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The Web Poetry Corner

Shirley Allard

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Lempster, NH, US

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Quantitative Inheritance

by

Shirley Allard

Like fish, we swim against life's stream
Distracted by our hopes and dreams
Blind to innate memories
passed through time, genetically.
We stake our claims, prophetically,
as the masters of our destiny.

Unlike the fish, the upward slopes,
that drain their spirits; fuel our hopes.
The visions, omens, instinctual signs
that sneak into our idle minds
are disregarded, we’re more inclined
to believe we’ve lived a thousand times.

Nature's wisdom is very clear-
We live just once; but while we're here,
we add our scrap of brilliancy
to the cache of familial memory.
A thousand years of history
Passed through time, genetically.

Immaculate Deception

by

Shirley Allard

Two eggs, resting side by side
One shell, in which two chicks reside.
One grew strong, as cells divided,
The other disappeared inside it.
Together, they grew as one, these two
Now so conjoined, that no one knew.

The innocent victims of nature’s flair
United_ and perfectly unaware,
That when they reached maturity
The one inside, would grow to be
An equal but opposite identity.

Now the one we see, in reality,
Unknown to us, would share
With one inside, who’s been denied.
The ‘one’ who isn’t there.

Might every rooster in life’s pen
Have inside himself, a hen?
Or an evil other, awaiting the chance
The proper time and circumstance
To ‘come out’ from within?

When examined with an open mind
More of us, I'm sure would find
A truth that others simply won’t
In what we see, and what we don’t."

Silent Knight

by

Shirley Allard

Imprisoned by a cruel disease
Robbed of precious memories
Walking.
Walking.
Endlessly.
Going nowhere - repeatedly.

Suddenly silenced, deprived of words
Voices hushed, no longer heard
Staring.
Staring.
A haunting peer.
Saying nothing - loud and clear.

Eyes that search the world in vain
Still filled with long forgotten pain
Searching.
Searching.
In despair.
Seeing nothing - everywhere.

Hands that dried their children’s tears
Now strangers, to their needs and fears
Holding.
Holding.
Family ties.
Now forgotten - vaporized.

Hour by hour, day by day
Imprisoned souls will slip away
Drifting.
Drifting.
Souls in flight
Out of darkness - through the light.

May heaven’s hand
restore thee, Silent Knight.

Twisted Fate

by

Shirley Allard

Twisted Fate
God made you
I’m sure that’s true
But you needed woman
didn't you?
For when you found
what you must do
necessity
thus prompted you
to add some shine
and innocence
to tone
your brawny elements
And so you fashioned
in a sense
yourself -
adorned with elegance.

You bargained, "God,
I tend the flocks
I shan’t pound laundry
on the rocks!"
So all alone and feeling glib
you offered up a token rib.

God added moonbeams
rainbows, stars
and fragrances from sacred jars
some fairy dust and angels’ wings
sweet lullabies for when she sings
and when he finished
upon the shelf
sat this year's model
of yourself.
And all my virtues
hence were wasted
on some sweet apple
never tasted.
How strange I think
the irony,
that you should blame
your fate on me.

The Art of Friendship

by

Shirley Allard

Friendship is a promise
to listen and to share.
A bond that captures strangers
in a world that seldom cares.
A friendly ear to listen
a smile when hearts are down
and sunshine on the garden
when storms rage all around.
A rose among a world of thorns
to heal and help when needed
Friendship is a flower
to be nurtured...wherever it’s found.

Mercury in Motion

by

Shirley Allard

Like mercury on a smooth steel plate
A solid illusion in fluid state
Rolling and flowing and lying in wait.

Once shattered and scattered to hell and back
Their Holy illusions and pretenses crack
Revealing who’s dealing with a deck that is stacked.

Those self-appointed as God’s ‘holy men’
Abuse our sweet children while condemning OUR sin
As God watches demons that rule from within
Who allow such deception to serve them again.

A Star is Born

by

Shirley Allard

Born of devastation
Lifeless by your side
"Rare but fatal complications"
Little one "Your Mommy Died"
She left this world without you
Never once, your face to see
For she could not leave your daddy
Here alone, sweet Emma Lee
And Daddy named a midnight star
Where her love for you will shine
And remind us of the treasured gifts
She so lovingly left behind.

For Tina - I miss you.

Wisdom is a Scary Thing

by

Shirley Allard

Wisdom comes with age they say
And I can vouch for that!
I’m so wise my hair is graying
And my jeans say I’m too fat.

For every inch I widen
I lose an inch in height
And though I’ve never heard it
Precious says I snore all night.

I’m ‘Mom’ to all my children’s friends
The heart of one big family
My hubby calls me Mother
And my babies call me Grammy.

The price of wisdom settles in
and knocks you on your fanny
When on Halloween the kids decide
To go as Gramp and Grammy!

So live it up and chase those dreams
Cause old and wise is a scary scene!
I only hope as I shrink and double
That this much wisdom is worth the trouble!

Love is TRULY Blind

by

Shirley Allard

I’m not sure if I’m in love
or love’s in love with me.
I question now if I’m afraid
or if fear’s a part of me.
This constant doubt just hacks away
and plagues me constantly.

If any heart gets broken
I would gladly it be mine
Some words are oft unspoken
When your love is truly blind.

I search my soul beyond control
In desperate need to find
What fate allowed this wayward love
to rule this heart of mine?

The Power of Words

by

Shirley Allard

She’s tucked him away, for some far away day
Like a photo, now etched in her mind
Only letting him out, when there’s no one about
To amuse her with sweet words of rhyme

She keeps him well hidden, like a child’s toy
forbidden, this poet with words deep and dark
She carries him with her, his sweet silent whisper
She’s locked away, deep in her heart.

With a strange fascination and infatuation
She interprets and reads between lines
She looks for the cure, unsure if the lure
Is a state of the heart or the mind.

So, if you were this poet, and surely
you’d know it, your words will continue to shine
There are mothers and wives, now living their lives
With a sweet fantasy in their minds.

What more could any poet ask for?

The Power of Words

by

Shirley Allard

To My Love

by

Shirley Allard

There are places in my heart
where only you can go.
Places in my mind,
that only you can know.
Places in my soul,
that you alone can share.
Places in my dreams,
that are, because you're there."

Just Leaving

by

Shirley Allard

I sit mesmerized
watching leaves touching down
Now freed from the tree
as they spiral around
They land with perfection
such timing and grace
Appearing predestined
to fill empty space
Their landing expands
earthy palettes of color
Landing softly and gently
as they playfully hover
Awaiting arrival of a crisp cleansing air
to erase any trace they had ever been there.

Soul Mates

by

Shirley Allard

Out of nowhere
souls unite
their spirits merge
and dance.

Their words
become their music
as they flirt
with circumstance.

Glowing
in a mutual light
their heartfelt words inspire
an act of spontaneous combustion
now consumed by friendly fire.

Uncommon Senses

by

Shirley Allard

Shadows dance on scapes of green
Painting darkness, in between
Deceiving hues, so well disguised
By blinding light and dazzled eyes
When senses rule, the mind succumbs
And something stupid this way comes.

Beware the lure of tangled thread
When uncommon senses rule your head.

Precious Things

by

Shirley Allard

When the night is still
and the moon is high
I think of that moment
with a tear and a sigh.

The moment you entered
my world, I became
Somebody special
As I whispered your name.

Cold, frightened tears
Simply melted away
As I knelt down beside you
And kissed them away.

There’s a place in my heart
That’s been branded with ‘taken’
Reserved just for precious things
Still in the making.

For Luke

by

Shirley Allard

All the stars in the midnight sky
Are but candlelight in space
Compared to the light in your little eyes
And the innocent smile on your face.

God surely made you special
Like a rare, exotic flower
His gift is in your sameness
The difference? A perception of ours.

You‚re a gift to all, who take the time
To stop and smell ALL the flowers!

Where Do Angels Come From?

by

Shirley Allard

The power of wine and roses
can make an angel ‘appear’ to be one.
It takes a sparkle in your eye
to ever truly see one.
Suddenly, you realize
there’s something you’re without.
Something, without that sparkle,
you never knew about.
The sun is growing hotter
or could it just be you?
Moonbeams foster fantasies
most unlikely to come true.
An angel is for you to keep
But the wise will realize
She’s born, she lives
and slowly dies
with that dwindling sparkle
in your eyes.

Lost in Space

by

Shirley Allard

There’s a faraway place
(I think it’s in space)
Where there lives
a most magical creature
And if you’re so inclined
You can go there and find
All the wonderful things
He could teach ya
It’s so far away
No mere earthling could say
Which star should be followed to find it
But there is no such place, not even in space,

Whispers in the Wind

by

Shirley Allard

"The mighty oak tree softly speaks
with whispers in the wind
It does not ponder purpose
nor worry how or when.

It speaks of dark and stormy days
of its struggle to stand tall
and of how its mightiness began
with an acorn ever small.

As it grows, with neither thought nor care,
its branches dancing on the air
a tiny acorn hits the ground
in spring, an oak tree to be found.

I have listened to its wisdom
its message I shall heed
and live my life as though I too
am a carefully planted seed."

Whispers in the Wind

by

Shirley Allard

May God keep you
in his watchful eye
and be always at your side.
As a soldier you serve, with a strong reserve
of dignity and pride.
With faith in God and country,
and convictions firmly planted,
As a soldier you fight, to preserve the rights
we have come to take for granted.
We are proud to be called Americans,
while you honor our commitment to freedom,
As a soldier you try, without compromise,
to excel in your efforts to be one.
We keep you in our hearts and prayers,
may you never feel alone.
As a soldier have faith, God will keep you safe,
til you find your way back home.

When A Child Cries

by

Shirley Allard

The moon will hide its face behind its glow,
ashamed to light the way, or just stand by.
Humanity will suffer, justly so,
for every time a child is made to cry.
A just and fair reward we shall impart,
for one who preys on innocence and trust.
For every child who knows a broken heart,
a penalty of death, is barely just.
Our world’s become complacent to abuse
and all good deeds are carried out in vain
There is no good defense, no just excuse
for any time a child is left in pain.
Stand up and shout; insist that someone pay
for every time a child is led astray.

Unsung Evil

by

Shirley Allard

The creeper creeps through darkened halls
like dampness seeps through hardened walls
Silently moving among us all
creeping, creeping to a muted call.

The creeper creeps with much to gain
from ignorance and lack of fame
Refusing to acknowledge what we cannot name
Allows the creep his claim to fame.

High-Tech Tango

by

Shirley Allard

This world of high technology
That looms and refuses to leave
Is changing the world of poetry
Some reformatting is due I believe.

Giving Thanks

by

Shirley Allard

I’m blessed with children born with health,
Without the burden of fame or wealth,
And with babies to lavish with lullabies,
My ‘joyful noise’ lights up their eyes,
Such sweet blessings I’ve been dealt.

I’m blessed with moments quietly spent,
With friends of old and new descent,
And with every song that softly sings,
Of love and life and tender things,
Such sweet blessings are heaven sent.

I’m blessed with gifts of caring and compassion,
With a soft spot for romance and words of passion,
And with someone who’s always there to oblige,
Who makes each wish and whim come alive,
Such sweet blessings are hard to fathom.

I’m not blessed with wealth or political clout,
Or a name that you’ll frequently read about,
I have no great need for stealth or power,
Or to be the woman of the hour; I'm just thankful
Such sweet blessings I can live without.

Relativity

by

Shirley Allard

The perspiration of aspirations
gathers as you toil
With pen you lance, at circumstance
approaching midnight oil.

With truth, you coax your words to dance
each syllable on cue
While you strive to beat the masters
I aspire to be you.

I Hate Winter

by

Shirley Allard

Winter takes on a chilling cold
I hate that frosty bite. But fires
are not allowed we're told, So
Only the smoke from days of old
Can warm this hearth tonight.

What I Need

by

Shirley Allard

What I Need
Hummingbirds and butterflies
Ladybugs and dragonflies
Shadows cast from autumn trees
Morning glories, bumble bees
The garden of simplicity
Is where I go to capture me
Soothing music fills my head
antique lace on feathered beds
Ocean air at 5 am and
beaches walked from end to end.
Alone with sweetly soothing dreams
is where I look for me it seems.
An old stonewall, a ‘climbing’ tree
and sunny childhood memories
A youthful age when hearts could tease
with passion and love’s possibilities
Reminding me my heart is free
But what I need is what needs me.

CHARGE IT!

by

Shirley Allard

I am the master of my fate
At least to some degree
And the actions I choose to contemplate
Are totally up to me. The mind
is free to visit, where the body
can never go. There is no per customer limit
On sweet fantasies don’t you know.

Though luxurious, there’s no tax on dreaming yet
You can’t even lose without placing a bet!

Out of Body or Out of Mind

by

Shirley Allard

Getting to know you has been
one of the greatest journeys of my life.
I feel I’ve known you forever, and yet not at all.
Each day holds something new
something exciting and wonderful to learn.
Exploring your mind
has helped me learn to explore myself.
You inspire me to search my soul
for a better me, a stronger me,
a me that is capable of inspiring you.
Meeting you was not in my plan
Just an act of fate.
So natural, so right, so comfortable.
And although the future holds no promise
There is one thing I know will last...
I will be forever in love with your words!

Out of Darkness Comes Light

by

Shirley Allard

When I was a tot I was frightened a lot
Like you, by the darkness of night
So I’d curl up in bed, cover my head
and close my eyes ever so tight
My teeth they would chatter
my hands they would shake
way down in the bed I would creep
And though mother’d say
"Come out for heaven’s sake!"
I’d stay there til I fell asleep.
Then one night like magic I opened my eyes
and the blankets above me were gone
The night sky was twinkling with bright fireflies
as soft moonbeams danced on the lawn.
Now my fear of the darkness is gone.

And so my child who’s afraid of the dark
a lesson I leave you to lighten your heart
There is nothing that lurks in the dark of night
That matches our fear when deprived of sight
So conjure up visions that bring you delight
And see in the darkness - whatever you might.

Simple Truths

by

Shirley Allard

Simple truths are hard to find
Well hidden in the rubble
Products of creative minds
Who dwell on toil and trouble
With whis pers of love and memories
Rebounding on the double.

The only truths we’ll ever own
Are hidden in our hearts
Forever to be cherished
Making way for cupid’s darts
To find their lonely way back home
Ending fears of a life that’s lived alone.

When darkness creeps into the soul
And faith and hope forsake us
The simple truths will always come
To lead us to where we’re safest.
The key is knowing truth from darts
The simple truths lie within our hearts.

Self Images

by

Shirley Allard

There's only one image that rules
Only one that make's things clearer
You can fool the other fools
But you'll never fool the mirror.

See success and I'm willing to bet
Than what YOU see is what you'll get.

After The Snow

by

Shirley Allard

The snow has held as days grow short
All the stonewalls now hide as though capped
The bark of trees now glares parched and bright
The trunk long drained; the roots now tapped
Holding the secret of springs sweet sap
While quietly retiring for a long winter nap.

...just wait a minute

by

Shirley Allard

Again winter’s fury receded
With green morning grass we are greeted
And with tropical breezes so warm and inviting
Winter is oh so much more than exciting.

Timeless Treasures

by

Shirley Allard

No flower is more beautiful
Than one that’s picked from youth
With tiny hands round broken stems
Whispering "Mommy, it for you"

No verse was ever written
That had so much to say
As the scribbles in those folded hearts
Reading "Happy Mohes Day"

No words will ever fill my heart
With this happy kind of sad
Encircled with a crayon heart —
"Your the best mom I ever had."

Fragile Hearts...

by

Shirley Allard

I tend to view this life through rosy glass
I see the world the way I’d have it be
And yes, I know the time will come to pass
When I’ll awake and face the truth of me
Thus everything I dream of in my need
May not be in the flower but the seed.

I need to think that world is out of reach
For everything I claim I would give up
A treasure in my heart I once believed
That no one short of God could so corrupt
Lines of safety snap and threads unravel-
When the fragile heart considers travel.

While beckoning the warmth I ponder still
I feel the call of careless choices chill.

Anticipation

by

Shirley Allard

There is no road regardless of bends
That hearts can't weave around
Though sometimes hearts can't see the end
With endless detours to be found.
They may end up where hearts are bound.
These matters of the heart are unclear
For it may be, to be cliche
They can't get there from here.

Either way, the anticipating
Makes any answer worth the waiting.

Colors

by

Shirley Allard

The things I most love
I love passionately
The things I most hate
I hate fervently. With
Family and friends
On my list of the first
Prejudice and vanity
By far are the worst.

Poetic License

by

Shirley Allard

A poet paints their art with words
Their brush, a mighty sword
With innuendo here and there
They strike familiar chords.

With words absurd, their meaning blurred
They seduce a fleeting thought
But never assume it’s their personal gloom
For often it is not.

The pain and joy they oft employ
To render their reason to rhyme
Are tainted by the readers’ eye
Unequipped with a poets mind.

So when you read a poet’s words
With toil so well defined
That a miner, with a lifeless bird
Is planted in your mind.
It may well be reality
Just not of their own kind.

Good-Bye

by

Shirley Allard

I didn’t take the time to read the paper this morning. I had too many other things on my mind. Not the least of which was myself. I spent the morning sifting through some stupid poetry I’d written years ago convincing myself it was worthy of presenting to the world. Dreamers do like to dream big.
While I was dreaming big you died. I never got to say good-bye. I picked up the paper this afternoon and there it was. No phone call, nobody told me. I just saw it there in black and white like you had been a stranger. My God, how could you die without telling me.
The birthday card I meant to send you last week sits on the shelf under a pile of bills. I meant to send it or deliver it but there it sits and you are gone.
You didn’t want company. You wanted to be alone with your misery so I left you alone. Even though I knew my visit would have meant the world to you. I didn’t want to see you at death’s door but, to remember you just the way I remember you. I feel so selfish now for granting your wish.
Nobody called, nobody told me because nobody knew that you had been in love with me from the first time we met. Only you and I. And maybe my husband. You settled for being my friend for years and I thank you for that.
I remember telling you that lovers can be found everywhere but good friends are hard to come by. I just wanted to be your friend. I didn’t even make a very good friend. I didn’t even say good-bye...so, good bye my friend and thank you for loving me.

The Ghost of Christmas Future

by

Shirley Allard

Never in our wildest dreams
Did we ever dream so clearly
Than of gifts that couldn’t be opened
Presented oh so dearly
The glossy wrap and tidy bows
Enticed our childlike pleasure
Of facing the darkness and feasting our eyes
Upon that wished for treasure.
While a ‘do not open til Christmas’ greeting
At least assumed a ‘someday’ meeting
Fueling hopes with new found pleasure
Of unwrapping that gift and exploring their treasure.

A Chilling Thought

by

Shirley Allard

A walk across a frozen land
To hold the snow within your hand
A healing breath of warmth be dealt
To entice the brilliant crystals’ melt.

For beneath it’s icy dark pretense
Flows crystal pools of eloquence.

A Chilling Thought

by

Shirley Allard

A walk across a frozen land
To hold the snow within your hand
A healing breath of warmth be dealt
To entice the brilliant crystals' melt.

For beneath it's icy dark pretense
Flow crystal pools of eloquence.

Death By Chocolate

by

Shirley Allard

Sometimes I see the world as a dark place.
A forsaken place.
A food factory where children go hungry.
A mountain of uncut stones with a shortage of gems.
A promise of heaven so distorted
that some are willing to create hell on earth to obtain it.
I see a country where people complain about their debt
for the luxuries others couldn’t buy if they wanted to.
Where health care that is nonexistent for others
is simply ‘too expensive’ for us.
Where money rolls off the press and still those in need
know only a perpetual shortage of paper.
A world governed by a great candy bar factory
where everything is rolled together, sweetened, sugar coated
and packaged attractively before it’s sold.
And, worst of all...
I see us buying it!

Sorry, I read the ingredients!

To Those Who Serve

by

Shirley Allard

The lights are on and all is in full swing
As Hark, The Herald Angels we all sing
The child is at the door to try and sneak
A look at Santa’s cache - the slightest peek!
The tree is standing tall beneath its star
With trim and glitz and toys and gifts bizarre
Yes all is well because of what you do
Our special thanks goes out to all of you.
For someone, somewhere, surely will be missed
Sweet someones will be longing for your kiss
Sweet children will be up and feeling sad
Cause Santa didn’t bring their Mom or Dad.
We pray that God will keep you in His grace
And soon you will resume your rightful place.

Merrry Christmas!

The Poet

by

Shirley Allard

The Poet’s goal: to fan the famished flame
A catalyst to boost immortal fame
One glowing ember separate from the rest
One proof you have not exhaled idle breath
Your words left on their lips beyond your death.
The Poet’s aim: to pierce one reader's heart
One glimpse, one touch, one passion to impart
The dream escapes from peaceful soothing sleep
As painful tears write volumes on your cheek
The Poet seeks a soul with which to speak.
Bare abstract thoughts as plain as day to eyes
Which read between the lines and scrutinize
As heaven’s inspiration comes to dwell
A poet’s dream: reverse The Poet’s hell.

Stone Cold

by

Shirley Allard

Good morning said the oak tree
To the dark and gloomy stone
Would you prefer I go away
And let you cry alone?
I sway your way on gentle breeze
With warmth for you to hold
But as a tree, I ask of thee
Do stones prefer the cold?

Sticks and Stones

by

Shirley Allard

The tree has known, as well as stone

the strength it takes to bend

For trees are rooted deeply

Precious foliage to nurture and tend.

A chilling breeze through idle leaves

Just blew the tree away

While bestowing warmth on a shaded face

A back draft thaw was taking place.

But trees are trees as stones are stone

Dependant moss on both has grown

What purpose, fate, do you suppose

Had in its mind with stats like those?

The mingling of trees with priceless gems

Emerging as treasure; known as friends.

U-Turns

by

Shirley Allard

There is no path to follow
When seeking hallowed ground
For every hill and hollow
Leaves us unsure where we’re bound
Conflicting highways beckon
We proceed on shaky ground
The straightaway to a heavenly hell
Goes deceptively round and round.

Untitled

by

Shirley Allard

I have no religion, I grace no pew
God knows what I’ve done and did not do
I feel no need to bow and pray
In the presence of those who spend one day
Scrubbing the guilt of the six away.
Confessing; professing their terrible sorrow
Leaving the room planning sins of tomorrow
As they all stand in line, the result of my search is:
We find God in the world, and sinners in churches.

Right Answer, Wrong Question

by

Shirley Allard

Once upon a midnight star
The moon reflected from afar
Great pyramids rose up from earth
Symbols of wisdom and its worth

Kingdoms built, would rise and fall
Remains entombed in vaulted walls
Our probing minds and spades prevail
Their trials and errors to unveil.

Great scholars stop and wander in
And marvel at their mastering
What price, their immortality
A quandary - we’re still pondering.

What haunting tales their bones now tell
And if we listened half as well
The secret itself lies self-contained
Mortality: the lesson of immortal remains

I Wish I Knew

by

Shirley Allard

When God picked up a butterfly

And placed it on a flower

I wish that I could tell you why

He chose that day and hour.

br>
The butterfly circles; the flower has grown

With each revolution, new seeds being sown

New confidence emerges in each painful stride

New strength in the giving; new love found in living

And the butterfly watches with pride.

Please don’t let newborn confidence slide!

br>
We cannot predict past this moment in time

What God may have had, or not had, in mind.

But I know in my heart that wherever they end

Butterflies and flowers will travel as friends.

Remember the Roses

by

Shirley Allard

Let us always remember the roses
and the thorns be a thing of the past
for roses, perfect in their time,
were never meant to last.
But better we recall the hue
of beauty on the vine
than shy away, for fear of thorns.
Another rose.
Another time.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

by

Shirley Allard

The universe, adorned with stars and light
Can captivate, we marvel at the glare
wishing on them in despair; not completely unaware
That our eyes take pleasure and delight
In stars that are not there.
The space that claimed stars long ago
Has left behind an afterglow
That burns no matter how we try
To tell ourselves the light’s a lie.
To see the distant from afar-
Our only hope to reach the stars.

Hometowns

by

Shirley Allard

This town has been a home to me
For more than half a century
Roads and streets have little changed
Though trees and bridges, once arranged
Have vanished through necessity.

Progress fills the open space
Where once I romped with carefree pace
Once grassy fields are covered now
The lazy graze of the summer cow
Once commonplace, is now erased.

Childhood haunts with berries sweet
Now buried under cold concrete
Tree-lined highways of scenic travel
Reduced to windswept dunes of gravel
Lining truck-laden earth-hauling streets.

I find the past, though bittersweet
A comforting and safe retreat
Memories of choke cherries tempting and red
Awoken from childhood's memory bed
As autumn approaches, and memories fade
We nurture the memory of spring's serenade.

The Coming Storm

by

Shirley Allard

A storm is coming. So gently its grows.
As branches collapse under falling snows
The tree, now stripped of all its leaves
Its vulnerable trunk and extremities
Exposed to new depths by a chilling freeze.

A storm of winter ecstasy
Drifting downward, consuming trees
Ebbing and flowing through the night
Passionately, snows embrace the light
Melting in warmth, spent storms retire
In gardens of sunshine; at one with the fire.

Untitled

by

Shirley Allard

Carpe Diem My Valentine
by Shirley Allard

And I go
on smooth
and gliding wings

To the land
of mysterious
happenings

Off to see
the fragile world
unfurled

I return
unharmed
much less alarmed

From the world
with all its
worldly charm

To softly land
where I began
to greet your waiting arms.

Beside a strong and trusted friend
My universe begins and ends.

A Sudden Urge to Travel

by

Shirley Allard

Today I wish that I was free
To travel as I wish
To places I have never been
But know they do exist

I'd find the soft and gentle kiss
Of a salty ocean air
As gentle breezes slowly tease
Their fingers through my hair.

Searching out the warming sand
Each precious grain runs through my hands
Awaiting the moment; the rhythmic glide
Of waves that accompany an incoming tide.

And at the end of this dreamer's day
Under life's wing, content, I would lay
Listening to the sounds of spring
Sharing its sweet, silent whispering.

Trapped

by

Shirley Allard

Which way to go to find the end
Where strands of gold lie waiting
So many tangled threads to tend
The spider squirms, imprisoned within
The fortress of its own fabrication.

DETERMINATION

by

Shirley Allard

One star stands out from all the rest
Always the brightest, always the best
Behind the clouds that slowly grow
The star appears to lose its glow
But no amount of clouds or climbing
Can keep determined stars from shining.

Just Say So!

by

Shirley Allard

I don't conform to formal form
Or disguise my words with words
I simply write about the norm
Be it abstract or absurd.

For it matters not how true your truth
Or how well you rhyme your rhyme
But rather if someone other than you
Has a clue what's on your mind!

A maze of words misunderstood
Though a beautiful thing to behold
Cannot do the world a wit of good
If the meaning is lost in the fold.

How Sweet the Sorrow

by

Shirley Allard

If you had known the fate that day would hold
The future, that would in its wake, unfold
Would you have chosen still to wander in
And find yourself somewhere you’d never been?
Or simply walked away and missed the chance
To hear the song that caused your heart to dance.
No explanation ever will suffice,
A twist of fate that mingled fire and ice.
To what great end, perhaps you’ll never know
But can you say you’re worse off for the show?
If you have found the heart your soul commands,
Believing it is one of fate's great plans,
Then parting should be neither sweet nor sad -
Remember well, that one sweet dream you had.

Guilty of Innocence

by

Shirley Allard

A troubled child in a grown up mask
so sad, your fate is sealed
burdened with a lifelong task
the sword, is now your shield.

So young, with so much to offer
your misguided empathy flows
and now, the world won’t be bothered
to look through the thorns, at the rose

On the road of ‘good intentions’
your young heart took your hand
and dragged you from a child of hope
to this nasty grown up land.

What renders a child, no longer a child
unworthy of ignorant innocence,
at what age do we bury compassion
and think only of avoiding its consequence?

Guilty of Innocence

by

Shirley Allard

Wrong Way Willy

by

Shirley Allard and Willy Chaplin

Come one, come all
and stock Willy's mall
it's free while you're playing
if you're planning on staying.

You sent us your poems for the whole world to see,
Perhaps you were tempted by the fact that it was free.
Now you are asking a favor from me,
In the form of a cute rhyme...you giggle...tee-hee.

It's a big fishing hole
with no user control
so before jumping in
read the rules once again.

It's true we allow no user to mess up our site
Since it's our site, not yours, and this is our right.
Instead we make rules the you promise to follow,
But your words, so it seems, ring exceedingly hollow.

The crux of this offer
Is to use you to prosper
while the plan up the sleeve
is to charge you to leave!

No deception was used, when we told you up front,
In words that were crafted to be arguably blunt,
When you change your mind, you must pay for your decision,
Instead you greet us with childish derision!

A pittance for sure
we could easily endure
but I'll not pay a dime
to get back what is mine!

We took nothing from you when you sent us a copy,
Your reasoning here is remarkably sloppy,
You still have your work and you now confess,
You want it removed but my time is worthless!

A great fishing lure
without any doubt
but there's more than one cure
for skinning this trout!

Yes, you could put up your very own poetry site,
And labor for free during each day and each night.
When childlike adults say that they're treated unfairly,
YOU can decide what is "fairly and squarely"...

...your due and their due, what each one deserves,
What exactly is right and what purpose is served.
But until you do that, dear young whiney brat,
You might as well suffer in silence...TAKE THAT!