Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas
 the mailman left for me:
 1 notice I am frigging overdrawn

On the second day of Christmas
my neighbor said to me:
2 Christmas lights a flickering

and 1 notice I am frigging overdrawn

On the third day of Christmas
my customers said to me:
3 packages missing

2 Christmas lights a flickering

and 1 notice I am frigging overdrawn

On the fourth day of Christmas
my honey said to me:
4 tins of chocolate melting

3 packages missing

2 Christmas lights a flickering

and 1 notice I am frigging overdrawn

On the fifth day of Christmas
the technician said to me:
5 oven parts need replacing

4 tins of chocolate melting

3 packages missing

2 Christmas lights a flickering

and 1 notice I am frigging overdrawn

On the sixth day of Christmas
salesman said to me:
6 free days in the Caribbean

5 oven parts need replacing

4 tins of chocolate melting

3 packages a missing

2 Christmas lights a flickering

and 1 notice I am frigging overdrawn

On the seventh day of Christmas
my lawn man said to me:
7 goldfish a floating

6 free days in the Caribbean

5 oven parts need replacing

4 tins of chocolate melting

3 packages a missing

2 Christmas lights a flickering

and 1 notice I am frigging overdrawn

On the eighth day of Christmas
Weather dude said to me:
8 cold fronts are coming

7 goldfish a floating

6 free days in the Caribbean

5 oven parts need replacing

4 tins of chocolate melting

3 packages missing

2 Christmas lights a flickering

and 1 notice I am rigging overdrawn

 
On the ninth day of Christmas
my exterminator said to me:
9  mice a playing

8 cold fronts a coming

7 goldfish a floating

6 free days in the Caribbean

5 oven parts need replacing

4 tins of chocolate melting

3 packages missing

2 Christmas lights a flickering

and 1 notice I am frigging overdrawn

On the tenth day of Christmas
my psychic sent to me:
10 months of retrograding

9  mice a playing

8 cold fronts a coming

7 goldfish a floating

6 free days in the Caribbean

5 oven parts need replacing

4 tins of chocolate melting

3 packages missing

2 Christmas lights a flickering

and 1 notice I am frigging overdrawn

On the eleventh day of Christmas
my computer said to me:
11 critical errors with a blue screen

10 months of retrograding

9  mice a playing

8 cold fronts a coming

7 goldfish a floating

6 free days in the Caribbean

5 oven parts need replacing

4 tins of chocolate melting

3 packages missing

2 Christmas lights a flickering

and 1 notice I am frigging overdrawn

On the twelfth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me:
12 honey kisses
for dealing with

11 critical errors with a blue screen

10 months of retrograding

9  mice a playing

8 cold fronts a coming

7 goldfish a floating

6 free days in the Caribbean

5 oven parts need replacing

4 tins of chocolate melting

3 packages missing

2 Christmas lights a flickering

and 1 notice I am frigging overdrawn.

Hope your Christmas is Wonderful!!

barb & looie

#MeToo

and he whined...

like a puppy left out in the cold:

unfair, unfair my dear

for your thoughts are so bold

not me, never

I believe in equality for sure

it has been my way

you know that I am mature

drop that paint brush

don't swipe such a broad stroke

I could lose my job

and soon I would be broke

be fair I plead

remember that about you I care

protecting you

the weaker sex so very fair.

and she grimaced

sour grapes could hold her face:

I am exposed

to your fragile ego in place

from the sneer

when I put forth my thoughts

to the dismissal

your meaning I certainly caught

more money

misconception of my brain

when fixing my things

I didn't just get off the westbound train

is there a man

someone to who you communicate

those pesky details

just sealed your stupid fate

Everyday

little tiny ways and inappropriately

looks or touching

makes me want to flee.

A woman faces discrimination of their existence

every single day.  From the service men who assume we can't comprehend

or know left from right to the men who believe it is their complete right to take

without consequences.  It surrounds us completely smothering our

souls and demeaning us from birth. 

Hats off to the women stepping forward and to Time Magazine for

giving this issue the light of day.

barb

Ice Beneath My Boots

I have little

but what I have is mine

It is worth

more than I could count in time

The cold reminds

me of the warmth of my heart

beating, beating

each seems further apart

As winter

my life lays down for awhile

renewing the land

as the womb does the child

Cold stills

minute details of this day

the wind travels

coming by but never to stay

Bare trees

stark against the hills

Warm furs

protect against the chill

A simple life

determination holds tight

A warm wind

will eventually come some night

I have little

what I have is mine

no one can see

in sun or storm, I shall be fine.

barb

The Exposure of Assault

A simple truth

known in the depths of a woman

acknowledged in silence

found in the haunted forest

on a moonless night.

The rustling

movement of another being

painful memories suddenly flee

deeper into the dark

on a moonless night.

The daylight

the enemy of the fear

never seeps into the deep recess

where yesterday resides

on a moonless night.

He travels

upon the tails of his power

seeking the mew of the weaker

cowering in prayer

on a moonless night.

The smell

success shall be his this night

a hunt to satisfy his lust

need will multiply

on a moonless night.

Years past by

his presence always nearby

hunger for someone much younger

fear never leaves

on a moonless night.

A simple truth

known in the depths of a woman

acknowledged in silence

found in the haunted forest

on a moonless night.

barb

Trying to explain the stigma, the fear and the anger that being abused leaves

in the victim is impossible to those who have never experienced it.

To explain it to those who have takes no words.

Black and White

Our eyes are the lens to life

the soul of our imagination

but... 

if our eyes told only stories

in tones of

black or white

only saw never straight lines

a distortion of reality

?

who is to tell the tale

untangling the moving wind

can you hear it whistle

moan between bare trees

as your ears betray

the chill that washes

your brain

?

so unholy dark

the black overcomes the shades

dominating all sight

eating upon the colors

fighting in the everlasting night

sleep sweet hues

sleep until the morning light

?

who goes there

when shades of gray display

movement in the wind

sounds rise from beyond

sharp scrapes running

along my grave

animal or man who goes there

?

loneliness reigns

sitting on the black throne

leaving behind nothing

night after night I wait

my eyes are dead

but my mind sees so clearly

hope upon my lips

?

I wait

an eternity is just that

a clock that ticks

longer under the dirt

much lonelier where I lie

I wait

for there is nothing left of me.

barb