Sandcastles
She’s standing on the beach
with a small suitcase.
It’s unclear
if the suitcase is full
or empty.
Once she packed it full
of her dreams,
but it’s unclear
if any remain.
She thinks now
that they were built on sand,
sandcastles on the beach
to be carried away
on a storm tide,
or washed up
and buried
in the sand.
All that is clear
is the emptiness
of a long horizon.
http://scars.tv/cgi-bin/framesmain.pl?writers
Beauty Parlour
Step inside my parlour,
my pampering parlour
and you will be remade,
reborn,
stroked
and smoothed,
petted and prodded,
cosseted and curled,
given the attention you deserve
as well as a new face
and shiny new hair.
In Pampers Parlour we’ll recreate you
reboot your confidence
and give you a new chemistry
as we gloss your hair and lips.
As we shape your face
with new shadows and glows.
As we apply layer upon layer
of chemical shit topped by
nose retching fragrances.
You won’t know yourself when
you step outside
dolled up to perfection,
protected in your new mask.
And what then?
Will you go home
and comb it all out
and wash it all off,
preferring,
after all,
the person,
with the old skin
and fresh air colour
to the new robotic doll.
The pampers product is
designed to be disposable,
after all.
Or will you keep it
as long as you can..
Try not to move your new face.
Try not to upset your new hair.
Place a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign
on your forehead.
Keep it as long as you can.
Even if stinky and crusty,
you’ll still have your face on.
You feel
so bland,
so pale,
so wan,
exposed
without it
on the journey back
to the beauty parlour.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18jIekXmUmeTzjx0A9gv5wg8xr1g4cVW-/view
Mr Taylor
Probably a polar bear was not a good choice
for my first attempt at whittling.
A hamster would have been simpler
and avoided the multiple leg fractures..
“Don’t worry girl, no problem”, Mr Taylor said,
when I showed it to him.
“Leave it to me.
Bit o plastic wood,
That’ll soon sort it”
and it did.
The tail was more challenging.
But all was not lost, just the tail,
and I managed to convince the Examiner
that polar bears don’t have tails.
Maybe they don’t.
I’m no expert.
I progressed slowly, and probably
a rocking elephant was not the best choice
for my Final Piece.
There was a lot to cut out,
a lot of curvy bits.
The huge electric saw bench
loomed ominously in the corner.
“Don’t you go near that, girl”
cried Mr Taylor if I glanced in it’s direction.
“Here, give it here,
Leave it to me.
There you are.
Now just a bit o plastic wood...”
And then disaster!
Someone stole the rockers.
Who the fuck would steal my rockers?
They never rocked very well,
but even so, they were better than nothing.
And Mr Taylor was hard pressed
to make new ones
in time for the exam,
even with multiple,
“No problem, don’t worry, girl”s,
I was concerned.
But in the end
we both passed.
https://www.pikerpress.com/article.php?aID=9782
All That Glitter
It glitters
like gold.
But is it
gold
or base
metal
being worked on
by an alchemist..
undergoing
transformation,
perhaps
with a touch
of magic,
with an elixir
of immortality,
an illusion.
Or perhaps
base oil
transformed
to
sparkly
plastic glitter
with
all too real
immortality.
Glittering,
littering
with
everlasting life,
all that glitter.
https://www.amazon.com/Harbinger-Asylum-Farewell-Dustin-Pickering/dp/B0CFZ9FJ9X/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?crid=24B0P7FHDH6X&keywords=harbinger+asylum+farewell+color&qid=1692542292&sprefix=%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-2-fkmr2
Lest We Forget
We think you can see us,
you know who we are
behind our masks
Not everything is hidden.
We are not hidden.
We are out
in the open
in plain sight
even if masked.
So join us for a snack,
a glass of wine,
a coffee.
Enjoy!
Take a sip with us
lest we forget
what to do
when we go outside.
Step back in time
one taste at a time,
one sip at a time.
Remember
the first time
is always challenging
and won’t ever be forgotten.
Remember!
As we will remember
the ones behind the masks
and the ones in hiding,
the ones we know are there
but cannot see.
We know who you are.
No one is forgotten.
Nothing is forgotten.
That’s our promise
one sip at a time.
https://www.amazon.com/Harbinger-Asylum-Farewell-Dustin-Pickering/dp/B0CFZ9FJ9X/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?crid=24B0P7FHDH6X&keywords=harbinger+asylum+farewell+color&qid=1692542292&sprefix=%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-2-fkmr2
Wishing And Hoping
The pool was clear and deep.
The children peered over the age
to see the coins glistening on the bottom.
They wondered what wishes had been made
and if any had come true
but no one could know.
No one would tell
them their wish
as they waited
to watch the coin
fall into the cascade
down into the wild white spume
and then into the clear pool below
where it would stay glistening for ever
feeling only the force of water.
All those secret wishes
revealing nothing
lying there
hoping.
https://www.amazon.com/International-Youth-August-2023-Anthology/dp/B0CDN7R556?ref_=ast_author_dp
