Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (Un dimanche après-midi à l’Ile de la Grande Jatte), Georges Seurat, 1884-1886.

They watch the children

But the monkey and the dogs

Go unnoticed.

Just before they arrived

Her husband couldn’t find his watch

So time got away from them

The sun was hot

And she forgot to put a bottle of water

In the picnic basket

So they drank wine in the shade

And ate cucumber sandwiches

The children ran down the green

And disappeared beyond the trees

And just before the painting was finished

The lady in the gray dress leaned back

Placing her hand directly in dog mess

You see her there wiping it off

With a white handkerchief

By Diane E. Dockum

April 30, 2018

Door closed to dull the sounds

Of voices from the TV news

Another helicopter down

Black and white the picture beams

Into the room

Dying dreams

Of young men as they

Run across the boggy ground

Bending low under the guns

My homework spilled across my sheets

My bedspread pink and soft

I’m writing poetry instead of sums

©April 29, 2018

by Diane E. Dockum

THE TASTE OF REGRET

(He overheard)

Girl at Taco Bell:

“I’m having a bad day,

My phone won’t work,

I have brain freeze,

And that drink went down the wrong hole.”

Other girl (he overheard) at Taco Bell:

“You need to slow down.”

So, instead of remembering

To get the special medium taco sauce,

He left as soon

As his order was ready,

Kicking himself when he got home.

He ordered 4 bottles of

Taco Bell sauce from Amazon.

It will be here in 4 days.

©April 26, 2018

by Diane E. Dockum

I sit exhausted

On the couch

My eyes burn

My hearing fades

The television talks to no one

Sleep snatches at me

Quickly and my head

Snaps back

The opening of my eyes

Is so difficult

Such a chore

I have no dream

My fingers poised

Upon the keyboard

There is a high-pitched

Whistle that levels

My breathing

That draws me down

And sucks me into

The valley of

Sleep

Why fight?

Give in!

The cats are gathering

Purring around me

Snuggling down

Fuzzy thoughts

And prickly, blurring eyes

make me choose to let go

Just get me up off this couch

Just steer me up the stairs

Get my nighty on

And slide between the sheets

Let go let go let go

©April 25, 2018

by Diane E. Dockum

Such a beautiful song

The Robin sings

So earnest

So sweet

So true

He sits at the top

Of the tallest tree

And sings to his

Love so true

All the evening

Passes by

Yet still he tweets his song

The warble and trill

I hear from my sill

Till the dark

When he’s up and gone

©April 24, 2018

by Diane E. Dockum

There was a young girl named Kate

Who skated a fine figure eight

She attempted a nine

But she injured her spine

Though the spectators thought she was great

©April 22, 2018

by Diane E. Dockum

Seagulls

High cries

Crashing waves

Sound of ocean

Falsely promising beaches

Sun

Seagulls

Circle over

Fast food pavements

Puddles of snow melt

On cracked parking lots

Downtown and in

Back yards of

Matted grass

Calling, crying, waiting and watching

For food

Where did they come from

Why are they here and not at the seaside

Finding French fries on the sand

Copyright April 21, 2018

By Diane E. Dockum