All in Everything

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All in Everything

My heart as empty as a room the party’s left behind,
I tell myself I am at peace and that I do not mind;
but it may be pertinent, if I am being truthful,
to admit as I say these words, that I am feeling ruthful.

Day-by-day, I improvise, insisting I am free.
‘I” can pursue anything not limited by “we.”
Driving past the railroad tracks, an engine rushing by
reminds me of those trips when I was young and wild and high.

Cheyenne out to Oregon, Sydney to Melbourne town.
Always a new place and new adventure going down.
That local train in Java, stopping a thousand times
at every local village–the hawkers and the mimes 

flooding all the aisles and all the window frames
insistently proficient in their selling games.
All the places where I went teeming with new faces,
constantly observing as life put me through its paces.

Before old age annexed me, I had a brilliant life
as student and explorer, as writer, artist, wife.
Those inevitable things, grave and prompting sorrow
were always covered over by the prospect of tomorrow.

But now that tomorrow is not such a certain thing,
I simply fall in line with whatever life may bring.
Knowing that I can’t flee fate, still I have seized my power
by finding a whole universe in bee and bird and flower.

 

j

 

 

Prompt words today are empty room, pertinent, improvising, annex, railroad tracks and grave.

Fatal Folly

 

Fatal Folly

A fabulist can take the truth and spin it, change it, plan it,
but then it is no longer truth, for truth is carved in granite.
The real truth is indelible. Permanent. Etched in stone.
Don’t mess with it and call it truth. You must leave truth alone.
It can’t accommodate a stretch. It’s fierce in resolution.
It’s not right to bend it simply to find a solution.

Truth is truth and fabrication is another matter,
so do not conjure up a tale and claim it’s not the latter.
Though presidents and kings and poets scratching in their dormer
might for their single purposes stray away from the former,
there must be someone willing to call out their acts as ruthless,
for there’s no folly greater than to be led by the truthless.

For dVerse Poets: Folly

Bougainvillea Sunset, FOTD, Oct 29, 2020

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For Cee’s FOTD

Back to the Beginning

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Back to the Beginning

When I began my journey, I was jocular and young—
no hardness in my heart and no burrs upon my tongue.
I hadn’t joined the fracas and the chilling of the years.
I had none of life’s baggage—no heartaches and no fears.

Life had not disseminated all her tawdry facts
and I had not encountered them by gossip or by acts.
No tricksters had deceived me. My heart remained intact.
I knew not what I’d missed. I was naïve of what I lacked.

And now that I am older, I’ve returned to what I had
before I had decided I must follow every fad.
The things that I’ve acquired? I am loosening my hold.
I’ve found that satisfaction is not something that is sold.

I have simplified agendas, taking time to see and do
all the things I overlooked while in the human zoo.
The progress of a caterpillar on a hanging vine
as effective as a church in reaching the divine.

The flutter of a wing, the morning calls of birds
reveal as much about the world as news reports or words.
Drawing back into what’s basic and screening the uncouth
has helped me in regaining the lighter heart of youth.

 

Prompt words for today are journey, trick, fracas, disseminate, chilling and  jocular,

Crown of Thorns: FOTD, Oct 28, 2020

 

 

For Cee’s FOTD

 

 

 

If They Cancel Halloween

Click on photos to enlarge and see these hopeful little faces!

If They Cancel Halloween

If they cancel Halloween, what will take its place?
How else can we “do” Trick or Treat except by face-to-face?
How will we get our portion of popcorn balls and Snickers?
What will replace the sheeted ghosts, the jack-o-lantern flickers?
How will we end the week if  Halloween is skipped?
No more spooky music and no tales of the crypt.
No bats taped to the window, no chance to utilize
that cool floating ghost we bought with glowing lit-up eyes?
What will replace the magic? What am I going to do
with my zombie outfit that the world will never view

if they cancel Halloween? The whole world population
will sit alone All Hallow’s Eve, in their consternation
binging on the Mars Bars, Skittles and other goodies
meant for kids in costumes, obscured by masks or hoodies.
Forever, we’ll remember the year the world turned mean—
In two thousand twenty, when they cancelled Halloween!!!

 

Prompt words today are week,utilize, crypt, portion, magic, Halloween and bat. 

Zinnia: FOTD, Oct 27, 2020

Just planted this zinnia near my hammock. Hope it works out better than the hibiscus we planted there a few months go.

For Cee;s FOTD

Mall Maven

Mall Maven

Before the next party, she’ll cut a wide swath
looking for outfits from trendy to Goth.
Choosing her next style can’t be speculation.
It’s got to be something that prompts adoration.

While stalking her merchandise, she walks the walk
that other girls emulate and the boys stalk.
Though she’ll chance being different—ahead of the herd,
if she goes too far, she might look like a nerd!

She saunters the mall looking cool and sanguine,
ignoring her minions, though she wants to be seen.
She’s nubile and nervy and lissome and lean—
a virtual attention-getting machine.

The other girls try to see what she buys,
but the pieces she chooses are not meant for eyes
that might imitate her before the reveal.
She won’t take the risk that somebody will steal

her next novel look before she has the chance
to stun her admirers at the school dance.
Until her grand entrance, she’ll feel a bit queasy,
Being a trend-setter isn’t that easy!

 

Prompt words today are swath, merchandise, stalk, speculation, different and party.

Hibiscus: FOTD Oct 26, 2020

Another new one…

For Cee’s FOTD

Forgottenman just informed me that I misspelled “Just Deserts.” Hard to believe, but it isn’t “Just Desserts.” Go figure!!!  I just changed it.