Fork In The Road
 
I have found the place
where
Frost once stood.
Before me
two paths
two roads.
One is open
the vegetation cleared away
it is not a road I would stumble on.
The other is overgrown.
Who knows what lies
along the way.
I have been standing here
for sometime
unsure
which road to take
debating
as if Monty Hall
was waiting
on my choice.
Road number one.
Road number two.
Afraid to choose
fearful
I will be alone
with nothing
but
a chicken and a red wheel-barrow
left behind
by Williams.
Maybe
I shall just stand here
a little longer
and pray for Divine Intervention
or a small push.
-- KDLP

 
 
Etoile de Mer
 
You told me a story
about a starfish
longing to find a place in the sky
sparkling on the night's velvet
longing to be beautiful
when she already was.
 
You look into my eyes
and it tickles my soul
You look long and deep
I know what you see.
 
I love to listen to the sound of your voice
you tell me the story again
the language, the sound
wrapping me up in its arms
 
Tell me the story once more
Look at me again
Do you see a starfish
for what she is
-- KDLP

Untitled ?Need the translation?
 
me revoici,
je me parle a moi meme
chertant ton visage
mon cherie,
c'etait toi
je vais vous amour-
pour jamais
-- KDLP

The City
 
The golden arches
shine bright
against the dull black-grey night.
Cold white lights
stark and sterile
shine back at me,
warning the friendly neighborhood burglar
'someone is home'
even if they're really not.
Red and blue neon scream at people in their cars
slicing into the night.
Lights blinking
looking in at people
in cheap motel rooms,
blinking
Eat
At
Joe's
This city never sleeps,
its eyes hang heavy.
Watching out my window,
we have something in common
neither of us are sleeping
but,
we both wish we were.
-- KDLP

Untitled
 
Rocking in her old wood rocking chair
faded as her memory.
Her face wrinkled,
aging rings
like on the old tree
she rocks in now.
She used to rock me there
and tell me stories,
Now, I rock her and tell her lies-
I'll always be herehhhhhhhhhhhhI have no time to stop
for youhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhto talk to you
 
 
You can stay with mehhhhhhhhhI need my own space
foreverhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhnow
I don't rock in the rocking chair,
its legs are breaking
and it just stays in the corner
and collects dust.
Maybe,
its time
for the chair to go.
-- KDLP

One Sock
 
It is trying to put me
in a hypnotic trance
I am keeping my eyes glued
to the red shirt
yellow socks
white pillowcase
going round
white pillowcase
red shirt
yellow socks
going round
yellow socks
red shirt
white pillowcase
It thinks
it's sly
that sneaky dryer
It thinks I won't notice
if it eats
just
one sock
-- KDLP

Ugly Baby
 
That's my baby sister?
Are you sure it's not a lizard
that lost its skin?
She kind of looks like
the baby pigs
on Grandpa's farm
but they're much cuter.
Why doesn't she have any hair or teeth?
It just sits there with its mouth open
screaming
like mushrooms in a hot skillet
All pink and slimy
with long fingers and toes
and a head like the dog down the street.
Do we have to take it home?
-- KDLP

'enri never cuts thee grass
 
Doctor
I 'aven't any idea wot to do
The child won't wear 'er clothes
I dress 'er in the most proper of dresses
As quick as she's in them
they're off and lying about
She runs 'round stark naked
like a newborn chick in its nest
Me 'usband 'enri won't cut thee grass
'is sickle rusts in thee corner
We've let 'er 'air grow to 'er knees
Bleached as thee summer grass
See, we're trying to keep the urchins from a looksee
Doctor, me an 'enri worry.
 
Well M'lady
Godiva's only five years into the world
pure and naive to thee proper ways
With pure and professional saying,
I can tell ye that it won't last
It's only a phase, she'll be out of it soon
Too ashamed to do it when she's a proper lady of course
I wouldn't worry your head about it.
-- KDLP

Paper clips
 
Every morning
I stock up on paper clips
Thinking to myself
As I wait for you
You walk in and smile
Knowingly
We sit and make small talk
Exchanging glances
And smiles
Time passes and we keep busy
I fling a paper clip at you
You look up and smile
I like to throw paper clips
I like to see you smile
Paper clips make you smile
Just for me
Someday, I'll get you alone
When I have a whole box of paper clips
-- KDLP

Untitled
 
We stepped off the plane
Native sun beating its rays into my face
raping its youth
squinting
like blinds on a window
keeping the neighbors out
looking to the horizon
a green terry cloth towel
floating in a spill of blue
neon gas
hot salt air fills my nostrils
seeping into my lungs, a vapor rub
igniting thirst
signs telling me where I am
in case I forgot
Nassau
were here
time to begin
smile and relax
Bahamian people
standing like burnt bacon
watching us
feel the tension from too many Mondays
drip out of my veins
 
-- KDLP
 

Untitled
 
Dreams of us have yellowed and aged
like the old photographs I've saved
I put your poems in a shoebox
under shoes I never wear
words fall from the pages
letters that once spelled out promises
lay loose
and dull
like confetti
from New Years' Eve long past
I keep the ring you gave me
twisted ties from bread bags
with the proposal
Every October I called
Happy Birthday
I left rambling messages
not my name or the time of day
never a return number
September moved quickly into November
I didn't call this year
I haven't opened the shoebox
Thoughts of you fade
only coming into view
briefly
fleeting memories
warm and soft
like an old blanket
from a long time ago
one that you never throw out
one that is set aside
only used on the coldest of nights.
-- KDLP

 


© Kate De La Pasqua All Rights Reserved 2000