Tree Trunk

Standing ground

Not budging- despite

Elements’ relentless

Bludgeoning

Time ekes

Own pound

Of flesh

Tree debarks

Parent bearing

The brunt

Always shielding

Own young ones

If required

Self effacing

Merging into background

In camouflage

Unshakeable

Sturdy, staunch

Rock of ages

Venerated ancient

“Re” – reflection

Retro parade

Of life’s

Black white

Reel to reel

Left me

Breathless

Bursting with

Would be

Could be

Should be

Only if, then(s)

Sighs replete

There is

No retake

No prefix to fix, once

Seconds minutes hours

Thunder under

Time’s bridge

Whistling shuffling

That was it

Scrambling

At the edge

Facing destiny’s

Thrown gauntlet

Shaken not beaten

Best NOT

To retrace, instead

Take a leap forward

With implicit faith

RE in regrets

Are futile at best

To get on in life

With time in hand

On own terms is best

Obliterating the rest

Life‘s lesson number one

Destiny’s dealt

Hand thus finally won

**picture is from internet:getnidoskidos.com

Sprouted words

Words got strung

In sentences

Which in turn

Got associated

With humanity

Each person with own

Humane story

Waiting to be told

Leading to multi hued

Quilt of heaving

Humanity with myriad

Emotions -teeth clenched

for survival…biding time…

For that one moment

When a needy trusting hand

Softly steals into their hearts

Sharing simple warmth

Connections are forged-

A living protoplasm joins

Its own wee heaving isle

Of grief and joy to other

Grieving cells

A chain of life

Is formed leading

To one throbbing

Heaving heartbeat- a city

Within the concrete city

Needing no ground

To stand upright

Its foundation laid

In that hallowed ground

That is beyond time’s

Eroding hand- an edifice

of bricked human hearts

set in emotional glue

Moistened with tears

Every heart that touched

Another- left a bit

Of own heart back

At same time took piece

Of other’s heart back

Enriching this sharing

for posterity

(** this is inspired by the 911 movie Extremely Close, Incredibly Loud)

Thought steeds towards

Internal sanctuary

Few avow soul is pure

Fraud, a slot machine

A disconnect from reality

Everyday, I stitch mouths of grief

With laughter cross stitches

Planting rows of smiling beds

Undertow of sadness

Is strong but my will tough

Enough to overcome it

Eyes anointed with holy water

Sight of ecstatic prayer flags against

Distant peaks, chiming monastic bells

All exude strange bliss within me

Reinforcing walls of inner sconce

Receptacle for my soul’s lit flame

As my feet hit ground every morning

I am thankful for his continued grace

Even as I long to opt out of life’s rat race

About Jill’s granny

A wicked ole lady

Angel face wily mind

Married grandpa on the fly

When high on whisky n rye

Straight out of high school

Led him by nose, the fool

Caring only for herself

Then for own grand kids

Rest were mud, insignificant

Considered world her supplicant

When Jill decided to call it quits

She gave pointers on how to do it

Take him to cleaners, hang him dry

He strayed, let him regret, dearly pay

Not above slapping around grandpa

Was she, the nurses got evidence of it

Horrified they confronted her with it

She admitted saying geezer deserved it

Often she held back grandpa’s pills

Let him stew n suffer in bed when ill

Said better to let him stay unconscious

Than have him testy and contentious

She advised Jill to shop only at Saks

Go for best before pulling marital plug

Her dramatic sweet Southern drawl

Made in-laws n grandpa’s skin crawl

She was arsenic and old lace

A deadly viper with sweet face

Shocked at this tell of Jill’s granny

Am sharing before mind stares blankly

My life

You marked me

For life

You left

You remain

Often appearing

Reflected in mirrors

Déjà vu

Moments abound

Your spirits linger

In myriad ways confound

Alone, sick in bed

I sense your gentle treads

Soft breath on fevered brow

Sheer curtain’s sudden billow

I plump pillows, turn on side

My feverish palms find

Your sacred chanting beads

My divvied treasure, entrusted

Seated on stoop steps outside

I see you twinkling in the night skies

In shapely white clouds during daytime

You affirm your presence time after time

I see you in leaves of dusty books

A turn of phrase, in stranger’s looks

In gentle chides, in crooning lullabies

In firm tones, in disappointed moans

I’ve tried to live up to your expectations

Life is after all a slippery slope, you know

When you left, my horizon had darkened

Now I light my world’s wick with hope

Tides bore away your ashes

Waves obliterated your footprints

Your markings on my soul still remain

Pulsating in the blood’s flow in my veins

(**my homage to all my beloved departed kith, kin, friends)

White film changed

Color midstream

Were those simple

Times, really simple

Or were we simple

Imperceptibly, easy

Decisions no more easy

Pure wisdom got tainted

Industrial progress and

Inventions, to keep pace

Conscience’s makeover

Primary colors watered

Rioting wildly, modern

Masterpieces created

silver toys

doting nanny

childhood’s decoy

exotic orchid

blue veined

hothouse life

rosy panes

unworldly perspective

imperfect warped

conditioned doll

primed for a fall

red carpeted debutante ball

Daddy’s gal went for a fall

landing in arms of stranger tall

a charming rake on the make

storybook defiance

foolish alliance, severed kin

inheritance as she faced, bereft

love’s downfall when rake up n left

reality’s cold water douche

broke sleeping beauty’s thrall

gathering somnolent wits, decided

To show world, make own destiny

Taking stock of own true worth

Beauty, brains, slim wherewithal

pawned valuable baubles to finance

Own upper drawer finishing school

Chance encounter with an old friend

rescued from last straw, broken back

couple of rough diamonds came inside

determined beauty optimistically  began

molding shaping chiding cajoling

scolding then weepy in arms folding

gradually rough diamonds took shape

their shiny patinas readied for display

Her witty creative mind scripted

A topical socio-comical stage play

To showcase finished “products”

In best possible flattering way

Carefully cultivated, chosen guests

Trooped in for an eclectic evening

Choice hors d’oeuvres and wine

Prepping for unusual evening fine

Graceful moves perfect pirouettes

Honed mannerisms voice delivery

Comical timing and witty repartee

Had audience frequently in stitches

Play was a hit as was finishing school

The privileged fallen from grace lady

Had arrived by dint of own grit, pride

Showing fate she could call own shots

Grieving parents aging grandparents

Finally came around and bore her home

She basked in their love revisiting past

Then left for home n bed of own making

Languishing in-between

What was, could be

Pressed rose bud

Bled unrequited love

Prey to destiny’s villainy

Shaking yet determined

Relieved time spotted hands

Set free forgotten love n bud