To the Lady in the Mirror

ONE STOP POETRY
http://onestoppoetry.com/2011/02

Why not Valentines to ourselves?

TO THE LADY IN THE MIRROR

I send no card to the lady I see before me now

For she's frayed around the edges and not worthy of a bow.

I send no card to that person I see with the mottled skin,

For she is just a receptacle to keep my being in.

But I send a card to a friend of mine who lives inside of me,

For she's a  great companion and I love her totally. 

 I've had a lovely life with her, in almost every way,

And to her I send a Valentine on this very special day.
*

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JULIET'S BALCONY

'Every picture tells a story'. You must have heard that said.
And this is the famous balcony of which you've often read.
Well, this picture tells two stories; there's the balcony of course.
And then the crowds of tourists, gathered there in force.
*
Let's look back at the story of Romeo et al,
A tale resembling the musical called....wait.....'Me and My Gal'.
No, I'm not being disrespectful! Any student would avow
That the lovers were teenage sweethearts, as we understand that now.
*
Their love might not have stayed the course; fate didn't give it time
Because their little dalliance was cut short by a crime.
Had they both lived to a ripe old age their ancient love-affair
Might have proved to be a nothing; we wouldn't even care!
*
It's Shakespeare's words that turned the tale into into an epic story!
His language turned a dalliance into a glimpse of glory.
But he never went to Verona, and the story itself was old,
Long before a famous Bard turned it into gold!
*
But surely the balcony itself is a genuine artifact!
(I'll try to ruin your romance with a modicum of tact!)
The city of Verona had a tourist industry,
And, with Juliet in mind, looked around for a balcony.
*
'This one will do' somebody said; 'We think the age is right.
It's really rather picturesque! Yes, it will do alright!'
So now the tourists flock to gaze at 'Juliet's Balcony'
Not realising they've been duped! What rank duplicity!
*
Yet still there lingers in my mind the urge to be serenaded
As I stand upon a balcony! The dream has never faded.
The alchemy has done it's work; I'm influenced even yet
By the magic of the love-affair....'Romeo and Juliet.'
*

The Aftermath

ONE STOP POETRY
http://oneshotpoetry.blogspot.com/
supplied the prompt

THE AFTERMATH

The pomp and circumstance have gone,

The dignitaries departed,

And we are left just pondering

On the way the evening started.

The titivation of the street,

The carpet, red, unrolling,

The crowds all braying as of one,

The praising and extolling.

The special guests, dressed to the nines,

The primping and the passion,

The tossing back of blonded hair,

The fawning and the fashion!

But now it's dawn, the night has gone,

And we are left to ponder

On trumpets that played not one note

And bounty made to squander!

*

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OVERFLOW

I love to watch the overflow that streams out of the pool.

To keep the sea enclosed like that seems verging on the cruel!

When gross or giddy people have used it for their pleasure

The freedom of the open sea is something it must treasure.

I almost hear the separate drops saying to each other

'School's out! So come on boys! We're going home to Mother!'
*

Travelling Towards

ONE STOP POETRY

TRAVELLING TOWARDS

We are always travelling towards. 'The best is yet to be.'

Over the horizon lies a perfect shining sea;

Meadows of sweet grass await us just round the next bend;

Avenues of gracious trees stretching on without an end;

Not much further! There, for sure, we'll find the perfect beach!

Everything we long for..... always, always out of reach.

It's part of the human condition, to be pushing-on and striving;

We're always on our way 'there' and never quite arriving.

The little star-like weeds we pass in a rather boring by-way

Are nothing like the blossoms at the ending of our highway!

Next year! Next week! Not yet! But soon! Perfection keeps on beckoning!

And this new gadget that we want will deliver, that's our reckoning.

For sure our futures well may hold the finer and the grander

But let's roll this word around our lips.....

The lovely word

Meander.

*

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WALKING TALL!

Is there any ecstasy to be compared with this?

It's even much more wonderful than that first stolen kiss!

When 'on all fours' has been the rule, and all you've seen is feet,

That very first uncertain step is powerfully sweet.

When you prepare to walk to Dad and Dad holds out his arms,

You become 'homo erectus', enjoying those upright charms.

You become part of the human race, not some small crawling thing.

Once you were a creature, but now you are a king!

 *