Tag: free verse

Cats in My Life

in response to The Daily Post’s Daily Prompt: Menagerie: Do you have animals in your life? If yes, what do they mean to you?

two cats have i:
scout,
my eldest girl
loves with her whole
heart.
i am her favorite, or
so i like to
think.
she chooses to sleep on
my side of the
bed much of the time.
given two laps,
side by side, most often
mine
is the one on which she
snuggles.
but scout keeps
space in her
heart
for strangers and
permits others to
pet and snuggle her
close.

patches,
my younger kitty
seldom allows
affection.
only with
trepidation
does she seek
human contact
so completely
aloof
is she.
but when she
craves affection
i am the
center of her
universe.
her cold nose
bumps against my
arm, code for
pet me, please!
and i am
moved
for she engages
no one else, save
me.

if my life were to
end tomorrow
loving scout
would soon
adapt to my
absence.
but patches, sweet
lonely kitty
would grieve
the loss of
her best
friend.

if i were to
lose either
cat
i would be
inconsolable.

 

scout, miss social register
  
patches, miss aloof
 

Waffle House Musings

Sunday morning bustle
Booth or counter
Plastic menu
Decisions
Decisions
Pecan waffles
Bacon on the side
Hot coffee with sugar

Beyoncé’s voice beckons
All the single ladies
Waitresses chime in
Shoulda put a
Shoulda put a
Ring on it, my man
Elderly diner shakes
His scrawny moneymaker.

Delighted customers clap,
Cheer, and whistle
Their support
Bravo
Bravo
Bowing deeply
The old man sits as
My waffles and bacon arrive.

  
Peace, People!

Hot! Hot! Hot!

The Daily Prompt asked, “Do you like hot and spicy foods, or do you avoid them for fear of what tomorrow might bring?”

el mercado en la Antigua de Guatemala

I like my food hot.
Spicy.
Gratuitous heat;
The kind of heat that
Makes me wipe the
Sweat from my
Brow as I eat.
Any residual suffering
For the sake of spiciness
Should be borne with
Stoicism and great
Quantities of
Pepto-Bismol.

  

Swing Batta

Bottom of the 

Ninth.

Pitcher’s team has a

One run lead.

He spits.

Sunflower seeds,

Shells fly,

On the mound

Surveys the bases

All around

Steps down and

Spits again.

Runners on 

First and second.

No outs.

Top of the order.

No outs!!

Pitcher takes the

Mound.

Fire in his eyes.

Catcher signals 1,

Moves his glove

Low and inside.

Pitcher nods.

First pitch–

Batter tees off

Catches ball’s

Bottom, pops it

Straight up.

“Infield fly!”

Yells ump,

“Batter’s out!”

Ball dribbles to

Mound.

Pitcher catches

Runner off second,

Tags him

Trying to get to

Third.

Runner from first

Caught in rundown

Between one, three, and

Six.

Triple play

Saves the day.

Good game, good game!

Let’s go to Dairy Queen!

Studly and I coached Little League softball and baseball teams for many years. One of the most difficult aspects of the sport for kids to understand is the infield fly rule. 

It took me awhile to understand it, too, but I think I’ve got it now:

If there are fewer than two outs with runners on first and second, or first, second, and third, and a fly ball is hit that can be fielded by a player in the infield, the batter is automatically out and runners advance at their own risk. Basically it’s protection for the runners, but try explaining that to an 8-year-old batter whose ball goes uncaught and is called “out!” Tears often ensue.

In the words of Tom Hanks, 

  
Peace, People!

Link in the Chain

My link looks very much like the

Links on either side. Weld line

Slightly off-center, but solid;

Strong. Meant to hold fast when

All else fails. The weakest link is

Still much stronger than no link.

Human-forged or machine-made, 

Iron, steel, gold, silver, brass, 

Shared responsibility.  

Crazy Cat

Zip into the kitchen

Stare at your bowl

Meow for a treat

Stretch!

Tear into the living room

Skid on the tile

Take an urgent bath

Spot your tail

Make a run for it

Around and around

Stop and scratch

Behind your ear

Take another bath

Find the highest point

Make the leap

Pace lion-like above the fray

Before jumping from

Counter to floor

Attack your sister

Act alarmed at her hisses

Raise a paw to ward her off

Take another bath

Collapse on the rug

Sleep. 

   
     

Our cat Patches is an odd mixture of paranoia and sweetness. She’s sure that every thing and everyone is out to get her, but she is convinced that I am her Mama. It’s a pretty cool gig.

Peace, people.

Spring is in the Air

It must be spring because…

I feel the need to clean something–anything, but preferably something that isn’t too dirty.

My allergies are more active than my bladder. (I’m a post-menopausal woman, so that’s saying a lot.)

Creative urges are tugging at my heartstrings. I picked up a knitting instruction manual, yarn, and two art prints at the farmer’s market this morning. 

I’m actually going to organize at least one closet this week. Maybe.

Love is in the air. Love of napping, that is.

Golf.

Songbirds are busy competing for mates.

Studly made three trips to Lowe’s in one afternoon.

Rainy days abound.

Winter clothes get put away. Of course, in Florida that means I’ve traded my capris and tees for shorts and tanks.

Teachers begin seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Much drinking is done.

bring me spring on a platter

Flowers don’t bloom for us

Bird songs aren’t meant for our ears,

But isn’t it lovely that we benefit

From the beauty of nature’s ways?

How do we return the favor?

Nourishment, care, and yes,

Appreciation for the gifts we’re given.

 

lemons

How am I supposed to feel

When I have all of these

Lemons

And everyone says,

“Make lemonade!”

Can’t they see there’s no

Water,

Sugar,

Or even a

Glass?

This is gonna be

Some really crappy

Lemonade, 

At least the lemons are

Pretty.

 

 Peace, people!

Songbird

Sleeping with wide open windows

In La Antigua de Guatemala

Night murmurs offer lullabies.

Alarm clocks are unnecessary.

Songbirds, first one, then a

Chorus begin telling the

Stories of their lives.

The shrill one is my avian

Doppelgänger, repeating

Her story ad nauseum.

Occasionally, though, she

Touches my heart, punctuating

Her song with, “please see me?”

  

Verbose

When I drink too much 

Wine

One of two things

Happen:

Unfortunately I 

Cannot 

Remember 

Even

One.

May God bless and

Keep each of you, 

Dear readers.

  

Peace, people!