It's just poetry, it won't bite

Life Turns


05.09.18 Posted in today's words by

Linda Sonrisa’s most recent poem to appear here was “Accidental Springs” (April 2018).

Life Turns
By Linda Sonrisa

Dinner-table troubled tummy,
nervous vomit in my closet—
and you, you
tap-dance in
a too-expensive suit
in the brief hallway of my youth.

Dark Wine hurled against stained walls
slaps and witches over dishes,
tires and cheeks burn,
wails bounce around the back seat
Mom’s gone,
Mom is GONE—
You shove her
out
out of the car—
roadside at a Mexican diner.

You
slip down the block
for deceitful delights
where distress dissolves—
stolen candy of secret sex parties, all
the great fun of the decade
that you should have missed.

Years
and years we clash our armor
while I grow stronger:
hardened shields bright
our spears soaked in ego’s heavy blood,
no one leaves the scene
without their wounds.

We declare
Cease-fire on the sea
my wake straight as an arrow,
winter sun shines down all around,
Peace on the pacific waves.
At Harbor,
stuffed with the sturdy ships of
well-to-do weekend warriors,
soaring string music of  masts and lines
shrill gulls, acrid tang
of engine oil, salt air
comfort in the still, cold marina.

New era: where Veterans wander
down Zombie corridors beneath
the smell of fluorescent wet fear
wet eyes filled
with terrible
knowing—

Life turns on a dime, as you
always said—

Slippery feet slide out of shoes,
limbs deaf to the mind’s demands
your hands’ well-known grip
reaches
outward
to keep up the dance and

the Dime whirls under the wheel as
welded worn bone
snaps,
crackles fire.

I walk in the wind across the summer stone patio
bearing birthday cake
thick Chocolate frosting, the way you like it
pale pink 8 and 6
candles sputter
Lit and re-lit,
Lit
and
re-lit—

Make a wish, Dad
So you smile,
blow a small breeze
and fill your sails once more.



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