Live a perfect life.
Rethink your definition
of the word ‘perfect’.
#276
Michelle
Once, when you were a tiny infant
asleep on a pillow on my lap,
a spider wandered too close and I brushed it away.
I remember wishing I could always be there
to brush aside anything that might cause you harm.
You were young then and so was I.
But you grew and were not the coddling kind.
A rebel with a sense of humour,
a dreamer with a streak of realism,
as stubborn as the knots in your hair that we both
cried over as I wielded the brush.
I remember hoping life would not throw you anything
you couldn’t handle.
You were older then and so was I.
As a woman, you discovered the world I’d been living in
and the revelation brought us closer together.
Promoted to mother, you began to see things
through the same lens.
And you shone. And you shine.
And I know that no brushing aside of life’s troubles
could have taught you how to be who you are now.
This you learned on your own.
We are older now, and perhaps a little wiser.
Happy birthday, darling daughter.
#275
Everything Old is Screwed Again
You can tell you’ve been around a while
by things that come back into style,
like diets, music, fashions, and the like
I’ve had to ignore disco twice and
I still don’t think tie dye looks nice,
I never know where the sequel bug will strike.
But the thing that comes as no surprise
that makes me sigh and roll my eyes
is Liberal hindsight that casts a rosy glow
over arrogance and the plan to cast
a blasted name from out of the past
and foist a “PM” sequel: “Justin – Son of Trudeau.”
#274
Beginnings and Endings
Every beginning holds within it
shadows of an ending.
Pine cones foreshadow firewood.
Every ending holds within it
seeds of new beginnings.
After fire the fireweed blooms.
Live in the middle as much as possible
Climb a pine tree, pick the fire weed,
let beginnings and endings fend for themselves.
#273
The Five Stages of Food Grief
Denial
Eggs can’t be bad for me
I’m sure I read an article
that told me that they wouldn’t hurt
my ventricles and hearticles.
Anger
Drat it! Everything I like
has cholesterol and salt.
I should smack the manufacturer.
It’s all his gol dern fault.
Bargaining
I could eat a steak today
then for the next two weeks
drink water, and browse melba toast,
and salads laced with leeks.
Depression
Oh, I give up. If it tastes good
I should probably spit it out.
I won’t live any longer but
it’ll feel that way, no doubt.
Acceptance
What is this? Guacamole?
Whole grain bread, home made jam?
Food’s better when it’s fresh
and doesn’t come out of a can.
#272
Medical Degree
A medical degree is a powerful piece of paper that
can convince you to drive 100 kilometers and
wait in a hard chair for an hour
so a total stranger can shoot
a laser into your eyes,
not once, but several times,
even if it hurts – and he gets paid for it.
Should have been a doctor instead of a poet…
#271
The Fleeting Season
I
The honking wakes me.
Geese slice summer to ribbons
like Damocles’ sword.
II
Winter is the sword
suspended over our heads,
the autumn spoiler.
III
The fleeting season,
autumn glows in the last light
of a waning sun.
#270
After All These Years
After all these years I still delight in your laughter,
still live in your eyes, as you live in mine.
After all these years, going forward to forever
is the same as going backwards, or just standing side by side.
After all these years, how did life get sweeter
when we were so certain it was perfect at the start?
After all these years our souls have grown together
two trees that twine their branches, impossible to part.
After all these years, it seems like a hundred,
and it seems like a second, all at the same time.
After all these years, one more is just a number,
cause we count our lives in other ways, after all these years.
#269
Happy Birthday to my darling partner.
Food Fear 4 – Sweet Tooth
Sweet tooth, sweet tooth, tell the truth.
Eat the pudding, see the proof.
Step on scale then hit the roof.
Sweet tooth, sweet tooth, tell the truth!
Sweet tooth, sweet tooth, take a break.
Get that eye tooth off that cake.
Too much sweets is a mistake.
Sweet tooth, sweet tooth, take a break!
Sweet tooth, sweet tooth, aren’t you full?
Wisdom tooth thinks you’re a fool.
Keep this up, you’ll all get pulled!
Sweet tooth, sweet tooth, aren’t you full?
Sweet tooth, sweet tooth, show restraint!
Sweets are nice but bingeing ain’t,
neither’s putting on more weight.
Sweet tooth, sweet tooth, show restraint!
Zip the lip, clench the jaw, shut the mouth, and show restraint!
#268
Backhoe Blues
I got the following the backhoe at 15 miles an hour blues
I got the following that backhoe at 15 miles an hour blues
Even trucks pullin’ trailers pass us by like yesterday’s news.
I drank a pot of tea this mornin’and it’s causing me some pain
I drank a whole pot of tea this mornin’ and it’s causing me some pain.
If I don’t find a bathroom I may never uncross these eyes again.
Oh, my red lights are flashin’, flashin’ a warning sign
My red lights are flashin’, yes, I’m your warning sign.
Ten miles left to go and I’m bored right outta my mind.
I got the following the backhoe at 15 miles an hour blues
I got the following that backhoe at 15 miles an hour blues
Tappin’ breaks for hours now my foot’s asleep in my shoe.
Well when we get home, I’m gonna park right in the yard
Oh when we get home, gonna park this red truck in the yard
And if you ever ask me to do this again, gonna have think real hard.
I got the following the backhoe at 15 miles an hour blues……
#267
(This was written with my friend Cynthia in mind, she loves the blues and jazz and she knows what I was doing for three and a half hours yesterday, lol!)
Linda Studley 