NATIONAL POETRY MONTH - 4/30: CUZ WE POETS

Sometimes
we don't sleep
cuz we poets
and
these words
they be like
caffeine
Red Bull
speed
once we git ta
concoctin’ verses
ain't much we
really wanna talk
to a pillow about
till what we got ta say
is said
don't matta that
our eyes feel like
they just been slammed
by sandstorm

ain't our fault

nothin’ we can do
that's what happens when
you a poet

these words they

bum-rush at inopportune times
like
at the doctor's office
on the examinin' table
at a job interview
durin’ a work-history spiel

or
on the freeway

unnanounced

at high pace
here they come
delegatin’ us a story
all-fired urgent
make us start cussin'
cuz we ain't got no
damn paper
or pen
and they act like
they think it's funny
when we scramblin'
tryna find us a way
ta scribble down what they say
see us in a panic
start spittin’ fasta
full stanzas
no punctuation
ta even give us a chance
ta pause
just racin' thru our dome like Flo Jo
’bout ta have us crashed-up
behind a 5-star metaphor
that if we don’t
capture
in the next twelve seconds
that bitch will

pull a Houdini ...
and escape

damn shame

the way these words

run us

sweet-talk us into

callin’ in sick

skippin’ meals

near-bursted bladders

ingnorin’ texts

cancellin’ plans

showin’ up late

leavin’ early

but

cuz we poets

we let ’em

cuz we ain’t alive

without ’em

so we do

what they say

when they say

how they say

till they say

it’s ova

©2013 Charlene E. Green

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH - 2/30: CREDIT

You've done well
remarkably
considering your former ways

Trained yourself like
an owner 
with a rescue dog
new to this life of
calm
civility
tame behavior

You'd been
scampering after them
doggedly
for too many years
different names, faces, bodies
same end result:
no matter how obediently you sat
and waited
wide-eyed and ravenous
for acceptance
how sweetly you begged
or how many cute tricks you did
you were never charming enough
desirable enough
enough of anything
to compel them to take you home
excited to keep you
anxious to nurture
a forever companionship

You meandered
from one house to the next
scratching assertively at doors
that they wouldn't open completely—
crack but never let you in—
they could see you were hungry
but had no intention of
offering a full meal
a leftover scrap or two
but that's about it
cuz
strays who show up
barking desperately
exhibiting erratic behavior
trying to
pitiful their way into arms
that don't wanna hold them
hearts that don't wanna love them
trying to
make owners out of placaters
are always suspect
never welcomed

The goings-on
at that last house
were tragic
you left with too many
cruelty scars to count
knew you had hit
rock bottom

Time for new dogma

No more
sparse morsels
being shooed away
condescending pats on the head
splintered fingers from
clawing at dead-bolted doors
no more
spiritual euthanasia

And you've done well
credit is due

Finally spruced up
your weathered coat
tended to
your mangy esteem
found a safe home
within your own spirit
and taught your old-dog self
some beneficial new tricks
that finally get you
the respect and rewards
you deserve


©2013 Charlene E. Green

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH - 1/30: ASUNDER

It's the aftermath
of last night's
shrieks
accusations
and blaming

After they
dishonored each other
then
broke their promise
again
to never go to bed
stone-hearted
to never leave
more than
three inches of space
between them
during slumber

I'm sorry ... what slumber?
too much malignant
head chatter
desecrating their bond
loud enough to deaden
the love they professed
the previous morning
a rare moment
when they kissed
uttered sweet good-byes
but now it's
2am
and their mouths
are rancid
tongues mangled
from lashing
while the devil's
watching with glee
cackling heartily at
the ruinous discord
it has succeeded
in executing

You know it hates
these sissy-ass
marital unions anyway

The quote says
what God has
joined together
let no man
put asunder
yet
here they lie
with enough space
between them
to sleep
the elephant in the room
teetering on bedsides
fetal positioned
lips tightly pursed
arms defensively crossed
reek of enmity
pouring from the pores
in their backs
to each other

And
unless they realize
"man" in the quote
is THEM
and the devil
ain't nothin' but
a savage named Ego
alias THEM
they will never know serenity
and
these walls will howl
about never knowing
the peace
they were built
to surround
how
they're tired
of World War III
on rewind daily
tired
of being dismantled
by flying objects
how
the slamming of doors
every ten minutes
rocks them like

the Bay Bridge
in the 1989 quake
how
just like this couple
their foundation
is fractured
and
just like this couple
their days
are numbered
cuz
this couple
and these walls
will never
survive
emotional cancer

©2013 Charlene E. Green