Indianola, IA
—Public Domain Photos Courtesy of
Roberta Beach Jacobson
OUT OF THE ORDINARY
This water is holy
This water is holy
Grandma tells me
as she sips
Is it from a church?
Did somebody in a frock bless it?
I argue it’s ordinary water
She offers me her cup
as she reminds me rainwater
comes from heaven
as she sips
Is it from a church?
Did somebody in a frock bless it?
I argue it’s ordinary water
She offers me her cup
as she reminds me rainwater
comes from heaven
WILD DAISIES
My twin and I were 22
when I picked daisies
in a field for him.
He cried.
Why wait until a funeral
to think of flowers?
Life should smell sweet!
Every birthday after that
I’ve sent him roses,
sometimes red,
other times yellow.
My twin and I were 22
when I picked daisies
in a field for him.
He cried.
Why wait until a funeral
to think of flowers?
Life should smell sweet!
Every birthday after that
I’ve sent him roses,
sometimes red,
other times yellow.
NO NAME
His unkempt hair
washed by rainwater
All he asks for is a comb,
but everybody refuses
When he begs for a sandwich,
a coffee,
a cold drink,
people ignore him
Instead they sneer at him,
pushing him aside,
laughing, belittling him,
calling him insults
His wallet is empty,
his heart broken,
his feet cold,
his prayers unheard
He feels like nobody
After a while he forgets his name
Most days he spends in a mall
offering him shelter, public restrooms,
water fountains
Silently he sits
alone on a wooden bench,
or he walks around
digging in trash cans for scraps of food
One day a perky toddler
approaches him, smiles,
says hello
Where did his voice go?
He can’t find any words,
but for the first time in years
he remembers how to cry
TUESDAY
high pressure
in our cubicles
every phone ringing
I play nice
to get through this day,
but my smile soon wanes
At 4 pm sharp
I put on my jacket
and break free
THIS HUSBAND OR THAT
this husband was younger
than that husband
but he smelled like
the locker room at the gym
this husband was smarter
than that husband
but not by much
this husband always remembered
her birthday
but that husband never forgot
their anniversary
this husband broiled steak for her
every weekend
while that husband grilled fish
this husband spent her money freely
but that husband stashed sacks of old money
this husband backpacked Europe
while that husband invited her to fly to Bali
this husband counted stars
while that husband counted money
this husband named stars after her
that husband bought Hollywood stars
this husband tumbled into a canyon
and was never heard from again
that husband ran through the airport
with a loaded gun before he was taken down
Today’s LittleNip:
TOTALITY
—Roberta Beach Jacobson
our love eclipses
trapping us in darkness
but only for brief moments
because soon the heavens open
so clouds can empty on our heads
___________________
—Medusa, with welcome back and thanks to Roberta Beach Jacobson for her fine poetry and visuals today!
Roberta Beach Jacobson
A reminder that
Lucid Winery’s Suicide Prevention
Fundraiser takes place in Sacramento
today, 4pm; and
FOR YOU Ladies Night Out
Poetry and Singing Show takes place
tonight in Sacramento, 7pm.
For info about these and other
future poetry happenings in
Northern California and otherwheres,
click on
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