Submitted by Jennifer Dixey on January 9, 2012
at my son's elementary school
an entire curriculum pervades all classes
that is based on the
seven
habits
of
highly
effective
people
(children's edition)
the first habit is:
first things first
so "First things first," I dutifully
chirp to my 8-year-old boy, who
like any 8-year-old boy
does not want to do his homework
before he watches TV or plays a game
meanwhile I
ignore the dishes in the sink
and fire up my laptop to read my email
or work on my website
or write
and I wonder if he can even see
that I am truly doing
first things first?
Submitted by Benjamin Gorman on January 9, 2012
At the Monday night poetry forum
we take turns behind the mic stand
like bartenders
trying for that alchemical mixology
that intoxicates the crowd just so,
their ears all bellied up to the acoustical bar:
on a base of quotidian narrative
toss in a dash of striking imagery
splash of metaphor
finish with a zest of alliteration
serve it up in sonorous smoothness
with no more, no less, than two skewered pauses
and let them take it in;
wait for that elusive reflex from the palette,
that "Mmm" that "Ahh"
Submitted by Neil McKay on January 9, 2012
Maybe if I tried to write a negative comment a day,
Or come up with a worry a day.
Maybe if I were to attempt to count my faults every day
Give up daily
Not even try
Maybe I would last for a week
And then stop doing those things too.
Submitted by Benjamin Gorman on January 8, 2012
Time again to wriggle from our old skins like snakes,
eyes milky with recycled promises:
newness, change, rebirth.
Hit the Reset button;
what was old is new again
just like that.
Can you blame us? After all,
our path around the sun, our tidy spinning days,
are circles.
Confetti and the shiny ball go down;
champagne bubbles and glasses rise
to greet the new year.
So we slither into position,
circle up the wagons,
eat our tails once more.
(for January 1, 2012)
Submitted by Neil McKay on January 8, 2012
He said, "This place is full of mirrors"
Yes there was a mirror there
But he was looking at me.
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