Thursday 31 May 2018

Ah, Summertime (May 28, 2018)


The long days
Of the bitter winter
And cold spring
Are no more.


As most of Canada
Is baking
In the oven
Like a loaf of bread
With this mid-summer heat
And humidity.


As if
Someone had thrown
The heat switch on
Suddenly.


Gone
Are the dark drury layers
Of bulky winter clothing
That had left
A small part of the face
Exposed.


Now
One needs
A magnifying glass
To find of any clothing.


As people try
To hide their alabaster skin
In any shade
But their current pale hue.


People rush to
The nearest store
To purchase those fans
Or air conditioning units
That they put off
From last year.


In seeking relief
From the sudden
And brutal heat.


Intently
Curious children gather
Around an adult
Who cracked an egg
Upon the hot sidewalk.


Hoping to see
The egg fry
Before them.


Often
They hear
A family members
Tell them.


It's hot enough
To fry an egg
On the sidewalk.


With a smile
On their sweaty faces.


Only to leave
With disappointed faces
At the still uncooked egg
After several moments
Of silent observation.

Until their attention
Is drawn away
With a sprinkler set up
By another parent.


Swimsuit clad children
Run around and play
Under the cooling water
Shrieking and laughing
In the poor man's splash pad
Like only children can do.


As adults
Count the days
That saner temperatures
Are the norm
Once more.


Therisa © 2018

Author's note: The projected temperature is a high of 32°C, for Toronto, Ontario. Well above seasonal average for this time of the year. And summer doesn't for another 3 weeks, or so. Sigh. Worse, the landlords don’t have to turn the air conditioning until June 2nd, regardless hot and humid that the weather may get, according to Toronto bylaws. .


Monday 28 May 2018

There Can Only Be One (May 14, 2018)

"There’s no time for us
There's no place for us
....”

Who Wants To Live Forever
Queen

Tears roll down
My face
As Freddie sings
Bringing back memories
Of a distance time
So long ago.

A time of true innocence
And naivety
When we thought
We could overcome everything
That life could throw
At us.

No barrier
Too high or big
Which we couldn't surpass
In true elegance.

Like Freddie
You are gone too.

Leaving behind
Nothing but memories
My heart plays.

Of my head
Resting against you
As you comfort me
In my sleep
During a brutal flashback.

Your soothing voice
An anchor for my soul
On those dark nights
That threaten to consume me.

Holding
This fragile soulscape
To the here and now
With your grace.

Building a bridge
Over my troubled waters
Allowing me
To take the next steps
In my healing journey.

Bless you
Sheila.

May your soul
Always walk
In the light.

Therisa © 2018

Author's note: Sheila was there for me, during my time at the homeless shelter and the next two years afterwards. As I struggled with severe anxiety/panic attacks, chronic depression, suicide attempts, and brutal PTSD flashbacks.

Squeak and Venus’s mom, Mercury was named in honour of Freddie Mercury, who Sheila was a huge fan of. As for Venus’s name, I just followed with the first planetary name that came to me, Venus. And yes, she has been the Goddess of Love to me.

The Holy Quest (May 20, 2018)

Across the waves
Of information
My fingers do swim.

In search of
The perfect vegan recipe
For my starving soul
To partake
With gratitude.

Many a recipe
Has been release
From my searching nets
Due to ingredients
Or food allergies.

Feeling like
I'm one of these castaways
On an abandoned island
Hoping to be rescued.

But
Never are.

And yet
Here I am
About to cast out
Once more.

Maybe
This time
I'll find that elusive one
Which speaks to my soul.

Like a finely crafted
Piece of music
Or a work of artistry
That's filled with love
And devotion.

Knowing
My search has ended
For now.



Therisa © 2018

Monday 14 May 2018

Smudged Dreams (April 18, 2018)

Today is
Jackie Robinson Day
(April 15th)
In Major League Baseball.

As we celebrate
His historic breaking
Baseball’s colour barrier.

Despite this
We're still struggling
To move beyond
Our prejudices
And fears.

We should be
Seeking to enrich society
By embracing those
Shunned and marginalized
Due to religious political
Or racial discrimination.

Instead
We're building walls
And other barriers
Against those
Who dare challenge
Society's rigid status quo.

As we pat ourselves
On the back
For the hollow advances
Over the years.

Believing
We’ve made
Real progress.

Ignoring
One very important fact
Our prisons are overflowing
In disproportionate numbers
Of incarcerated inmates
(Both male and female)
To the rest of society
By these groups.

As we mark
The 71st anniversary
For Jackie’s inner strength
Of courage.

While
I wipe away
The tears
Of wasted years.

Therisa © 2018

Author's note: Sadly, we all know of stories, locally and internationally, which illustrates this point to others.

Sorry for the long delay between writing this poem and posting it, but I have struggling with other things in my life. Like finally finishing and mailing my ODSP case file review, late last week, as today is the deadline for it, without asking for another 3 month extension on it.

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