Blackout

"She had a beautiful smile"
The landlady thinks to herself.
Frozen in time, as a child, a young girl.

In the distance, she is choked with ice.
Frozen shoes, frozen snow, frozen apples.

Later,
Curled up by the wood stove,
She thinks of the green sky and wonders why it is so.
She is fascinated by the peacocks, but they are no more.

Once upon a time, she could laugh at the hollow sea downhill.
She no longer laughs.

Christmas is up the road,
"Carry me there, to every house" she says.
....to a place touched by the mountain.

Lost in her own thoughts, the landlady waited,
until she watched the beautiful girl vanish into the earth.

Sestina

a-hero

b-need

c-time

d-shine

e-down

f-around

How can you define a hero?

Someone who is there for you in times of need

Someone who always thinks of you, for there is always enough time

Where you can find a place to shine

A person who lifts you up, when you are down

Never condescending; and always around

As a child, I loved to spin around

In circles, out control, you showed me what it was to be a hero

Even when I fell down

To the ground, I knew I wasin need

Of your guidance and strength to help me shine.

As busy as you were, for me there was always time.

It was by making time,

And finding ways to be around

I saw how brightly you could shine,

You are still my perfect hero.

The one person I will forever need,

To fill my spirits when they have tumbled down.

At times, I feel so run down

But when you give me your time,

In you I can find everything I could ever need

And I know you will always be around.

To show me the true definition of a hero.

No-one can ever take away your shine.

Even in sheer darkness, you will forever shine

I hope that I can always be there for you, when you are down

Like you are for me, I want to be your hero.

I’ll give you all my time

For you, I will find ways to be around

To be anything that you need.

In your time of need,

I hope you can see me shine.

As I run around

Anxious about falling down

Giving you any piece of my time,

In me, you can find a hero.

Around the clock, too busy to be down

Need to feel the shine

Time is all it takes, to see a hero.

Ekphrasis

Title: Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies,

Artist: Claude Monet

Year: 1899

Medium: Oil Painting

                The painting is of a rounded wooden bridge that hangs over a pond of water.  There is green scenery everywhere, from the pollen in the water, on the trees in the background and the vines that hang in their glory.  There are many lily-pads in their water, a fresh crisp green, like the color of freshly-cut summer grass.  There are glimmers of pink on the lily-pads, the beautiful flowers on them.

Relate the work of Art to something it makes you think of

I see a bridge and I can remember

Those lazy summer days up in New Hampshire.

We were at your lake-house,

On a week of absolute perfection

Away from the pressures of work

And the exhaustion that seems to accompany city life

I still look back, with wonder

Thinking of the good times,

When we jumped off your boat,

Into the water we swam, like little schools of fish

That was when we could still all get along.

We made up silly jumps, off the boat screaming

Thinking we were creative,

Making noises like small children.

I can still feel the fire, burning from the pit

I sat and watched you make it,

Amazed you knew how to do such a thing,

Sometimes I think of the smoke and how it filled my eyes

The scent of fire later, encroached its way on my hair and on my clothes

We made smores, it was there I had my first one

I remember deciding I’d rather put a Reese Cup on mine,

Because I didn't like plain Hershey’s chocolate.

It started a brand new trend,

Soon we were all doing it.

After eating until our bellies hurt,

We would sit in the swing, thinking of

The future as we star gazed

We would speak of what was to come

Not realizing so much could never come.

The sounds of your brother and his friends still fill the air

And the light clicking of video-game controllers

And hushed curse words when a mistake was made

Super Smash Brothers Brawl was one we would play late at night

When there was nothing left to do.

Once it was time for bed,

As the guest,

I got to choose the VHS tape we would watch.

I always picked something I knew we would all enjoy,

Realizing that with Disney movies,

There is always something someone will like.

Before the movie was over,

We would all be asleep,

Sleeping through the night

And waking up refreshed for the next day.

It is then that we would eat breakfast,

Scurrying to make it outside

To enjoy the beautiful day.

The kayaks were my favorite part.

We could swirl around the lake,

Exploring new horizons.

I always wanted the blue kayak,

And you always let me get what I wanted.

We would soar on the kayaks,

Making it our own sort of race.

I think you tried to lose,

So that I could win.

On our favorite part of the trail,

I would sing “Just around the riverbend”

Completely off-key,

But you didn’t mind.

After choosing a path to follow,

We could see the lily-pads everywhere.

To go under the bridge,

We would have to scoot on the kayaks,

Paddling softly and not lifting our heads,

For if we did we would bump them surely.

I thought it was funny at the time,

To reach into the water,

And capture a lily-pad.

I threw it at you and it hit you right in the face.

I’ll never forget the way you laughed.

You yelled at me to cut it out,

And to grow up.

But I knew you never meant it.

I giggled thinking I wouldn't rather be any other place

Than here.

Haiku Central

The warm summer breeze
flies through the green leafy trees
puts me at great ease

The scorching hot sun
glistens on my pasty face
and warms my spirit

I see you walking
in a half step, trip by me
you avert your gaze

Florida palm trees
feel the beauty of the sun
when two becomes one

Flowers slightly sway
and my troubles fade away
up, up and away

Sweet scent of Lilacs
blossoming in my backyard
my dad cuts them down

Recipe for Forgetting

It is always such a shame,

We always forget what we want to remember

but what we don't want to remember becomes unforgettable.

There are lots of things we are told to try,

to forget, or avoid the truth

Find a new hobby

Take up a new exercise program

Try something new,

like a new hairstyle

Try a little retail therapy

Become invested in a new television series

Treat yourself, somehow

Keep yourself busy

to avoid the pain, the heartache and the embarrassment 

which always seems to accompany failure

The key is to get out of the house,

Be with your friends, family and people who support you

These things all help, but more is still needed

Forever reminiscing about the past,

is sure to drive someone absolutely insane

Overthinking; as it seems, should be considered a crime

What is there to do?

Snap out of it.

Clear your head

The worst thing to do is to hermit

or be left alone with your consuming thoughts

In the end, the only thing that can come with forgetting

is the prospect of time

and waiting out the storm that seems to engulf us all.

I Am the Angel of the Classroom

I am the angel of the classroom

                No, not the teacher’s pet

                The favorite of the classroom

                No, I didn’t try to be

                I just was

I am the angel of the classroom

                I was quiet, meek in the utmost form

                I read, I listened carefully, I did precisely what I was told and nothing less

                I sat with my hands folded, always ready for a new task

I am the angel of the classroom

                “I wish I had a whole class filled with her”

                My second grade teacher whispered to my father

                As she pointed down to me

                I pretended not to hear her

                I looked away and hid my smile, I was excited

                It was such a compliment!

                My dad beamed proudly in his suit

                Coming straight from a business meeting to conference with her

                That was just my father,

                Meant to be a parent

                Born ready as it seemed

I am the angel of the classroom

                The hard-working little busy bee

                Keeping quiet and doing as I should

                Forever following the right path

                And always choosing to do the right thing

                I was born ready; to accomplish, succeed and create

I am the angel of the classroom

                But I did have my bad days

                I gave into peer pressure, once that I can remember

                “Ask to go to the nurse after I do, it will be fun!”

                Krystal told me, and I did

                My teacher said no to Krystal, because she was always faking sick

                I didn’t feel sick, should I ask?

                I rebelled. I did it. I asked.

                “Can I please go to the nurse?”

                My teacher instantly said yes

                So I went to the nurse

                And learned that I had a fever

                Which meant she needed to call my mom to come scoop me up

                I lied, or so I thought and ended up being sick anyways

                My streak of rebellion quickly faded

                For you cannot always shed the person that you are

I am the angel of the classroom

                Hear me, YAWP YAWP YAWP!

The Path to Happiness

The key to happiness

Is a bad memory

Or, so they say

Memories haunt us-

In a tragic, but sometimes

Serene way

We expect more

More to come

More to acquire

We live in the present-

And we hate it.

We wrath over the daily activities of life

Monday, again?

How long until Friday?

Hump-day- is it the weekend yet?

We bask in the past-

Seeing it as better and as more

Than it truly is

We see hope for the future

Longing for better days

Imagining what is to come

The future forces us to pretend

We will be optimistic

We will be happy

The past can make us feel-

Everything

Sadness, helplessness, gratitude, happiness

The present reminds us of

All the things we must do-

So that, we too can find what we want

What do we want?

That is the question, right?

Our deepest desires are concealed; kept in secret.

We hide our plans

Hopes and dreams

Terrified of failure

But more terrified of

People knowing your failures

For, they will be disappointed in you

We create standards for ourselves

Some we can live up to

Some we will never

We expect more than we can

Give or get

Thinking it will lead to happiness

We follow a path

A journey.

Wishing to come out happy on the other side

If we do,

It will all be worthwhile.

The blood; sweat; and tears that found us at this point

Or so we hear

Or so we see

Or so we’ve learned

The key to happiness,

Is not what we tend to believe

But it is the mundane, the unexpected and the little things

It is appreciating the beauty of a warm summer day

Laying in a field of sunflowers

Staring up at the blue sky; and feeling the warmth of the sum