It isn’t personal. Don’t take it so.
They don’t mean any insult or offense.
They have their own concerns – I think you know
it isn’t personal.
What you term disrespect and feel intense
about is disregard. They overflow
with prime concerns – their issues are immense.
Your gripe originates in your ego –
you’re injuring your peace and common sense.
You’re finding fault that only brings you low.
It isn’t personal.
(Roundel)
It happened she was hurt when she was five –
abandoned for barbaric surgery.
And afterwards, although she did survive
of course, she altered her trajectory,
assuming all responsibility
for reaching full potential depth and length.
She cultivated stamina and strength.
Disclosive and ungettable she grew.
No secrets meant she never had to lie.
It’s only decades later, in review,
she clearly sees she clearly didn’t try
to love her mate enough to satisfy
him then, her now – she had her fervent guard
up all those years, till love became too hard.
There were so many gateways to defend!
Invulnerable might have let her win
but she was ambushed, needing to contend
with love exploding, rocking her within
a year of her first child’s origin.
Then passion she’d restricted and suppressed
oozed forth, to seize her heart and heat her breast.
(Rhyme Royal)
I started knowing, when the children came,
how vital and important was my role,
how love could be resentful, all the same,
how often I would lecture or cajole.
I tried to act in ways I’d seldom blame.
I boggled at how much I can’t control.
In time, accustomed wonder readied me
to love their children with humility.
(Ottava Rima)
On Odin’s day last week, I took a break.
Preceding days required I exert
a bit too much, and coming stints would take
the energy and patience I maintain
for when the peace of family’s at stake.
Before the 1st of April I reclined.
My only self assignments were to make
a salad and this stanza, and divert
myself in Wednesday wisdom when awake.
(Magic 9)
The place across the yard’s for sale,
so now it’s looking fresh and clean.
It’s staged to view and should be seen
by someone seeking smaller scale.
New paint, no dust, precise detail:
the seller sees what could have been.
The place across the yard’s for sale,
so now it’s looking fresh and clean.
She told me in complete detail
she bought long-term. She didn’t mean
to list this soon. But now, between
pandemic and beseeching male,
the place across the yard’s for sale.
(Rondel)
Two weeks ago, reports said traffic’s back,
although we’ve yet to open many sites.
And yesterday, on my accustomed track
to purchase groceries, I was impressed
by lots of evidence of people-pack.
I had to wear the mask on every block.
The fencing trucks, the loads of scaffold rack,
were mounting as I passed. I read the flights
of skittish crows as welcome almanac.
(Magic 9)
I told my friends the reason I had kids.
I said if I were childless, I’d age
to be the weird old lady who forbids
their noise and games. I wouldn’t use a cage
or torture them with witchy appetite,
but neither would I open my front door.
I might not lecture or appear a fright,
but I would be a neighbor to ignore.
That really wasn’t true, although in fact
I like alone and quiet very much.
I didn’t know until my first arrived
how vehement my love would be. It cracked
my heart wide open, worked in passion’s clutch.
And ever since reminds me I’m alive.
A bench in the sun
on a spring afternoon …
molested by none
I’ll be leaving here soon,
which makes every minute
luxurious time,
and moves me while in it
to doodle this rhyme.
She fell in love at first in 7th grade,
and only wanted hours more with him.
Adults said puppy love, and underplayed
her passion (she’s a child – it’s a whim),
but looking back from nearly 60 years,
she meant those young emotions – they were real.
A week at age 13 never appears
as fleet to youth as age’s spinning wheel.
Another several times she gave her heart
to males she met. I think the tally’s 5.
Obsessed/infatuated at the start,
attentive and intent for love to thrive,
she compromised and modified and more,
but never bent the ego at her core.
Whatever doesn’t kill can make one strong,
I’ve heard, observed examples, lived a few,
and tend to think the saying isn’t wrong
in cases where attack is less than nu-
clear, when there’s a chance health may ensue.
In fact, while threat will ever make us yearn
for safety, it’s from lasting that we learn.
The siege may be on body, like disease
or accident-caused disability,
financial hardship, spirit-sapping pleas,
exertions summoned for extremity,
or (lesser sung), the hard hostility
may be unleashed at ego’s palisade,
and threaten how the character is made.
Mistakes were in my course. My mother tried
corralling and subduing inner me.
A victim of attempted ego-cide,
deposited away for surgery,
I had to make a choice too young, to be
my own adult or stay a child still.
At 5 I started focusing my will.
(Rhyme Royal)
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