Author: 3RueSleidan

The Legacy of the Sisters

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Be that as it may
They came
With no warning
Just like the cancer

They raked
They cooked
They sat with him
In his loneliness

They laughed
At TV game shows
Puzzled through
NY Times crosswords

They worried
They fretted
They gave their time
And their love

And they brought
The small, white
Plastic trash bags
For the remains

Neatly lining
All five of the
Small, round cans
In the bedroom

They dutifully
Emptied each bag
Once a day
Of its toxic contents

Their legacy
Of love…
And then they
Said goodbye

–-Victoria Emmons, © 2011

Scream

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A tiny scream
Inside my head
Awakens me
From my bed

What thought say I
To none but me
What woes are there
Or dreams to be

What lies within
My gentle skin
What thoughts persist
When light begins

And thus is born
A year of pain
Of restless nights
Am I insane

–Victoria Emmons, © 2012

One Ticket

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Is enough
Two too many
To find a date
To wait and wait
For him to state
His intentions

One lonely ticket
Two far gone
To hear a sound
Of my past life
With my old man
His favorite song

One is okay
Not two or three
Or even four
Just one
One lonely life
To hear the score

Of violins and
Saxophone dreams
A piano note or two
Blend the cacophony
Of life together
With a single tune

–Victoria Emmons, © 2013

Un poème pour Mustapha

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je souris et
je rigole
ce moment
d’ecstase
qui m’attend

à cause de toi
la vie est gaie
j’ai des amis
qui sont devant
et autour de moi

j’ai des amis
qui me protègent
tous les jours
et toutes les nuits
sais pas pourquoi

suis-je belle?
peut-etre jolie?
je parle langage
trop fleuri
de mauvais temps

je les aime
ces chers amis
dans ma vie
dans le monde
de tristesse

de très loin
lumière d’Algérie
qui m’écrit
de bons mots
d’amitiés

je souris et
je rigole
car la vie est
comme tu dis
mon cher ami

–Victoire, 2014

Sole Survivor

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I am the sole guest
At my dinner table
No one to please
Save my own palate

The hour is late
As work takes over
On this holiday week
With no one to share

A Roomful of Blues
Plays Solid Jam
Awakening my soul
Soul of another kind

I scour cookbooks
For fresh recipes
Savor Gouda and gherkins
With a vodka chase

My kitchen dance begins
10 o’clock piano jazz
And smooth lyrics
To hide my fears

Let me love you, baby
He repeats throughout
A tune that will fade
As love fades, too, after a while

Butter sizzles in the pan
Hot pools of taste
Wait for the main dish
Washed and patted dry

Flour encases the fillets
Protects them from harm
Wish it were so easy
To protect me, too

Wrapped in flour
Browned and moist
Seasoned well over time
Sole Meunière survives

–Victoria Emmons,  Copyright 2014

Monday Night Promise

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The doorbell never rings
As expected this Monday night
The steak is never grilled
Nor the wine poured

Baked potatoes are hot
Ready to devour with butter
And peas with lemon juice
Without the special guest

Anticipation nonetheless
Expectation and longing
Planning for days and
Preparation complete

Dress is selected
Pressed at the seams
Lipstick in place
Bouquet in a vase

The wait is endless
Count seconds on the clock
A Monday night promise
Tuesday morning tears

My Every Breath

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Take it away
My every breath
Never to return

You gave me life
Deepest hope
Beautiful laughter

Those words you sent
In a tiny box
Magnified our love

We were sixteen
Or so it felt
For a while

The many years
Months, days
And hours

Became nothing
More than minutes
Counting morphine

–Victoria Emmons ©2011

To Do List

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Prepare for poetry.
Prepare for change.
Think more.
Make time for cursive writing.
Ignore Yahoo mail.

Get nails done.
Get hair done.
Believe in something.
Believe in anything.
Why believe?
Why not?

My head aches.
Blood is everywhere.
I am bleeding.
I am hurting.
I am bewildered.
I am emboldened.

Do not eat.
Do not drink.
Do not answer the phone.
Do not answer email.
Do not text.

Fast.
Lose weight.
Lose faith.
Lose teeth.
Lose friends.
Lose life.

Then gain.
Gain faith in humankind.
Gain friends.
Gain life.
But do not gain weight.
Gain gravitas.

LED Morning

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Three blue fives
Reconcile time
For the morning

Down the stairs
Follow green glow
To the kitchen

Red embers
Lighten the room
Draw me near

In the darkness
Inspire me to
Press new words

Cats follow
Interrupt thought
Cries of need

Feed the hungry
To satisfy
And fulfill

Flash of red
Dull warning
Signals light

Renew thought
An addiction
To e-mail

–Victoria Emmons, 2009