Bill & Jim working on yet another crossword puzzle together
Tomorrow will be 4 months since my husbandās identical twin brother died suddenly. His wife returned home from a walk and found him on the bedroom floor; she said he was still warm. The news felt like an arrow ripped through our hearts. Jim was dead. How was my sister-in-law ever again going to walk into her bedroom without picturing her husbandās body? How was my husband Bill going to face the rest of his life as the lone twin? At one time there were three brothers; now there is only Bill. This is the most difficult trial for him. My husband lost a piece of himself that day. We are numb, disbelieving, questioning, dazed, numb, numb, so unbelievably numb.
You know how people say that time flies? Not when it comes to Jim; time has stopped for us. Logically we know heās dead but our hearts cannot accept it. Itās unbelievable, inconceivable for us. It doesnāt feel possible. We function normally every day, do the same old crap, talk and eat and laugh. We watch movies, go shopping, pay bills, gab on the phone, babysit. We live the same lives we lived before Jim died except heās not here to share them and we cannot wrap our heads around that. It just doesn’t feel like he’s dead. He should be here. It’s not right that heās not here. It’s like someone has played the cruelest joke on us.
Now, when my sister-in-law looks at Bill, itās Jimās face she sees. And sometimes when I look at my husband, I see Jim and I find myself pondering why Jim was the twin who was taken.
I am Bill’s wife but Jim was his other half.
save them in your heart golden summer memories for when winter comes
City Island, Bronx NY circa 1950 No idea who’s who!
The other day I got some news that threw me for a loop; I felt like a headless chicken running āround the chicken coop.
You see, I met this awesome guy who made me lose my mind. A handsome man so witty and sexy can be awful hard to find.
We both had friends from childhood days who knew us very well. They figured if we two hooked up weād get along rather swell.
My friend called me and his called him and we agreed on a date To meet at Charlieās Ribs and Ale next Friday night at eight.
Well, I was pretty keen on the idea of meeting someone new; The last few dates I had were dull as hell and that would never do
See, Iām the kind of girl who likes to go out and have some fun. An hour or two with some boring dude would have me on the run.
Iām really not high maintenance, I just need some stimulation; The kind that gets my juices flowing and speeds up my circulation.
I know you know what Iām referring to; I can see it in your eyes. I want a man who knows what’s what, the hows, the whens and whys.
So, there we were at Charlieās, just waiting for our dates When in walked these two cool guys and I could barely wait.
They came straight to our table and I knew right off the bat This blue-eyed, bearded devil was a curious kind of cat.
He looked at me and I at him and our eyebrows began to rise When we thought perhaps we knew each other almost all our lives.
Weād no idea that this blind date would not be so blind at all For although we thought we knew each other we couldnāt quite recall.
In fact, we never took the time to even learn each otherās names. Our paths crossed countless times before as kids playing kiddie games.
Yes, we were nameless friends in school in days from way back when. We went to games and dances, seeing each other now and then.
We attended the same schools where we learned a thing or two But we never said āHey, whatās your name? I think I may know you!ā
Now here we were having fun, hitting it off like two peas in a pod; But the strange feeling that we knew each other was really very odd.
The night flew by, we ate and drank; this guy could talk the talk And deep inside my womanly mind I knew he could walk the walk.
So, I took a wild chance and asked him to come back to my place; He looked at me, eyes twinkling and a roguish grin upon his face.
We tried to act all nonchalant, no need to rush the night. He said he was a poet; I said āNo kidding? I like to write!ā
We sat real close on my old couch and he said āTell me, whatās your sign?ā I turned to him, said āPiscesā and he said āYeah? Thatās the same as mine!ā
He wove his fingers through my hair and slowly pulled back my head. I opened my mouth and licked my lips saying āTake me to my bed.ā
We started slow, real nice and easy, just feeling each other out But it didnāt take long before both of us were doing the āTwist and Shoutā.
This went on the whole night long; he was quite the voracious lad. I was his match and he was mine and none of it was bad.
We spent the next few days together; we got along really great. He told me his name was Kevin and I told him my name was Kate.
He said he lived in Baltimore now but was born in Kathmandu. His eyes nearly popped out his head when I said āWhat!? Me too!ā
Things were really getting eerie now; we both knew this was bizarre Especially when we simultaneously said āOn March 10th in Paropakar!ā
Now hold on, wait just a damn minute; how could this possibly be? We were born in the same hospital on the same day in 1993!
Our piercing eyes stared at each other as we silently sipped our tea. Who was going to ask the next question? Was it me or possibly he?
I grabbed the bull by the horns and asked him āWhatās your momās name?ā He lowered his cup rather slowly and replied āWhy, itās Germaine.ā
I heaved an enormous sigh of relief which proved to be premature Cos he was adopted, his birth mom was Faye, of that he was quite sure.
I bolted straight upright and nearly fainted as I screamed āNo way!ā For you see, I was adopted, too, and my birth momās name was Faye!
Now this is no laughing matter, for Iād just had me a night like no other With a guy who was to my dismay my long-lost fraternal twin brother!
Lillian, tonightās Pub Master, is hosting Quadrille Monday at the dVerse Poets Pub. Weāre asked to create a 44-word poem using the word āfigmentā. Hereās my poem.
Gold petals amid the lace of purple lavender whimsy dabble the lush spring grass while the sunās resplendent rays herald the start of summer days as birds and bees and bugs gently laze Gold petals amid the lace of purple as birds and bees and bugs gently laze herald the start of summer days while the sun’s resplendent rays dabble the lush spring grass lavender whimsy lace of purple amid the petals gold
A Reverse Dectina Refrain is written as follows: 1st line is 1 syllable, 2nd line is 2 syllables, 3rd line is 3 syllables, and so on for 9 lines; the 10th line is comprised of the first four lines as one stand-alone thought. Repeat in reverse starting with line 9. Rhyming is optional.
That time I found myself in the principalās office because I screamed at the teacher who tried to put his hand up my shirt, then being assaulted again at home by my mother who accused me of āasking for itā.
Daughters-in-law are our grandchildren’s mothers. As such, they carry our fortunes downstream. Under their guidance, our hopes become others’, Giving their force to a much larger dream. How lucky we are to have you for the carer That nurtures the hearts of our hearts, that they may Each be a lover, a giver and sharer, Remaking the world in their image each day. So do we all, like streams from the mountains, In time become joined in the souls we have made, Now mingled forever, eternal companions, Linked by our love in a bond that won’t fade. As you in your noontime your work of love do, We watch from the hillside, grateful for you.
Melissa at dVerse poets has asked us to write a poem for the prompt “If You Don’t Like Cats, I’m Sorry”, based on one of Louis Wain’s drawings. I have written a Dectina Refrain for āCatās Nightmareā. Oh, but thereās a catch: we canāt use the word “cat” in our poems!
A Dectina Refrain is written as follows: 1st line is 1 syllable, 2nd line is 2 syllables, 3rd line is 3 syllables, and so on for 9 lines; the 10th line is comprised of the first four lines as one stand-alone sentence.
“Cat’s Nightmare” by Louis Wain
WHO do you think you are, trying to hide from the likes of us? We have our eyes on you watching every move you make; foolish kitties, thereās no escape. A tasty whisker pie we will bake! Who do you think you are, trying to hide?
Iām sorry for the things I said and did. Thereās no greater pain than brothers grown apart. How I have prayed for this day when we put our anger to rest and cried āI love you, my dear brotherā. Iām sorry for the things I said and did.
Dectina Refrain: This poem is written as follows: 1st line ā 1 syllable, 2nd line ā 2 syllables 3rd line ā 3 syllables, and so on for 9 lines; the 10th line is comprised of the first four lines and is a stand-alone 10-syllable line.
Written for Ronovanwrites Ovi Poetry Challenge 40: Tragedy Ovi Rules: 4-line stanza, 8 syllables or less per line, first 3 lines rhyme,4th line must not rhyme. Additional stanzas keep the same rhyming pattern but do not rhyme each other.
Homeless living on the street Children with no food to eat People crying in defeat We are stuck in a hopeless mess.
Politicians always lying Innocents in war are dying Talk of peace but no oneās trying It all seems so fucking futile.
Playgrounds teeming with poison drugs Computer hackers spreading bugs Protestors being shot with slugs Has every person gone insane?
No clean water left to drink Can you smell that awful stink Our universe is on the brink The tragedies of a mad world.
A Dectina Refrain and a short poem for Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt. Word requirement is 65, prompt word is “tap”.
Tap tapping on my door. Who can it be? Itās too dark to see but the noise just wonāt stop. I get up from the sofa and tippy toe to the front door; peek through the window but no oneās there. Tap tapping on my door. Who can it be?
Noise from outside. Itās too dark to see. No place to hide. Stop watching me!
Sammi at Weekend Writing Prompt has challenged us to write creatively in exactly 60 words, incorporating the word āvapidā. Using a few other prompt words, here is my 60-word response in the form of a Dectina Refrain and a Haiku Duet.
Old man with vapid thoughts and empty eyes lives in denial; puppeteers pulling strings feeding hypnotic untruths into flaccid, desolate brain on the outskirts of insanity. Old man with vapid thoughts and empty eyes
Gray, grayer smoke above the clouds in the sky no light shining brightly
Brown dying trees dried leaves lay at the roots no buds tacitly emerging
Dectina Refrain: This refrain is written as follows: 1st line ā 1 syllable, 2nd line ā 2 syllables 3rd line ā 3 syllables, and so on for 9 lines; the 10th line is comprised of the first four lines as one stand-alone line.
Dectina Refrain: This refrain is written as follows: 1st line ā 1 syllable, 2nd line ā 2 syllables 3rd line ā 3 syllables, and so on for 9 lines; the 10th line is comprised of the first four lines as one stand-alone line.
Donāt Worry About me Iāll be just fine Better without you Donāt write me an email Donāt send me anymore texts I donāt want you hanging around Take your toothbrush out of my bathroom Donāt worry about me Iāll be just fine
Yesterday’s prompt from Sadje for Just Jot it January 2024. Here’s my tardy but heartfelt reply. āļøā š„Æ
With Humble Gratitude For my husband Who, every morning, Without hesitation, Brings me my coffee in bed. Sometimes heāll bring a warm bagel. I couldnāt ask for anything more! With humble gratitude for my husband.
This is the Manhattan Transfer with “I Love Coffee, I Love Tea”.āAnd I love Bill!
Dectina Refrain: This refrain is written as follows: 1st line ā 1 syllable, 2nd line ā 2 syllables 3rd line ā 3 syllables, and so on for 9 lines; the 10th line is comprised of the first four lines as one stand-alone line.
The Elephant's Trunk 