Do you see yourself
in the face of your sibling?
Identical twins.
© Marie Elena Good, 2021
For today’s prompt from Robert Lee Brewer of Poetic Asides, we are asked to write an ekphrastic poem. I used this photo of my Aunt Peg (my Mom’s identical twin sister). It is a double exposure, showing my mom’s smiling face in the face of Aunt Peg. Identical twins do seem a sort of “double exposure” in the first place, don’t they? Love this photo.
My five-year-old eyes
watched a three year old salute
his daddy’s coffin.
© Marie Elena Good, 2020
Written in response to Walt Wojtanik’s “I remember …” prompt at Poetic Bloomings.
Image courtesy of Prawny at Pixabay
At the top of the slide, she screams.
(As in chillingly nightmarish dreams.)
And it’s all justified:
There’s an ant on the slide,
So she’s coming apart at the seams.
© Marie Elena Good, 2020
Photo source unknown. Found at Bob on Books.
When I was a child, Christmas season included a trip downtown to window shop. Mom and Aunt Peg, my sister, our Grandma, and our cousins went together. My favorite was McKelvey’s Department Store, where our moms let us kids go to the fifth floor – the toy floor! Countless beautiful dolls, doll houses, trains, erector sets, life-sized stuffed animals, puzzles, paper dolls, coloring books and crayons galore, and a huge gumball machine. Imagine the magic! Not just a section, but an entire floor devoted to toys. And imagine the disappointment when Mom and Aunt Peg came through the elevator doors, and we knew it was time to leave.
No purchase needed
when you’re dreaming with cousins
and Santa’s in town.
© Marie Elena Good, 2019
Photo credit: Eric Mavis
It was said that Rabbit is made
of important things.
Piglet said, “Rabbit has brain,”
and, “Yes, Rabbit is clever.”
And that may be.
Yes, that may be.
But our smidgen-y Piglet is made
of weighty things –
nearly all of him being empathy
and oh-such-friendness
and how-can-I-helpness.
As Eeyore said
on that blustery day,
“Mind you don’t get blown away,
little Piglet. You’d be missed.”
And when you are missed,
you are weighty, indeed.
Christopher Robin’s friends
show us how to be ourselves
among others.
Being ourselves among others is
an important thing.
A weighty thing.
A Piglet-and-Pooh-and-Rabbit-and-Roo,
and Kanga-and-Eeyore-and-Tigger-and-Owl,
and love-me-for-me-and-I’ll-love-you-for-you,
significant, super-salubrious thing.
And so, little girl with your Piglet in tow,
be yourself as you grow,
and let others be so.
And when you’ve outgrown
your sweet childhood ways,
please hold Piglet at heart
for the rest of your days.
© Marie Elena Good, 2019
“Let’s rhyme,” he says, and so I do
of summer fairs and barbeque,
with marching-band parades uptown,
and small-town smiles all around.
The carny folk that drew you in
with big stuffed prizes you could win,
but off you’d go with some cheap toy
you’d carry home, but not enjoy.
Yet nonetheless, you’ll reminisce,
and I will guarantee you this:
That you will wish you were still there:
that child at the summer fair.
© Marie Elena Good, 2019
Found photo at blog of James Wallace Harris
When I was just a little girl,
I’d whimper in my room.
I’d plug my ears, hold back the tears,
And fight the dread of doom.
With covers pulled up to my eyes,
I’d suffocate my scream.
What once-a-week would make me freak?
The Perry Mason theme!
© Marie Elena Good, 2019
I WAS SUCH A WIMP! Still am. 😉
We could build a treehouse there
Where quiet breeze flows through the wood
And echoes of our childhood
Still faintly hover in the air.
I ponder it with broadening smile!
So, could we build a treehouse there?
I know we could, but do we dare?
I think it just might be worthwhile.
I hope that you can be convinced
For once my heart became aware
That we could build a treehouse there,
I’ve been obsessing ever since.
It wouldn’t be the same elsewhere
For that is where we laughed and played
And where our hearts took root and stayed.
I’m glad we built a treehouse there.
© Marie Elena Good
Photo by Deanna Marie Metts
All I wanted was to give you a gift –
A pretty something you could wear
On your wrist,
Or around your neck.
Something having nothing to do
With construction paper,
scissors,
or crayons.
Something purchased with paper money
From a department store.
Something wrapped in ribbon.
Now all I want is to give you a gift –
Something having nothing to do
With purchases
With paper money.
I want to give you
Sunny smiles,
Smooth sailing,
Sweet solace.
Photo credit: dreamstime.com
We as children
Face-up in soft grass
Hands clasped behind our heads
Watching floating scenes above,
Seeing things differently –
Each through our own lens,
Mimicking real life.
© Marie Elena Good
pictured words 