May 2024 Poetry Contest - $300 Cash Prize

I smelt the smile of childhood
I had woken up and smiled
It was my mother's cooking
And I was just a child

But I had long been married
And this was but a dream
And I was missing mum
Or her cooking it would seem

So I woke my wife up and kissed her
And wished her happy mothers day
The mother of my children
Even more special on this special day

Then in the early morning's dark
I hurried off to mums -still sleeping still alone
For it had been many years
Since my father's soul had flown

I started cooking in her kitchen
All the ingredients were still there
And soon the familiar smell of home
Was hanging in the air

Mum woke and ambled into the room
Disoriented she thought I was her long gone man
And she gave a little sigh and whimpered
When she realized it was only her son Sam

As tears filled her eyes she whispered
I still miss him son I do
For in the early morning's light
He looked so much like you

And my mother's day always began
Much as you have there
With breakfast in the kitchen
And Dean Martin in the air

And we would dance our little dance
As we did on the day we met
Oh God my son I miss him
I miss him so much yet

So I put the record on
And Deano rose through the gloom
And I gently twirled my mother
Around that little room

And we were both crying as we danced
There was nothing I could do
And it took all the strength I had to whisper
To whisper 'mum I miss him so much too'

But she did not hear she was not there
She was hearing nothing then
For in her mind's eye and soul
She was dancing with her man again

And I could see in her eyes
The sparkle that another man had seen
When he was twenty one
And she was just sixteen

And the love that passed between them
I have seen so many times
In the generation who came before us
Who experienced the worst of times

Did surviving poverty depression war
Make them better women and men
Did they simply need each other more
Or were they better people then

Has prosperity peace and greed
Altered the balance of love somehow
Did they love each more
Then we love each other now

And sure love exists in our generation
Though it seems so much less so
Are we so very different now
Then the souls of long ago

But the music finally ended
Together with the remnants of the night
Mum's stoicism returned and she said
"go home to your wife son I will be alright'

So I quickly turned to go
There was nothing left to say
To this little woman who had borne me
"Except happy Mothers' Day
To My unforgettable indispensable ever loving mum"

I saw her standing across the hall
Carrying her book tote, leaning against the wall
Her beautiful eyes glanced my way
Dancing green emeralds took my breath away

I was 11 years old and so was she
The very first girl to take my heart undeniably
She became my first love in 1985
We wrote each other notes to keep our crush alive

Songs were dedicated, shy grins traded
Coming home from school, I sat by the phone and waited
Just to hear her voice gave me butterflies
Nothing else seemed to matter otherwise

I saw her at the roller rink, my heart filled with glee
We couple skated with sweaty hands to "Say You, Say Me"
Looking in her eyes and smelling her perfume
I knew instantly, she could light up any room

Then one day after school, an unexpected turn
She walked up to me sadly, I felt my stomach churn
She handed me a note saying she's breaking up with me
Also the first to break my heart. How can this be?

After that day, I didn't see her much again
Only hearing of her every now and then
Decades went by, our lives seemed to be cursed
Living with liars and cheaters, ending up divorced

As life went on, I thought of her often
The more heartache I lived through, she'd never be forgotten
You see at 11 years old, she was the only one honest
All the others were liars of all the things promised

39 years later after she told me goodbye
I saw her on Facebook so I had to say hi
To my surprise, I found out she was single
I asked if we could meet, to see if we could mingle

A few days later we decided to meet
When she stepped out of her car my heart skipped a beat
Dancing green emerald eyes again took my breath away
I felt I went back in time to that glorious day

All of the feelings, every last one
Stitched back together, to never be undone
It took 39 years for you to come back full circle to me
To tell you that I love you, just like at Grace Hill Elementary

(Say You, Say Me)

I feel like an imposter

Like I'm not good enough

I hate being a prisoner
Of my own perspective
Feeling lousy, worthless
And completely defective

But you believe in me

You see something I can't see

One day I hope to realize
Open my eyes and see
The same things
That make you believe in me

Your confidence in my abilities
Flatters my soul
Convincing myself
I'll be able to show
The reasons you believe in me

But I can't shake the doubt
That gnaws at my core

Or the fear of failure
That hangs heavy over my head

I long to break free
From this prison of self-doubt

To step into the light
And shine as brightly
As you think I can

It's hard to escape
The chains of my own mind

To break free from the confines
Of my own insecurities

I want so bad to be the person
You see in me

It's a struggle
To silence the voices
That tell me I'm not good enough

I strive to be better
To prove my worth

To show you
That I am capable
Of living up to
Your belief in me

I yearn for the day
When I can see myself
Through your eyes

When I can believe
In myself as much as you do

But for now I'll hold onto
Your faith in me
As a lifeline, a glimmer of hope

That one day I'll break free
From this imposter syndrome

Stand tall in my own worth,
And be everything you see in me.

You look out into the water;
The waves make the most beautiful sound.
A place you find peace and comfort,
Walking hand in hand and looking around.

As you walk toward the water,
Sand coats the bottom of your feet.
The smell of the sea salt drawing you closer,.
The view is so beautiful, oh so sweet.

Almost as if it is calling you.
Sometimes it's only in your mind.
A place to clear your thoughts
And leave everything very far behind.

You find shells, rocks, and other things.
The warmth is like a kiss from up above.
Looking out into the Gulf Coast
Can only remind you of true love.

As the waves come crashing in,
Time seems to be standing still.
The sun is shining down on you
As you walk the beach at your will.

Paradise you thought you could never reach.
Out in the distance you can see the ships sailing by.
Tears of joy for the scene God has put before you,
As the moment makes you cry. 

Two shadows are together as one,
A sign of great unity.
A great day full of fun
While walking at the beach.

I sit beside my tall and leafy friend
My back against his rough but sturdy trunk
The forest peacefulness begins to wend
Into my heart and sweeps away my funk

My sense of time begins to fade away
I feel the hum of life against my spine
And gazing up, I see his branches sway
As if to let me know that all is fine

A stream of trust and kinship starts to flow
Between two dwellers living here on Earth
That, being one with all, I come to know
I realize that all things have equal worth

I've tried to live, since then, connectedly
Influenced still from my friend the tree