I feel the approaching rumble
Of the train as it crosses the trestle
Over the river
And slides into town
The patter of rain sooths my soul.
I turn out the lights, and pull the shades.
I relax in stages,
As the train’s slow thunder fades
Into the distance
The vanishing light of
The day dwindles softly
And into the night
©April 28, 2018
by Diane E. Dockum
Under the yellow lamp with me
My mother sits in bed
With story book upon her knee
And pictures in my head
The wonder of the words she reads
With images so clear
Pages turn with daring deeds
To delight my youthful ear
The warmth of light, the pillow soft
I snuggle in her arms
And enter into fairyland
With all its pixie charms
© April 27, 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
*Note: I just can’t think of a poem tonight. I’ve been struggling for several hours now and … well, I just can’t. So, here is a poem from 2014, I hope it speaks to you.
Sights & Sounds of April
On the morning after
The snow had almost gone,
The birds had quiet conversations,
And the sun was bright
On the squashed grass.
The shadows of bare branches
Reached across the sodden lawn, and
Painted the pavement
With rivers of light and dark.
The far away sound of wind chimes
Blessed the air with mellow tones
And the quiet ticking of the clock
Counted seconds as the last deep drift
By the hedge receded into the earth.
Shriveled blood-red berries on the
Mountain Ash tree waited
For the Jays and Crows, and
For the Starlings’ return, poised there in the sun.
Last autumn’s apricot colored maple leaves
Still shivered on the branches,
Stubbornly holding on as they had all winter.
Shockingly tenacious,
They prevailed through the bitter cold.
They kept hold despite the arctic blasts.
They would not give up to the heavy nor’easter snows,
Though they were dry and fragile even then, they
Held fast, waiting for their reinforcements to appear.
© Diane E. Dockum
April 12, 2014
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
Spilling out of a hole in the clouds
Descending like a pillar
Of fire
Igniting the fields
In pink and crimson streams
Of light
Poured out
On a dark and hungry
Earth
A sign of hope
Of things to come
Sun sets on another day
© April 20, 2018
By Diane E. Dockum
Sun like dirty lemon drop
Wind like boy who pulls my hair
Snow like coffee grounds on ice
Throat like peeling lead based paint
Will ever lemon pledge to shine
And make the boy go out and play
Will coffee warm the empty mind
And paint a pretty day
©April 19, 2018
by Diane E. Dockum
Marble Hill Press 