When Pluto was a planet
You cleared your neighbourhood
Scooped all the negativity
Flung it to far reaches
You spun in yoru orbit
So well rounded.
We wanted to come along
But your journey is long
and oh, so cold.
Where you are looking
impacts what you see.
I’m looking at you.
You’re not looking at me.
Now Pluto’s a dwarf planetoid
because it doesn’t bring friends
on its journey,
like staying along is what a
far out, cold planet wants.
Remember when Pluto was a planet
and there was a we.
poem-cold memories January 16, 2024
poem-Quiet words January 15, 2024
There the wind blows
So softly sliding past
Trees,
tremulous,
speak,
susurrus over the snow
. Listen
. Listen
. Listen
Wind whispers wishes
. Be well
. Be well
. Be well.
poem-winter steps January 14, 2024
The hearty souls maintain
their exercise programs
as the temperatures plummet.
–no bad weather
. only bad clothes!
They’ll walk with spike studded boots
. or snowshoes
They slide along on skis
minus five
minus ten
minus fifteen
minus twenty
minus twenty-five
minus thirty
Such dedicated athletes!
I am not so dedicated to fresh air.
I’m dancing in the living room
waving my arms around
sweatin’ to the oldies
getting in my daily steps
while watching warmly from my window
at those hearty cold souls.
poem-winter dusk January 10, 2024
Snowplough scraping as it passes
Candles flickering in evening dim
Snowflakes falling outside our windows
A perfect evening to stay in.
poem-As Once Agreed January 5, 2024
I will write you a poem
full of emotion
. overflowing with good words.
Do you feel it? All I mean
. to say?
Words of longing–
. Oh! The passion!
. Woe. The loss.
I will write you a poem
. then I will hide it
. deep within, where all the
. best poems
. linger.
poem-Checking my Privilege November 27, 2023
Some shriek to preserve history
But ah! Consider the mystery
of that illusion of one side’s victory.
What happened to the voices
silenced by the cruel choices
of the victors? Can we rejoice
that now we all should see
language impacts democracy?
We can create a society
where majority
respects minority
and lifts us to meliority.
#30Words30Days 28- clan April 28, 2023
Day 28 prompt for the 30Words30Days story challeng is ‘clan’. I interpreted that as a large family of extended relatives.
Her mother phoned. “We’re having a funeral. You both need a formal acknowledgement of this loss. I’m calling the relatives.”
Bouquets.
The ultrasound picture.
Speeches about lost futures.
Communal grief.
#30Words30Days- 23 ritual April 23, 2023
Another prompt for 30Words30Day challenge. Today’s ‘ritual’
She tries to bring normalcy to their days by making everything a ritual. Make breakfast at 7:30. Do laundry on Mondays. Shop on Wednesdays. Eat at 6:00.
It doesn’t help.
#30Words30Day 21 Ideology April 21, 2023
#30Words30Day prompt for April. Day 21: Ideology
He held her while she wept, and hid his tears from her. What was this patriarchal crap that didn’t let men show grief? He could bathe in his unshed tears.
#30Words30Days 20 Guest April 20, 2023
Prompt for day 20: Guest
“Perhaps it would help,” her mother suggested, “to think of the fetus as a guest who’s returned home? Their visit was enlightening, though too short?”
“No, Mom. That doesn’t help.”
Shawn L. Bird 