MY MOTHER'S EYES

My mother had eyes
In back of her head
Her ears were antennae
It often was said.

Our house was a minefield
Kids running about
The place was in chaos
Mom needed her clout.

Four rowdy young boys
And me, the house queen,
Mom must have wondered
Was it nightmare or dream.

Her piercing brown eyes
And ears ever a-twitch
Led us to wonder
Was Mother a witch?

But, far from a witch
She was surely a saint,
Despite searing eyes,
Mothering's not for the faint.

by: Gigi

FASHIONISTA

Shopping, shopping,
Always shopping,
The quest for cool
Once kept me hopping.

Bloomie's, Saks,
And Neiman M.,
Meccas on Fifth,
Jeez, they were gems.

Gloves and garb,
Heels and hats,
The time it took
Just drove me bats.

But dressed to kill,
When date night came,
Some lad would whistle
"Wow! What a dame!"

Now if a chap says such a thing,
I'm mighty piqued
And up in arms,
But in the day, it sounded sweet.

'Bye, 'Bye, Gimbel's
I live in Jeans,
Fifth Ave chic,
Is a cast-off dream!

by: Gigi

TABLE MANNERS

When I was three
We got on a tanker and took to sea
Across the ocean blue to the USA
Ready to learn a new and easier way.

It wasn't long before I learned to table that thought
What is the matter with these people,
How many tables have they got?

Dining, kitchen, end, side, conference, chess, card,
Are coffee tables only for coffee?
So, if I want tea, am I not able?

Poker, pool and ping pong tables
That's only the P's
There are more gaming tables!

At school I learned to keep my hands
Folded on the table top
During earthquake drills, under the table I hop.

Water tables, mountain tables, Knights of the Round Table
We studied and explored
I'm not done yet, there is much, much more!

There were multiplication tables, the table of contents
And the Twelve Tables of Roman Law,
Amortization tables, drafting tables, and even a table for a saw.

I learned that Congress may table a motion
And there are chemical tables to create a potion.

To relieve stress, have fun and unwind
Listen to turntable music of any kind.

Now here comes the bride
With the groom at my side
First off to the buffet table
Then on to the banquet table we go

They turned the table on us
When the magician stole the show.
On to a cruise ; we were so delighted
When to the Captain's Table we were invited.

When we measure, we use a tablespoon
To ensure we're precise
And when we set the table
A tablecloth makes it oh so nice.

A computer allows us to create tables
Actors practice at table reads
Hobbyists often use crafting tables
To organize their many beads.

You get my point, I don't want to bore
But this is fun, so indulge me one more:
A table for one, a table for two
A table to infinity
O.K., your table is ready
Now here's the nitty-gritty...

This English language is confusing as hell
You must live here a long time to understand it well.

by: Sam, a spoof on her second language!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
To my hubby, who asked me to create a table on the computer
Then, Lu-Ann,, for whom I created a table that would suit her!

TEMPERANCE

Again and shamefully
The spectacle of The Ugly American
Has raised its ignorant head,
It's bared its sharpened teeth,
And flicked its fork-ed tongue.

Wake up, America!
Honor tradition.
Stand up, Americans!
Embrace diversity.

Spurn the pit bull
with the shotgun and the lipstick,
Reject the goon,
whose great wealth spawns hideous hair,
Dismiss the obstructionist,
he of strong tea and weak tears.

Purge racism, chauvinism and xenophobia,
Let the rainbow of our veneers
And the sunshine of our values glow,
So we might at last, and at least,
Respect ourselves once more.

by: Gigi

DAY OF RECKONING

Under menacing skies threatening Armageddon,

sea creatures,

trapped in their submarine prison,

scatter in sheer terror,

as birds on the wing, panicked in the wild maelstrom,

fling their fragile bodies into the shadowy unknown.

Do we alpha humans,

who have failed so miserably

to show our delicate environment the tenderness

required for its sustenance and survival,

await similar extinction?

Will veiled waves of radiation

bring the world as we know it

to a grim and lethal standstill?

Or, perhaps, worse

will those toxic waves

visit on us horrors more deadly than death?

Into the hands of whatever higher power we trust

now is the time to commend our restive souls.

by: Gigi

In Honor of Others, Known and Unknown

The King agonized about speaking
with great frustration.
I speak two languages
with little hesitation.

It dawned on me that even a King
can live a life of fear and fraught.
I realized that ease of speech is another gift
to which I never gave much thought.

It became apparent to me
that others like the King
have such difficult lives and stories.
I started to feel filled with gratitude
that in my lifetime
I have had very few worries.

In the past, I had medical complications
and recurrences, with constant fear.
But how fortunate am I, to have remained healthy
for so many years.

With much ease I am writing this,
with my brain and hands in full cooperation.
For some, this simple act
may cause great frustration.

I often complain and or joke about the antics of my bad ear,
sharing the misinterpretations that abound.
But I can hear the ocean roaring, babies laughing,
and my friends' words of encouragement,
forever thankful for those amazing sounds.

I have a roof over my head,
food to eat and water galore.
If I run out, I can turn on the tap
or just go to the store.

I may need glasses, but my eyes can see.
And, unlike some, my legs still bend at the knee!

Without any thought, I breathe with ease
and my heart beats so naturally.
Many people must struggle,
Their bodies do not respond with such autonomy.

My friend is battling cancer and has no hair.
I look in the mirror, and mine is still there.

Every day I turn on the news
and I see people in distress.
I have at times gotten overwhelmed
just because my house was a mess!

Sans a terrible moment in time,
I have lived a life
where there were no bombers in the sky.
My parents, however, became instant orphans,
and probably spent a lifetime
wondering why.

I will work to change and remember
those in this world with grave limitations.
I would be extremely remiss
if not filled with gratitude and immense appreciation.

by: Sam

For Jimmy Valentine Mallon

A child born on Valentine's day
Is a special soul, of course,
And if that child's named Valentine
Watch out world, he's a force.

So, when I wed my Valentine
I knew right from the start
He'd be kind and gentle
And take good care of my heart.