Poetry Contest

• June 23 – June 30 Jun 23 at 9:30pm to Jun 30 at 9:30pm

• Poetry in My Mind Group

• Created for Poetry In My Mind

The cover photo on this page represents Shakespeare’s epitaph on his tombstone. (Photo prompt by Marcella Leff, administrator)You may write your own epitaph* (see below). Explanation about your poem is permissible. Photos with your post will be deleted. You may post as many poems as you want but comments are counted per poem only.

Winner will be judged by the most original comments. One person can make many comments but only counts as one comment for winning at the end of the time limit. Your own comments do not count because you cannot judge your own poem. Comments being counted begins on June 23rd, 9:30pm if this event was posted earlier than stated date/time.

Contest will be from June 23 until June 30, 9:30 pm. All members are invited to enter this contest. You can add your friends to join. Challenge them.

Administrators may post examples of poems but are not eligible to win. Administrators can like your poems but their comments do not count.

A new prompt will be posted every week. Winner will be posted on the main group page.

* An epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person originating from the Greeks. It can be one line or a poetic verse. Strictly speaking, it refers to text that is inscribed on a tombstone or plaque, but it may also be used in a figurative sense. Some epitaphs are specified by the person themselves before their death, while others are chosen by those responsible for the burial.

Even in death, Shakespeare left a verse as an epitaph ( from photo prompt).

Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forbear
To dig the dust enclosed here.
Blessed be the man that spares these stones,
And cursed be he that moves my bones.

It can be humorous. “ It’s over” or “I told you I was sick”.

 

 

 

 

THE TOMBSTONE READ LIKE THIS

 

YOU SAID I WASN’T ILL

I’M HERE TO SAY YOU’RE WRONG

NOW LET ME REST IN PEACE

ADIOS, GOODBYE, SO LONG.

Written by,

Terry Shepherd

6.24.2015

 

What would you think if you saw these words I wrote on a tombstone?

Poetry Contest

• June 9 – June 16 Jun 9 at 9:30pm to Jun 16 at 9:30pm

• Poetry in My Mind Group

• Created for Poetry In My Mind

The cover photo on this page represents writer’s block at a time when typewriters were in use. (Photo prompt by Marcella Leff, administrator)

You may write a poem in any one or all of these forms- HAIKU, ACROSTIC, FREE VERSE, or RHYMING QUATRAIN about writer’s block. Explanation about your poem is permissible. Photos with your post will be deleted. You may post as many poems as you want but comments are counted per poem only.

Winner will be judged by the most original comments. One person can make many comments but only counts as one comment for winning at the end of the time limit. Your own comments do not count because you cannot judge your own poem. Comments being counted begins on June 9TH, 9:30pm if this event was posted earlier than stated date/time.

Contest will be from June 9 until June16, 9:30 pm. All members are invited to enter this contest. You can add your friends to join. Challenge them.

Administrators may post examples of poems but are not eligible to win. Administrators can like your poems but their comments do not count.

A new prompt will be posted every week. Winner will be posted on the main group page.

WRITER’S BLOCK

I cover my ears wanting to scream

I feel a headache coming on

I didn’t want to see your face

A scene from way back in a dream.

You always come at the

Most inopportune times

An uninvited guest for sure

Run away,I say, go chase the cat!

I rest my head upon my arms

Tears fall into the pit of keys

I have a deadline for heaven’s sake

Come on brain, turn on that charm.

My eyes fall heavy, they rest; I sleep

I chase words in clouds of air

What’s that noise? oh crap he’s home

Now I am in trouble, way too deep.

I stand, I yawn, I scratch my head

I head for the kitchen door

I really wish I wasn’t here

I’d rather be in bed or dead.

I mix, I fry, and make a mess

I chop the lettuce  fine

I hurry and leave that heated room

Slipping  on my prettiest dress.

I fix his plate, I butter his bread

I pour him his cold beer

I watch him eat  then the light comes on

New ideas racing straight in my head.

I leave him sit, to burp and fart

I race to my set of keys

Ideas bouncing round and round

I must catch  them before they depart.

Written by,

Terry Shepherd

6.10.2015

Lesson Learned

This is what hurts the most tonight; what you see in the photo to the right. To this I add, legs, neck and arms. Of course my feet always hurt and burn.

This all happened because I had one of those frame of mind moments where I thought I was 25 years old again.

I was excited as I was paid a visit by my son-in-law today and one of my grandchildren. It was wonderful to see them.

They live in Ky where I am going to be moving to. He was up here visiting family and brought his pick-up truck here and took a load back home with him. I was very grateful as it saved a little more room on the big moving truck.

After he left I met my daughter-in-law and two of my grandchildren for lunch. I don’t usually eat at McDonald’s, but the oldest girl wanted to go there bad, so she could play in Kiddie Land.

It was fun watching all the little kiddies play on the equipment but I wasn’t used to all the screams and noise. We stayed a little over an hour and when we decided to leave, I was ready. I did have a good time though and I ate sensibly, or as well as I could; a four piece chicken nugget, and a grilled chicken salad.

I came home then and since the idea was still hovering in my mind of the idea I had yesterday, that is when I had the 25-year-old moment to act upon it. I moved my mattress and box springs out of my bedroom, down the hall and into the living room.

There were some funny moments and a scary moment with this ordeal. First of all I only had my house coat on and I wasn’t near as strong as I thought I was so I got stuck in the hallway.

No matter how I tugged and pulled on that flexible mattress,  I couldn’t move it past my dryer. The more I tried, I was doing nothing but actually moving the dryer. I stopped a few times and thought of different ideas, then went back at it again.

I finally got to the point I was trapped. I have a back door and I considered going out that door and walking over to my neighbor who I was sure would help me; but all I had on was my house coat. I wouldn’t have looked very good to the neighborhood.

I was beginning to get sore. I had made progress so didn’t want to go backwards. In fact, I wasn’t sure I could get the mattress and box springs back in their old position. I couldn’t call anyone for help because there was no one to call.

I had to go forward. The only other option I  had was to wait in the hallway until someone noticed there was no movement in my house and call the police, lol.  What would have taken a couple of guys without Parkinson’s and arthritis along with  Neuropathy in their hands only a few minutes, took me about forty-five. I did it. I got them out to the living room. I was too weak to try to take the bed frame and headboard out. I knew I couldn’t lift the box springs and mattress back on to the frame, so it is on the floor and now I have a new bedroom.

Why did I do all this? Crazy, just plum crazy idea. I thought I would have more room in my bedroom for boxes I pack. It also seemed less work for all involved on moving day if as much furniture could be out in the main room. Well,,, I was just trying to  help.

I sat down on my bed and my heart was racing so hard and fast it scared me for a few. I remembered my exercise classes where the teacher had said always keep exercising; but do it slower and slower until the heart beat is back to normal.

I immediately did this and it did help. I made the bed and crashed in it like I had not slept for hours. I was so sore I got back up and took some ibuprofen and then laid back down.

I couldn’t even get online because of my pain. I am still in pain but not quite as bad. I will take more medicine at bedtime and hopefully tomorrow I will feel better. My lesson I learned? Listen to the body, not the mind.

Being Idle Could Have Got Me Arrested

Sunday noon and nothing to do. I am still not in the mood to pack more. I am going to save that for tomorrow.

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

Being Idle Could Have Got Me Arrested

Sunday noon and nothing to do. I am still not in the mood to pack more. I am going to save that for tomorrow. I should have packed and stayed inside where I belonged. I had fixed a crock pot full of fresh green beans, yellow and green squash, a few yellow potatoes, lots of spices with a smoked pork chop for added flavor last night right before bedtime.

This morning it smelled so good in the kitchen that I decided to have this delicious soup for brunch instead of my usual eggs. I ate about 10ish and then played on the computer. I finally decided to get dressed and I gathered up some coupons I had accumulated and headed for  coupon shopping at a local store.

I grabbed a protein snack and headed off. I ate this when I wasn’t  hungry because for weeks I have fought with my Diabetes sugar levels to stay above the low numbers; so I thought I was safe.  I had gathered up a bag of trash, my purse and headed out the front door. I locked the door and then it hit me; my keys are hanging inside on the hook. Oh crap, now what do I do. Fortunately for me I remembered a time years ago when I had done something stupid like that. I got a credit card out of my purse and worked it until the door popped open. I am a natural-born criminal I guess! LOL I got to the store and started my adventure of shopping. I went from aisle to aisle, department to department, comparing the prices against my cents off coupons.

I didn’t realize how long I had been there  and I forgot it was the last weekend before school, so the store was packed wall to wall. Kids and parents, college students everywhere. Then there were those of us old folks just trying to stay out of people’s way and out of trouble.

I completed all the non-perishables and had begun down the dairy section where the cheeses were. Suddenly out of no where I felt shaky. My legs began to feel like they were going to fall from under me. Instantly I recognized my low sugar numbers. I looked up at the wall clock and I had been there three hours. Wow, how time flies when we are having a blast?

Here I was with my cart filled with my hard labor of mind thinking and I have this come up. It seems that ever since I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, my sugar levels have dropped. I guess I am going to have to have a meeting with my wonderful family doctor soon.

At the far end of the store was the Bakery department. I hardly ever visit that area because I am weak to the sweets. I made my legs walk and I could feel myself getting light-headed; but I made it to that section.

I walked to the doughnut section and with all my energy I had left I opened the double doors and grabbed one of those little self-serve tissues and took  a cake doughnut; a blueberry one. I was careful enough to at least not get one of those with icing dripping from all sides.

I began to eat it right there, leaning on my cart. I probably looked like the town drunk the way I stood. ” Hey, you can’t just open up the doors and help yourself and eat here. You have to pay for that first.”

I couldn’t speak, I never can when my sugar is too low. I kept pushing the doughnut in as fast as I could, trying to speed up the process of bringing my sugar levels back up. I ignored her because I didn’t want to pass out right there. She walked over and said those words again and then she looked at my face.

She knew something was wrong and got me a chair to sit down. She stayed with me instead of calling the police for doughnut theft. When I could finally speak I explained what had happened and she laughed saying she had recognized that before with her grandma and she should have seen it in me.

I asked her how I should pay for an invisible doughnut and she told me what to say. I hadn’t finished my coupon shopping but chose to head  to the check-out counter and pay for my items. I did save thirteen dollars, yes! I somehow got my bags in my car and then plopped down on the driver’s seat and just sat there waiting for me to feel alright enough to drive home. When I got home I checked my sugar and it was 157. That wasn’t bad at all considering I had eaten a whole doughnut.

I act really strange when my sugar is low, so if you see someone acting like I did in a store, reach out to them and see if you can be of assistance. It is better to help than watch someone pass out to the floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who’s The Killer?

Who’s The Killer?

I was sitting in a parking spot, looking over my hair and face before going inside for an appointment. I looked around, just being nosy, to see if there was anyone I recognized and I saw this nice van sitting beside me.

Nothing special, just navy blue, looked like it is always kept in a garage type of clean. But what got me was a sign in the window. Now this was just an ordinary sign you can buy…

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Who’s The Killer?

I was sitting in a parking spot, looking over my hair and face before going inside for an appointment. I looked around, just being nosy, to see if there was anyone I recognized and I saw this nice van sitting beside me.

Nothing special, just navy blue, looked like it is always kept in a garage type of clean. But what got me was a sign in the window. Now this was just an ordinary sign you can buy at any variety store. It was the words that got my attention.

It said, Beware, wife buried in trunk. Now first off, there is no trunk in a van. So I breathed a short sigh of relief on that part.  I glanced around the parking lot as if I was waiting for the butcher to come get in the monster beside me.

I didn’t see anyone who looked  like they may have killed their wife, but who knows what killers look like? Do they have a TM symbol on their forehead? I doubt it.

I clutched my cell phone and my legs tensed up. Should I call the police? Should I get out of the car or wait a few extra minutes? After all I am usually always early by a few. I sat there, barely breathing.

Eyes searching left to right without turning my head. I noticed inside the lady I was to meet was tapping her foot and pointing to her watch. She was wondering where in the world the lady was she was to meet with.

Right here, right here inside me car. Don’t you see me? Can’t you see that i am in a terrible situation right now? Can’t you read the fear in my eyes?

She didn’t seem to notice as she began to pace back and forth on that dull, gray carpet. I choked on my own lack of spit as I realized I had not breathed in seconds. Taking a deep breath I inhaled and licked my lips.

The lady inside was looking out one window and then another. She spotted me. Oh my gosh lady. I am not late. Please realize there is a killer near the two of us. Any moment he is going to come out those doors. He is going to realize by looking at my pale face that I know his secret.

She leaned in a little and recognized that I am the one she is waiting for. She taps her watch face and I can see the formed words on her lips saying, get in here. I want to be able to go to lunch on time.

I slowly put my cell in my purse. Taking the keys out of the ignition I drop them softly inside with my cell. I glance around trying not to let the lady realize that I am a big chicken, too afraid of who may get me.

I take a hold of the car door and start to release it to open when a man in a black suit  comes out of the door. He is walking towards me. He gets to the van and he hesitates a moment. He sees my big eyes and my ghost face.

He grabs a hold of his stomach and laughs just like Santa Claus would. I stare at him, my mind going blank.

He comes near me, and then before I know it he is right beside me. He taps on my window. I open the door a smidge waiting to see what it is he wants. He points to the sign in the back of the van window.

” Is that what you are scared about young lady? Don’t be frightened. The kids at my church are always pulling pranks on me. I get used to it. I used to scold them for being so ornery but then I discovered that things like this give me an opportunity to get to know  people and invite them to our church.”

I breathed a sigh of relief and a small grin came over my face. I got out of the car and the two of us shook hands and introduced ourselves. He told me what church he was minister over  and I explained I was late for a job interview.

This was thirty years ago. My husband and I still laugh at this when we think back to the days of how we met.

A Stress Day Made Me Do This

I saw these things on my Facebook, so had to share with you.

I almost peed my pants reading this. !!!!

The kids filed into class Monday morning. They were all very excited.

Their weekend assignment was to sell something, then give a talk on
salesmanship.

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A Stress Day Made Me Do This

I saw these things on my Facebook, so had to share with you.

I almost peed my pants reading this. !!!!

The kids filed into class Monday morning. They were all very excited.

Their weekend assignment was to sell something, then give a talk on
salesmanship.

Little Sally led off. “I sold Girl Scout cookies and I made $30” she said
proudly. “My sales approach was to appeal to the customer’s civil spirit
and I credit that approach for my obvious success.”

“Very good”, said the teacher.

Little Debbie was next.”I sold magazines” she said, “I made $45 and I
explained to everyone that magazines would keep them up on current events.”

“Very good, Debbie”,said the teacher.

Eventually, it was Little Johnny’s turn. The teacher held her breath.
Little Johnny walked to the front of the classroom and dumped a box full of
cash on the teacher’s desk. “$2,467”, he said.

“$2,467!” cried the teacher, “What in the world were you selling?”

“Toothbrushes”, said Little Johnny.

“Toothbrushes”, echoed the teacher, “How could you possibly sell enough
tooth brushes to make so much money?”

“I found the busiest corner in town”, said Little Johnny, “I set up a Dip
& Chip stand and I gave everybody who walked by a free sample.”

“They all said the same thing, ‘Hey, this tastes like dog poop’!”

“Then I would say, ‘It is dog poop. Wanna buy a toothbrush?’ I used the
President Obama method of giving you some crap, dressing it up so it looks
good, telling you it’s free and then making you pay to get the bad taste
out of your mouth.”

Little Johnny got five stars for his assignment.

 

Best Presidential Joke of the Year

President Obama walked into the Bank of America to cash a check. As he approached the cashier he said, “Good morning Ma’am, could you please cash this check for me?”

Cashier:
“It would be my pleasure sir. Would you please show me your ID?”

Obama:
“Truthfully, I did not bring my ID with me as I didn’t think there was any need to. I am Barack Obama, the President of the United States of AMERICA!!!!”

Cashier:
“Yes sir, I know who you are, but with all the regulations and monitoring of the banks because of impostors and forgers and requirements of the Dodd /Frank legislation, etc., I must insist on seeing your ID.

Obama:
“Just ask anyone here at the bank who I am and they will tell you. Everybody knows who I am.”

Cashier:
“I am sorry Mr. President but these are the bank rules and I must follow them.”

Obama:
“I order you to cash this check!”

Cashier:
“Look Mr. President, here is an example of what we can do. One day, Tiger Woods came into the bank without ID. To prove he was Tiger Woods he pulled out his putter and made a beautiful shot across the bank into a cup. With that shot we knew him to be Tiger Woods and cashed his check.

Another time, Andre Agassi came in without ID. He pulled out his tennis racquet and made a fabulous shot whereas the tennis ball landed in my cup. With that shot we cashed his check.

So, Mr. President, what can you do to prove that it is you, and only you, as the President of the United States?”

Obama stands there thinking, and thinking, and finally says, “Honestly, I can’t think of a single thing. I don’t have a clue what to do.

Cashier:
“Will that be large or small bills, Mr. President?

 

Subject: Fw: Honesty and where it will get you” this will make you smile<<

Our teacher asked what my favorite animal was, and I said, “Fried chicken.”

She said I wasn’t funny, she couldn’t have been right, because everyone else laughed. My parents told me to always tell the truth. I did. Fried chicken is my favorite animal. I told my dad what happened, and he said my teacher was probably a member of PETA. He said they love animals very much. I do, too. Especially chicken, pork and beef. Anyway, my teacher sent me to the principal’s office. I told him what happened, and he laughed, too. Then he told me not to do it again.

The next day in class my teacher asked me what my favorite live animal was. I told her it was chicken. She asked me why, so I told her it was because you could make them into fried chicken. She sent me back to the principal’s office. He laughed, and told me not to do it again.

I don’t understand. My parents taught me to be honest, but my teacher doesn’t like it when I am. Today, my teacher asked me to tell her what famous person I admired most.

I told her, “Colonel Sanders.” Guess where I am now…

 

What Do You Do?

A comment was made to me today and I started thinkingabout it. Maybe more than I should have. But…

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