May 24, 2010

Berlin Market

she wove her way
through the white topped stalls
touching an old leather bound book
laughing at three monkeys cavorting
in a wind up toy
she bought a wooden puppet
carved in some far off village

she crunched on roasted nuts
sat on a bench for a while
watching the leaves falling in waves
chuckled at an old accordion minstrel
stopping here and there
she saw some Soviet era hats
a crisp wind started up from the river

she  paused to chat with some
young backpackers
fresh from the Pergamon
and then she spotted
the vendor from Kreuzberg,
with the brass birds,  monkeys
and the wonderful fish

May 7, 2010

The Crones

 Magpie Tales
one had an evil eye
one had a third eye
one was always vigilant
one was just plain scary

the old crones of my childhood
knew when someone died
knew about devils in the closet
and bad blood and bad wind

they kept Mary enshrined in the bedroom
and Jesus over the stove
I still connect his crown of thorns
with great Polish food

McBeth would have loved them

May 6, 2010

More Think Pink



Making Pink

Fresh picked strawberries rubbed on white linen with little fingers
She says, but Mom I am just making pink!

Think Pink

Theme Thursday


she laughs as she tells the story

irish catholic girl
drove west from Boston

arrived in the Haight
pink dress, pink shoes, pink purse

hair curled just right
from rollers at night

friends pull up a mattress
pass her a joint

San Fran the city of love
oh my goodness

this is going to be
quite a trip

for kt with hoots of laughter


May 4, 2010

Grits


It was the time of
Freedom Riders and lynchings
Selma and civil rights
lunch counters and bus strikes

It was my journey to
Georgia in a Karman Ghia
baby on board
a bag of fruit and 25 dollars

It was a postcard of
sleepy towns
whites only water fountains
cabins in the piney woods

It was kindness from
long haul truckers
small town waitresses
breakfasts of bacon and grits

for this New England girl
a strange new world...