Resolution

New Year's Resolution

Dating sites don't bring relationships, the sea of attention fills a birdbath the size of the Pacific Ocean called a heart. No, that sounds bitter, there are nice people on there, I'm a crummy picker.

An adult relationship stalls when the one party fails to introduce their children or include holidays or is often sick at the last minute, too many rain checks is a bullhorn.

Years of caring wore my boots, soles have holes and stitches in the sides, they leak rose lake. Work boots need softening. Step on summer rocks and frozen puddles makes leather fit around your bad toes. The nail of the big toe becomes ingrown from repeated pounding. A heifer gave her hide for riding boots. It’s not the climb uphill that breaks a soul, it’s the down curves when sliding on clay kills.

It’s a spell arriving. Butterfly lighting is a trick to make a portrait flattering. Shade wrinkles with light. Recite poetry in the cabin, say the rosary to the cows bellowing on the hillside while I garden, and no longer wear makeup on the weekends or spend money on packaged beauty products. Rose petals, lavender pods and organic herbs are in my secret creams.

Haze grew after your infidelities. Stool too close to a pink sweater in the bar. Incoming nasty messages and hacked places I frequent.

You cried. Things warmed for a moment, then returned to amusement park physics. Everyone said to give it up. But I'm no quitter.

I lied to myself about the joy verses pain scale, then I decided your dip in dots were too expensive and I am cheap. I don’t feel better, the future this opens a place for a partner to come in who treasures me. Time doesn’t heal, don’t let them tell you that garbage. Our minds play tricks to create new wiring and life circuits are busy. I'd pray for wisdom; but, the God I believe in doesn't get involved in changing events in our lives on earth. Free will to love, free will to miss, free to hike on.

 I hold you in highest regard and wish you well.

New Year is a clean start. Time for me to care for myself.

Carole Stevenson

 -  Shared publicly

I know this man. As a woman I am so sorry. It took me 12 years to move Paul McCarthy  on. Eclipse Messenger   You must know there is a third and fourth woman involved - lookup Mary Joe or M J Stackhouse 

Kindness Passes Lightening

Kindness Passes Lightning

Noah works strong, until the blitz

Armageddon shrivels souls in bits

Dose palms of oxy pills hide the pain

Snowflakes shards melt on black coat

Wool  recalls odor of a calf in the rain

Dreams become lost papers on a note.

Megiddo's a hill built upon graves

kindness opportunity rushes silent

lines in the highway flow in waves

holidays forgotten without hot riot.

Linear time  wipes out the past

Drips wear the wonder of crust

Aroma of rising bread  lost fast

A lover's necklace turns to dust.

Witness death of your child

sun on back, ashes apathetic

When nights thin mind wild

bitter peel shrivels lethargic.

Prism reflects from the river

Daily battles keep from seeing

What matters: is being a giver

All religions, good souls being.

Noah works strong  until the blitz

Armageddon shrivels souls in bits

Kindness passes lightening storms

Copyright 12/29/2016 Caroline Gerardo

poetry and photographs all rights 

Holiday Cheer

Get rid of holiday blues

Be simple

Be kind

Make 

wreaths

fir branches, collect 

pine cones, eucalyptus, 

no poison ivy Toyon holly thornless

cactus is gorgeous but succulents are easy

green / red plants, wire, hangers, gloves, fishing line

bunches work same as cooking raw spinach, shrinks down.

Spruce, juniper berry, marjoram, pine essential oils no diffuser?

few drops on a plate cheer your soul

Be simple

Be kind

Hot soup - 

roast pumpkin cut in half 

(seeds removed skin on, soft face up to moon) 

generous olive oil in the pan, sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg

bake until the flesh is caramel brown and the house smells yummy

No pumpkin? Use butternut squash, fine chop: onion and garlic

portions unmentioned, saute in olive oil in big pot until clear 

add stock, salt, pepper, curry, add roasted gourd in the pot 

and simmer. Check and smash as it steams

To put in bowls use a spoon

of Greek yogurt

or go ahead

add heavy 

whipping

 cream 

Share 

with 

great 

bread

Melting Hat Story

Woman waits for her ride,

brown bag covers white hair.

Sorrel melts in the rain.

Linda asks, "You need a lift?"

"No, my friend is in route."

Inside the Pack and Ship store

lights shine on bubble wrap.

Linda enters, buzzer rings.

She's on camera overhead.

"May I ask a favor?" 

Man looks up from his T. V.

"No." he answers.

"See the lady out front?"

"Yeah, she sent a package."

"May she wait inside from the storm?

He looks up queerly, "Sure, You know her?"

"No but thank you kindly, really thank you."

Linda returns to the barrage, shouting over noise

of traffic and hail.

"Come inside. I'll wait for out here your friend."

"She might miss me?"

Linda insists, the old woman explains 

the make and model of the driver's car.

Windshield wipers of Linda's car keep

time with music on the radio. 

The woman now inside the store, 

with the man,

he  leans forward over the counter.

They smile.

Tamale Share Story

Rose waits in line at the mercado for masa. 

Grandmother's gone, but she holds 

 traditions of preparing tamales for 

Christmas Eve. 

The opportunity gathers teenage children 

as a binding party before the holiday. 

Ten dozen tamales 

pork, chicken, and pineapple

The recipe takes 120 ojas (cornhusks) and 

fifteen pounds of prepared masa. 

Rather than mix cornmeal, shortening oil, 

baking powder, and salt by

hand she orders pre-made dough. 

Braised and pulled meats steam at home. 

Daughter stirs the fillings and juices.

The mercado cannot locate the woman in front of Rosa's order. 

"Sold out, perhaps tomorrow, after six, we'll have extra to sell."

The woman ahead of Rosa looks down as if to cry.

"The bus doesn't run tomorrow, I planned to make these

tonight for my Bisabuela in the rest home with extra for nurses."

"Sorry, tomorrow, next in line."

Rosa interjects,"how many pounds do you need?"

"Five, it's okay, I'll buy the dry ingredients and start right away, maybe

I'll have them ready for lunch tomorrow.

"Cut a third off my order." Rosa says.

Caroline Gerardo copyright 12/25/2016

Get Christmas Lights

Get Christmas Lights

Give hope now. 

Generator moans

Girlfriend harass

Good god where?

 Jesus wraps presents

Gentle storage boxes

Gift me Target crates

Gadflies of plastic fills

Greet strangers with joys

Gems of sapphire lights

Golly snap your negatives

Glue of one day remains

Get galactic Grinch gone 

Gadgets waste of dollars

Greet every cell with smile

Caroline Gerardo Copyright 12/23/2016 poem and images 

Gingerbread Man Guards

Eucalyptus, pine and succulent wreaths on gates,

fancy up the chain link stairs to my cabin.

Rains did their best to melt down grosgrain ribbons.

Bobcat tore under the side to try at one of the sultans;

but ginger bread men act as soldiers in the kitchen.

Grandfather's elaborate trains in the basement 

sold off boxes before we made it to the souq.

Did the Shiite militia keep the tracks?

A tunnel appeared to barrel bomb cars.

It's somewhere in rubble now.

Missing days of believers at home.

Mailing letters to Santa, 

tucked under comforter prayers.

This too is passage.

Entropy wears on cells.

.

Noble fir stands tall with

whole ornaments from

calamity of puppies of the past

knocking over trees.

Missing that dog's tail.

A cross guards 

over her in the meadow.

Mother always says, 

"I'm doing my best!"

With and exclamation point, yes.

This too is passage.

Holding heart with cheers.

 Days before Christmas.

Copyright Caroline Gerardo 12/19/2016

Moon and Back

My 2016 Moons

Don't observe full moon celestial orbs

Occultation of Aldebaran, gibbous moon

Wane shrinks and wax build up absorbs

Cross brightest star in the sky, we swoon 

Stellar eclipse allows lovers to pass

Full hunger wolf moon helps in hunt

Snow sifts after Yule melts the grass

Umbral shadow puts darkness front

Worm Moon comes round back gate 

Fields muddy crystaline calls robins

with earthworms miracle invigorate

The Crow Moon hears your sobs

Death of winter, Crust moon thaws

Brings Sap Moon forsythia gold

Aching breath from layers of gauze

Paschal Moon syncs stories told

Plant fields of crimson phlox

Pink Moon sprouts rose

Salmon opens tribal locks 

Dianthus upstream prose

Brood for the lovers lost

Flower or Milk is spring moon

Blue moon marks the costs

Time for corn, not to prune

Full Harvest autumn equinox

Leaves to ground, deer is fat

At dawn and dusk spot the fox

steal under the watch of the cat

Beaver moon moves ocean tides

Frosty light makes hearts swoon

Clouds of memory take rides

upon winter's lonely moon.

Caroline Gerardo copyright 12/18/2016
Moon and Back Poem

Christmas

Solar garden lights out.

Elaborate expense,

ladder extensions,

tree scaling, 

critics saying the

LED blue / gold  

mis-match, batteries die.

Crystal drop TERRO,

herd of ants wipe out.

Sinus infection visits 

on darkest soot night.

Pain behind eyes 

and gums swell,

SNS stimulation.

Anxiety peaks alone

best at night.

OCD kicks covers off.

Steam nose, hunt 

for decongestant.

Sterilize surfaces

with bleached 

anti-microbial rags, 

get dust shards off.

In lack of light 

swollen eyes read.

Daughter texts, 

"What day we fly

to HAV?" Ignore the

question its too late

for an answer at 3 AM, 

look up the remaining

number Goodreads

goal of books to read.

Haven't booked trip to 

Cuba, flights

are six thousand 

dollars at Christmas. 

Clogged brain, 

a blinking sign says:

FAIL. 

Glass blown decorations

tenderly wait in storage,

arrange for CHRISTMAS.

Copyright 12/7/2016 Caroline Gerardo

Santa Pup

Retail Pet

Dogs sleep on the bed

chickens hatch in kitchen

plan in my head

listen pup

shoe you chewed up?

new retail spanking

 sizes back in racks

purses are absurd

Chloe YSL  Vuitton

sit in Saks

puppies for loves

Ducati or Blackbird

don't wear gloves

fly like lightening

wear Santa hat

run in

no sin

give away

silly morning poem for the pup who eats shoes
Copyright December 6 2016 Caroline Gerardo

Star Knight

Star Knight

Not 

Starry 

Night

A 

star pulse. 

It's a plane, 

circle pattern. 

Sleep stranger 

on  the red  eye 

bones seat belted.

A boy in a smurf

 hat travels space. 

Me alone under covers.

He's not an unaccompanied minor,  college physics books rest in the overhead compartment.  In between a drooler and a smelly fat man. John Wayne shuts tower for Newport slumber. Rest apple buds in rows. Flaps down unaware that open eyes face swarms of bees, condor cauldron of five hundred endangered wingspans stretch on tightrope wires.  They teach vultures to clear lines with electric shock therapy because touching two worlds: heaven or grave burns Icarus. 

Comet above cabin winks.

Passing the sun during

hour the plane is given

permission to land  it

will out gas, shows a

tail to be read by a

soothsayer. I'm here

to reveal the story.

Give love, hunger

 for art, get up upon

failure, each second

goes faster, you fly

 condor with purpose

feel the sound of lift slapping 

your soul, make a picture in closed

eyes to recall on days when dark takes

longer and you think an

earthquake breaks you. 

Study and fly my son!

You can

You will.

Caroline Gerardo Copyright 12/5/2016 dedicated to my son who

has finals week in University of California. Work hard! Healthy snacks,

all night cram  isn't much sticky brain help but re- read text books and think

about connective culture and research the landscape of internet they call fake news.

Often I think paid news, and paid press writers who I once adored are influenced by circles.

 Just circles, end of sentence... be tolerant and read more.

Garden Loved Sestina

Garden Loved Winter Fruit

                    Sestina 

Day Linda writes zero degrees without attention.

His awful silence saws her spine as sinewy knife.

Despite prayers / absolution, superstitions grow.

Dig trenches for olive tree wind break in garden.

Does future Ouija press oil to help blisters heal?

"Do time in her wrinkles," says the cruel mirror.

Daybreak french braid tresses without mirror.

Sections combine, hold steady pays attention.

Sing over under olly olly return sunshine heal.

Sound echos pain, rubber band clangs a knife.

Sage drys, aloe bubbles, salves in the garden.

Seeds of forget me not's barb sanguine grow.

Scorpion grass hitch - hikes on souls to grow.

Don't turn your jaw look upon a winter mirror.

Damn ghosts steal prism light in zen garden.

Done recall the man's text detailing attention.

Dead memory on dry hands balances a knife.

Dregs starved, mud evaporates, tears to heal.

Nights crack because grief therapy can't heal.

Tendril connection bind, cease mind to grow.

Terror think to escape the love of your knife.

Teach Linda to sway joy angle for the mirror

Talk kind, become: don't care girl; attention.

Taste chocolate tomatoes warm in our garden.

Bury your discarded fire ashes in the garden.

Broken urine combines with nitrogen to heal.

Behold: circumnutation coils for attention.

Bold Coral Bells Passion Vine starts to grow.

Become Artesian well of citric acid in mirror.

Marigold pyretherum cores bugs with a knife.

They tell you its time to put down the knife..

They irrigate, pour chloramine on the garden.

To be you, ball gown gorgeous in that mirror.

Think about the steps the feet dance to heal.

Those corns, old blisters from work grow.

Touch her  heart  with  listening attention.

Knife cuts out nonsense  about attention.

Garden winter fruit cures, satin time to grow.

Mirror mercury glass water logged to heal.

Caroline Gerardo

copyright December 2, 2016

Dedicated to Elaine, Lainey, Lucy, Carolyn, Kait,
Maggie all wonderful Poets

Advent

Advent

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That son drove miles home from college, as our advent returns.

Three on the tree, rust in cab, all weather tires drives us places.

Traditions change, first I'm not hosting holiday, bringing dishes.

The anticipation stirs a joyful; there's no Pinterest recipe for this.

To go ahead, look back, mountain lion mauled deer on the stones.

Thyme, sage, and basil  - smoke fills house - cause bees distress.
Table places set. No soot, no charcoal, no fire spark on wind pants.
Thanksgiving with other family moves away from  dis-functions. 

Talented sibling says: liar!  Where truck keys?  Escape bell rings.

 Through divorce struggle, insurance more than college payments.
Take off in open gown when radiologist sighs  before surgeries.

Tap clean windows for seashell echo of newsprint vinegar seas.

Tail of raven twitches on doe carcass, he knows where cabin lies.

Turn on mud flood road, skate to sanctuary for rare butterflies. 

Talents to ignore with silence, never show for its not anxieties.

Take lover who treats your core as not as chosen, not pretties.
To return after prison spell, dig up clover seeds in coffee cans.
Though means well, confess sins, forgot to cover mouse traps.
Those excuses...

Today start over, walk those open hearts.
These hands ready, Mailed blankets to Fort Yates.
Time to listen, hope and be kinder begins.
Thus prepare the robbed, shunned, and lonely for festivities. 

The list ahead is full of jobs, jot notes in the phone to pages.
The King comes.

Advent Poem
Copyright Caroline Gerardo November 27, 2016
Photograph I took at Flannery O'Conner's home