Untitled (A Naani Poem)

Jack Moebes/Corbis

Joseph McNeil (from left), Franklin McCain, Billy Smith and Clarence Henderson sit in protest at the whites-only lunch counter at Woolworth during the second day of peaceful protest, Feb. 2, 1960.

Woolworth lunch counter 1960

School lunch room 2012

Black and White separate

What progress?

submitted for One Single Impression, 221, Black and White

and Poetic Bloomings, In-Form Poet, Naani Poetry

Red

Red

he said

Not quite, dear

Crimson, she said

with maybe a small touch of cardinal

or perhaps a bright shade of vermillion

Carmine? Scarlet?

Any thoughts?

He said

red.

submitted for Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, Sunday Mini Challenge, Tetractys

and One Single Impression, #220, Crimson (alas, too late)

Phoenix

Phoenix by Timo-san

Tired

from a long day of

nothing

but mental masturbation

and self-flagellation

Brain packed with eider down

fuzzed filled

forgetful

The clock

the enemy

ticking away the day

time to rally 

move the leaden limbs

accomplish something

anything

maybe tomorrow

I've been shot down

in flames

and I want to believe

in rebirth

but I'm still waiting

burnt feathers

and charred carrion.

submitted for One Single Impression, Birdie
Gooseberry Garden, Poetry Picnic, Feathers

Come Sunset

image source

Come sunset

hallucinations

crazy time

sundowning

reality twists and turns

not a damn haiku


submitted for One Single Impression, Sunset
Poetic Bloomings, In Form, Shadorma

Ducks and Swans

image courtesy of Magpie Tales

I was never beautiful

Never swam with the swans

their soft feathers

graceful, white necks blooming with

bright pink buds of

boys' affections

Beautiful girls turned heads

I turned pages of books

My lovers were paper

vellum princes

who didn't mind if the princess was

too fat, too skinny, too, too, too

What if the ugly duckling 

never grew into a swan 

but into an ugly duck?

Would anyone love it then?

or would it be hung 

by its gangly neck

in the window of a Chinese restaurant?

submitted for Magpie Tales 87

and One Single Impression, Prompt 190, Paper

Sticks and Stones Are a Cakewalk Compared to Girls

image source

Change the tone just a bit

Emphasize the words just a little differently and

a compliment becomes 

an insult

comfort becomes

taunting

Girls do it so well

It's instinctive, this

verbal torture

so effective in wearing down

victims yet 

so easy to deny

Nothing visible

but the scars last longer

than black eyes or

broken bones

No locker room brawls

but plenty of hits taken

Better to be invisible than try

to walk the narrow balance beam between

virgin and whore and risk falling

on the wrong side

Even the agnostics

say a small prayer 

Don't let me be the ugliest or

have the flattest chest, for a special hell

is reserved for her

Wads of toilet paper descend upon her head, her lap

like snowballs of cheap Charmin

to stuff in her unnecessary bra

for some tits

Then the laughter rains down

the bell rings

and it's over

for today

but

the pack will hunt again

tomorrow.

submitted for
Open Link Night, Week 12 at dVerse Poets Pub

and One Single Impression, Prompt 188, Language

Snake In the Grass

The Snake Charmer, Henri Rousseau, 1907

Don't know much about charmin'
but I caught myself a snake
Seems the man I've been lovin'
has been out on the make
Thought he was so harmless
but he finally shed his skin
I see his scales too clearly
now I know where he has been
Snake in the grass
better get outta my bed
Cause snake who try to bite me
get handed his head, oh yeah

Thought he was just flirtin
Just having some fun
Now I'm really hurtin'
from the damage he done
Snake in the grass
Forked tongue keeps on tellin' lies
Your love is like venom
You hypnotize with your eyes
Snake in the grass
better get outta my bed
Cause snake who try to bite me
get handed his head, oh yeah

I was once bitten
Believed that I was real cool
but you got yourself smitten
tried to make me the fool
Thought you could betray me
but her treasure fool's gold
who you missin' now, boy?
Your blood can just stay cold
Snake in the grass
better get outta my bed
Cause snake who try to bite me
get handed his head

Snake in the grass
better get outta my bed
Cause snake who try to bite me
just might end up dead, oh yes.

submitted for Magpie Tales, 83
and One Single Impression, 186, Betrayal

Weeds

image from Magpie Tales 81

We're weeds; we fight to grow in barren soil

We steal from those nurtured, tended with care

who know not what it's like to have to toil

who never have to struggle for their share

We're weeds, the ones that no one wants to see

We thrive in places others dare not try

Becoming strong because we have to be

for there are many who would see us die

We're weeds; we dare not speak about our shame

We wear it under costumes gaudy, loud

Our shoulders slouch from bearing all the blame

When will be the day when we stand proud?

If we had been named roses at our birth

perhaps we wouldn't need to prove our worth

submitted for Magpie Tales 81

and for One Single Impression, Prompt 184, Weed

Sounds of Silence

Too long silent

Lips sewn shut 

with threads spun of shame

buried

locked away

never to speak the name

But the silence screams louder

than the screams in my nightmares

and the words fight to escape 

their cages, hurling themselves 

against prison bars

I gag them back down
swallow hard

Speak now or

forever

hold your tongue.

inspired by The Sounds of Silence (1965) by Simon and Garfunkel

submitted for Poetic Bloomings, Prompt 16, Playing Favorites

and One Single Impression, Silence

Baltimore, Late July

photo by DJOtaku

Every year in late July/early August, Baltimore is home to Otakon, a weekend convention of anime fans from across the US and abroad. Thousands of "otaku" flood the Convention Center for a weekend of panels, role playing, interviews, video premiers, and meeting fellow fans.

photos by greenijo

What strange sort of creatures invaded this city?

They're causing us quite an alarm

Some are quite scary, while others are pretty

I hope that they mean us no harm!

We came to the harbor to visit the fish

to take in the views from the pier

but now we're beginning to wonder and wish

about getting the heck out of here!

We expected some birds-Orioles and a raven

but what greeted us gave us a shock-

Weirdos with weapons who made us feel craven

and costumes more fit for the "Block!"*

We really just wanted a quiet vacation

We wanted our lives to be calmer

but we landed in some neon, gothic space station-

Oh why did we go visit Balmer?

* an area of downtown Baltimore that is known for strip clubs and prostitution

submitted for One Single Impression, 179, Uncomfortable

Phantom

image courtesy of Magpie Tales

What lies beneath the mask you wear?
What awful truths you cannot tell?
Some fearful secret you can't bear?
What lies beneath the mask you wear?
A pact made in the Devil's lair
You seem a phantom sent from Hell
What lies beneath the mask you wear!
What awful truths you cannot tell!

submitted for Magpie Tales, 74
dVerse Poets Pub, Open Link Night
One Single Impression, 177, Phantom