The Moment Backwards

Clothes soaked, hair flinging water droplets, they stomp up to the shore

With every passing second more and more goose bumps crowded onto her skin

Laughter and water fights burst in to the summer night air

Like the popping of bubble gum, loudly and messy she came up for air

Under there the world was murky, yet serene. Small, yet alive

Masking her rationality and embracing her foolish bravery, she plunged

She stood there contemplating when the other girls cheered her on or called her chicken

She watched as the girls ahead of her swam, only heads showing, with their clothes hugging their frames

One by one they dunked their smiles beneath and came up spurting for the others to do the same

Running awkwardly and giggling at their own spontaneity they charged into the mildly rough sea

The girls shared a common sneaky glance and the decision was made without a word

She dipped a toe, then up to her ankle and called back to the others that it was warm

Sun setting, towels and swimsuits too far up at the house. This was too perfect of a moment to not live in.

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Inspired by NaPoWriMo’s 28 prompt of writing a story backwards in a poem. Last day of NaPoWriMo! This year with no challenge!

I Remember ~ In Two Hundred Words

I remember my silent overwhelming tear when she came home

I remember the frigid Lake Superior crashing waves when we swam in our clothes simply because we could

I remember how radiant the sun was

I remember the chipped paint on his old wagon riding down the green grassy hill

I remember the earthy enrapturing smell of his paws coming in from outside

I remember how even though my eye were staring ahead at the TV, my soul only focused on her voice

I remember the unique sound that only comes from my old flip-flops pounding the floor

I remember the fleece jacket wrapped around me

I remember how warm his smile was, it reflected his heart

I remember when I first heard his voice, I was instantly enthralled

I remember coarse dirt rubbed on my cheeks and dusting my untied tennis shoes

I remember the stench of sterile and rough hospital sheets

I remember messing hand writing and Crayola markers

I remember laughter and safety-pops

I remember the first time I explored the taste of thick, fluffy pink whipped cream

I remember the joy when they said “First Place”

I remember tropical homemade smoothie for summer breakfast

I remember . . .

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Inspired by the NaPoWriMo daily prompt

Pixabay/user:cocoparisienne

When Not If

When not if I die,

I want the church parking lot to be lined with chocolate gold coins

because you never know what small token of happiness there is if you just look around

and it is always good if you have chocolate!

When not if I die,

I want the greeters to pass out two things beyond just hugs,

the first is Hawaiian Leis

because I am going to a much better place, so why not celebrate

and second, a pretty stationary for the “celebrators” to write some of their favorite things about me and give it back to my family to read at another time.

When not if I die,

I don’t care if I have a memorial service or a funeral, but if I have a funeral,

I want to wear a pretty, lively colored dress,

possibly, light green silk knee length dress or maybe sunset orange polyester three-quarter length sleeve dress,

but it needs to be colorful and cute, at whatever age.

When not if I die,

I want a little smile on my face,

neither Mona Lisa nor Jay Gatsby smile,

but one all my own,

knowing that where I am is better.

When not if I die,

I want daisies everywhere,

colorful, colorful, colorful daisies, not JUST white, but pinks and blues and many different hues.

When not if I die,

I want the minister to say what he or SHE normally says but also with a twist of me,

some favorite quotes of mine, the books I like to read, superpowered characters I rave about, Epeolatry, my best friend God, how alive I feel when I am with people.

When not if I die,

I want happy smiles and only tiny tears

for I am going to a much better place.

When not if I die,

I want pictures on a slideshow,

I want my words out on display,

I want memories of happy and sad times to be shared.

When not if I die,

I want, care not, to be remembered in the minds of many, but to be engraved in the hearts of those who count.

When not if I die,

I want the meal after to have pink whipped cream and happy music playing in the background.

When not if I die, which I am not planning on soon,

but if God says, so be it

whether it be by plane crash in a hurricane at age twenty-five or

dying of cancer at eighty-five

my service will be like no other.

 

When I Was Younger

The funny little things I thought when I was younger,

when I was four I thought dating was where every Thursday afternoon

a couple would go sail boating on a lake.

Oh how boring that would get,

my four year old self never wanted to date!

When I was five I thought the world only consisted

of this huge place called Michigan

and this tiny little island called France where 9/11 happened.

Oh how small my scope of the world was,

my five year old self was missing out on so much

and was so protected also!

When I was six I thought subtraction defied all logic,

what were people telling these teachers?!

They are teaching kids these wrong concepts!

Once something is there, it can never be taken away.

Oh how fragile my mind was,

my six year old self was so confident and stubborn!

Now that I am older I understand that I was naïve.

I wonder what I will think when I look back at myself now?

 

Pixabay/user:stux

I Am An Ice Cream Carton

I am an ice cream carton

and all my mint chocolate chip ice cream has been scooped out.

Serving one is dessert on Saturday family movie night

and things feel a little different.

Serving two is the boy’s snack home from school

and I know that I am missing something.

Serving three is celebrating the father’s job promotion

and I have decided that I feel empty.

Serving four and the final serving is stress eating after the teenage girl’s high school break up

and I am tossed away.

I am a trophy shelf above my boy’s bed

and he is going off to college.

One Wednesday afternoon, he starts putting things in boxes,

Clothes in one,

Books in another,

Old toys in a bag,

and then comes me

The first grade soccer trophy comes off first,

I always liked that one

when he was little, he would always smile at it

but then the spelling bee medal was hung on my hooks and

he stopped smiling at the soccer trophy.

With one large swoop, he grabs all his participation medals and

throws them in the box.

Trace, Honor Roll, and the cheese-y “Best Boyfriend” award are all taken next.

Soon I am empty

and the boxes are taken to their appreciate places.

And my only job now is to hold the forgotten dust left behind.

I am a fancy wine glass

and I was bought for a nice couple’s wedding present.

I held the Sauvignon Blanc on their honeymoon.

When they moved into their house,

I got my own special rack to display my beauty.

The couple was so very kind!

I loved how the husband would surprise his dear wife by making dinner,

he always made the best lasagna along with Brunello to drink.

Then I was put away for a little while

when the wife’s stomach got larger,

but I didn’t mind because a few months later

I held Merlot in celebration that “the baby slept all through the night”.

I loved being hand-washed after the couple would have parties and they would talk and wash dishes together afterwards.

But one night,

the couple was angry about something,

and the wife stormed into the kitchen

and she took my sister glass and threw her on the ground,

and then she picked me up,

so much tighter and fiercer than she ever had before and threw me.

And now my glass is shattered.

I am an ice cream carton

and I am tossed away.

I am a trophy shelf above my boy’s bed

and my only job now is to hold the forgotten dust left behind.

I am a fancy wine glass

and now my glass is shattered.

Don’t let the people who hold you be tossed away, forgotten or shattered when you are able to stand on your own.

 

Pixabay/user:Holgi

And Yet

I sit here

and you stand there

just feet apart

but we both feel the desert widening behind us

with every breath not taken

to express these whirling thoughts.

And so the feet apart become

galaxies

each so unique and beautiful and full of life

but galaxies

are known for being large, formidable, and unexplored

and so you remind unexplored

and the universe has to grow a little large

to hold all the space between us.

We are both dazzling in our own right,

but the risk too high,

challenge too massive,

gamble with the odds never in our favor

to see maybe, if, possibly

we could dazzle brighter

together.

So

I sit here

and you stand there

just feet apart

but we both feel the desert widening behind us

with every breath not taken

to express these whirling thoughts.

But at the same time,

there is another “You”

who I so desperately want,

however there is true physical miles

between us,

not the ones we create for ourselves.

I sit here

and you dream, walk, stand, smile, live there

five-hundred miles between us

and right now I am a pillow

without a bed

I am a piece of bread

without jam

I am a lover

without lips

I am a playground

without children

I am a laugh

without a smile

I am an ocean

without waves

I am paper

without a pen

I am shoes

without a pair of socks

I am music

without a beat

But this time

But this time

But this time

there is nothing I can do to shrink this abyss between us.

So

I sit here

and you dream, walk, stand, smile, live there

five-hundred miles between us.

Oh how opposite these instances are

and yet

and yet

and yet

we go on living like these emotions we feel are not truly there.

 

Pixabay/user:skeeze

I Am

I am the chorus stuck in your head

I am the perfect hair day

I am the golden leaf falling in autumn

I am your second favorite pair of shoes

I am the Frisbee you throw at the beach

I am your homework on Friday night

I am the birthday card underneath your bed

I am the Chicken Alfredo on the first date with your future spouse

I am the chilling breeze in spring time

I am the pen out of ink

I am the New Year’s Eve bubbly

I am the pixel on your iPhone

I am the little girl’s fifth tooth taken by the ‘tooth fairy’

I am the Ma and Pa restaurant that you never stop at

I am the cool soda on a warm summer day

I am the smile of the greeter in your local supermarket

I am always there, but never remembered.

 

Flооd via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

A Little Drop of Joy

A little drop of joy is pink whipped cream

the shade ever so lost in today’s daily rainbow

A little drop of joy is an unexpected smile

the emotions dancing Quickstep across the mouth and eyes

A little drop of joy is taking a second to remember the people who I love

the small remembrance is like fresh spring air to the soul

A little drop of joy is a pleasant conversation

the lively words living on in the mind for days

A little drop of joy is a compliment

the notice of who I am and what I do

A little drop of joy is a new culture

the uniqueness of life rolls around the global and my mind

A little drop of joy is a perfectly timed song

the string of something more than sound, knows what my ears need

A little drop of joy is moments in blissful prayer

the Almighty Lord’s words flowing freely

A little drop of joy is a dog wagging it’s tail

the pure excitement of simply seeing me

A little drop of joy is a boy treating a girl nicely

the “old fashion” rules have not faded as so many believe

A little drop of joy is writing

the expression unique each time

A little drop of joy is blankets

the warm familiar fuzziness is comforting

A little drop of joy is recognizing all there is to be thankful for

 

 

 

 

They Don’t Make Men Like That Anymore

The Greatest Generation

They don’t make men like that anymore

those willing to lay down their lives

so that we don’t have to

They don’t make men like that anymore

those who will succeed

because they need to

for the greater good

They don’t make men like that anymore

whose devotion goes beyond

country

and family

but whose faith

can be seen visibly,

In every action

They don’t make men like that anymore

those whose innovation

shaped the world

and the future

because it was necessary

It was necessary to do what no one else

even dreamed of

They don’t make men like that anymore

who dream of wonders

while they have none

and will find a way to

not only get out of the present circumstances

but to accomplish those dreams of wonders

They don’t make men like that anymore

But then again,

Who make a man?

 

Pixabay/user:janeb13

Inversion

It was one of those moments

It was one of those moments where

the clock struck 13

the birds swam

the heart breathed

the mouth beat

the silence screamed

the anxious peace

the freedom was captured

the bigots loved

It was one of those moments where

the inside was out

and everything was opposite

It was one of those moments

that life throws

and minds wander to the question

is this upside down

or finally

right side up?

It was one of those moments