While watching Nashville

 Sounds that set my

nerves on edge--

The sucking sound 

of bare feet on linoleum

Thoop thwap, thoop thwap

The clink of a spoon

stirring a cup of tea.

Clinkety clink

clinkety clink

clink, clink, clink

The clicking clatter

of keyboard keys

ticketa, ticketa, ticketa tick

Solo acts that don't deserve

a label.

Quordle poem

 Covey, Break, Awash, Stalk

The small boys stalk

a covey of seagulls

awash in the afternoon sun.

Soon skinny legs break into a run

and birds scatter like

the breadcrumbs

that attracted their attention

in the first place.

Staff meeting

 How do I convey

My displeasure

at your apathy

resistence

sloth

Without blowing everything up?

Parents

Stop

Stop letting them do whatever they want.

Stop saying yes, because No is more work for you

Stop looking the other way, because addressing the issue takes work

Stop allowing them to be in charge, because you don't want to deal with a fit.

Stop with the screens as babysitters, because you are addicted to your screen.

Grow

the heck

up.

I lived

 This one is a bit of a cheat. I wrote it last year when I was still in Kokomo and hating life. A lot has changed since then. I don't feel this way any more, but I remember being in that moment. This poem reminds me how bad it was. I never want to be there again. 

This inertia that I'm trapped in...

It swallows me whole

Pushing me under

Pulling me down

They say drowning 

is silent.

No thrashing or fight-

Just surrender

I want to live.

Aliens

 11:40

It would only take a moment

I had to pick up my prescription,

get some conditioner and hair ties and

then a handful of groceries.

Easy-peasy

In and out in less than 30 

Right?

Wrong.

Prescription wasn't ready, 

so  I looked at wrist braces

for my carpel tunnel.

Phone buzzed that my prescription was ready.

Back on track.

Got the prescription

Got the conditioner and hair ties 

and headed to the grocery aisle

But first I stopped to use the bathroom.

I parked my cart 

containing conditioner and hair ties.

When I came out

cart, conditioner, and hair ties all

Gone

I started over.

This time keeping my cart.

Butter, check

paper towels check

Hershey Syrup, check...

"Oh yeah, I was going to make

Chocolate cherry pie for staff meeting."

Cherry pie filling, check.

"Why is it always 900 degrees

in this store?"

I tie my sweatshirt around my waist.

Bakers chocolate squares, check

"Ugh, I forgot pie crust!"

 back 4 aisles,

Pie crust, Check.

"Now for heavy cream."

Only heavy cream is the name brand

small, more expensive, name brand. 

"Fine."

Time to find my son Matt,

who tagged along to get some things 

himself.

Not in that aisle. 

Not in that aisle.

Not in that aisle.

There he is.

Toss mushrooms in the cart.

Toss in Asiago cheese, 

(neither of which is on

"the list")

and head for the check out.

Check out lady is on the store phone

waiting on a price check. 

Beep, 

Beep,

Beep,

she scans the other order.

Finally, it is our turn.

Any coupons?

Not this time.

Beep,

Beep,

Beep.

Beep.

Card in

Process as Credit

Here's your receipt.

12:45

"How can it be 12:45? 

I only got a couple of things!"

Aliens, it must be aliens.

Every time I grocery shop

I come out feeling 

like I just spent time

in outer space

abducted by aliens

who dropped me back

dazed, confused, and 

emotionally spent.

"I swear I didn't get that much.

How can it be an hours gone by?"

Aliens.

It's gotta be aliens.

It's like this

 It's like this

I need you to listen.

I need you to watch.

I need you to learn.

Learn the good.

Learn from the bad.

Contribute

Innovate

Move for goodness sake.

Because if you can't...

If you won't...

If you don't......

It's like this

Success

is up to you.