Category: Author

A thick voice laced with a good amount of angst and a heavy Cuban accent, echoes from the bathroom at the end of the hall.

“Lucy! Lucy! We are out of toilet paper! Bring me the toilet paper please!” His voice holds a note of urgency.

Lucy looks up from her masterpiece, Ethel takes off, the apartment door slams shut loudly behind her.

“Lucy! Lucy! Are you there?
¡Ay, caramba Lucy!” The voice rises in pitch.

“Um, no, no I’m not!” Lucy stutters.

“What?” The voice asks, the t in the word ‘what’ nearly silent as his frustration mounts.

“Oh! Oh!” The red-headed ball of confusion mutters. “Ok, ok, I’m coming! Keep your pants on!”

“Lucy, what are you saying?
Mama Mia, Mira que tiene cosa!” Unintelligent Spanish verbiage fills the narrow hallway.

“Here you go Ricky! Merry Christmas!” Lucy pushes the entire concoction through the bathroom door.

Ricky, “ Lucy! You’ve got some ‘splainin to do!”

Boxes and boxes
of shiny decorations
fill the organized
Christmas tub

Baubles and trinkets
toys and lights
tinsel, garland and stars
wait to trim the tree

The newest go first
naturally it may be
and next the revered
most loved ages of history

Interest peaks finding
last years treats
each hung on the tree
with great care

The sturdy little ornament
hopeful for a turn
some years it’s left behind
inside its cardboard mew

A tree it seems
was much too small
no room for any extra and
sometimes it’s just forgotten

Still within its core
it carries a light
waiting for the day
it will sparkle and shine

the only one on a tree –

Sunday Whirl Wordle #583
Hosted by bwarren

The aged fairy looked down at herself. She soothed her torn and yellowing tutu, a spill of tulle loose upon her body. Her raspy breath, greedy for youth, made a soft hiss as it left her thin lips.

She watched another fairy dancing in the moon lit night as she pirouetted on top of the grassy bluff. Her face, her skin, her body bore the flush of youth.

The young fairy would stay safe this night. The old fairy turned away, resisting the dark one yet again.

in order to kill
rare and precious flower
treat it with neglect

Midnight on my deck
sea breeze picks up
palm fronds rustle beside me

Night is cold and clear
tiny raindrops fall
insomniac tears coat cool skin

A dog barks from far away
his lone cry echoes in the wind
hours of night slide on by

Little bats dip and dive
gorge on insects as they fly
silent communication

Close my eyes reaching out
no longer see or feel you
you shut the door – gone

(Personal Note – I am ok. I’ve been sick a long time, I’m hurt and I’m angry – but I’m ok!)

Weekend Writing Prompt #290 – Perpetual
Challenge 84 Words
Hosted by Sammi Cox

Born into negativity
married into disapproval
Disappointment

Sibling rivalry
perpetually perpetuated
Disconnect

Products of my womb
now hostile antagonists
Twice

Unskilled false dreams
adversity reigned
Downtrodden

Physical body attacks
pain and disease
Constant

Gnarled joints entwine
form boney cages
Confined

Love trust
loyalty promised
Broken

Attach to the unattainable
heartache despair
Perpetual loneliness

Anger steams boils
overflows into
Hatred

One a paragraph
the other a sentence
Period

Release expectations
leave dysfunctional
Behind

Open eyes
no tears
Forget

Will of iron
will of steel
Perseverance

By Gypsie-Ami Offenbacher-Ferris

(In response to suggestion from Bartholomew Barker, Poet Extraordinaire and bearer of a cold in his nose … too.)

The flu it seems,
has come to me,
residing in my nose.

Make no mistake,
it’s taken shelter I can feel,
all the way down to my little toes.

My muscles shiver fever spawned,
fight to toss the intruder out still,
flu assaults my poor sore facial hose.

No longer am I even human,
my nose is red and so very swollen,
puffy and red and it grows and grows!

I can not breathe my eyes do water,
like a reptile in the midst of summer,
no other choice but to molt my nose.

Skin is peeling, nostrils flaring,
flu puts up an awesome fight,
I’ve shed that skin now I can doze –

Until that NyQuil wears off
at midnight!

By Gypsie-Ami Offenbacher-Ferris

In response to dVerse’s Meeting the Bar: Zen Poetry

I grieve
you say let go
I let go

The pain remains
you say un-attach
I un-attach

Tears fall
you say allow their fall
I allow their fall

Water cleanses
you say look below
I look below

Tether is gone
you say let it go
I let it go

Sky meets water
you say no beginning no end
I say no beginning no end

By Gypsie-Ami Offenbacher-Ferris

On the first day of Christmas
a bird he sang to me,
Alone again at Christmas,
I see!

On the second day of Christmas
that bird he sang to me,
Ten long days to go,
and alone again at Christmas I see!

On the third day of Christmas
silly bird he sang to me,
Share more crumbs with me,
ten long days to go,
and alone again at Christmas I see!

On the fourth day of Christmas
same bird he sang to me,
I thank you for the treat,
share more crumbs with me,
ten long days to go,
and alone again at Christmas I see!

On the fifth day of Christmas
stuffed bird he sang to me,
No more can I eat,
I thank you for the treat,
share more crumbs with me,
ten long days to go,
and alone again at Christmas I see!

On the sixth day of Christmas,
fat bird he sang to me,
Need somewhere to rest,
no more can I eat,
I thank you for the treat,
share more crumbs with me,
ten long days to go,
and alone again at Christmas I see!

On the seventh day of Christmas,
sleepy bird he sang to me,
Comfy silver bedding,
need somewhere to rest,
no more can I eat,
I thank you for the treat,
share more crumbs with me,
ten long days to go,
and alone again at Christmas I see!

On the eighth day of Christmas,
flapping bird he sang to me,
Wonderful herbal bath,
comfy silver bedding,
need somewhere to rest,
no more can I eat,
I thank you for the treat,
share more crumbs with me,
ten long days to go,
and alone again at Christmas I see!

On the ninth day of Christmas,
sputtering bird he sang to me,
My legs beneath I can not see,
wonderful herbal bath,
comfy silver bedding,
need somewhere to rest,
no more can I eat,
I thank you for the treat,
share more crumbs with me,
ten long days to go,
and alone again at Christmas I see!

On the tenth day of Christmas,
rotund bird he sang to me,
I fear I can not leave,
my legs beneath I can not see,
wonderful herbal bath,
comfy silver bedding,
need somewhere to rest,
no more can I eat,
I thank you for the treat,
share more crumbs with me,
ten long days to go,
and alone again at Christmas I see!

On the eleventh day of Christmas
pompous bird he sang to me,
The water’s growing warm,
I fear I can not leave,
my legs beneath I can not see,
wonderful herbal bath,
comfy silver bedding,
need somewhere to rest,
no more can I eat,
I thank you for the treat,
share more crumbs with me,
ten long days to go,
and alone again at Christmas I see!

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
a feast there was for me, that goose he did not sing!
The water’s growing warm,
I fear I can not leave,
my legs beneath I can not see,
wonderful herbal bath,
comfy silver bedding,
need somewhere to rest,
no more can I eat,
I thank you for the treat,
share more crumbs with me,
ten long days to go,
and here I am alone again at Christmas I see!

By Gypsie -Ami Offenbacher-Ferris

In response to Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge (CMMC) for December. The topic is Close Up or Macro.