you. You had hurt me in ways you never had while you were here – here – and I knew. And I still loved you. Slinking up the stairs I called you to me. I felt you surround faster than before and closer, tighter, colder. Suffocating, stifling and so destructive in how you loved me. Slowly but faster I grew to know I would not become you and you would not become me. We were stuck on other sides of the mirror. I was so angry at what you had allowed me made me begged me to become. Realizing I gasped and put hand to heart it hurt so. I stood upright how long have I been bent took in one long deep breath of stuffy air how long since I opened the windows and called you to me when have I last heard a voice not my own called you to listen. I felt the loss of everything else friends family adventure excitement. Nothing was left of that here and I was so angry and I am so sorry and I yelled       I screamed       I roared why are you still here why are you making me like you why did you come here and hold me and keep me here with you I am not the one who is dead and I said and I regret and I am so sorry I can’t have you here go away and leave me alone and you did. You left me all alone. Why would you leave me?
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113
Flashback to as far back as the mind goes, Masculinity is mighty and feminism is flawed, Man is right and woman is wrong, Boy is strong and girl is weak, I’m a gentleman as long as I’m on top, She can’t speak unless spoken to, No place for women at the pulpit, Men can’t learn from lesser beings. Flashback to four years old, The first time he was told, Homosexuals will burn eternally, Because they’re ******* He said God doesn’t love them, They’re an abomination to creation. Flashback to age twelve, Welcome to the USA, Export the Mexicans, Eliminate the rag heads, Burn the gays. Flashback to seventh grade, She left him for her, The hate talk convinced him, All gays were wrong always. Flashback to freshmen year, It was Halloween, Debate class in the morning, She was dressed as a nerd, But obviously that so wasn’t her, Because she was Iranian, He asked where her turban was, Said her outfit wasn’t complete without it. Flashback to the close-minded, conservatively, homeschooled child, Racism was as familiar as his father’s laugh, Sexism known like the scent of his mother’s casseroles, Ignorance was his bestfriend, And hate pumped through his veins. I don’t know if right wing racist remarks are forgivable, But the one he was bred to despise showed nothing but forgiveness. The Iranian girl shed tears, Which caused him to shed his foggy lens, For the first time, he saw his own sins, A joke rooted in hate hurt an innocent girl, An innocent tear hurt an ignorant boy, I am an ignorant boy, I felt her pain, I stabbed myself with shame, She befriended me, She forgave. Flawed people produced twisted identification, She isn’t the Iranian girl, Just a person. Mexican, black, dark skinned, or light, Christian, Atheist, Muslim, Left wing or right, Straight, gay, man, woman, Irrelevant. Mexican, black, dark skinned, or light, Christian, Atheist, Muslim, Left wing or right, Straight, gay, man, woman, Human.
0
Aug 6, 2013
Aug 6, 2013 at 3:01 PM UTC
Twisted Identification
Flashback to as far back as the mind goes, Masculinity is mighty and feminism is flawed, Man is right and woman is wrong, Boy is strong and girl is weak, I’m a gentleman as long as I’m on top, She can’t speak unless spoken to, No place for women at the pulpit, Men can’t learn from lesser beings. Flashback to four years old, The first time he was told, Homosexuals will burn eternally, Because they’re ******* He said God doesn’t love them, They’re an abomination to creation. Flashback to age twelve, Welcome to the USA, Export the Mexicans, Eliminate the rag heads, Burn the gays. Flashback to seventh grade, She left him for her, The hate talk convinced him, All gays were wrong always. Flashback to freshmen year, It was Halloween, Debate class in the morning, She was dressed as a nerd, But obviously that so wasn’t her, Because she was Iranian, He asked where her turban was, Said her outfit wasn’t complete without it. Flashback to the close-minded, conservatively, homeschooled child, Racism was as familiar as his father’s laugh, Sexism known like the scent of his mother’s casseroles, Ignorance was his bestfriend, And hate pumped through his veins. I don’t know if right wing racist remarks are forgivable, But the one he was bred to despise showed nothing but forgiveness. The Iranian girl shed tears, Which caused him to shed his foggy lens, For the first time, he saw his own sins, A joke rooted in hate hurt an innocent girl, An innocent tear hurt an ignorant boy, I am an ignorant boy, I felt her pain, I stabbed myself with shame, She befriended me, She forgave. Flawed people produced twisted identification, She isn’t the Iranian girl, Just a person. Mexican, black, dark skinned, or light, Christian, Atheist, Muslim, Left wing or right, Straight, gay, man, woman, Irrelevant. Mexican, black, dark skinned, or light, Christian, Atheist, Muslim, Left wing or right, Straight, gay, man, woman, Human.
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61
My mother grew up in a small town and she married in a small town and she lived in a small town and she passed away here. And our neighbours came with their casseroles And the florist gave my family her best violets And there was a discount on the casket. My sister grew up in a small town and she married in a small town and she lived in a small town And she works at the high school as an English teacher. And she takes her kids to the park every Saturday, And her car never uses more than a liter a month And there is always a booth for her family at Sal's Diner. My brother grew up in a small town and he never did marry but he never did leave. So now he lives in this small town. And he only ever takes his job as a deputy seriously And every Sunday he tends to his geraniums, And there is never any mail in his mailbox And his coffee order has always been the same. I grew up in a small town and nothing ever changed and so I left. And I will never manage to travel to all the bus stops And my barista never ever remembers my face And the librarian is stern, always, instead of friendly And there is never ever a dull moment In this little world I've created in my big town.
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Oct 20, 2013
Oct 20, 2013 at 6:43 AM UTC
Small town, slow town
artful creations colors, charcoals paints stone and clay wood and paper bringing life from lifeless form from formless can the artist choose? ~~~ garden creations shades of green jade artichoke asparagus fern, forest and jungle mint, moss and pine shamrock tea, olive mixed with a multitude of blooming hues can the gardener decide on one? ~~~ kitchen creations sweets and treats savories and piquants cakes and pies meats, stews casseroles butter, garlic lemon rosemary and thyme parsley and saffron onions caramelized to sweet peppercorns and cardamon tamarind, turmeric nutmeg combined in precision joy and love can the chef say which is best? ~~~ and thus I challenge any poet can you choose your favorite "child"?
0
Apr 15, 2018
Apr 15, 2018 at 5:56 PM UTC
Sophie's Choice
Be afraid. The breakdown of civilization is at the hands of our well-meaning, overly thrifty, spoon-wielding mothers. Be very afraid. They are entranced by spices and covering condiments, pepper and powder, onion and garlic galore. Gingerly they add cumin and dill, cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves with thyme to add sage and curry, parsley, paprika and allspice. Their casseroles become zombie food as the dead reanimates. These cheese-added monsters, hungry for mystery-meat, render brains to mush and bind our bowels. They stiffen our gait with numbness and nausea until we are rendered victims of another pepto-pandemic. And in the night of the living dead, feeding us salt in a casserole apocalypse, we panicked victims become the casseroles we consume. Now paralyzed in fear by the light of the open refrigerator.
0
Dec 15, 2011
Dec 15, 2011 at 1:00 PM UTC
In a Casserole Apocalypse
#6 After the casseroles from anxious neighbors And the flowers stopped arriving And a last aging aunt blubbered goodbye, I left the silent house, Drove to the foothills And began to climb. Atop your favorite peak, I opened the urn And gave your ashes to the sky. Will I ever stop wondering where you’ve gone? The light was changing As I descended into The mountain's immense shadow.
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Nov 17, 2015
Nov 17, 2015 at 10:02 PM UTC
From "13 Reasons for Watching the Sky" (#6)
They named their youngest Sarah Sweet And you would too if you chanced to meet There wasn't a thing she wouldn't do Well maybe one to tell the truth Her parents pleaded, and begged, rubbed Genie bottles for wishes But Sarah Sweet would not do dishes She could not even stand to think Of sticking her hands down in the sink From tuna crusted casseroles To globs of oatmeal days past old Green and what? watermelon rinds Banana peels way past their prime From brussel sprouts to pigs pickled feet Cereal bowls in what appears to be Clumps of one time Shredded Wheat And don't forget the mystery meat So many nasty things the sink holds within That it makes poor Sarah's head want to do a double spin From something purple to something pink Something with an awful stink Something swimming for it's life Something else that lost that fight A little something that's half chewed That one time was passed off as food A little something else to heighten the mood Who put it there no one knew So much grossness In the sink To turn the stomach Of Sarah Sweet Now you see why Despite her parents wishes Their Sweet Sarah WILL NOT DO DISHES!!!
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Feb 20, 2015
Feb 20, 2015 at 7:42 AM UTC
Sweet Sarah Refused To Do (The Dishes)
One evening, in a sleepy Connecticut town, the locals saw a peculiar sight, a UAP had landed in an empty field, and man, it lit up the night. They were, axiomatically, from a distant galaxy, here to explore our shared cosmic space, their metallic-phallic-rocket was multicolor pastel bright, like a carnival showcase. There were cows that mooed approvingly and dogs that barked up at the sky, like they needed to show where the thing came from - no one really knew why. Soon little green people-like beings emerged, they had big, wide eyes that looked eerie, but then again, this is how they’d always looked in movies and on TV. "Take us to your leader," they said, but it was hard to take them seriously, because this is America and most of us disagree on who that leader should be. Someone brought out lawn chairs and the alien-astronauts settled in, tables appeared shortly thereafter with a spread of pies, casseroles and fried chicken. They spoke of their interstellar journeys, of planets far and wide, of space cafes and wormhole highways and how gravity worked like tides. One of the kids played some music and the explorers started to move, soon we were having a dance-off - which they won - with some wacky, cosmic moves. As morning light edged the horizon, our little green friends waved goodbye, after saying that in some ways they envied us and our simple terrestrial lives. Though they never promised to revisit, when the sky turns certain shade of blue, townsfolk will set up a pasture party - just in case they do.
0
Jan 18, 2024
Jan 18, 2024 at 3:58 PM UTC
illegal aliens
One evening, in a sleepy Connecticut town, the locals saw a peculiar sight, a UAP had landed in an empty field, and man, it lit up the night. They were, axiomatically, from a distant galaxy, here to explore our shared cosmic space, their metallic-phallic-rocket was multicolor pastel bright, like a carnival showcase. There were cows that mooed approvingly and dogs that barked up at the sky, like they needed to show where the thing came from - no one really knew why. Soon little green people-like beings emerged, they had big, wide eyes that looked eerie, but then again, this is how they’d always looked in movies and on TV. "Take us to your leader," they said, but it was hard to take them seriously, because this is America and most of us disagree on who that leader should be. Someone brought out lawn chairs and the alien-astronauts settled in, tables appeared shortly thereafter with a spread of pies, casseroles and fried chicken. They spoke of their interstellar journeys, of planets far and wide, of space cafes and wormhole highways and how gravity worked like tides. One of the kids played some music and the explorers started to move, soon we were having a dance-off - which they won - with some wacky, cosmic moves. As morning light edged the horizon, our little green friends waved goodbye, after saying that in some ways they envied us and our simple terrestrial lives. Though they never promised to revisit, when the sky turns certain shade of blue, townsfolk will set up a pasture party - just in case they do.
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20
_‘First, the toilet paper panic. Then a cleaning frenzy, followed by a baking bonanza. Now, slow-cooked casseroles seem to be on the menu. It's like the seven stages of grief, …in groceries.’_
0
May 1, 2020
May 1, 2020 at 12:39 AM UTC
Poetic Economics: A Market Commentary
these are the thoughts of Clive, the neighborhood curmudgeon... how do i know this, i am the imp that put them here.... in the garden, you folks call a brain...... *take this, sodding life and it's meaningless struggle. i set my face to this wall and brick myself self in to this useless stall. the old man, Clive, grumbled with a, set and sour grin. you...you're all pathetic, thinking you can win. death's the only victor... over us, one and sodding all. and you can take, your sodding... flowers and cards and sodding, casseroles too!! there was, one ray of sunshine in my life and now she is gone. and she is not, sodding around in another room, or waiting for me up there. she is not, in greener pastures cause she was never.. an effin cow. she is, six footdown, underground, in a cheap wooden box, making fodder, for worms and beetles. slowly, they are, breakin her down. and it will not be, sodding fine and time will not heal... a heart smashed to smithereens. a life torn asunder **** me it's time, for you pathetic do-gooders... to get ****** real.... no i am not, a happy man, and yes i am, greiving the greatest loss. and a ****** sausage and bean casserole, is not going to be, making me believe, that the world, is a fair and just place... don't you, worry about me. i reckon i'll soon be, leaving, my home and my goods and chattels and be recieving last rites, farewells and a deep,dirt bed. and that will be, fine and dandy, as long as it is, close and handy, to my beloved, Mandy. what? you're worried... about my, state of mind... will ya, just sod off, haven't i made myself clear, i am way, too busy dying, to pay you any attention...* this garden just going gangbuster hey¡¡yah huzzah!!!
0
Jul 4, 2014
Jul 4, 2014 at 7:33 AM UTC
Clive,the curmudgeon
these are the thoughts of Clive, the neighborhood curmudgeon... how do i know this, i am the imp that put them here.... in the garden, you folks call a brain...... *take this, sodding life and it's meaningless struggle. i set my face to this wall and brick myself self in to this useless stall. the old man, Clive, grumbled with a, set and sour grin. you...you're all pathetic, thinking you can win. death's the only victor... over us, one and sodding all. and you can take, your sodding... flowers and cards and sodding, casseroles too!! there was, one ray of sunshine in my life and now she is gone. and she is not, sodding around in another room, or waiting for me up there. she is not, in greener pastures cause she was never.. an effin cow. she is, six footdown, underground, in a cheap wooden box, making fodder, for worms and beetles. slowly, they are, breakin her down. and it will not be, sodding fine and time will not heal... a heart smashed to smithereens. a life torn asunder **** me it's time, for you pathetic do-gooders... to get ****** real.... no i am not, a happy man, and yes i am, greiving the greatest loss. and a ****** sausage and bean casserole, is not going to be, making me believe, that the world, is a fair and just place... don't you, worry about me. i reckon i'll soon be, leaving, my home and my goods and chattels and be recieving last rites, farewells and a deep,dirt bed. and that will be, fine and dandy, as long as it is, close and handy, to my beloved, Mandy. what? you're worried... about my, state of mind... will ya, just sod off, haven't i made myself clear, i am way, too busy dying, to pay you any attention...* this garden just going gangbuster hey¡¡yah huzzah!!!
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83
A form letter delivered by a Colonel's wife She climbed the front porch steps on a beautiful spring day The letter she handed me would forever change my life What had been a gorgeous blue sky turned dingy and gray My remembering our sweet life cuts me like a knife The news that my best friend was never going to return I was too shocked to cry or to react in any way I carried the crumpled letter all day it made my eyes burn Friends kept coming with casseroles and some bouquets Is this table full of food and flowers what your life earns? I am staring at your photograph on the buffet I have so much to do when they bring what was you Oh, how I wish I could make it all just go away Planning a funeral my best friend to bid adieu I don't know where your earthly remains will come to lay This is not something I ever thought I would do When we used to meet after class at that tiny cafe Why did we delay our decision to have a child? I'll need something to hold as your face fades away You were my great hero so passionate and so wild I'll always agnosco veteris vestigia flammae I loved how you stood face to face with horror and smiled I must face my losses I can no longer delay I do not know what I'll miss the most you or our life
0
Mar 20, 2017
Mar 20, 2017 at 12:23 AM UTC
The Form Letter
the currency of grieving is in.... casseroles and soups, left with notes, on the back doorstep flowers, bright, beautiful and fragant, delivered by gangling, teenage boys. awkard silences and cups of lukewarm tea. mumbled condolences and too tight hugs late night rememberances, after, far too many drinks tears, laughter and in-house jokes... photos, stories and  space for quiet reflection. these things are... the dollars and cents of  grief for a friend but when all is, said and done.... i would much prefer to be penniless, begging on the street, with pockets empty and moths for friends.
0
May 12, 2014
May 12, 2014 at 5:24 AM UTC
with my hands in my pockets
T.V. dinners and casseroles Comfort food for wounded souls Adding up the aftermath One light on at home Resisting the urge to laugh In disbelief that you're alone Tonight your eyes are dry From all the tears that you've cried Tomorrow you'll find time To get him off your mind After you call the insurance company To change the policy And you stare at the photographs long and hard Take scissors to the worn out credit cards Wash the last load of clothes Take another minute to close Your eyes and remember His wrinkled face Standing in this place Smiling at you No need to cry So much left to do Time to open your eyes Something you despise But you know you have to Make up your bed Regret the words unsaid Sell one of the cars Rethink everything's 'mine' No longer 'ours' Cut the grass Take out the trash All the while, Learning that nothing lasts Listen to all the condolences Curse the time that's stolen his Memory from your mind Despite all the time He was here With you It’s so clear It was true And it's so sad watching you Wash the dishes at home Hearing your lonely moans Driving to the store But knowing it's only for You and you alone. Yes, watching the empty chair across from you Makes you want to die a little too
0
Dec 10, 2013
Dec 10, 2013 at 8:55 AM UTC
Casseroles for Wounded Souls
NaPoWriMo Day 7: write about something you value. This poem is from my Cherished series http://lillianthehomepoet.wordpress.com The Table She found the table at Marshall Fields in nineteen forty-nine, and pictured her family at exactly half-past six each night four plates, four forks, knives and spoons. White oak, the Illinois state tree with tight growth rings durable, resilient, and carved with artisan's care. Emotions buffed artfully into lustrous patina over years marred by scratches, chips and burns tuna-noodle-pea casseroles set forgetfully upon the wood and forks slammed down in anger. Keeping up with Rita, Gwen, and Claire teflon pans and a formica table-topper emotions erupt with modernity as leftovers disappear in a single swipe of the hand.
0
Apr 7, 2015
Apr 7, 2015 at 8:38 AM UTC
The Table
how long does it take for the loss to set in? - 5 hours, or until the church ladies arrive, laden with casseroles and condolences where does the time go? - fast forward four years, Young Heart, remember summer nights by the river how do you live now? - long nights and loud music, Sunday brunch and sunny afternoons. Good friends, cheap beer, always looking up.
0
Apr 27, 2015
Apr 27, 2015 at 8:51 PM UTC
autobiography
i've been harboring pain for years on end, served up dishes in various ways, having to mask the disgust I feel when it arrives in droves people make food to try and heal your despair, and lately all they can seem to make is hurt and so my heart knows nothing but the taste of it mouth full of anguish and blood and when it opens all that comes out is garbled pleas yet no one can hear "how are you?" but if I told you you wouldn't know what to do, how to fix it, my suffering makes you uncomfortable and yet if i died, what would you say?
0
Jan 5, 2019
Jan 5, 2019 at 5:26 PM UTC
casseroles can't heal pain
I feel you there in the place with electric trees. You are playing games, making casseroles, and sometimes thinking about me. I type the words and wonder if you're watching the dots bounce and then I retreat. Backspace. No, I can't. I need to leave you alone to heal. I picture you in the tub. Candle lit and octopus shadow cast on your ceiling. I wonder if you ever sink down beneath the water to drown me out for just a moment. For a moment I don't think about you. I am fine. And, then there you are. A comment online not even directed my way. Seen. Lingered over and then I scroll on. I argue with myself and make bargians with the you in my imagination. Would the real you be receptive? Maybe? But, we would just be kidding ourselves again. Maybe we never should had started? We knew the risk. We discussed them all in detail. We both stepped into this eyes wide open. But, would I do it again? Maybe. Would you? Maybe. And, then I remember how you kiss me as if one of us is off to war. How you smell me when you think I don't notice. How, your blue eyes run hot when you are inside me. And. I know I would. I wouldn't give those moments away just because it hurts now. I'd still chose you even if I knew I would be losing you soon after. I'm either stupid or romantic. Well, let's admit I am both. Know this, Every time I pass the electric trees -for the rest of my years- I will remember us there. Moaning, laughing, snoring.
0
Mar 28, 2019
Mar 28, 2019 at 8:44 PM UTC
Electric Trees
I say it’s cozy - you say it’s cluttered. I say it’s comfy, you say it’s crowded. Two hundred miles from what we knew and loved Those miles have somehow slipped between us. You say this place must be bewitched You put down things, they walk away. I say your mind is occupied- You’re not living in the moment. Hamstrung by a phone line waiting for connection Someone in India has a hand in our lives And decides who we can talk to, Limited now to only each other. The sun gave a hint of blisters to come, Then cooled by an unexpected deluge That turned cardboard cartons to sagging mush And soaked us as we tried to save them. They said it rained just ten times a year But our record for the first two weeks: Two monsoon pours and 4 more others While thunder and sheet lightning filled the heavens. The sky lights up like strobes on crack While thunder rumbles in the distance Overture to monster downpour Dried and gone before the sunrise. No Welcome Wagon rang our bell No casseroles appeared Nothing more than a random wave To welcome us to this new life. They said there’s no humidity So the heat is not so bad My gauge shows that glass half full And we’ve been lied to once again. We put our rubber plants outside They were quickly cooked to mush. We salvaged only two leaves each                       Small reward for major effort. Who can live in such a place The natives always say it’s lovely. But nothing we were told is true And somehow we must find a way. ljm
0
Mar 3, 2019
Mar 3, 2019 at 3:23 PM UTC
ADDRESS CHANGE
I say it’s cozy - you say it’s cluttered. I say it’s comfy, you say it’s crowded. Two hundred miles from what we knew and loved Those miles have somehow slipped between us. You say this place must be bewitched You put down things, they walk away. I say your mind is occupied- You’re not living in the moment. Hamstrung by a phone line waiting for connection Someone in India has a hand in our lives And decides who we can talk to, Limited now to only each other. The sun gave a hint of blisters to come, Then cooled by an unexpected deluge That turned cardboard cartons to sagging mush And soaked us as we tried to save them. They said it rained just ten times a year But our record for the first two weeks: Two monsoon pours and 4 more others While thunder and sheet lightning filled the heavens. The sky lights up like strobes on crack While thunder rumbles in the distance Overture to monster downpour Dried and gone before the sunrise. No Welcome Wagon rang our bell No casseroles appeared Nothing more than a random wave To welcome us to this new life. They said there’s no humidity So the heat is not so bad My gauge shows that glass half full And we’ve been lied to once again. We put our rubber plants outside They were quickly cooked to mush. We salvaged only two leaves each                       Small reward for major effort. Who can live in such a place The natives always say it’s lovely. But nothing we were told is true And somehow we must find a way. ljm
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40
Homemade pasta; a family effort, and smells of baking birthday cakes Quickly faded into pizza and chicken nuggets; family gatherings now held by the hospital bed The era of casseroles sprang up unannounced when our living room became a welcoming room for strangers but they were sorry for my loss Grilled cheese and pizzas once again were a staple as the strangers moved forward, expecting us to follow A whirlwind of wedding cake and dancing molded on three more to my family of four Family dinners a newly sacred tradition was the welcoming stage for the new regime but our faces wore smiles Meals were tension and mouthfuls of anxiety our masks wearing thin; yet we were to be the happy family Dining hall meals eventually replaced the tension and a new family emerged to surround me Except for those nights when beer was my only sustenance being touched by darkness to the hidden monster within but i was trained; my smile would not falter TV dinners stock the freezer back home broken family biding time until the next explosion wounds too deep to see accompanied unacknowledged pain
0
Mar 29, 2016
Mar 29, 2016 at 4:05 PM UTC
TV dinners
On my belly I conspire To Live A life of crime Glory above There is no Such thing as No Values All fortunes and deeds become dusty clouds On the horizon There is only A legacy of old jokes Passed down through births and marriages across towns Held up by gunpoints and finger points Pinned down by church potlucks and Casseroles Propped up by war stories and movies About heroes Brought down by their own Glories In the dust
0
May 6, 2017
May 6, 2017 at 12:17 PM UTC
I lie
I heard the ring of the ambulance As it barrelled down from E, But wasn’t really awake, so didn’t Know that it came for me. They had me strapped on a stretcher In the twinkling of an eye, And only when we arrived, did I Believe I was going to die. The pain had been unrelenting since I’d eaten the evening meal, It started up in my shoulder, and My hands, I couldn’t feel, I felt my head become groggy, till I finally passed out, It must have been when I hit the floor That I heard your sudden shout. They said it must be a heart attack So they’d have to run a test, But while I lay in the hospital I’d better get some rest. I kept on coming and going while The questions filled my head, I wondered if I’d been poisoned, Did you really want me dead? I’d thought that it tasted funny, at The time, as I said to you, The meat had had a consistency As if it was cooked in glue, And then some of those vegetables I couldn’t recognise, You said I’d not know the difference Between casseroles and pies. And then, it must be about the time That my forehead became damp, You said whatever I knew of food You could write on a postage stamp, But you had been acting strangely since That boarder came to stay, Spending your time in drinking wine That he’d brought from Bordelais. I knew to look for the danger signs In your long retreat from me, I knew at once that he had designs When his hand had touched your knee, And every time that I left you two Alone on a sultry day, I had to wonder what you would do To while the time away. Your friend, Margot, has visited me Alone in my hospital bed, She said you were picking mushrooms, Which has left my mind in dread. She always seems to have favoured me, And she sat and held my hand, She said I shouldn’t have married you, This is what you would have planned. My mind was full of suspicion when You came to visit me, But you had cried, said I almost died, And that brought you misery. ‘You know that I’ve always loved you, But that love has brought me pain, Whenever you look at Margot, it’s Like losing you again.’ I asked her about the boarder and She said that he’d gone before, ‘I only ever played up to him To make you want me more.’ We’re both a prey to suspicions And the heartache that they lend, We’re over that, and we made a pact, Our love is on the mend. David Lewis Paget
0
Jun 13, 2017
Jun 13, 2017 at 2:04 AM UTC
Suspicion
I heard the ring of the ambulance As it barrelled down from E, But wasn’t really awake, so didn’t Know that it came for me. They had me strapped on a stretcher In the twinkling of an eye, And only when we arrived, did I Believe I was going to die. The pain had been unrelenting since I’d eaten the evening meal, It started up in my shoulder, and My hands, I couldn’t feel, I felt my head become groggy, till I finally passed out, It must have been when I hit the floor That I heard your sudden shout. They said it must be a heart attack So they’d have to run a test, But while I lay in the hospital I’d better get some rest. I kept on coming and going while The questions filled my head, I wondered if I’d been poisoned, Did you really want me dead? I’d thought that it tasted funny, at The time, as I said to you, The meat had had a consistency As if it was cooked in glue, And then some of those vegetables I couldn’t recognise, You said I’d not know the difference Between casseroles and pies. And then, it must be about the time That my forehead became damp, You said whatever I knew of food You could write on a postage stamp, But you had been acting strangely since That boarder came to stay, Spending your time in drinking wine That he’d brought from Bordelais. I knew to look for the danger signs In your long retreat from me, I knew at once that he had designs When his hand had touched your knee, And every time that I left you two Alone on a sultry day, I had to wonder what you would do To while the time away. Your friend, Margot, has visited me Alone in my hospital bed, She said you were picking mushrooms, Which has left my mind in dread. She always seems to have favoured me, And she sat and held my hand, She said I shouldn’t have married you, This is what you would have planned. My mind was full of suspicion when You came to visit me, But you had cried, said I almost died, And that brought you misery. ‘You know that I’ve always loved you, But that love has brought me pain, Whenever you look at Margot, it’s Like losing you again.’ I asked her about the boarder and She said that he’d gone before, ‘I only ever played up to him To make you want me more.’ We’re both a prey to suspicions And the heartache that they lend, We’re over that, and we made a pact, Our love is on the mend. David Lewis Paget
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my hometown is haunted there’s memories down every back road, and some spirits are stuck on who they were they roam the old dirt roads, Thinking things have never changed. There’s confederate soldiers still roaming my neighborhood, The ghosts of slaves still singing their songs Which are carried into the ears of their descendants, it’s a reminder of rights that haven’t been granted. There’s still hills from the crops that have been planted years and years ago. There’s still people that hold the same belief as their white grandparents did. There’s still hills and mountains to climb before everyone realized we’re all the same height. My hometown is plagued with hatred, But you have to listen closely, It’s in the voices of rich southern belles, Down to the soul of the tobacco spitting **** heads. It’s cooked into green bean casseroles and fed to their children Through backhanded compliments plastered in a facade. Late at night, listen to the sounds in my hometown and You’ll hear history. Listen to the abandoned train, And the slaves that worked through the heavy rain if you close your eyes, you’ll see the sweat and tears, Where you can’t tell which is which. Listen to the broken souls, And how far it carried into their own. And you’ll realize this war was never over For anyone begging for a difference
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Apr 12, 2018
Apr 12, 2018 at 1:22 AM UTC
my hometown is haunted.
Early for work homemade coffee will an ordinary life ever find me Dentist and errands groceries purchased an ordinary life with a purpose A fence for the dog a house for me an ordinary life can set me free Casseroles and pies worn in cast iron an ordinary life could fuel my fire Supper at 7 good night at 11 an ordinary life sounds like heaven
0
Mar 17, 2018
Mar 17, 2018 at 2:30 PM UTC
#126
i have said goodbye more times than i can count to grandparents aunts and uncles a good friend that i thought i would never be older than but saying goodbye to myself my old self my girl self is something that i still grieve from time to time and it is such a disconnect that comes with this because there was no body nothing to mourn no coffin though i prefer to be cremated i would like to grow into a tree or be crushed down into a record that only plays one song over and over again but nobody sent flowers or so many casseroles that i had to ask them to stop because i was seeing tuna in my dreams and the dying flowers were making me even sadder ********* but no because there was no body though there almost was nothing happened just my falling asleep and waking up as if the past nine years had never happened from seven to sixteen knowing that something was different in me and how it almost very nearly killed me hell i still have the scars and my insides are probably at least a bit ****** from those **** pills but i still do not know how to say goodbye to who i was who i was labeled because i was a baby born with a ****** and of course that automatically equals female doesn’t it? but there is still such a disconnect between the old name and who i am now because even though i can get rid of my ******* my ****** and Testosterone will put hair on my face and give me a happy trail and my voice will deepen and i will go through a second puberty where i want to **** everything there are people that still see me as a girl a she a lesbian butch tomboy **** but all they really see are my ******* and what they assume is in my pants and that is not who i am that is not who i ever was and ****** why can’t they just see that this saying farewell to my old self does not mean i stop being who i am because i am so much more than my ******* and my ****** and my ability to nurture a human life inside my own body i am so much more than my body and my old selves do not determine who i am today because today i am alive and i am so much more than my body i am so much more than how you see me i am so much more
0
Jan 30, 2017
Jan 30, 2017 at 9:06 PM UTC
farewells to old selves
i have said goodbye more times than i can count to grandparents aunts and uncles a good friend that i thought i would never be older than but saying goodbye to myself my old self my girl self is something that i still grieve from time to time and it is such a disconnect that comes with this because there was no body nothing to mourn no coffin though i prefer to be cremated i would like to grow into a tree or be crushed down into a record that only plays one song over and over again but nobody sent flowers or so many casseroles that i had to ask them to stop because i was seeing tuna in my dreams and the dying flowers were making me even sadder ********* but no because there was no body though there almost was nothing happened just my falling asleep and waking up as if the past nine years had never happened from seven to sixteen knowing that something was different in me and how it almost very nearly killed me hell i still have the scars and my insides are probably at least a bit ****** from those **** pills but i still do not know how to say goodbye to who i was who i was labeled because i was a baby born with a ****** and of course that automatically equals female doesn’t it? but there is still such a disconnect between the old name and who i am now because even though i can get rid of my ******* my ****** and Testosterone will put hair on my face and give me a happy trail and my voice will deepen and i will go through a second puberty where i want to **** everything there are people that still see me as a girl a she a lesbian butch tomboy **** but all they really see are my ******* and what they assume is in my pants and that is not who i am that is not who i ever was and ****** why can’t they just see that this saying farewell to my old self does not mean i stop being who i am because i am so much more than my ******* and my ****** and my ability to nurture a human life inside my own body i am so much more than my body and my old selves do not determine who i am today because today i am alive and i am so much more than my body i am so much more than how you see me i am so much more
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