How Blank PAD 10-2

 

How I End Up Speaking Publicly

 

I wonder, “Why do they

think quiet people

have nothing to say?”

Then someone asks.

I answer, “Yes, I’ll do it.”

Then I think.

And pray.

And practice.

And wonder what I got myself into.

And feel like I’m going to die.

And promise myself,

next time I’ll say no.

Then I speak.

It goes well.

It feels like I just disembarked

from a thrilling rollercoaster ride,

without passing out.

And people encourage saying,

“Good job!” and

“You didn’t look nervous.”

And time goes by.

And I wonder, “Why do they

think quiet people

have nothing to say?”

And then someone asks.

And I say, “Yes, I’ll do it.”

How blank PAD 10-1

 

How to Lose Weight

 

I don’t know.

I have a whole shelf

of How-to-lose-weight books

that haven’t seemed to help.

 

Every morning, I ask myself,

“What can I do and eat today

so that I’ll weigh

a little less tomorrow?”

I’ve been gaining and losing

the same four pounds for years.

 

The fat on my chin, my arms,

my waist, my belly, my back,

like a committed lover says,

“I love you the way you are,

I’m not going anywhere.”

number PAD 9-3

 

One bad poem.

That is my aim.

So at least I’ll be done.

Here’s the one.

Number PAD 9-2

 

The Race

 

To be number one

It sounds like great fun

In a race to run

Or even two

 

And not bad to be three

And we’ll race to see

Who winner will be

And so we flew

 

Maybe number four

And my feet are sore

Not fun any more

Dead last when through

 

 

 

Numbers PAD 9-1

Thirteen and Fourteen

 

The boy next door

played different parts

in my story.

 

Friends, enemies.

and when I

I was 13, he 14

sweethearts.

We learned to kiss.

 

Then we moved on

to being like siblings.

I haven’t seen him in years

but he’s a part of who I am.

homographs PAD 8-3

 

Weathering the Weather

 

As I type this poem

I wonder what type

of day this will be

since spring is slow

in coming.

Just day before yesterday

I swept snow off my car.

I was wondering if spring

would skip us this year

and if we’d go straight to summer.

Sometimes it feels like that.

So will I be walking in the park today

watching children skip and play

or let my car stay parked outside,

while I’m warm inside, writing

alternating with cleaning?

Or perhaps both. Maybe after

I write and clean, I’ll go to the park,

after I decide what coat I’ll wear

from the five different ones

coating the back of my couch.

homographs PAD 8-2

 

Poem in a Hurry

 

I will be content

with the contents of this poem

if it contains three homographs.

Meanwhile I have to watch

my watch, or in this case my timer,

because I’m giving myself only

thirteen minutes

with eight minutes 45 seconds to go.

I am getting close, now,

so I’ll bring this to a close

with seven minutes to spare.

After reading it through,

Make that six, thirty-two.