If you're looking for a Halloween party, sorry, you missed it— that was last week. Feel free to go back and check out all the beastly five-word ditties that came to play.
Today we're celebrating LOVE... which can also be pretty beastly on occasion, but not always. At the beginning of this month, Marcus Ewert challenged us to write a love poem. Hold on, not just any love poem. He encouraged us to write about relationships that may seem unrequited at one time, but turn out to be requited after all.
Ah! Love's elusive key...
(If it's anything like my car key, I'm in serious trouble.)
 |
| Love padlocks, photo by Tim Kwee |
The romance... the torture... the elation...
We experienced it all this month.
And what do we have to show for all that emotional turmoil?
Poems, of course!
And lots of them. Ardent thanks to all who participated in this month's challenge, to those who cheered us on, and to Marcus for coming up with a challenge that allowed us to dig deep and respond in some rather unique ways.
All poems are copyright 2015, and published with permission of the authors, who control all rights.
CAT
by Janie Lazo
I crave her silky softness
As her slender body moves
Graceful passes so alluring
Still my touch she dares reprove
When I call to her she listens
But to hasten? no not she
Though I beckon - she ignores me
Too aloof to hear my pleas
So I sit alone in silence
I'm no fool, I shall not beg
Then this flighty, flirty, vixen
Soon is rubbing on my leg
CAT RANTS AND RECANTS
by Donna JT Smith
(see the accompanying video here)
I don’t like you!
I can’t like you!
I won’t like you!
I will not play your silly canine game.
I can’t see you!
I won’t see you!
I don’t see you!
I don’t even know your so uncatlike name.
What is that now
That you have now
That can roll now?
It’s a rolly ball, neow, that’s a meowing shame!
For I know how,
Yes, I know how,
Oh, I know how,
I can make you, little doggy, take the blame!
You’re such a dog,
a loving dog,
a happy dog;
You have really much to learn; you’re over-tame.
I am sorry -
maybe sorry -
wee bit sorry -
That I think of you as, oh, so very lame;
For a friend who just annoys
You do have pleasant toys;
Perhaps I shouldn’t
shun
This friendship I’ve
begun,
It could be lots of fun.
Let me rub against your nose
and in warmth here just repose;
Perhaps you aren’t that bad a dog at all.
But remember,
Just remember,
Please remember,
If ever I’m to blame, you’ll take the fall.
For I’m a cat,
and I’m all that,
I am THE cat -
and you are naught
you must be taught,
my friend, you’re Spot;
And I can’t believe I’m liking you a lot!
LULU BELL
by Leane Gill
My new sisters name?
Why, it's LuLu Bell.
No, that's really the cat,
but, be quiet, don't tell.
Things were going just fine
until she came along.
Now I hear Daddy sing Lulu
my favorite song.
What's this I feel?
Aw, she's squeezing my hand.
It’s tiny, so precious –
makes it tough to take a stand.
Guess I’ll learn to share
even my special toys.
And be kind, learn to care,
and create new loving joys.
I think I might like her –
this new person in my life.
That's causing such a rift
in my plan to cause strife.
Oh gee, she just looked at me!
right into my eyes.
Then she went and smiled,
and made me realize-
There is plenty of room
in my heart to show love.
We each are unique
and gifts from above.
She'll color my world,
and I'll color hers back.
I'll be by her side
even sharing my snack.
We'll share good times and bad
as we go through the years.
I'll laugh when she laughs
and dry any tears.
It's a good thing, I think,
this new sister of mine.
So, no worry for me-
We're each one of a kind.
Johnny Loved Miss Jones, His Teacher
by Linda Baie
Johnny fell in love first day of school.
Sadly, he soon learned of the rule
that six year olds must grow up first.
He really thought his heart would burst.
She was not meant to be his date,
and Johnny had to wait and wait.
Through all his schooling, he kept in mind
this first heartbreak, and, now resigned,
he searched and found a new love true.
To all the memories, he said “adieu”.
This time, grown up, he found a match:
she taught first grade, a perfect catch.
DO BOOKS LOVE ME?
 |
| Photo: Jessica Bigi |
by Jessica Bigi
I could hardly wait
in the summer for the bookmobile
to stop on my street.
I loved listening to stories being told.
Then once, on Christmas, I
got some books. I wasn’t sure why
all the words looped around my breath.
Jumbles of traffic jams
flipping forward and backward
as if diving into oceans of alphabet soup.
Letters jumping rope all over the pages.
At times I couldn’t even
write the words without them tangling
like balls of yarn.
One sentence, an hour-long highway
of loops and zagging words.
OH, the stories I could write and tell,
but I had wondered if books love me.
Until, at thirty-three, I read some poems.
At first they seemed to laugh out nonsense letters
till my breath sounded them out into perfect rhymes.
Rhyme skipped rope into stories
and without a doubt, I finally knew,
books love me too.
I could hardly wait
in the summer for the bookmobile
to stop on my street.
I loved listening to stories being told.
Then once, on Christmas, I
got some books. I wasn’t sure why
all the words looped around my breath.
Jumbles of traffic jams
flipping forward and backward
as if diving into oceans of alphabet soup.
Letters jumping rope all over the pages.
At times I couldn’t even
write the words without them tangling
like balls of yarn.
One sentence, an hour-long highway
of loops and zagging words.
OH, the stories I could write and tell,
but I had wondered if books love me.
Until, at thirty-three, I read some poems.
At first they seemed to laugh out nonsense letters
till my breath sounded them out into perfect rhymes.
Rhyme skipped rope into stories
and without a doubt, I finally knew,
books love me too.
THE AFTERMATH
by Teresa Robeson
You might think my love is
derivative
and
ridiculous,
though here’s what is integral:
it’s not calcu-you
or calcu-me
but calcul-US.
You might think my love is
derivative
and
ridiculous,
though here’s what is integral:
it’s not calcu-you
or calcu-me
but calcul-US.
WALLS
by Janie Lazo
Our visions firmly fixed
We go our separate ways
Our paths will not be mixed
Both strong yet none does reign
But at the corner waitsA bond most strong when twain
WATER
by Mindy Gars Dolandis
Tuesday morning in July
Another scorching day
As I jog I yearn for you
The burn won’t go away
water…water…water…
Tongue and lips Sahara dry
Sweat sets my eyes on fire
Every pounding pavement step
Thumps out my keen desire
wa-ter wa-ter wa-ter wa-ter
Tiny drops fly through the air
Descend on blades of grass
Staccato sprinkler rhythm
Relentless as I pass
wa-a-ter-r wa-a-ter-r wa-a-ter-r wa-a-ter-r
Almost home, around the bend
Rec center, pool, and lake
Neighbor’s yellow motor boat
Spluttering, carves its wake
wa-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ter-r-r-r-r-r-r-r
Huffing, puffing, panting hard
I fumble with the key
Racing through the living room
The voice inside me screams
WATER! WATER! WATER! WATER! WATER!
Sprinting past the stove and fridge
Right to the kitchen sink
I shove my mouth beneath the tap
And open for a drink
WATERWATERWATERWATERWATERWATERWATER
Gushing like Niagara Falls
You cool my inner hell
Bathing every molecule
Refreshing every cell
Waaaaaaaaaterrrrrrrrr
Ahhhhhhhh
by Windshield Wiper
by Tabatha Yeatts
love
me
love
me
love
me
I say
swishing
back
and forth
most of the time,
I'm silent
I can hear her
ticking
left left left
or
right right right
but cannot answer
ah, blessed rain
that gives me voice
love
me
I say
love
me
 |
| by cbhanek |
she is quiet
oh can't we turn?
love
me?
I say
love
me?
right right right
she says.
BEFORE THE LAST PETAL FALLS
by Michelle Heidenrich Barnes
Ten years.
She is the spring
after winter’s monotonous gloom.
What right have I to hold
such a delicate blossom in my brutish paw?
Still,
we waltz,
her sweet head rested
on my
wildly
beating
heart.
she loves me…
Belle’s father is ill.
A daughter’s love is fierce —
strong enough to slay the Beast.
I lurk in the shadows
and
watch
her
go.
she loves me not…
Wound me, stranger—
kill if you must.
I am already numb.
Though the last petal
barely clings,
beauty still lingers.
She is in the library,
sitting down to supper,
walking in the garden.
Her gentle voice…
her voice...
I hear
her
voice!
she loves me.FIRST LOVE AT SIXTEEN
by LeeAnn Blankenship
Despite those times you held me tight
Within your firm embrace,
Despite the kisses you bestowed,
You put me in my place.
“I’m just a loner, can’t you see?”
You asked one fateful day,
And though I tried to change your mind,
You turned and walked away.
To me, the love I felt was real -
I grieved and missed you so,
I wrote sad poems, wept a lot,
And couldn’t let it go.
But slowly, hours became a day,
And days became a week;
Then months passed by and, suddenly,
It didn’t seem so bleak.
I met a sweet and handsome man
And thought not once of you;
Ere long, I fell in love again
And found he loved me too!
And now for over fifty years,
We’ve stayed in love – it’s true.
But I found out you told my friend
I should have married you!
TURNABOUT IS FAIR PLAY
by B. J. Lee
“Not fair!” I was telling my mother,
“I love him, but he loves another.”
Then, as they were wed,
I turned someone’s head,
and now I am wed to his brother.
 |
| Art: Michelle Kogan (click to enlarge) |
by Michelle Kogan
A fruity girl from Chicago
Loved mango, though not to swallow.
But sweet as she’d be
He wouldn’t love she
Mango rolled over to Margo!
The Chicago girl wouldn’t give up
She thought neglect might fill his cup,
Keeping her distance
Changed his resistance
Mango loves Chicago girl yup!
 |
| Art: Miranda Barnes (click to enlarge) |
by Miranda Barnes (age 12)
"I love you, Ice Cream."
"I love you too, but Ketchup,
we won't work as two."
Till one day, there's a
science breakthrough!
"So what if no one likes ketchup-
flavored ice cream?"
"Yes, that's true! And now,
I'll always be with you."
 |
| Art: Jessica Bigi (click to enlarge) |
by Jessica Bigi
I
L
O
V
E
Pickles bumpy sour sweet
I munch mouth fills
Crunching crunch-crunch
Krispy-krispy ketchupy
Laughing puckering
Enjoying every krispy crunch
Smiling more pickles please
WILL YOU BE MY PARTNER?
by Kathleen Mazurowski
I'll be the mac,
If you'll be the cheese.
I'll be the carrots,
If you'll be the peas.
I'll be the cream,
If you'll be the freeze.
Here is my heart,
You have the keys.
If you'll be the cheese.
I'll be the carrots,
If you'll be the peas.
I'll be the cream,
If you'll be the freeze.
Here is my heart,
You have the keys.
So THAT's where I left those keys!
If you're feeling inspired, you have until tomorrow, October 31st, to send your unrequited/requited love poem to TodaysLittleDitty (at) gmail (dot) com, or use the contact form in the sidebar to the right.
Alternatively, you may enter the giveaway by commenting below. If you contribute a poem and comment below you will earn two entries in total. Comments must be received by Tuesday, November 3rd.
The winner will be determined by Random.org and announced next Friday, November 6th, when we reveal our new Spotlight ON interview and ditty challenge.
Best of luck!
