My House is an Art Gallery

My House is an Art Gallery

My house is a special art gallery,

Flowers and portraits are everywhere,

Waiting for visitors to arrive and share,

Watercolors with true stories to tell,

Eagerly anticipating the doorbell,

Portraits expectantly watch the door,

They’re silent now, for I am easy to ignore,

They’re always there, but wanting more,

At the sight of the first painting my heart leaps,

A girl with dark eyes, above my mantel weeps,

Her teddy bear is tightly clutched in her hands,

“Where are my friends? I don’t understand!”

No one visits her, I shrug and continue on my way,

I don’t have an answer, perhaps another day,

Nearby a tiger protects her cub from intruding force,

Cautiously I tiptoe past and silently leave,

There is no need to challenge her of course,

Ben, a young boy from India, wearing a scarf of red,

Watches intently a few steps up the stair,

“My family has never seen me,” he complains,

“Do they know I’m here? Perhaps they’re not aware.”

A portrait of a gray cat beside the door,

Stares with a proud and haughty air,

She wishes her tail as if she doesn’t care,

But she stays quiet and does not respond,

In the dining room awaiting my inspection,

 A single rose waves to the white amaryllis,

Where ladybugs search the flowers and drink the dew,

They clamor for their share of attention too,

The rose ignores a bright-eyed squirrel that’s ready to play,

 So he chatters at me, “How are you today?”

I retreat into my study and seize my phone,

But a portrait behind me reminds me I’m not alone,

With blood on her fingertips and blood on her lips,

A stern-faced girl admonishes, “Never forget,”

“He came to kill us, he left much to regret,”

“Be ever on guard, always stay alert,”

Within her eyes I can see an eternity of hurt,

Her warning heeded, I leave with a scowl,

In the room above, a wolf surrounded by daisies,

Lifts his head to howl,

In all the commotion I detect some surprise,

In a nearby room reside girls with bright eyes,

“A visitor,” one whispers, “who’s come to see,

 Me, just me, and only me,”

 But another smiles, “I don’t agree,”

In the hall, aware of their conceit,

A boy smiles, but he’s very discrete,

Downstairs in the basement a girl with dreds,

Dominates a wall, unconcerned with all,

That is unfolding before her,

A mischievous clown blows a kiss,

And grins at a sweet young miss,

Sitting pretty upon a bench,

A smile frozen on her face,

She asks, “Do visitors come to this place?”

Her question is reasonable,

But no answer she receives,

I’ve asked myself that question and often I grieve,

But who loves watercolors, beauty, and art?

Oft I’ve invited, I’ve done my part,

So the portraits wait patiently and stare into space,

Ignored and lonely, it’s such a disgrace,

Just me in this house with seventy and more,

Waiting and pacing, treading the floor,

Perhaps you’re ready to come this way,

I’ll check with them to see what they say,

They’ll not object to find you here,

But I want you to know they might stare,

They’re eager to please those who stop by,

They’re lonely without people and I know why,

If no one comes and sees them like this,

I’ll wrap them all up with a goodbye kiss,

I’m tired of being in this house all alone,

I’ll wrap up my treasures and then I’ll be gone

The pictures will be stacked in the dark somewhere,

Away from the crowds and dusty air,

Away from the music they hear all day,

Back to the boxes and tucked away.

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When Love is Shallow (Part Three) & (Part Four)

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When Love Is Shallow   (Part Three)

But Shari grew too possessive and for no reason or rhyme,

Decided to hire a detective to account for my time,

 At first the search was not successful, but after several tries,

She discovered Amanda, and wanted to scratch out her eyes,

After talking to Amanda, Shari began to understand,

I was successful, courteous, and a faithful kind of man,

“Larry’s always treated me like his special wife,”

Insisted Amanda, “He’s made me happy with my life,”

Because I had treated her well for over twenty years,

She’d stay with me forever and not shed any tears,

The detective reported that I had more children and a spouse,

So Shari went charging up to the door of Kristi’s house,

Shari screamed, “You’re not the only woman in his life,”

Kristi countered, “How many homes don’t have any strife?”

“I’ve always felt loved, he’s a family man who cares,

I can’t imagine leaving Larry, and I’m willing to share,”

Kristi and Shari talked through the evening and into the night,

They compared their lives and all the things they thought right,

Soon they were laughing and carrying on like lost friends,

They enjoyed each other’s company so much, that Shari moved in,

There was no fighting, legal and moral issues were put aside,

They decided there would be two households where they could abide,

On special occasions and holidays the families would meet,

They would sit down and talk before they would eat,

I’m a very successful salesman for a large corporate group,

I’m as honest as a salesman can be, according to the latest scoop,

“He’s a family man,” says the chairman, with a sly little wink,

“His growing family is happy, who cares what people think?”

(To Be Continued)

When Love is Shallow (Part Four)

Shari’s father was unhappy with the way things had gone,

He didn’t want Larry to think he had fooled everybody and won,

Shari’s father was convinced she had been brainwashed too,

Polygamists should be prosecuted was his point of view,

Having two wives was bigamy, and against federal law,

His daughter being the third wife was simply the last straw,

The three wives were content but it seemed so surreal,

So Shari’s dad convinced officials she was getting a raw deal,

Publicity was stirred, their lives were caught in society’s spotlight,

Everything happened quickly, there was no time for flight,

Law enforcement was gathered, and swarmed his houses on a raid,

Larry was incarcerated for weeks, but no charges were made,

Pickets were soon marching on the streets near the jail,

With signs that stated polygamists were doomed to hell,

“It’s a mockery of marriage,” “He’s dishonest and a liar,”

“This is against our beliefs,”  “You’re going to hell’s fire,”

But the court had no evidence, Larry admitted with shame,

He had never really married, Polyamory was his claim,

The living arrangements were unusual in this day and age,

But that was no reason to place him in a cage,

There was nothing else the officials could really do,

Except wait patiently for any laws to go slightly askew,

Larry was exonerated and is enjoying life even to this day,

While government prosecutors dream of the one who got away.

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When Love Is Shallow, But Other Times Deep (Part Two)

Image by tibchris via Flickr

 I attributed my wandering to my romantic allure,

And Kristi was there now to calm and reassure,

I settled down with Amanda, with Kristi down the road,

Twice the loving was great, but twice the financial load,

I worked harder and my sales continued to grow,

But as children arrived, my funds still became low,

Although Amanda had only graduated from high school,

I decided I’d find her a job, even if she had to retool,  

With all three children in school all day,

There was no reason for her to stay and play,

“Amanda,” I said, “A wife’s duty is to support her man,

So you’re going to help, any way you can,”

“You do a good job at cleaning our abode,

You’re strong and healthy, you can share our load,”

“You can clean the houses of our busy friends,

There are three or four that I’d recommend,”

I loved Kristi more but I wanted to be fair,

Our two children were off and in child care,

I found her some work from an internet source,

With a few ads here and there, she became a force,

She would make sales to the desperate and old,

“Forget your conscience,” I said, “you’ve got to be bold,”

“Promise them they’ll make thousands per day,”

She learned to take what they had and then slip away,

They were both bringing in money like most wives should,

In fact, I thought the three of us were really doing good,

So I began to dress better, for the sake of the company,

That’s when I met the owner’s daughter, a beauty named Shari,

She was spoiled by her father, rotten to the core,

She usually got what she wanted, and a little bit more,

Now I was trying to have fun, maybe flirt and that’s all,

But she thought we should go out and have a ball,

Shari wanted to have her way, I said, “Oh, no, you’re not,”

“We’ll do things my way, a man should call the shots,”

My life was getting complicated, but what could I do?

My love had grown large enough, to include Shari too,

Amanda and Kristi kept the fires burning at home,

And Shari was possessive enough to not let me roam,

My life was organized and nobody was out of line,

My wives were contented and my kids were just fine,

(To Be Continued)

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When Love is Shallow, But Other Times Deep (Part Two)

Image by tibchris via Flickr

 I attributed my wandering to my romantic allure,

And Kristi was there now to calm and reassure,

I settled down with Amanda, with Kristi down the road,

Twice the loving was great, but twice the financial load,

I worked harder and my sales continued to grow,

But as children arrived, my funds still became low,

Although Amanda had only graduated from high school,

I decided I’d find her a job, even if she had to retool,  

With all three children in school all day,

There was no reason for her to stay and play,

“Amanda,” I said, “A wife’s duty is to support her man,

So you’re going to help, any way you can,”

“You do a good job at cleaning our abode,

You’re strong and healthy, you can share our load,”

“You can clean the houses of our busy friends,

There are three or four that I’d recommend,”

I loved Kristi more but I wanted to be fair,

Our two children were off and in child care,

I found her some work from an internet source,

With a few ads here and there, she became a force,

She would make sales to the desperate and old,

“Forget your conscience,” I said, “you’ve got to be bold,”

“Promise them they’ll make thousands per day,”

She learned to take what they had and then slip away,

They were both bringing in money like most wives should,

In fact, I thought the three of us were really doing good,

So I began to dress better, for the sake of the company,

That’s when I met the owner’s daughter, a beauty named Shari,

She was spoiled by her father, rotten to the core,

She usually got what she wanted, and a little bit more,

Now I was trying to have fun, maybe flirt and that’s all,

But she thought we should go out and have a ball,

Shari wanted to have her way, I said, “Oh, no, you’re not,”

“We’ll do things my way, a man should call the shots,”

My life was getting complicated, but what could I do?

My love had grown large enough, to include Shari too,

Amanda and Kristi kept the fires burning at home,

And Shari was possessive enough to not let me roam,

My life was organized and nobody was out of line,

My wives were contented and my kids were just fine,

(To Be Continued)

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“Love You, Need You, Enjoy You, Want You”

Image via Wikipedia

I want to listen to your heart as it sings to me,

The rhythmic cadence of a heart so true,

 Saying, “Love you”, “Love you”, “Love you”,

I want to swim in those eyes that beckon me,

See glimpses of what our future could be,

Seeing, “Need you”, “Need you”, “Need you”,

I want to savor the sweetness of your lips,

Sampling your flavor in small heady sips,

Tasting, “Enjoy you”, “Enjoy you”, “Enjoy you”,

I want to touch the softness of your skin,

Marveling at the curves and creases therein,

Hearing, “Want you”, “Want you”, “Want you”,

I want to feel your body as it talks to me,

Feeling the rhythms that beat so true,

Saying, “Love you”, “Love you”, “Love you”.

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When Love is Shallow, But Other Times Deep

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When Love is Shallow, But Other Times Deep

Although Amanda and I were married way too young,

 She’s still great and I insist her praises should be sung,

 But she’s really tired sometimes and I have needs,

Everyone knows a man is supposed to spread his seed,

I knew Amanda and I should be honest from the first day,

That there were things I needed to say,

I didn’t want misunderstandings, or her to have pain,

So I figured if the air was cleared, we’d both gain,

We cuddled, loved, kissed, and talked,

But when she complained too much I walked,

Right out to my car and down to the bar,

After a few drinks I wished upon the brightest star,

That’s when the idea hit me, it really made sense,

Two people always together becomes way too intense,

I make good money, and if I used my head,

There’s no reason to fight when I could be loving instead,

On my next business trip I met Kristi and liked her a lot,

She was witty and charming, but she was also distraught,

Her fiance had broken their engagement so drinks I bought,

She wanted my advice so I told her what I thought,

“The pain of a breakup is one of the worst in your life,

Memories of the good times cut your heart like a knife,”

I told her she should go where her hurting heart led,

We talked and we drank, and I took her to bed,

We made love several times throughout the night,

And when the sun came up it still felt right,

“You’re beautiful,” I told her again and again,

“This is a good way for your new life to begin,”

“You can’t stop loving because when it feels right,

You see the world differently, in a special kind of light,”

We talked about our desires and our future plans,

A few sales trips later I put a diamond on her hand,

(To Be Continued)

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Versatile Poet Award

There were several people who nominated me for the Versatile Poet Award.  I want to thank the following people for their kind words and nominations: 

Fiveloaf, Wordywoman, Lynnaima, and Jingle.

Seven random facts about myself:

1.  I believe in dreams and romance,

     Being vulnerable, taking a chance,

    Commitment, unconditional love,

    Positive thinking, help from above,

2.  I enjoy puzzles and games like chess,

     Learning strategies is fun I must confess,

3.  Throughout my house art is on display,

     Poets and writers are welcome any day,

     Be my guest, there’s room to stay,

4.  Tell me you’re coming, I’ll bake you a pie,

    Find out which room pleases your eye,

    If you like orderly, you’re in for a treat,

    Everything has its place and it’s very neat,

5.  I enjoy writing stories and poetry too,

     Probably not a random fact, but it’ll do,

6.  I talk to animals, both wild and tame,

     Give them treats, call them by name,

     I treat them kindly and expect the same,

7.  If you like talking, talk till you’re blue,

     I’m a good listener, I’ll listen to you,

8.  I’m a procrastinator and a little uptight,

     Usually I delay, unless things are done right.

“Sweaty and Dirty” (Part Three)

Image by Liqueur Felix via Flickr

Image via Wikipedia

Relationships aren’t easy, but when your trust is strong,

Your love will outgrow your heart, you can’t go wrong,

Right now your heart is focused on your friend,

Take time to discover what you want, let your heart mend,

So far, I’ve not been impressed with how you’ve treated me,

When you’re ready to accept me as I am, then we’ll see,

I think your heart is too small within your chest,

I’ll be your friend and nothing more, I think that’s best,”

I left her in her doorway, her gaze fixed on my back,

She had things to think about, things she might lack,

A few weeks later her call woke me from dreams,

“Talk to me,” she said, “I need to face the truth it seems,”

“You told me the truth but I thought you were wrong,

I didn’t realize I was weak, and you were that strong,

I want to know you and not what you can become,

You made me see myself, how I treated you like scum,”

At first we talked and shared about superficial things,

As we relaxed we considered what the future might bring,

Yet as we talked I wondered if she would ever love me,

Would she share my dreams and forget her reverie?

That was the first night, there were several yet to come,

I wanted to love her, I truly tried, but my heart was numb,

 She gradually changed as she looked within her heart,

She loved me for me, but I didn’t know where to start,

I was still her friend, I thought that was for the best,

And I knew her heart had grown, deep within her chest,

I knew I liked her, even loved her, but I couldn’t trust,

Was her heart really open, had she cleared away the rust?

Three months had passed, it seemed an eternity,

We went out to dine, she had invited me,

She said, “My heart has grown, deep within my chest,

I can’t contain my love,” (and perhaps you know the rest),

It was difficult for her to hide her fright,

Her small voice quavered ever so slight,

When she asked, “Are my breasts too small?”

She was exposing thoughts, fears, her very all,

She had pulchritude, talent, and intelligence,

Everything I thought was of the essence,

Her eyes searched mine hoping to find,

That I had forgiven her and made up my mind,

If I loved her, she needed desperately to know,

More than a friendship, she wanted love to grow,

Who knows if I was thinking, but I took a chance,

I wanted a relationship with true romance,

She was a changed person, she loved me for me,

A deep love without conditions, all it could be,

She had finally decided she could settle for poor,

She didn’t know that she was really getting more,

I was hired by a company that was starting to grow,

Within a few years I became the CEO,

And Staci got someone who would treat her like a queen,

Forever and always, and the time in between.

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“Sweaty and Dirty” (Part Two)

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It was suggested I dress formal, I learned from a note,

There were also several emails, they seemed so remote,

Yet I obtained her address, phone number, and name,

This seemed like a secret mission, or a wild party game,

I bought what a saleswoman recommended, yet odd I felt,

Wearing a crisp dark suit, matching watch, shoes, and belt,

I rang Staci’s doorbell at seven, being on time was my norm,

She stared wide-eyed as if I was some unrecognizable form,

“You cleaned up well,” she said as she glanced from head to toe,

 Her expression changed from shock to grin, why I don’t know,

She wore a classic black dress, ready for a night on the town,

I thought, “This is special, my feet aren’t touching ground,”

On the way we shared small talk, about values and goals,

Yet she was not listening, her emotions had taken control,

She was talking about someone else, I realized it was her ex,

About what he wanted, how he was different than she expects,

At the party I was at her side when she greeted her friends,

“Who is that?” they asked in front of me, she says, “Oh, him,”

“He’s just a laundry worker!” scorn evident in her voice,

“I had to come with someone, I really had no choice,”

She saw my hurt, and realized how her words had ripped,

“That’s the truth,” she said, “you shouldn’t have lost your grip,”

Her ex was more than a doctor, a heart surgeon, to be exact,

He was surrounded by women who watched his every act,

Staci led me across the room, bravely clutching my arm,

“Pretend you’re interested in me,” she said, “Show a little charm,”

The doctor saw us coming and came across to greet me,

“So you’re Staci’s new love, or just her wanna be?”

I replied, “I think she’s too good for you, so show some respect,”

He laughed and said to Staci, “What did you expect?

He’s just a laundry worker, dirt and sweat are in his veins,

He’s not what I’d call first class, he’ll work hard with little gain,”

“I would have supported you in style, if you’d just let me be,

Not all of us are monogamists, as you can plainly see,

You could have stayed, accepting me for the stud I am,”

Staci shook her head, “I won’t be part of your adoring harem,”

For her the party was over, she had heard the very worst,

Instead of her changing him, she found her bubble burst,

“Take me home,” she uttered, her eyes filling up with tears,

 The drive back was very quiet, with me, Staci, and her fears,

I walked Staci to her door, then turned to walk away,

I froze when I heard her voice, “Please, I want you to stay,”

This would have been a perfect time, her cruelty to avenge,

Instead I chose a positive way, an alternative to revenge,

“Staci, you’ve been hurt and I want to be your friend,

But even though I’m gullible, I want you to comprehend,

You see me as a laundry worker, with a social ladder to climb,

I hope your relationship expectations change over time,

I think you’re wrong when you look first for status or wealth,

There are better things to look for as you strive for relational health,

Make a list of the qualities you want from your ideal mate,

Decide which ones you can’t live without, or leave it to fate,

(to be continued)

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I’ll Love My Neighbor, My Community, and My World

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I’ll Love My Neighbor, My Community, and My World

When I was a child I felt secure in my mother’s arms,

I didn’t worry whether she would keep me from harm,

My world was limited because my vision was small,

But my understanding of relationships grew tall,

My nights were filled with moonlight and dreams,

Dreams of people who were part of a living stream,

Thus I began my quest to learn who they were,

And find where I would fit within this endless blur,

The search to belong became my secret song,

I wanted real relationships with the bonds strong,

Real questions that had meaning I wanted to ask,

To know my neighbors, was that too big of a task?

I wanted to exchange truth, not cause anyone strife,

Not to tell me they’re okay, then take their own life,

I wanted a community that found common ground,

Where people of all kinds were happy to be found,

My house would be open to all who passed through,

Not just for old friends, but even the new,

Failures of yesterday would become foundations for today,

Each mistake used to motivate to find a better way,

Relationships building up each other, with mercy and respect,

The rewards would keep returning, more than I expect,

I love my neighbors, my community, and my world too,

I would like to start somewhere, so what can I do?

No one was meant to be alone, whatever may befall,

You’re invited to my house, whether you’re different or not at all,

I’ll do what I can to share my life and maybe so will you,

We’ll build bridges across our differences and see what will ensue,

For all the world to see, our friendship would be on display,

If it’s all the same to you, there’s no reason to delay,

I’ll care for my neighbor like myself, compassionate and loving too,

I’ll seek good whenever I can, and that’s all I’ll ask of you.

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