![]() |
Joan McNerney |
Escape
Take me
far away now from
this brutal countryside
Take me
far away from cold eyes
and menacing looks
of vinegar people
Take me
far away from braggers
of wide television screens
and new pick-up trucks
Take me
far away from rural
America so I can breath
the sooty air of a great city
***
Deception
Traces of lace cover walkways.
Snow so white it almost blinds us.
You came with a spectacular glow.
I became awed by this splendor.
Everyone was so captivated
by your charm, wit, words.
We wondered if the sun rose
and fell under that magic.
Pure white snow turns gray
from exhaust fumes.
Hardening on roadsides, icy
frost plunge cars into ditches.
Deceived by your wicked smile
and simmering blue eyes.
Tricked by razzmatazz. Only mud
and freezing rain lies underneath.
Some thought the fault was mine.
How could this have happened?
There must be something else.
Something I have hidden away.
Caught in claw of memories now,
regretting the trust given to you.
But I will never be betrayed again
even if hell freezes over.
tumbling though time
as I lay thinking
always remembering
how this crapshoot of life
crushed my dreams spinning
me into an unlikely comedy
listening to a busy world
trains, ships, planes,
never ending hiss of cars
revved up motorcycles
loud televisions, shouts,
radios, alarms, sirens
shifting memories
over in my mind trying
to find some pattern
finally night, long, deep
and black covers me with
blankets of forgetfulness
***
Questions
Who
took away spring
stole all the glory
throwing our gardens of green
into these hills of scorched grass?
Who
dared to care
more about money
destroying everything in sight
forgetting earth is our only home?
Who
is so callous
to laugh at the suffering
of the sick poor yet pretend
to believe in a loving God?
Who
began all these wars
making mothers cry for children
searching for their bodies
in the chaos of destruction?
Who
robbed our hope
and all our wonder
burning heaven with dry
lightning to pierce the sky.
Who
are you
who made
the angels moan?
***
The Joker
That playing card running wild
with royalty. Blending straights,
changing suits in a flash.
His checker board waistcoat
bedazzling us, making us
dizzy with longing.
Then again meaningless,
muddled in the deck. Another
bad hand, dealing more trouble.
Light on his toes poised
to leap sky high.
Ambidextrous in more ways
than one. Juggling and
spinning spangles in air.
A picture of deceit…
slippery smile plastered
over his mask.
Cowering yet flushed with
treachery. Sly yellow eyes,
green spangled pantaloons.
What trick is he up to now?
***
No comments :
Post a Comment
We welcome your comments related to the article and the topic being discussed. We expect the comments to be courteous, and respectful of the author and other commenters. Setu reserves the right to moderate, remove or reject comments that contain foul language, insult, hatred, personal information or indicate bad intention. The views expressed in comments reflect those of the commenter, not the official views of the Setu editorial board. рдк्рд░рдХाрд╢िрдд рд░рдЪрдиा рд╕े рд╕рдо्рдмंрдзिрдд рд╢ाрд▓ीрди рд╕рдо्рд╡ाрдж рдХा рд╕्рд╡ाрдЧрдд рд╣ै।