Up To My Ears

Busy as a
Bee, I have got
A full plate of
To-do's to do.

OMG, Mom! Go away!

Don't try to hide it.
We all know you're
That crazy lady who
Sits in the hallway
Outside children's choir practice
With tears in her eyes.
And whispers, "They're so good!"
To anyone nearby,
Despite the mortification
Of the 9 year-old
Mini-clone
Of your husband
Inside.

Just You Wait

You think I forgot
But I did not.
Next week, I'll be hot
And post a lot
Of poems to get caught
Up.

It's Spring Break for my girls and the house is all caddywhompus because HG is painting the great room and his parents were here for 3 days and I've fallen behind, but I've been thinking about you every day!

No Monsters Allowed

The monsters formally asked,
When the bigger little girl came along,
Requested an all access pass
To scare her all night long.

As her mother, of course I said, "No."
I banned them all from our home.
I told them that they had to go,
Spectre, beastie, and gnome.

When her imagination started to play
And kept her awake full of fear,
I was able to truthfully say
Not a single monster was near.

And because I'm the mom, it was true
No monster ever could stay,
And when we had sweetie number 2
The monsters still had to obey.

Oh, sure, they begged for reprieve,
For me to repeal the harsh rules.
I stuck to my guns. They must leave!
So long all you demons and ghouls!

Try it, when your babes feel a scare
And things go bump in the night.
Tell the monsters to get out of there.
Mom says NO to the fright.

-------

'Strue. 'Tworks. Our house is a monster-free zone.

Lo siento por mi español

"Se escapó dos veces."
Seriously.
Two times.
They were out.
We caught them
And put them in your yard,
And they got out again,
Just so I would have to
Figure out how to say,
"Your dogs are in our yard,"
In Spanish.
Sus perros desafíeme.

mediocrity

I am a little bit good
At a lot of things
But at nothing am I a pro.
I can do a little of this
And a little of that
But expertly? Probably, no.
Because of this trait
Of knowing a little
People are often impressed.
They are struck by the fact
I know something they don't
And don't wonder if I am the best.
It'd be nice, I do think,
To have some expertise
In even one occupation.
If I knew A to Z
About just one thing
I'd be deserving of their ovation.
But no. It's not so.
I have to confess
I have no special mastery.
I'm a little big good
At numerous things
Without great proficiency.


---------------

Oh my! I actually worked hard on that one. It's terrible, but I wrote it!

Musing

When Lulu was very little, it seemed like I was constantly inspired to wax poetic for or about her. I referred to her as my Little Muse; I saw poetry in her asking me to read to her or in how much she makes me think of my grandma; I made up little rhymes about changing her diaper or the fact that she didn't eat anything except ham and/or ketchup for a period.

Now she is all grown up. She's almost 5, and while she still amazes and challenges me every day, I don't seem to be as likely to bust-a-rhyme about/for her as I was. What gives? What am I missing? What have I lost? And how do I get it back?

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NPM, day 12

Poem removed by author

Thank you.

More Poetry Elsewhere!

Check out Kelly's poetry quickfire over at My Voice, My View. She signed on to do that A to Z thing and hasn't had much time for poetry. I suggested she do "P is for Poetry" but she decided not to wait! Yay, Kelly!!

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Squirrel

Pawing at the glass
Desperate to get out there
Quick! Open it! NOW!

I feel important

Oh that this feeling will last
Beyond this day,
Beyond these moments,
And not fade tomorrow
In a haze of indifference
And spiteful words
And hopelessness.

Spring

Fluorescent green
Hot pink
Bright white.
Nature's trying on
Bathing suits.

Almost Tomorrow

nearly eleven
it is almost tomorrow
where did thursday go?

Haiku-ish

Butterflies and bees
Swarm the yellow-black spider
And its zig-zag web

Interconnected

by Thich Nhat Hahn in The Heart of Understanding

In [one of the Buddhist sutras] there is a very short passage on how the world has come to be. It is very simple, very easy to understand, and yet very deep: “this is, because that is. This is not, because that is not. This is like this, because that is like that.” . . .

We are not separate. We are inextricably interrelated.

--------------------

Likeminded

The difficulty, he says,
If you're going to be inclusive,
Is that you have to include everyone,
Even the one who says
'You're wrong and stupid and
I hate you for it.'

The ideal, she responds,
Is that the one who says,
'I hate you,' would desire
To coexist with you
Anyway, would understand
That we are all connected.

They nod in silent lament
For the Other
Who just doesn't get it.

Fourth Day of Poetry

April the fourth
Fails to bring forth
(i.e. to the fore)
The much hoped for
Poem four.

Seems a little early to out of poetry, huh? I am today, though. On the other hand, I wrote a children's story this afternoon. It didn't rhyme or I'd share it...

NPM Day 3

Last night, the Grandpa proposed an interesting communal poetry idea to me. I'm in. I'll tell you more about it when I know more in case you want in too. Plus, also. that will get the Grandpa back online!

---------------

Energy expended
on endless envisioning
is exhausting.

------------

That's not my NPM poem. I'm just saying.

NPM is below. Remember: NPM isn't about polished poetry...

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Spring Shower

She's getting soaked to the bone by
Fat, refreshing sundrops, and

Splashing in puddles of light
Shimmering through
Fluorescent green leaflace.

An umbrella would be simply
Useless on a stormy day like today.

Poetic Lulu

Part of my definition of poetry is using unexpected words to create a novel image for someone. My brilliant Lulu is very good at this. Like the other day, in the car, when she was talking about how her friend J had worn a tie when the Primary classes had their little concert a couple of months ago. She said, "He looked very... romantic." Not a word I would have chosen. Definitely an image I appreciated.

---------------

At this time
Bel is experiencing
Creative
Diffidence...

To Start Us Off

National Poetry Month again.
A poem a day.
Are you in?

Starting today,
Let's celebrate verse.
Here's my challenge:
Could your poems be worse

Than mine?
Mine rhyme,
Maybe rise and fall
With rhythm,
But sometimes that's all...

-----------------

Hi! It's National Poetry Month again. This seems to happen every year around this time... I am going to honor it the same way I have for the past few years, by posting a poem a day (here are some links: 2008, 2009, 2010). Chances are slim that any of them will be very good, but that's not the point. The time for good poetry is later, after the revising, after April. Now is the time for writing. Wanna join me?

Septembermom over @ My Voice, My View has said she'll participate (Yay, Kel!!). Let me know if you're in, too, and I'll post a link to your blog so we can all share.

Stay tuned...