Poetry For Now

CLEANING UP

January 29, 2021 Martin Strasmore Season 1 Episode 31
Poetry For Now
CLEANING UP
Show Notes Transcript

These poems are about cleaning up our lives, our email, our "ToDo" lists and perhaps even National Politics.
President Biden has been in the White House 7 days and he is cleaning up. 
Let's take it one small step at a time!

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EPISODE 31

I never know what the topic will be until it happens spontaneously. so here we are and here it is - 


 CLEANING UP


I just got trapped in the screen

of the early morning email stream

It’s a cool sunny day outside

I am reading news flashes inside

Now deleting and unsubscribing

this feels quite enlivening


I missed my poetry writing time

at least now i’ve written a line

maybe that’s a good sign

I’ll get my first cup of tea now

Then I’ll be ready to take a bow


HOT SARDINES

Sardines on toast 

with mayonnaise

thin onion slices

great brain food

I am told


I opened the can

they looked good

red tomato sauce

that’s different

I thought


the first bite

was a shock

for some people

they would rock

I burned


from now on

I’ll read the labels

before i pull the tab

(yogurt saved me)

I learned that

the hot way!



ONE SMALL STEP


One small step can change your life

Freeing you from years of strife

open those old books on the shelves

read the words of those brilliant elves selves

who years ago helped you find

thoughts that opened the mind ports doors


If some old books you won’t even open

because to them you are not beholden

clear them away in boxes to go

for someone else to find some value

that may help their ideas now grow.


Meanwhile I’ll contemplate “choice points”

essays written forty years ago

each might become a poem

On Fight and flight

On Dependency and dependability

On Love :sought and offered

On the quests:

for truth, for justice

for love



SEVEN DAYS 


Seven days has passed

everyone seems so mellow

around here we feel calmer

as course corrections are made


no fanfares or nasty tweets

instead a steady flow of easy words

focused actions to beat Covid

to help those in need

to protect our beautiful lands,

clean air and water saved.


Yet under the surface

trouble is still brewing

hoaxes are still swirling

Fox news still opining


Its like taking the top 

of an old garbage can

the stink hits me in the face

and I feel disgust and disgrace.


when will the truth be told

instead of the lies that are old

said so more ads can be sold


Can’t you all feel the goodness

now in the Washington air. 

making efforts to help the country

and relieve people’s despair


Follow the poet Amanda Gorman

be present with the possibility

we are the united states

and we will move forward together.





TO DO LIST FEAR


I hardly dare to look at the list

I know for sure there’s something missed

even worse are the ones still on

when by now they should be done


perhaps it best just to rest

and remember Mark Twain’s words

“Whenever I get the urge to exercise, 

I lie down until the feeling passes away.”


Well I must be real, she is coming home

I have had two weeks home alone

In the background I hear a hum

It clean sheets being spun

If I don’t complete my list of to do’s

it may be difficult dear wife to amuse

unless I create amazing distractions

that make her forget my list infractions

and she won’t impose food sanctions 

we will just be happy in each others arms

as hugging everything calms and charms



Well its time to  go

Get back into the flow



©MartinStrasmore2021