Valentine's Hangover

One of the regular readings/open mic's I attend at The Writer's Place is tonight. This month, the event has been named Valentine's Hangover. When I began to think about what I might read during the open mic segment, I decided I should write something new with the same name as the event. Here is my version of a

Valentine's Hangover

Hearts that

once held

center stage

sit in

shopping carts

marked with

50 percent

off signs.

Greeting cards

purchased in

anticipation of

reciprocation

lie in

the trash

without

a mate.

Leftovers

from a

romantic

dinner

sit in

the 'frig

likely to

go to waste.

The weight of

"might have been"

or

"used to be"

bears down now

but is carried

year round.

Resilience

This was inspired by a talk I heard at a luncheon. In my opinion, the speaker didn't just persevere. She experienced a loss of faith in her abilities and overcame that to refocus on, and eventually, attain her goals.

Resilience

Bounce
back from
disappointment
Stretch
to reach
a new goal
Adapt
to any
situation
Adjustments
become
second nature
Remember
who you
want to be
and
Recapture
the conviction

The Right Way

I wrote this poem about a year ago after watching some news commentary. I had fun playing with the word "right" to express the wish that we could find some middle ground.

The Right Way

Am I all right?
If I'm all right,
are you all wrong?
What if we're both
a little right and
a little wrong?
If we take my right
and your right,
maybe we can make
things all right.
That makes us better
when we work together.
Right?

Rhythms of Life

This is another poem about life's ups and downs with a touch of a music analogy thrown in.

Rhythms of Life

Bashful or boasting
Careful or crashing
Grateful or grieving
Joyful or jarring
Peaceful or pounding
Soulful or shocking
All you can do
is keep moving
to the beat.

Impressionism

I have mentioned before that I draw inspiration from the visual arts. Sometimes a specific work will give me an idea. Often, spending time at a museum or gallery seems to jumpstart the writing process for me. This poem is about a group of artists whose work I enjoy.

Impressionism

Artists suggest
the scene.
Patrons fill in
the details.
All take
ownership
for the part
of themselves
they leave behind
in each piece.

Lifetime Guarantee

I wrote this poem after seeing an exhibit at Kansas City's regional office of the National Archives. The exhibit was about the year 1968. As I was reading about and remembering the various events that took place that year, I could feel some of the emotion I attached to those events coming back, too.

Lifetime Guarantee

Repaint the scene.
Replay the words.
Recall the action
and the reaction.
As you do,
the feelings
creep up on you.
Time passed
is irrelevant.
Emotions have
no expiration date.

Resolutions

New Year's resolutions tend to be heavy on the declaration and light on the follow through.

Resolutions

In the new year,
I will make
the changes necessary
so that both
me and my world
will be perfect
in my eyes.
What's that?
I can never
make that happen?
I thought the question was
"Did I make any resolutions?"
not "Will I keep them?"