Month: November 2013

Come On

before they

put the pumpkins out

carved the mouth

before they

thawed the bird

stuffed

and bathed in butter

before they

unwrapped the lights

found the short

before they

wrapped your slippers

another zip-up robe

before Christmas

took to the streets

pa rum pum pum pum

before the ball

could drop

in New York City

Happy New Year!

before the big game

in Alabama

wow

before spring

could change

to summer

and back again

smell the gardenias

the fresh cut grass

ripe tomato

here you go

come on

open your eyes

didn’t you hear

the Doc …

different dose

this time

come on

you can do it

didn’t you sleep

good

last night

didn’t you see

the sun

rise in your room

didn’t you feel

Papa break

where’s the fight

one more round

you got one more round

left to go

come on

here’s your glove

put it on

come on

don’t just lie there

wake up

don’t let ‘em see ‘ya like that

don’t go out …

like that

cuss ‘em good

knock ‘em out

come on

there’s an opening

take it !

why won’t you take it !

come ooooooooooooooooooon

Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanny

GET UP !

TL

Merry-Go-Round

when we w-h-i-r-l

round-and-round-and-round

the room

spinning-faster-and-faster-and-faster

gripping-hands-tighter-and-tighter-and-tighter

the kitchen dissolves

into particles

and our laughter

pours out

and fills my cup

and all I see

is you

that beautiful face

all aglow

and the clocks

a-r-o-u-n-d the world

have a glitch

and there is no day, no night

no growing up

or old

you’re my little girl …

and I’m your mommy …

don’t let go

TL

Philippines

the hum

of the heater

ice

in the freezer

water in the faucet

whirl of the washer

the stove, the microwave, the frig

iphones, Internet, ipads

blankets on the bed

clothes hanging on hangers

soap in the showers

a clean cup and saucer

too many spoons

rooms with windows

bulbs and candles and button lights

mirrors on the wall

family photos

stacks of books

everything in reach

in order

no destruction

no despair

nothing to repair

the trees

are all standing

outside my door

leaves the only mess

milk, eggs and bread

at any hour

the hospital is open

pharmacies ready to fill

schools in session

restaurants with no wait

Christmas is in the air

turkeys in freezers

socks and shoes

cash, coin, debit

airports

banks

gas stations

newspapers

magazines

snack machines

and it’s colder

today

than yesterday

so I put on

a coat

TL

One of Opelika’s Finest

just

read your name

and blinked

‘cause it couldn’t be …

not Jerry Teel

didn’t we

just shake hands

and share a laugh

at that chamber thing

62 …

you had so much more …

left to do

and had I known then

that I’d never see you again

that I would miss your funeral

all of it

I would have

held your hand longer

and told you

how I never forgot

your patience and kindness

those late night calls after council

how you’d understand

all the questions

knew the deadline

and how tight the page

how you’d cut the fat

and sum it up

so it’d make sense somehow

how you always took the call

even when it was hard

to take it

and when I’d see ‘ya

on the street

you’d meet me

with a smile

something nice

to say

and ask me about

my kid

yeah, I remember that

you were a husband and a father

so you knew …

what mattered

TL