This was a project I did basically during the pandemic. I started writing a poem a day. Once ‘real life’ started again it got harder to write everyday, which is interesting.
turns and twists
bread and butter
father and mother
sparrow and hawk
key and lock
dark and light
stage and fright
words for things
that go together
in different ways
but none is better
just the way
the world relates
words for things
like love and hate
might be pairs
of opposites
or two things
that really fit
regardless though
these pairs exist
this only just
a starting list
Jasmine Jacobs
Jasmine Jacobs was her name
Chasing rabbits was her game
She would wake in early morn
Get outside, yell “you are warned!”
The rabbits, they would scatter fast
Jasmine Jacobs legs would blast
Running like a lightning bolt
Those bunnies: fast like healthy colts
Not once has Jasmine caught her prize
But everyday she tries and tries
Egad!
Oh! It’s getting harder to do this everyday!
Ugh! I find I wake up having nothing much to say!
Yikes! Maybe it’s over, the words have all dried up!
Alas! Is this the day I find an empty cup!?
Huh! I guess I found it, the words showed up again!
Phew! I made another with just a slight touch of chagrin!
In Praise of Toast
I love myself a cracker
With a piece of cheese
Just not in early morning
Toast for me then if you please
To me it’s like a cracker
A steady support slab
For something nice and tasty
Just butter? Mostly drab
How ‘bout peanut butter
Or maybe with some jam
You could layer a piece of swiss
Put it with some ham
Or maybe go for creamy
Avocado toast
Cream cheese? Not just for bagels
That’s one I love the most
I once spread ricotta
You have to add some salt
Keep that one between us
Put it in the vault
It has to do with texture
The crunchy paired with cream
The thing is toasting matters
Burned will make me scream
Of course I have to mention
The classic diner pair
See a plate with eggs show up
Toast likely right there
Yes I do love a piece
Of crunchy toasted bread
But more and more the carb load
Fills me with some dread
Maybe just one slice
With a favorite topping
Just cut back a little bit
Instead of fully stopping
Sally Smithfield Mason
Sally Smithfield Mason
A spoiled little tyke
Has her birthday party
Gets twenty-seven bikes!
Her cake has eighteen layers
With flowers orange and blue
Her party invitation reads...
“At the petting zoo!”
Nothing out of reach
For little Sally Dear
Nine big piles of presents
One for every year
Four hanging piñatas
Six performing clowns
Sally’s Birthday Party
The biggest in this town
Once the day is over
The garbage piled up
Sally is unhappy…
She has not gotten a pup!!
cleaning cleaning
dishes
bathrooms
floors and pans
things need cleaning
some by hand
seems that once
I clean a thing
the dirt returns
just like a spring
no matter what
it’s Never Done
cleaning cleaning
Never Fun!!
Sweet Sweet Candy
Oh! Sweet sweet candy
As far as my phone can see
Oh! sweet sweet candy
Delivered up, just for me
Oh! so gooey is Facebook
I chew and I chew and I chew
The posts keep on a’comin
No matter if I’ve something to do
Oh! the sweetness of Insta
So gorgeous and luscious to taste
I can’t stop scrolling and scrolling
Don’t leave any fine morsel to waste
Oh! the bitter of Twitter
A bit more dangerous, perhaps?
I’m not sure what I’m into
When I quit, I quickly relapse
Oh! here’s the richness of YouTube
I may never leave this here spot
Images and sounds like molten dark chocolate
I don’t care if it’s true or not!
Oh! so perfect, it’s TikTok
Like licking a sweet lollipop
These people, what are they doing??
I think I may never stop
Oh! My Sweet Sweet Candy
I’m sure this is taking a toll
Who cares, here comes more, goodbye my dear friends
I’m going back to doom scroll!
two places
two places to look
you could look inside a book
or instead close your eyes
to see what’s deep inside
two places to see
we can see both you and me
but when we close our eyes
do we have the same inside?
nothing too thought full
feel a bit hollow
have nothing to say
some days the words are
not formed all the way
best to invite them
to come out to play
if a strong breeze comes
they might blow away
nothing too thought full
this won’t win the day
but the streak of my writing
again it will stay
worry, fret
worry?
fret?
it’s all
a bet
we never know
which way it goes
we hope and pray
it goes our way
until one day
we end our stay
one dog, two dog
Hair mixed with dust
Tumbleweeds of fur
Sweep up you must
Better still, the vacuum’s whirr!
But oh! What is this?
One dog, now two!!
More mess! Did you guess?
What can I do?!?!
The hair it is flying
The mud is tracked in
I am surely not lying
When I say I can’t win!!
one little poem
one little poem
a collection of words
one little poem
neither sweet nor absurd
one little poem
a few simple rhymes
one little poem
eight easy lines
Sally Simpson Sykes
Sally Simpson Sykes
Loves to ride her bike
Up in early morning
Out until the night
Her feet are always pedaling
Even in her sleep
There’s no use in meddling
Her love is just too deep
Sally Simpson Sykes
Was born to ride and roll
A feeling always had
Down deep in her soul
You might see her riding
On trail or road or lane
In cold and hot, sun and wind
Even in the rain
Sally Simpson Sykes
Rides this way and that
The only thing that stops her —
A tire going flat!
around the house
dishes to wash
beds to make
laundry to fold
rugs to shake
floors to sweep
dust to delete
toilets to clean
do it all and repeat
dog sitting
two dogs
snoring
two dogs
barking
two dogs
begging
two dogs
marking
two dogs
walking
two dogs
sitting
two dogs
shedding
two dogs
sh*tting
😳
clumsy fellow
clumsy fellow
dropped his hat
turned around, said
“where’s it at?”
the hat it seemed
to run away
for clumsy fellow
a normal day