Pocket Poems Scratched on Paper Scraps at Work
by Gary Hardaway
Abundant Trees Disquiet Them
Where we're from there are no trees.
Just lichens, low shrubs,
and safely stable brick and stone.
The wind at home moves nothing
but dry snow and scraps of paper.
Too many sparrows flit and twitter here.
Let's go inside. The sky is far too big
and the sun bears down on us like searchlights.
We'll brew some tea and stir in cream
and sugar and talk among ourselves
Fragrance
Fine perfume is nice.
It smells of superego
and polite desire.
June
It's early birdie-eat-cricket month
when local favorites, crickets
and grackles, vie for parking lot
supremacy- the crickets, via
overwhelming numbers, and
the grackles, via hunger and
the art of snatch and swallow.
Of King and Castle
The tangible world oppresses
so he plays with his phone,
double thumbing through
his 4 G kingdom
where whatever displeases
can be deleted, unfriended,
or reported as spam.
He makes and takes no calls.
Just in from the sun and wind. These are as delightful as the cool breeze from my Chinese electrical fan.
God, I miss the grackles. They don't fly this far up into the empire of geese.
Nice set, Gary. Enjoyed these. Good touch with the imagery throughout.
"Abundant Trees Disquiet Them" is a strong piece.
First and fourth are my favorites.*
These are wonderful. Keep scribbling!
Particularly liked "King and Castle" - but enjoyed them all.
Yes to all of these. *
Thank you, James.
Thank you, Sam.
Thank you, J.
and thank you Sally.
Thank you, Tina, too!
Before I’d finished, I thought I’d like one of these better than others... That can not be. They’re all interesting.
Thanks, Steven. I am grateful for your reading and comment
June I think is my favorite, just crossing the favorite line by a nose!
Liked them all. Last one really resonated..."he plays with his phone,
double thumbing through
his 4 G kingdom." Great understated irony.
Thanks, Gary.
"Abundant Trees Disquiet Them" is my favorite. Good poem.
Mine, too, though favoritism on the part of the author is bad form, I suppose. Thanks for reading, Bill.