The Fat Red Balloon

The fat red balloon puffs itself up

As it snuggles against the light

Luxuriating in the warmth

So prideful, it will eventually

Have to burst



(c) Tamara Beck March 11, 2013

Noises On

Waxing and waning,

Until it's out of earshot,

Lingering, a mist of sound,

Like an aftertaste, reverberating

In the air, noise turning

Much too slowly to quiet

Are they so confused?

By Seoul Ink (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Are they so confused, that they can

Only make sense of life's mysteries

By writing aphorisms on their skin?

Frieda sits waiting

David and Frieda on their wedding day

My memory of Frieda

She waits wearing her jacket with the fur collar,

Perfectly still, perfectly made up, her handbag on her lap,

If she is anxious it doesn’t show

She is as still as a statue, her snow white hair neat and combed

Her legs close together, her skirt pulled down,

Her gloves held loosely, rest on her handbag,

Her handbag, by the way, is empty except for a lipstick and her change purse,

She waits for her children to take her out for the holidays,

Perfectly still, perfectly made up, neatly coiffed, she is silent and waiting.

Still, small in her jacket with the fur trim,

Her gloves and her handbag in her lap 

Street Cred

From Cadillac Forums at CadillacOwners.com

The well-mannered Escalade

Waits patiently til I get

Across the avenue

Dark glass separates us

Keeps us from making eye-contact

But I acknowledge his courtesy

From the far side of the street

Bergamote: Earl Grey liked it well enough

My evening cuppa. from photographer David Wilmot

Earl Grey liked it well enough  to infuse his tea

I like it well enough to sip and savor,

It excites my tongue and interest 

My senses with its sweet fragrance 

And the caress of its exotic taste

You'll see, he said

Soon, we'll joke about it, he said

She did not want to laugh it off

She did not want to cry about it either

He shrugged, gently pulling a tear 

Off her cheek with his thumb

You'll see, he said