Also I need to repeat that I will not tolerate spammers. I had to delete a comment again today, so I have put back the comment moderation. Sorry for the codes. I hate them, but I also hate spammers.:) Let's hope this will stop them.

Here are the poems for each day up to April 28th. Thank you to all who have commented on my poems this month and hope you will enjoy these too. By the way, "The Heart of the Matter" is one of my favorite songs. Here is a story of what happened when I first heard this song:

It was the summer of 1989 when I was driving in upstate New York back to the camp where I worked after visiting my cousin. I slipped in the new Don Henley CD, The End of the Innocence

and no kidding I played "The Heart of the Matter" over and over. For some reason I couldn't get enough of that song. So it was raining and very dark on the highway. Sounds like a set up for "Supernatural":) No, it was raining and I was playing it ear drum splitting loud when all of a sudden I saw a police car in back of me with his lights on. He pulled me over to the side of the road and told me I had been speeding. Now what I didn't tell you was that I had no idea of my speed since my speedometer was broken. He told me I had been going 15 miles over the speed limit! Lucky for me I had a note from my mechanic explaining that the speedometer was broken and I had an appointment to get it fixed. Phew!!! I got out of that speeding ticket. Anyway, that's the story of my love for that song:) Needless to say I am a huge Don Henley fan and of the Eagles too. But this is not my all time favorite song. That is "Moon River" from "Breakfast at Tiffany's" my all time favorite movie.

(See the lyrics to "The Heart of the Matter" here)

The Call

You called today
The one I didn’t want to hear
You found another man
Got me thinking
What went wrong with us?
Though I think about it,
no answer comes

I sit in my favorite chair
The one where you used
to sit on my lap
We had some good times
Didn’t we?

But the more I think the more
I can’t think and my brain overloads
I’m back to square one never seeing
the end and in a circle rethinking
my part and your part

I sit alone not sure why
And agonize over why you are gone
Thinking you might have taken pieces
of me with you, because I’ve lost myself

Till I realize it’s forgiveness on both sides
I have to forgive you and you, with your
wall of ice need to forgive me
or my life will lay in pieces forever.
copyright 2010 by Barbara Ehrentreu

*This was written in a man's point of view. Obviously this isn't real or relevant to my life. I've thought of changing the POV, but haven't done it yet.


April 26, 2010

Write a poem with “more than 5 times”

I close my eyes and see you as a toddler,
short legs flying down the concrete sidewalk
I close my eyes and see you in kindergarten,
bright eyes smiling holding hands with Jose,
whose five year old heart belonged to you.
I close my eyes and see you at twelve falling off
that horse, breaking your nose, and months later

trussed in plaster cast from hip to toe

from your hip operation
I close my eyes and see you graduate high school
Already a depression veteran, but on your path
I close my eyes and see you the last time you were
happy, laughing with your friends
I close my eyes and see my daughter grown.
copyright 2010 by Barbara Ehrentreu


I Cried Five Tears

I cried one tear for the loss of your affection
I cried two tears for the loss of your attention
I cried three tears for the loss of your laughter
I cried four tears for the loss of your touch on
my skin
I cried five tears for the loss of your body fitting
next to mine in a flesh jigsaw puzzle.
copyright 2010 by Barbara Ehrentreu


April 27, 2010

A Hopeless Poem

You can look in her face and see the
years of ferried trips for lessons
Dance, voice, horseback riding
they loom there as reminders of the
sunny disposition she once had
The eyes give it away, though
What she thinks of herself now
It’s in her walk that used to have a swing
to her hips but now is just a shamble
Scuffing her feet as if she were a
recalcitrant child

No amount of encouragement slashes through the
layers of sorrow she has buried herself in
as if a living shroud enclosed her
She carries misery with her handbag
Places it down wherever she goes
It sends out its message of despair
Telegraphing her sadness to whoever crosses her path.
copyright 2010 by Barbara Ehrentreu




April 28, 2010

At the end of the line

One too many abusive curses
hurled at me for failing to do
a small thing for you
Vitriol tossed out willy-nilly
into the open air
Imprisoning me with your
cage of words

When do I say enough of this?
Maybe,finally, possibly I will see the
end hidden beneath my delicate ego
Poking its head through the curtain
you laid in front of us
Begging for attention amidst
parading anger

How will I do it?
Simply walk to the door and turn the
knob or stand there with
special shield deflecting the barbs
until they fall in disconnected wads
around your bloated calcium laden body.

Or will I simply ignore the words and
soldier on doing your bidding
Raising my shields to cover my body
when the incoming proves too strong
as you continue to fire
And me walking toward
you with arms outstretched for a hug?