Stealing Time for Love

Little I ask

my wants are few*

no money do I beg for

only time with you.

Is that enough

our love to feed anew?

Thy breath I feel upon my skin

let’s steal an hour or two.

@laurie kolp

Prompt Inspiration: Carry On Tuesday

*Little I ask, my wants are few: the first line of Oliver Wendell Holmes’ poem Contentment

A War of Sorts

Mingling in the wreckage
of past malfunctions,
they gather ubiquitously;
people with nothing
in common
except
the tumultuous warfare
growing in their psyche.

@laurie kolp



Prompt inspiration and photo courtesy of Magpie Tales Monday

Speaking Through Words

This week's Sunday Whirl words

In a world of twisted logic, I thought
perhaps my words might make a difference
for should we not help others going through
the same things? The poem spoke to me, told
me to share my past difficulties through buzz
words; the depression, the skewed perception,
the self-hatred perpetuated with drowning
dependence on food, drink, men. To get that
low and rise above; why resist my instinct?

To get that low and rise above; why resist
my instinct? It’s not a crazy whim or hiccup,
it’s the hope-filled promise that others too
can make it through the strong river currents
of life. At times I cry; peeling away those
thick layers of onion can be emotional. I once
fluttered through tough times with a big smile,
but I carried a clutch under my belt. Now I
can walk through the pain, meet my Higher
Power galloping through peaceful silence and
telling me to write down in words who I am.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspirations: Sunday Whirl, Poetic Bloomings

Childhood Summer Memories, Part V: Synchronized Swimming

It was a time when underwater tea
parties and games of Marco Polo
motivated energetic kids on hot
summer days, long hours were spent
cooling off in swimming pools with
friends. I was there most days
playing along, except during camp.
Then I was a ballerina swimming
through the chlorinated water,
a naiad in her natural element.
Laying flat and moving my hands
in quick figure eight motions, I
floated atop the glassy surface.
Others beside me did the same;
lined up we looked like sardines
in a metal can. Yet we pointed
our toes and lifted our legs
performing adagios, battements
and pliés on our liquid stage,
swam as dolphins in underwater
circles and fancy flippy tricks  
as the coach counted beats from
the sidelines swapping horseflies.

*

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: Poetry Jam and Poets United

Click here to read another piece on summer camp (revisiting the Rocky Horror Picture Show)... I've added pictures since I first posted.

A Succubus on the Carousel

Melodious imaginations come to life
lights convert to stars that shine
sanguine trances bequeath pure souls
horses' prances quell heart's dances--
a vanilla treat for all who climb aboard.

Backwards walking on the carousel
staunch rebellion her course of choice
an ivory-face hole in the cloak of night,
she is a succubus on the prowl
drooling at the mouth in longing need

while all the Caylee Anthonys
innocent children lost in reverie
have faith life's ride will move forward.
They laugh and play on the merry-go-round
until she picks her victim and strikes.

Dreams shatter, death ensues
and she walks with lies she hides inside.

*

@laurie kolp

Published for language/place blog carnival issue #8, 7-22-11

Inspiration and picture: Theme Thursday

From Words in a Dictionary

What you see

What we see

We found you lurking in the shadow of our words,
sycophants swallowing their own reflections;
yet in the confining recesses of the folds
where we live, an ongoing competition ensues.
Vying for selection, we decorate our meanings
with elusive verbiage. We watch as searching
eyes become airport scanners with not an inch
to spare, hoping that maybe this time we’ll pass
the test and leave a legacy for ambiguous intent.  

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: Poets United's Thursday Think Tank, Alias Jinsky Two in Tandem, Poetic Asides

Will the Heat Ever Cease?

Heavy air stifling hot
Every breath a taxing chore
As like a nasty summer cold
Toppling nerves crash to the floor

@laurie kolp

Prompt Inspiration: 3WW- cease, heat, nasty

Who needs fireworks to have a blast?

They say there's a first time for everything; last weekend definitely made the list. We celebrated the

long Fourth of July weekend at the lake with family (Pete's brother, Chris; my sister-in-law/best friend/sister, Chelsea; nephew Ricky, who's 14; and baby Jonathan). Here are some notable firsts I observed during our four-day stay.

1. Katie, Andrew and Nicholas got to spend more time than they ever have with Ricky and Jonathan. They all got along so well. Ricky lives in another state with his mom. He stays for a month every summer and visits on rotating holidays. I guess we never thought of anything beyond day trips. Everything changes when a baby enters the picture.

2. Which leads me to the next first: Jonathan had never been swimming before our trip. He's had ear tubes placed in his ears so he has to wear plugs in the water and be very careful. We made sure he didn't get too wet, but he still had a great experience in the pool. Jonathan loved splashing and floating in the cool water.

3. After our first trip to the pool, Nicholas went out to the porch without a shirt on. He came back in like a boomerang, crying at the top of his lungs. He'd been stung by a wasp for the first time. Four days later and he still has a red whelp the size of a lipstick kiss.

4. The lake house where we stayed has a deck you can fish from. An alligator lurks beneath it waiting for marshmallow treats. The owners have named it Gucci. I'd never been within ten feet of an alligator.

5. Pete and Ricky went kayaking for the first time. To the left we could see Gucci, to the right daredevils. Then the brothers Pete and Chris had fun scaring their wives while paddling too close to Gucci for comfort.

6. The bigger cousins went on a hayride together. We were driven all through the Retreat at Artesian Lakes. I was able to get many beautiful pictures within this hidden getaway.

7. Fishing was a main attraction for many of us. We enjoyed nabbing fish of all sizes and then tossing them back into the lake. On the day we left, Pete and Chelsea both caught whoppers.

For the first time since I can remember fireworks were banned in most of the counties surrounding Southeast Texas. Who needs them anyway? We had a blast.

A Worried Whirl

Summer cleared the path for those in pursuit
fading in the distance as the boys took their mark.
Mine flew over the hurtles like a racehorse,
his long limbs reaching with each forward step.
Dry flecks of freshly mown grass turned
and churned all around as dirty feet
tossed and flossed the greens.
I watched from the front window
as he slipped out of my view--
all I saw was the baby he used to be.
Could his foot be kicking my gut?
Was the siren just my worried mind?

@laurie kolp

Prompt/ wordle inspiration: Sunday Whirl
Posted at Poets United as well.

Come On

Wheat Field with Rising Sun, Vincent Van Gogh, 1889

America:
A colorful land
Let freedom ring
For peace to bring
Together dispel
Bickering, unrest
Opposition to test
One country
United
Let's be
America

@laurie kolp


Prompt inspiration: Magpie Tales

From Peace to Chaos

A tranquil retreat--
on glassy water diamonds shine
birds, katydids, frogs sing
"Gucci" the alligator lurks
"Mr. Turtle" paddles doggy-style.
He finds a target, this angry wasp
and in a split second
lands on fresh, juicy skin
~bzzz~
AAHHH! MOM!
Tears are a waterfall,
peace becomes lost in chaos.

@laurie kolp

Linked to Poets United, Poetry Potluck

Slippery

He clipped his toenails
on our first date
as I drove us to dinner.
He propped his feet
on the dashboard
turned to me and said,
“Do you mind?”

He flossed his teeth

while we watched TV,
flecks of food flew
from his mouth
and got in my eye.
I turned to him and said
“Do you mind?”

But the sex was great.

*

@laurie kolp/ November 2009

Poetic inspiration~ One Stop Poetry: Post a poem written before 6-30-10