No Looking Back

Jackson Pollock
Ocean Greyness, 1953
Oil on canvas

Unfolding, in front of her eyes

a web of deceit,

a maelstrom of lies.

Over and over, spun

without regret,

the harm undone.

Until the vortex ended-

storm over, damage done,

nothing left to spend.

Forgiveness grim,

she chose to move forward-

without him.

@laurie kolp

*

Prompt inspirations-

Poets United Thursday Think Tank (Artist Jackson Pollock)

Poetry Jam- Forgiveness

I Wonder Why

Twenty-three dead cats spread
with matted fur, malnutrition
in the foreclosed house of a louse
like prisoners of war
five still alive which means
close to thirty dwelled in hell
the toxic fumes a fire hazard
among the hoarder’s trash stashed
for heaven only knows how long
these inhumane conditions existed.

©laurie kolp
Prompt inspirations:

PA- an animal poem
PU Thursday Think Tank- Wonder

You can read about this atrocity here.

My Sunshine

Solar flare
illuminates the room
every time I see your vibrant smile

shining forth
this aureole of you
burning with desire my aching heart

ever since
your light refused to reach
the depths of my darkened soul. I long

to see your
rays beaming once again
illuminating the room with cheer.


@laurie kolp

Prompt inspirations:
Poets United Thursday Think Tank- Light
Poetic Bloomings- Form: Parallelogram de Crystalline

Dress Up

Feel the wispy barbs as they
Ease across your tender
Arm like a make-up brush
Teasing little girls who
Hope they won't get caught
Emulating models with cheeks as
Red as a cardinal

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank- Feather

Test the Water

You'd rather live with that silly little fool who can't open her mouth except to say "yes" or "no"…. ~Scarlett, Gone with the Wind


Yes is easier than no…
Yes, I’ll write for no pay
Yes, I’ll be there at nine
Yes, I’ll take that position
Yes, I’ll design a new sign

No is much harder…
No, I can’t ‘cause I’m broke (no, I’ll do it!)
No, I can’t ‘cause my dog threw up
No, I can’t ‘cause…hmm… I don’t want to
No, I can’t ‘cause I’m beat-up


It’s like hot and cold
this yes and no
from one extreme to the other
so take the time and think it through
dip your toes in the water;
no need to go undercover.

@laurie kolp


Prompt inspirations:
Poetry Jam- Cold and Hot,
Ella's Edge at IGWRT- line from movie,
Poets United Thursday Think Tank- Yes

Truth (Raveled Rhyme)

Could I but travel through these rocky

woods, empowered with a drive for inner

peace? A death-defying sanctum down

this road... of weary feet upon the ground.

I close my eyes and trust the sound
of birds singing to a higher

power. Will it lead me through? I need not

cower; one step I take, one leap of

faith and I am closer to the

truth.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank (Roads)

The form is one I created called Raveled Rhyme. Here are the guidelines:

first word of line 1 rhymes with first word of line 2
last word of line 4 rhymes with last word of line 5
first word of line 7 rhymes with first word of line 8
last word of line 10 rhymes with first word of line 11
lines 3, 6, 9 do not rhyme; or they can rhyme with each other
last line is one word/ same as title
lines can be of any length
unlimited number of lines

****

Please... tell me what you think.

Virtuous

Veering off the path 

impulsive volition

violates

God's plan

~versus~

vehemence

blind faith

victory

one step at a time.

~

Which will you choose?

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank (Choices)

Splurge

Homemade taste
vanilla treat
in swirls
a cone
sweet
Blue
Bell
dig
in
.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank & Poetry Jam

JOY- Off the Cuff

Poets United Thursday Think Tank wants us to write "off the cuff" today. Anything goes, just write. Here's what I came up with after receiving this treat in the mail today from my dear friend, Jeni.

spreading joy
one little red chirp at a time~
heavenly inspiration

@laurie kolp


Click here for daily hope

Listen

Soul's Whisper by Ella's Edge

Listen
like a sentinel in the woods
still as a deer
calm and gentle
as I whisper in your ear
words of comfort and peace
how to act in your life.
Don't dart away in fear
have faith in me and listen
lean on me in strife
I'm whispering in your ear.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank (Soul's Whisper by Ella's Edge)

Leaving the Pit

I used to think that I
Was but a bothersome fly,

And perhaps less important
Than a crack in cement.

That what I said didn't matter,
So why mouth it?
That if I left I'd be forgotten,
So why visit?

I felt guilty with each gift or praise
Each accolade my doubt did raise.

Could it be that I
Was nothing more than shy?

Perhaps a little fearful
Of your discriminating eye?

Today I'm still working on it
Thanks to you I'm leaving the pit.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank

Savored

Seeds of fall~

a taste of orange

juice on sun-dried lips

savored.

@laurie kolp

Picture prompt inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank

Famished by the Sun

The dying grass crunches beneath bare feet
that walk a path each passing rainless week
back and forth to the yellow sprinkler hose,
in hopes at least a bit survives this drought.

Trees and shrubs blanched white begin to wilt,
a frown it seems as if they've given up
craving autumn's shades of orange and red;
blind hunger lost in sun's unending heat.

@laurie kolp

Poetry inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank (hunger)

Skeleton Ghosts

Mommy says I'm being silly
that there are no such things as ghosts
but I say this house is haunted
and I know because...

she comes out at night
from the dead, a skeleton;
no sheet like Casper does she wear
only bones that pop and creak.

I sneak beneath the covers
but her cackling follows me;
hahahahaha- I scream!
A light flashes through the night,

Mommy says I'm being silly
that there are no such things as ghosts
but I say this house is haunted
and I know, I just know. It is.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank

Snap, Snap, Snap

Crushing and pinching
insults as sharp as lobster claws--
cicatricial leverage.

@laurie kolp

*cicatricial- of or pertaining to cicatrix (the tissue that forms a scar)


Prompt inspiration: Poetic Asides, Poets United Thursday Think Tank

Twisting into Rain

Every Saturday at noon we sat in front of the RCA
watching American Bandstand. At times we joined
in the fun, doing the twist and jitterbug until
gasping for breath we dropped to the orange shag.

That day was no different, except for the rain
pouring down on the roof like a bathtub faucet.
Mom and Dad sipped on Mimosas while playing
honeymoon bridge at the kitchen table. Sausage

sizzled on the gas stove like Jiffy popcorn,
twisted cigarette smoke into hot grease signals
while we danced along with Dick Clark, oblivious
to the spark that would soon chase us into the rain.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspirations:
Imaginary Garden with Real Toads A Word with Laurie
Poets United Thursday Think Tank

Life is a Glass House

Can you really see me?
Is my life not but a glass house,
an open book for your omnipotent eyes
from which I cannot hide nor run away
because you are everything
you know my path
and I trust you.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank, Imaginary Garden with Real Toads (Epistle poem)

Sunflower

Stop and look at the beauty
Unfolding before your eyes
Natural as the sun above
Flowering in Autumn's arms
Like a smiley face stamped
Over your heart with love
Winding yellow happiness
Every time you sneak a peek
Revealing who's in charge

@laurie kolp

Poetry inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank

The Life Cycle of Smell

start off baby powder fresh
add a dash of dirt and sweat
cover up hormonal charring
with a spicy splashed sunset

after ample time has passed
mothballs will eat your lunch
mixed in urinated broth
(fragrant Lysol packs a punch)


Prompt inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank (smells)

A Taste of the Sun

Ominous sun
fruit of the earth
juicy, hot
dry, taut
nourishing.

@laurie kolp


Poetic inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank, Imaginary Garden