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Posts Tagged ‘nursery rhyme’

Swimming Lessons

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on June 12, 2024| 6 Comments »


 
 
How scared they were that first day,
the ones who had never before put their faces
into the cold blue water of the pool.
Goosebumps rose on their tiny limbs,
mine, too, as we shivered in the shallow end.
I’d take their hands and we’d move in a circle,
Ring around the rosies—
Their little voices rang out with lisp and shine.
Pocket full of posies—
scent of chlorine and sun screen and
Ashes, ashes, we all fall—
 
Years later, afraid of a much different
deep end, I notice who is holding
my hands. Sometimes we sing
while we meet what we fear.
It makes it easier as we all fall down.

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A Cautionary Tale

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on April 2, 2014| 2 Comments »

Ding dong dell
promise not to tell.
Her one wide eye—
the men walk by.
Ying yang yes,
the thin red dress.
Her slender white arms
collect the men like charms.
Slink, kiss, kiss.
She wears them on her wrists.
Who let her in?
Every one of them.
How do they get out?
Ding dong doubt.

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Time to Change Our Tune

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on December 19, 2012| 4 Comments »

Ring around the rosie
pocket full of posies
ashes ashes
we all fall down

Sing around the secret
pockets full of deep debt
credit, credit
we all fall down.

Spring around the danger
prayers full of anger
rifle, rifle
we all fall down.

Dance around each other
foes instead of lovers
righteous, righteous
we all fall down.

Swimming through the darkness
choosing to be heartless
tight fist, tight fist,
we all fall down.

Pointing with our fingers
blame and guilt and whimper
ashes, ashes
we all fall down.

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