Monday, April 29, 2013

Sidewalk Shrine



Someone has set up a sidewalk shrine
next to the pharmacy on Agua Fria Street

An Orphic Abuelita sleeps there every night
beneath crocheted blankets and handmade quilts
Teddy Bears and metallic balloons
sympathy cards, birthday cards
plastic flowers and real flowers
faded photographs
frozen tears
magical wishes
alleged confessions
false sympathy and
enough regret to keep her warm until morning

All this piled on top of one frail aged woman

                                          who dreams of flesh and blood

                                                          while lightly touching an empty yellowed cradle

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Touch It II


Draped around a metal pole,
Tied like a scarf,
To ward off the morning fog,

A blazing yellow banner,
Signaling that yet again
Someone has gone too far.

A night of excess,
Mixed with a good dose 
Of insecurity and something to prove.

The shots were surprisingly quiet,
Easily mistaken for forbidden fireworks
Squirreled away for a special occasion.

But the dead young man
knew the difference,
Though it doesn’t matter much to him now.

It was weeks ago,
Yet the crime scene tape remains,
And my neighborhood will never be the same.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Touch It

Who will touch her scar and tell her 
it is pretty and "adds character" ?
Who will know how it got there
and what to do when it never heals?

These are soul scars
deep and depth charged
unfathomable to the naked eye.

Touched only by love
Pain lessened by empathy 
Touch it
Touch it
Touch it
what doesn't kill us will surely make us go mad




Saturday, April 20, 2013

Scars

He picked at the scab.
Flakes, black and crusted
Fall away.
 
“That’s disgusting,” I said.
My stomach churns.
I don’t know why.
I know there are far worse things.
 
My mother always said
That picking scabs leaves scars.
This is a line in the sand.
It separates those who pick
From those who don’t.
 
I baby my scabs,
Cover and shelter them until
They are strong enough
To protect me, shelter me,
From the outside,
Until I heal,
Emerging from my cocoon,
Baby soft and new.
 
But there are those, you,
Who pick,
Who cannot wait
For healing.
 
You want it on your time
And you chisel away
At any reminder of past injuries,
Moving on
With only pale hollows
To remind you of where you have been.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Sucker Punch


April opened up like a punch in the gut

April is here old man,
April is here

Everything is changing and
the wind has blown your umbrella
inside out

Airborne particles will lull you with
Cherry Blossoms nearly crimson
and purplish Dutch Crocus
that keel and explode with color

Small tufts of sweet baby Chickweed
poke about between cracks 
in the glittered pavement

All signs of new life
All vie for attention 
All we need do is look

April is here old man,
April is here
Damn the torpedo's and full steam ahead

Monday, April 15, 2013

April

April is here
A third of the year has passed,
And I can’t tell you where it’s gone.
 
Each day breaks,
Crashing over me,
And I tumble endlessly.
 
Be here, now.
Be here, with the swell
Riding the crest, floating.
 
Oh, those days are as rare as the perfect wave.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Introduction: new blog contributor



I would like to introduce a new contributor to this blog. Her name is Toni Gibbs. She will be contributing along with me, Tru Dillon to this blog. As this blog has sat quiet for a few months (with many changes going on in life), we are eager to start writing.
Thanks for stopping by and reading our poetry.