Song of an Apocalypse

The bugs’ skitter-scatter steps

are easier to track than the fidgets of my thoughts.

It’s simpler to eat them whole too.

Memories give me indigestion

and their taste lingers unpleasantly.

Never mind, I’ve been told

I’m too crazy to remember.

Except that I do
remember

the world when I was young.

I had a theme song then

for those daily apocalypses

I was told would pass when I got older.

But an Armageddon came,

that left me to gather

the eggshell fragments of my mind.

Even imperfectly reassembled,

with cracks large enough

to let maggots dance through,

I haven’t forgotten

I wanted to be a light

for the ones that came after me.

Broken as I am,

I might be the only adult left

who remembers

that beautiful horror of youth

and wants to reassure them

this can be survived

even with a mouth full of spiders.  

Liner Notes for this Groove: This poem was created for the very last (sob!) prompt at Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads, Play it Again Toads. I chose Kerry Says Find Our Poetic Voice. I knew I wanted to go with one of my "nerd poems" (poetry based on something I'm a fan of), but it took a bit to decide who's voice to go with. 

In the end I decided on going with one of my newer fandoms, the Netflix series Daybreak, which is a tongue in check look at the apocalypse with an 80's John Hughes-like tone to the whole thing (Matthew Broderick as the out of touch principal is an absolute delight). The character I chose to speak through was Miss Crumble a.k.a. The Witch.

Miss Crumble before the apocalypse

Miss Crumble after the apocalypse (yep, those are maggots)

If you followed the link to the trailer, you'll see that the apocalypse killed off most of the adults or made them into flesh eating zombies. Somehow, Miss Crumble came out of it... different. I don't want to give too many spoilers, but suffice it to say I think it's good that the kids have some adult guidance and concern in their lives, even if that adult is fairly bonkers.

Song choice:

Non spoilery one - Sing Your Life by Morrissey
Somewhat spoilery (but super pretty) - Sing Your Life sung by Miss Crumble and Angelica 

Thank you Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads, for being so inspiring right up until the end. I will miss you.

Something Better

It's hard not to look at the stupidity all around and not feel angry. I am no saint. Anger tore a gash in my side and settled in my stomach. But although it tries to burble up my throat when I speak, it doesn't have my mind, nor will it ever take my heart.

I have enough rage
to burn, but it won't help us.
Love's the only way
to smash a cycle of hurt
so something better can grow.

Song Choice: For What It's Worth by Buffalo Springfield

This poem was created for Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads' prompt, Wordy Friday with Wild Woman: Staying Strong in a World of Climate Crisis.

Love by Robert Indiana

Así Soy

I am magic
down to my every bone.

Deep in every cell

I carry the imprint

of some dancing mother

ready to embrace me

in the twine of forgotten DNA.

My magic within hums

in tune to the magic around me.

My bones remember the beat

even when my mouth stumbles over the words.

This magic and I are one.

There is no wall

saying, “Here it begins”

and “There it stops.”

But you want to quantify it, own it

while at the same time looking down on it.  

Imagine that…

Consider that magic flees from disdain

and force. Stop and understand

that eyes that have decided on definitions

before they are even opened are as good as blind.

Harvest Brew by Lady Viktoria
More of her enchanting art is available at her Etsy store.

This poem is linked to Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads: Just One  Word - Imagine and Poets United's Pantry of Poetry and Prose #9.

Song Choice: Así Soy (Spanish cover of This is Me from the Greatest Showman) by Calle 42

When Even the Moon Hides Its Face

Come love, let me kiss the back of your neck

or hold you while you scream.

You do not have to make any excuses to me.

Stay love. Let me hold you awhile.

Your truest dark holds no horrors for me.

I’ve been honored to sit within it with you.

Anyone can swear to love by sunlight,

but I will love you in the darkness of soul

when even the moon hides its face.

Song Choice: Groovy Kind of Love by Phil Collins

Photo by El Salanzo on Unsplash

Liner Notes for this Groove: This poem was created for the prompt given at Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads: Thirteen Poetic Bits of Kerry  Magaly asked us to choose one of Kerry's lovely poetic bits an use it as a springboard for our poetry. I chose "I will love you in the darkness of soul" from Sonnet 42 of Kerry's If I Could Go Back sonnet series. Thank you Kerry for all organizing you have done throughout the years to keep Toads running. I am happy to have been a part of this space.

The King of the Bus Stop: Blogging Around with Rommy Week 45

I thought I knew what stubborn was, but that was before we rescued Kit. Oh I knew corgis could be stubborn, thanks to my first dog, Faye. But Kit has taken corgi stubbornness and elevated to a Michelangelo level of artistry.

Nowhere is this more obvious than at around 8:30 am every morning. You see that’s the time the elementary school bus comes around our neighborhood. And Kit knows that not only is the bus stop filled with children lining up to rub his belly, he knows the bus driver always has treats on hand for any dogs that happen to be around.

This is slightly mortifying for me as my children are well past elementary school age. There is no reason to be at the stop. But if Kit just sees one child heading in that direction, he will tug on his leash until my husband or I bring him there. This dog, who is known for the most part to be a lazy fellow, will sprint if he hears the bus coming down the block. He has also been known to have an attitude if we are late getting him out and he misses the bus.

It’s gotten so bad that every time Kit sees a bus, he assumes it’s his bus and won’t budge unless its proven otherwise (the bus drives past with no one paying any attention to him and no treats getting tossed his way).

While this can be very exasperating, especially when I’m trying to get him to take care of business quickly between errands, I can’t stay annoyed for long. I remember how shy he was when we first adopted him, a few months after Faye passed away. He grew to love and trust us, and we were grateful for his cuddly derpiness after what had been a sad time in our lives. I don’t know why his previous owners gave him up, but I’m glad he’s part of our family now. A little stubbornness now and then is a very small price to pay for that.

If I stay perfectly still
maybe I'll get a cookie

This essay is linked to Poets United Pantry of Prose and Poetry

Song Choice: Whenever I see Kit waiting for a bus I often imagine the Wells Fargo Wagon song from the Music Man playing in his head.