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Ladderwords
Member since September 18, 2011
Member for 14 years, 8 months
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A Friend in Need
in the corner of a crook
there is an orange headed beauty
that kicks about in her scullery
all the makings of a fine dinner
seated near there is a man
who was made a boy by a
departure and so hung on his
feelings like a coat to a rack
she bustled down home nostalgia
from the boiling pot and
chop chop chop of veggies
making quick dissipating patterns
white hands scoop away white hands
pick up red wine white hands break
Read the rest of the poem Show less
white bread and dip it in yellow olive
oil with a pool of vinegar at the bottom
the boy felt like that pond of dark brown
resting inky in the bottom of a bowl
wishing he could float to the surface
to dance with the flavorful white salt
he was bitter and the strange music was
it latin it might have been central american
given by a mutual friend and blaring
from the living room but it stirred him
sauce was released from its can and danced
to the beat of her spoon keeping a circular
rhythm with that music and the boy watched
and smiled to himself and dipped more bread
she sang along not to the song but to the
great boatfuls of emotion mooring in
the boys heart throwing ropes to the
thoughts on board and pulling them to harbor
those phantom sailors cheered in soft
sighs through the boys lips that curled
now and then into a grin and then down
when a dark thought floated by
red wine was poured and another glass
and another glass the spaghetti was done pliant
warm inviting complicated and the boy preferred
to think of himself as noodles instead of vinegar
her eyes engineered a bridge of compassion
that the boy appreciated but could not cross
and so he dissected his noodles with his fork
some time ago the music stopped
he was full too full she was asking for a cigarette
they spoke of love as the embers flashed with brilliance
at the end of their smokes before falling to the ground
and all the boy could think of was endings
so he said he had to go though he would
have rather stayed but he felt the night was ending
and sleep was calling he was so tired since
she left so very tired and about their apartment
now his apartment she left traces of herself
forgotten this and thats he was going
back to it but more importantly to sleep
which since she left had become her
he placed the dishes in the sink and hugged
the host that chopped the veggies poured the wine
boiled the pasta pulled him into harbor
built a bridge and bummed a cigarette
the boy said thank you and road home
the wind rushing through him staying
their for just a second and then taking
the memory of the moment with it
Ladderwords’s timeline
- September 2021
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18 SatAnniversary
10 years of membership
- September 2016
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18 SunAnniversary
5 years of membership
- September 2012
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18 TueAnniversary
One year of membership
- October 2011
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19 WedCritiqued
"Siren" by @washing tears
"Agreed with Jim about the, "I swear"s. Also, the ending , something about it, I can't put my finger on it, irks me. I'll have to come back for a second read. Thanks for sharing." -
19 Wed
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19 WedCritiqued
"BLACK WIDOW" by @Geremia
"Slips through the mouth and into the air. Wonderful. Thank you." -
09 SunReceived a critique
on A Friend in Need from @magics02
"a friend in need is a friend indeed resting inky in the bottom of a bowl resting inky? I think you could come up with a different word eh? Sounds like an Italian meal close to home for me and in all honestly reads more…" -
06 Thu
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06 ThuCritiqued
"All In Humility" by @loved
"It makes me grin. I dig it. The last two lines make the poem and wrap it up quite nicely." -
06 Thu
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06 ThuCritiqued
"Stormy, and Not a Cloud in the Sky" by @docmaverick
"Felt a pang in my heart when I read this. She's a beauty. Thank you." -
06 ThuCritiqued
"Increments of Solitude" by @Seren1
"I'm going through a bit of a change right now and this poem calls out to me. You've captured how I am feeling. Thank you." -
05 WedCritiqued
"Tough guy" by @shazbat
"Ha! Amazing! Just the wonderful shot of wit I needed this dull morning. Excellent rhymes, none of which seem too tired or cliche, and the tempo clips right along. Thanks for sharing" -
05 WedReceived a critique
on Cotton Island from @weirdelf
"If I were to suggest it might be a bit long for the nominated demographic I might also have to remind myself of the lines from "Amadeus"- Emperor Joseph II: My dear young man, don't take it too hard. Your work is ingeni…" -
04 TueReceived a critique
on Fed Love from @Nordic cloud
"This is so to the point, and with it of such sensuous and motherly reality that it is a pleasure to read. All images supporting the theme and some so intensely experienced as to be visible now. Love Ann." -
04 TueReceived a critique
on Cotton Island from @Nordic cloud
"There were so many vivid and exciting images, and like the generation I think you speak of so many elements thrown together, a bit like going round an exhibition with hundreds of captivating works of art, at full speed…" - September 2011
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30 FriCritiqued
"Skeleton Parade" by @greeneyes
"Elizabeth! Wonderful poem! I was wondering if you would mind if I used it to teach Halloween vocabulary to my young students? It would be perfect for their level and I think they would really enjoy it!" -
30 FriReceived a critique
on Cotton Island from @Bloodstone
"This was a wonderful read, I really got lost in the imagery. Due to a slow connection speed today, I haven't watched the video; although I'm sure these words would be well enforced by the medium. Good luck with the inst…" -
27 Tue
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27 Tue
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27 TueReceived a critique
on Bacha Market: An Experiment in Regionalism from @pleiades
"i'm so glad you included the introduction to this style of writing as i'd not heard of it before, and having an understanding aided appreciation i was completely engrossed from beginning to end from what i have read of…" -
26 Mon
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26 MonPosted a poem
Cotton Island
"So I'm not really sure whether to do this as a poem or a blog post but.... here we are. I've been working on using poetry with different medias in order to increase its accessibility to the general public, and to make it easier to digest for the MTV Jersey Shore generation (sadly, my generation). This latest piece I've been working on will be in an art installation in November. I am trying to make it the best that it can be. I've uploaded it to youtube and there will be a shiny blue link below this paragraph for you to check out. Any input, whether about the music, images, or poem is greatly appreciated!" -
22 ThuPosted a poem
Bacha Market: An Experiment in Regionalism
"In the early 1900’s the American public was introduced to a new type of literature. It could be" -
21 Wed
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18 SunJoined Neopoet
Membership begins
First poem published 1 days later.
- May 2010
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23 Sun
- April 2010
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26 Mon
- March 2010
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29 Mon
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20 SatPosted a poem
I Agree When Drunk. I Leave in Tears (A Visit to a Korean Death Day Ceremony)
"we should not be able to sup" -
16 Tue
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15 Mon
- February 2010
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18 Thu
- January 2010
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15 FriFirst critique offered
on "double trouble" by @tarcus
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15 FriHighest posting month
January 2010 — 7 poems
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13 WedFirst publication
I am a Criminal
About Me
About me
Traveling and working as an English teacher around the world. Currently I am in Korea, but soon I'll be off to the Ukraine. Would love to talk about travels and prose. Drop me a line!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Bloem-An-Epic-International-Adventure-…
Location: Jeju, KOR
Recent Work
A Friend in Need
Posted:
Fed Love
Posted:
Cotton Island
Posted:
A Good Boy
Posted:
Their Famine
Posted:
Enlightened on a 747
Posted:
Contest Wins
This member has not yet won any contests.
Workshops
| Skill level: | ||||
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| Rhyme- use, variations and forms. | (syllabus) | Shark Pool, Plunge Pool | Started 2011-10-12 | Concluded |