Mary Derringer

Member since February 24, 2025

Member for 1 year, 3 months

member

53 Poems

21 Comments

3 Followers

Most recent

Departing Mars

Posted Jul 11, 2025 · 28 lines · 2 critiques

I will monitor our life support
and check what emissions we
consume to rid ourselves of radiation.

Our shortened and deformed
fingers and toes cause me to
lay the groundwork for the
future habitation systems.

As you say yes to the Lichen,
accept that oxygen, I’m trying
to conserve beneath my tongue.

In our main edibles greenhouse,
the horticulturists shuffle
from side to side when we can’t
wander too far from each other!

Read the rest of the poem Show less

As we walk in our pressurized suits,
we command, “Filter out those
ultraviolet rays. Thicken our mock
atmosphere as we depart from Mars.”

Seven Martian souls for the awful
Delta-R exchanged for the health
of our offspring who are up against
the year-round desert dust storms.

Departing from Mars feels like our
one chance to remove ourselves
from our foreign origin, and we are
banned from re-entering the grim
Martian atmosphere, aliens who
have been sent to ICE detention.

Mary Derringer’s timeline

February 2026
24 Tue

Anniversary
One year of membership
July 2025
27 Sun

Received a critique
on Departing Mars from @Candlewitch
"You have put a lot of work and thought into this poem and it shows. I wish you good luck on the contest! hugs, Cat"
19 Sat

Received a critique
on Precious, Promised Seed from @Clentin
"Very nice poem. I especially like this first stanza The Holy Spirit planted A very special seed that day In a pure virgin’s womb, Putting God’s plan into play."
11 Fri

Posted a poem
Departing Mars
"I will monitor our life support"
Open thread 28 lines
09 Wed

Posted a poem
Precious, Promised Seed
"The Holy Spirit planted"
Open thread 32 lines
07 Mon

Received a critique
on Dance of the Enchantress from @Geezer
"I like what you have done, but still not what I want to see from you. Look at your meter and think of ways to say the same thing as you did, but with less beats. In the line: "as the deity she extolls." use [god] instea…"
07 Mon

Received a critique
on Dance of the Enchantress from @Geezer
"and the message is good, however, the language seems a little stilted, the A.I. has mentioned this and I think you should take it into consideration. Your first stanza starts this piece out very well: "She wears a penta…"
06 Sun

Posted a poem
Dance of the Enchantress
"She wears a pentacle"
Open thread 30 lines
06 Sun

Received a critique
on Our Unified Endeavors from @Geezer
""I can hear you saying that." [That's you, talking to me]. I have just said; "I think this would be much better in rhyme. I like the idea very much, I just wish that it was a bit more poetic. ~ Geez. ."
05 Sat

Posted a poem
Our Unified Endeavors
"We, the wizards of word-art"
Open thread 20 lines
02 Wed

Received a critique
on Embrace the Rain from @Roscoe Lane
"This is beautiful, an uplifting poem of love. Regards Roscoe...."
June 2025
30 Mon

Contest commendation
06/25 Friday Nights and Firefly Lights

with "WHISPERS FROM THE BRIDGE".
23 Mon

Received a critique
on The Scent of Cinnamon from @Geezer
"Your title is good, I like that you have tied the scent of cinnamon to a specific memory. Language use is good, plain and straight-forward. The rhythm is unhurried, but moves right along. I like the theme, it makes a pa…"
22 Sun

Posted a poem
The Scent of Cinnamon
"Everything felt normal"
Open thread 28 lines
21 Sat

New follower
@Geezer
21 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 06/15/25 to 06/21/25

with "Embrace the Rain".
18 Wed

Received a critique
on Time Machine from @Lavender
"Hello, Mary, I think we can all relate to this poem - I'm not certain I'd want to stay there, but definitely have a nice long visit. I like the simplicity of this poem, it makes the memories so much richer. I don't beli…"
18 Wed

Posted a poem
Time Machine
"I wish I had a time machine"
Open thread 10 lines
17 Tue

Posted a poem
Somehow
"When I hold this book of poetry,"
Open thread 5 lines
05 Thu

Posted a poem
WHISPERS FROM THE BRIDGE
"It's too dry."
Open thread 4 lines
03 Tue

Posted a poem
Embrace the Rain
"In the soft putter of the rain,"
Open thread 15 lines
03 Tue

Posted a poem
Embrace the Rain
"In the soft putter of the rain,"
Open thread 15 lines
May 2025
31 Sat

Contest commendation
05/25 The sound of nature

with "A Gift of Nature".
31 Sat

First contest commendation
05/25 The sound of nature

with the poem "A Gift of Nature".
16 Fri

Posted a poem
A Gift of Nature
"As a lonely flower seed"
Open thread 38 lines
14 Wed

Posted a poem
Silken Wedding
"She made her dress with the silk of her groom's World War II parachute."
Open thread 17 lines
12 Mon

New follower
@Punkyfrewster
March 2025
31 Mon

New follower
@Clentin
15 Sat

Highest posting month
March 2025 — 23 poems
13 Thu

Critiqued
"The Last Spoon" by @Ruby Lord
"Ruby, I read your poem and could visualize all the words. This is the way I want to put my words to my poem. I enjoyed your poem."
05 Wed

Critiqued
"Kindness of Strangers" by @Sen99
"The kindness you admired in your poem was a true act of friendship.I enjoyed reading your poem."
05 Wed

First critique offered
on "Kindness of Strangers" by @Sen99
04 Tue

First publication
Morning Breeze (since unpublished)
February 2025
24 Mon

Joined Neopoet
Membership begins

First poem published 8 days later.

About Me

About me

I am 78 yr old. I live in a nursing home. I love to write.I have a degree from the Institute of Childrens Literature. I have been writing poetry in my extra time. I love writing children's short stories and poetry.Mjusty favorite poet is Poe, Emily Dickenson, Maya Angelou, My life has been an extention of my faith. I grew up always walking to church when I was a little girl in grade school. I walked with my Mother to Church every morning to the 6:30 Mass to St. Joseph Proto Cathedral located in Bardstown, Ky. This Cathedral was very well known and is over 100 years old. There are well known Artist who have done the paintings. I grew up and wanted to join the Convent to become a Religious Franciscian Sister in Mischawalka, Indiana.After becming a Novice of Two years. I came out because I felt my life would take another turn. I met a Man that became my soul mate.We had five children, Thirteen grandchildren, and five great grand children.My life has been turned around.I studied in a on line course to write children's stories
and received a degree for writing in three years. A few years ago, I lost my oldest daughter as she died in her sleep
Three months later I lost my baby from a drug overdose. The day before I entered the Nursing Home, My baby son, Chris, was taken to the pentatentary. He has to stay for the next ten years. I have been devastated losing three children. I offer my days to the Lord and hope some day I will be able to be in Heaven with the Lord.,

One year of membership

on Departing Mars from @Candlewitch

on Precious, Promised Seed from @Clentin

on Dance of the Enchantress from @Geezer

on Dance of the Enchantress from @Geezer

on Our Unified Endeavors from @Geezer

on Embrace the Rain from @Roscoe Lane

on The Scent of Cinnamon from @Geezer

on Time Machine from @Lavender

March 2025 — 23 poems

"The Last Spoon" by @Ruby Lord

"Kindness of Strangers" by @Sen99

on "Kindness of Strangers" by @Sen99

Morning Breeze (since unpublished)

Membership begins

About Me

Recent Work

Contest Wins

Workshops

Followed By