My husband's poetry

Category: Family

  • Holes in my windshield

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    by

    cfblack
    in ,

    late at night I flee the living, drive along streets that make more sense than logic only to return each morning with shattered recollections of victories over nightmares and long walks with ancestors and descendants over landscapes impossible to reconstruct; late the next night I flee again 4-7-25

  • The morning chex-press

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    by

    cfblack
    in ,

    I remember mornings before school Eating Chex Cereal – rice, corn or wheat Milk with three teaspoons of sugar (four, if mom’s not looking) My sisters around the table Reading The Morning Chex-Press Good news only on the back of a cereal box I would construct a three flavored fort around my bowl Until mom…

  • Locked knees

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    by

    cfblack
    in , ,

    When our father died Masonic members of the Scottish Rite came and performed final rites at his viewing. They marched to and fro in their regalia, spoke sacred vows before his open casket. The next morning, before his last ride, his preacher preached a sermon. A military detail came to the gravesite, performed a twenty-one…

  • Blue

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    by

    cfblack
    in ,

    Blue as the feather in my father’s brown hat Blue as my daughter’s eyes Blue as the ceiling of a low country porch Blue as the sky reflected on a green pond Blue as a crab boiled in a pot Blue as a faded bruise Blue as the old man Picasso painted Blue hands wrapped…

  • Lenten haiku

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    by

    cfblack
    in ,

    sweet chorus of cheeps tree leaves Easter basket green bright jelly bean sun 3-7-23

  • On my sister’s birthday

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    by

    cfblack
    in , , ,

    Trees are greening. Blue sky reflects in empty space. Pollen drifts slowly towards shore. Blue heron fishes the shallows. Brown cattails silently stand guard. Grey turtles bask in sun, unconcerned with anything, except staying warm. 3-8-23

  • Good Friday

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    by

    cfblack
    in , ,

    I dreamed sugar sweet pink Peeps lined the road to the Supreme Court, waved palm fronds and sang Hosannas. Redneck, washed up Nashville musicians played three part, off key harmony and got drunk on cheap beer. Chocolate bunnies masquerading as chickens in drag scattered colored eggs for Eostre upon the state house lawn, because it…

  • The handkerchief

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    by

    cfblack
    in ,

    Dad pulled it from his left back pocket folded to a dry spot and said, “Blow” It grossed me out one small square of cloth for all my siblings lined up in a pew To save my dignity I carried my own handkerchief quit sniffling in church or using my sleeve Sixty years on, I…

  • Mother’s lilies

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    by

    cfblack
    in , ,

    Do the lilies still rise up from cold ground by Easter Sunday Mother would marvel at their white gowns moving with the wind. Blossoms on long stems gold dust falling from stamens onto petal lips? 4-9-23

  • Retired

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    by

    cfblack
    in , ,

    He sat in his front yard, retired Waved at every car that drove by, because Some he knew, some he thought he knew, Some he wanted to know Some he knew he didn’t know, but It made him laugh to think They went to work and tried All day to remember how they knew him…