Monday, October 27, 2008

Sometimes Poems turn Dark.

"The road to hell is paved with adverbs." ~ Stephen King

"We live in an age when pizza gets to your home before the police. "~ Jeff Marder

"My sweet sister, here is a list for you. hands, attendance, four, love, monkey, always, girls, prize, dream, silly putty, - I can't wait."~ Reuben

Today as I was trying to work with a list given to me by my Youngest brother, Things took a dark turn. Now don't worry. I'm fine. I don't mean that things turned dark for me. I'd just run the darkness away. But the poem took on a dark quality. Sometimes words will do that to you. Looking over the list I could have written several poems and being me I most likely will. But this first one has dark edges. Yet in a weird way this poem is a true reflection of the way things often work in the world we now live in. I hope you enjoy it and read with an open mind even if you really don't like dark poetry. The second poem Posted today I think will be special to The Brother who gave me this list. Do you know where we were? I bet you do. He bowed to every one of us that day.. do you remember? I hope all who visit here enjoy my poems today. I am out of lists for now. Readers feel free to send me a list of up to ten words... Normal every day words.. Have a great Day!
Patsy

Trial By Jury

Hands cuffed, Ankles
chained like a monster
he looked around
at everyone in attendance.
So many people cared.
But not for him.
Not for the first ones.
Poor victims, went unnoticed.
White trash ignored.
He had heard them say
Bad girls had it coming.
Dizzying, All these people!
"My sweet sister" he thought.
My only friend. Taken
by the drugs. Ten he was then.
No family to care.
He had no peers.
Making monkey motions
at the jury, four men
and eight girls. Why?
Always more girls.
He liked girls. He had
been considered a prize
by all the pretty girls.
Then he had turned
their dream into a nightmare.
Their lives twisted like
newspaper cartoons
on pink silly putty.
One too many.
A mayor's daughter
people got scared.
Already convicted
He was grateful!
Death their verdict.
" I can't wait!", his reply.
He should have stayed
out of the rich neighborhood.
Death would set him free.
Free from the darkness
that tainted his very soul.
His heart was thankful
for his Trial by Jury!

written By: Patricia Sawyer
10-27-2008

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bobby's Last Dance

Looking at his hands
praying no one noticed
how they trembled.
He was feeling his age.
Life catching up with him.
Needing a left handed smoke.
He had peaked out back
Every one was in attendance.
Nosy bunch. His sisters kids.
Bull dogs he had called them.
The Girls weren't too bad,
he almost liked one of them.
But those four boys. Bull dogs.
Even he had been bitten.
Fighters every single one.
Better left alone.
Made him proud to be kin.
They would argue over his gift.
Him making monkey faces
as they fought to get his dishrags
with his hard earned money
hidden away on the inside.
She always wrapped them for him
laughing together like old times
as they chose her prettiest paper.
He loved her like no one else.
"Oh my sweet sister!" he smiled
thinking about their life. Twins.
Her husband was a wonderful man.
Their love for each other pure.
He had never found the dream
love they shared. He had tried.
God knows he had tried.
"Hurry up!" his Partner called.
"We need you to Dance."
Strut Miss Lucy. A children's game.
Every year they played silly games
But he liked getting the prizes.
With a wink and a nod at himself
He slipped his silly putty
back inside his front pocket.
"I can't wait" He yelled.
He knew he owned that game.
He danced through the house
down the walkway and across the yard.
Then Bowing to his partner
he stepped out into the joy
of Bobby's Last dance.



Written By:Patricia Sawyer
10-27-2008

6 comments:

Big Time said...

Patsy! I love you!

I am sitting here in my truck with tears steaming down my face hoping no one sees. You have touched my heart and soul this morning.

"Bobby's Last Dance", I can't get that wonderful time or game out of my head now. I can even see the color of the dish rags.

As bad as he was sometimes, it was hard not to love him. You forget how much you miss somebody until you read about a fun time shared by the both of you. He did love Strut Miss Lucy. I do too. Nothing better than letting your silly side show.

I will always cherish both poems but I am so happy that you wrote the second one. It did just what I think a writer is suppossed to do. Play to the emotions of the reader. Patsy, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your writings.

As far as "Trial by Jury", I think I may have arrested him once.

Thank you!

Big Time said...

Patsy,

I do know the setting for the poem. It was my house or at least that is the picture in my mind. I can even tell you what he was wearing. I do love you. Thank you again.

Sunshine said...

Tell us more about Strut Miss Lucy. That is a new one for me. Writing with your heart will always touch someone in a special way.

If you need some more words...when you have time try these...

baseball, computer, laugh, forty, April, late, Denver, sweet, children, weight

Pblacksaw said...

Big time~ He did love us you know.. he just loved Mama most and we took her from him in his mind. I'm satified though that he even almost liked me at the end.and yea it was in your yard that he danced his last dance. Smiling and bowing to every single one of us. I learned a lot about him after he died.. But that's another story!
I love you too and Tears my brother are good for you.. they clean your spirit.~ I also think you arrested the guy for Trial by Jury. if you didn't then Jimmy did.


Sunshine~ I learned The game strut Miss Lucy the day they intergrated the schools in our town. I came home and taught it to all my brothers and sisters and to all the day care children My mama tended and to all the kids in every neighborhood I ever lived in and to my kids and to all my families kids.. If you have ever seen soul Train and their line up.. you have seen something very like the game. It's a dancing game. Maybe I will do a blog on it sometimes. The family must consider me a player because they always ask me to do the games.
I will write something from this new word lists too. thanks!

And to all who visited my blog and decided not to comment.. Thanks for stopping by. I hope everyone has a great day!
Patsy

Anonymous said...

Patsy,
I am always amazed at your talant. I didn't go to Reuben's that year for Christmas, so I missed Uncle Robert's last dance. But, your poem brought to my mind the year before at Trudy's when he danced with Mama. I don't always have fond memories of him as you know, but I remember that day with great love and appreciation for who he was. I don't think I realized before then what Mama meant to him. Thanks for reminding me. I love you.
Love,
Martha

Pblacksaw said...

Mott~ Being twins and what with everything happening like it did they were the world to each other. He searched for what Mama and Daddy had. I really think he looked for it.. But all those wives later.. The Day at Trudy's was great he danced with everyone of us females that day then danced with Mama..I bet they were something when they were young doing the jitter bug.. You could tell by seeing them that they had danced together before.
the day at Reubens though he bowed to every single one of us.. I loved him.. I think he almost liked me.. Love Ya!
Patsy