Photo by Katy Brown, DavisCATERING CANCELLED
—Mabel Mello
California Carl catered cabezoni,
chateaubriand, calamari,
consommé , capons,
crumb cake, custards—
charging considerably.
Clara, considering children's celebration,
called Carl's Catering concerning cost.
Carl, clearly clarified
certain charges, credit conditions.
Clara choked.
Clara complained considerably
concerning cost.
Chagrined, Carl considered
Clara cantankerous,
couldn't control Clara's carping.
Clara cussed—canceled catering.
Carl chuckled.
Clara cooked cheeseburgers.
Child celebrants chugged colas, cheered.
(Previously published in MIDWEEK MUSINGS ANTHOLOGY, 2009)
___________________
ETHEL EXITS
—Mabel Mello
Elmer exercised everyday
embracing exertion eagerly.
Elmer encouraged Ethel.
Ethel entered exercise.
Elmer's exercising excessively
enraged Ethel.
Exasperated, extremely exhausted,
Ethel exploded. Enough, enough!
Eventually Ethel excluded Elmer.
__________________
NorCal poets will be saddened to hear that Mabel Mello passed away on August 21. Carol Louise Moon writes: She was a long-time resident of Pioneer Towers here in Sacramento and very active there, as well as at the Hart Senior Center. Mabel was a very talented poet known in our poetry circle at the Hart Center Wed. Workshop as The Queen of Alliteration for her many alphabet poems; she entrusted several to me for DADs DESK. Mabel was a faithful member of El Camino Poets (chapter of Cal. Federation of Chaparral Poets, Inc.), so many of us attended a memorial service held by her family (on her 90th birthday!) at Pioneer Towers on Thursday, August 26, and met her family and friends. A poem was read which Mabel had written just a few days before—a poet to the very end. She wrote:
"You've eased my cares
And dried my tears.
Forgotten all my sins.
And now you open heavenly doors
And bid me welcome in."
Thanks, Carol. Mabel also sent poems to Rattlesnake Review from time to time, and was posted on Medusa's Kitchen, too. Here are her poems that appeared on November 24, 2008.
___________________
DOUBLE TROUBLE
—Mabel Mello
She looked poorly and dehydrated.
I fed her and gave her water.
A well-meaning neighbor,
noticing her droopy condition,
gave her another generous drink
and waterlogged her.
I disposed of her today.
She was ten years old.
The empty corner near
my apartment door looks strange
without my lush dracaena.
__________________
GROWING OLD
—Mabel Mello
My hearing is fading,
eyesight's grown dim.
I've gained thirty pounds
and no longer slim.
My balance is off.
So I use a cane.
I still get around,
though sometimes there's pain.
My dentures fit well.
Chewing's sometimes a task,
but I still enjoy food,
what more can one ask?
Then there's the memory
that keeps me upset.
What I want to remember
I tend to forget.
Yes, things have grown different
from day to day,
but I wake up each morning,
what more can I say?
___________________
SNOOZING MUSE
—Mabel Mello
My muse is snoozing.
Let her rest.
She's done her best
to stimulate and fill my mind
with myriad thoughts
of every kind.
I'll just sit back awhile
until these new ideas form,
then pick up pen and paper
and finally write that poem.
___________________
Today's LittleNip:
It is not right for mourning to enter a home of poetry.
—Sappho
___________________
—Medusa
—Mabel Mello
California Carl catered cabezoni,
chateaubriand, calamari,
consommé , capons,
crumb cake, custards—
charging considerably.
Clara, considering children's celebration,
called Carl's Catering concerning cost.
Carl, clearly clarified
certain charges, credit conditions.
Clara choked.
Clara complained considerably
concerning cost.
Chagrined, Carl considered
Clara cantankerous,
couldn't control Clara's carping.
Clara cussed—canceled catering.
Carl chuckled.
Clara cooked cheeseburgers.
Child celebrants chugged colas, cheered.
(Previously published in MIDWEEK MUSINGS ANTHOLOGY, 2009)
___________________
ETHEL EXITS
—Mabel Mello
Elmer exercised everyday
embracing exertion eagerly.
Elmer encouraged Ethel.
Ethel entered exercise.
Elmer's exercising excessively
enraged Ethel.
Exasperated, extremely exhausted,
Ethel exploded. Enough, enough!
Eventually Ethel excluded Elmer.
__________________
NorCal poets will be saddened to hear that Mabel Mello passed away on August 21. Carol Louise Moon writes: She was a long-time resident of Pioneer Towers here in Sacramento and very active there, as well as at the Hart Senior Center. Mabel was a very talented poet known in our poetry circle at the Hart Center Wed. Workshop as The Queen of Alliteration for her many alphabet poems; she entrusted several to me for DADs DESK. Mabel was a faithful member of El Camino Poets (chapter of Cal. Federation of Chaparral Poets, Inc.), so many of us attended a memorial service held by her family (on her 90th birthday!) at Pioneer Towers on Thursday, August 26, and met her family and friends. A poem was read which Mabel had written just a few days before—a poet to the very end. She wrote:
"You've eased my cares
And dried my tears.
Forgotten all my sins.
And now you open heavenly doors
And bid me welcome in."
Thanks, Carol. Mabel also sent poems to Rattlesnake Review from time to time, and was posted on Medusa's Kitchen, too. Here are her poems that appeared on November 24, 2008.
___________________
DOUBLE TROUBLE
—Mabel Mello
She looked poorly and dehydrated.
I fed her and gave her water.
A well-meaning neighbor,
noticing her droopy condition,
gave her another generous drink
and waterlogged her.
I disposed of her today.
She was ten years old.
The empty corner near
my apartment door looks strange
without my lush dracaena.
__________________
GROWING OLD
—Mabel Mello
My hearing is fading,
eyesight's grown dim.
I've gained thirty pounds
and no longer slim.
My balance is off.
So I use a cane.
I still get around,
though sometimes there's pain.
My dentures fit well.
Chewing's sometimes a task,
but I still enjoy food,
what more can one ask?
Then there's the memory
that keeps me upset.
What I want to remember
I tend to forget.
Yes, things have grown different
from day to day,
but I wake up each morning,
what more can I say?
___________________
SNOOZING MUSE
—Mabel Mello
My muse is snoozing.
Let her rest.
She's done her best
to stimulate and fill my mind
with myriad thoughts
of every kind.
I'll just sit back awhile
until these new ideas form,
then pick up pen and paper
and finally write that poem.
___________________
Today's LittleNip:
It is not right for mourning to enter a home of poetry.
—Sappho
___________________
—Medusa
Photo by Katy Brown