Words and Pieces

Last week I turned 50 years old, the big FIVE OH!  It has been difficult for me dealing with the aging process.  It hasn't been just about turning the number 50 but more about seeing my body change in ways I really have not been happy with and, of course, I blamed it on that number!  For the few weeks before my birth date I knew that there was a big birthday party being planned and so I wanted to write a poem to read during the festivities about turning 50.  The problem was every time I tried to sit down and write I just couldn't go there, nothing was coming out!  I tried writing down just words or phrases associated with turning fifty but when I looked down at the page I just saw a lot of negativity!  Pfffft!!!  On three separate occasions I tried to get my thoughts flowing for this poem but it just was not happening!  The night before the party I was sitting on the couch with my composition book in my lap and pen in hand!  I was determined to free form some words!  I jus

Today is World Poetry Day my friends!  It is a day to pull out your favorite poetry book, pay tribute to your favorite poets, read a poem to your children, your family or your Love!  It's a day to promote the writing and teaching of poetry and to appreciate the local poets in your own community.  I've been writing poetry since I was an angst ridden teenager in the 1980's.  I really felt so alone and really depressed and it was just a way for me to get the fear and helplessness out of my head and onto a page.  I never really showed anyone those writings but I do visit them sometimes and realize how far I have come.  Thank goodness for poetry!  Today I'm going to share a light hearted piece I wrote about people that writes songs.  I am very jealous of songwriters because I love music and writing!  I got a guitar a few years back for my birthday and I've tried to learn how to play that thing but I just don't make the time for it really.  I know so many talented s

Happy 15 year Anniversary Lovey!   The card Lovey gave me today.  It looks like us! You are my love. EL-OH-VEE-EEE your smile, your touch our fingers entwined. Going through life side by side. In sickness and in health we stay together. Two souls  on a high wire now and forever! Moments after moments so many “have a good day”s. A kiss before we close our eyes, that is our way. You are my love EL-OH-VEE-EEE dancing, thrifting, singing together living our story you and me.

Sometimes I have that thing they call a "monkey brain".  Its when you have all these thoughts in your head and you can't concentrate on just one thing.  It's not productive at all!  A few months back I had been really just living on auto-pilot from day to day.  I was going through the motions and allowing my brain to live it's crazy monkey existence and not caring all too much until one day I realized I needed to pull my head out of my ass!  I wasn't happy and I wanted to bring back what was not  going on in my life, like creating art, or laughter or hanging out with family & friends!  Important things were missing! One day on the walk to the train I decided that I would make an attempt to actually stay in the moment to tame that monkey brain.  So as an exercise I would recite things that I saw around me.  The first morning I tried reciting into my iPhone but I found that the spell check gizmo made too many errors.  The next day I just tried plain ole'

A woman is bold she is strong she is courageous she is everything and more! A woman is dainty a woman smells pretty she thinks long and hard and comes with a neat little bow A woman is scrappy she can wash the dishes scrub the floor plunge her hands into the dirt and tell it like it is! A woman drives you crazy puts you in your place and teaches you a damn good lesson A woman is tall she is short she is average rich or poor and knows how to say just the right thing Mother Nature....a woman! Mother of God...a woman! and Peace, also a woman! You'll lay it on the line for a woman drop what your doing for a woman and put your tail between your legs for a woman! A woman is skinny she is fat she is curvy she is all that! Marlene, Marilyn, Madonna, Gaga Woman, Woman, Woman, Woman! A woman will roar she will scream she will pull your hair out and sometimes tear you a new asshole But a woman

Three by Beth Achenbach Three o'clock in my pocket but that's not really the time. All things skewed  in such a way that the hour is not on my side. Lengthy chatter, rapid, muted talk briefly touches a biased ear that is half listening and trying to counter punch my lines before three words escape my lips. I found this poem today in my first Moleskine book that was gifted to me from my girlfriend. It was dated 2008, had a few more lines and was unfinished. As I read it and re-read it a few times I came to the conclusion that those extra lines belonged to an entirely different poem!  So it was finished all along  and I didn't realize it until now in 2017.   Beth