Sheʼs waiting for sunset

She belongs to the night

Heʼs scared of the dark

Sheʼs scared of the light

Cheer up, he demands

He is awfully bossy

Been drinking his feelings

He is awfully saucy

She must have forgot

He forgot he got caught

He got caught taking shots

With some sluts

She hates being sad

She was glad to be mad

’Cuz when things go bad

She goes nuts

Have you met the devil inside?

Made a friend of the devil within?

Did you fight with all of your might?

Or give up and let the devil win?

Heʼs holding a bottle

Good times at the bars

Sheʼs holding a blade

Sheʼs counting her scars

Heʼs drowning his sorrow

Sheʼs cutting her skin

If it hurts tomorrow

They'll do it again

He left her bereft, he couldnʼt stay

Heʼs too far gone, heʼs too far away

One day, he'll pay, heʼs well on his way

To regret

Sheʼs reckless when sheʼs left alone

Sheʼs holding tight her silent phone

Too many sins for her to atone

Or forget

Will you bear the burden and the blame?

Are you ready to finally start healing?

Do you feel guilt for the blood you spilt?

The truth will come out, fuck your feelings

.

He'll drink and be merry

A drunk feels no pain

Sheʼs slicing her thighs up

Just to feel anything

The knives have been sharpened

Slice and dice through the noise

As long as liquor flows freely

Broken girls love broken boys

Time to wake up, my alarm is ringing

Into the shower I go with my singing

Will I take my car?

     Will it take me far?

It's better than taking the sickamoobar (bus)

One light

      Two lights

             Green lights

                      Red lights

Should I stop and get some gas?

      Should I stop if I am fast?

I should stop and get some gas

       I should stop and get it fast

              So to work my car will last

I've arrived at my job 

So has my friend Bob

Bob won't sob

     if you feed him

           corn on the cob.

If you see Bob start to sob

You can feed him corn on cob

Work is done, let's go and have fun!

Back in my car

So we can go far

     We got gas

            We got it fast

                   My car will last

Hello, son!

     My son is done.

My son went to school

     But he didn't run.

Does he like the Mac and cheese?

He does not like the Mac and cheese.

Will he eat it in a tree?

     He will not eat it in a tree.

He does not like the Mac and cheese

     He does not like it if you please

Will he eat it on his knees?

     He will not eat it on his knees.

Not in a tree, not on his knees

     He does not like the Mac and cheese

He does not like it if you please!

What about soup, does he like that?

     Only if it's served in a hat

Pasta, pasta, how about pasta?

He will eat pasta, I am so pleased

He will eat pasta with broccoli.

Homework time, the clock has chimed

     He does his while I do mine

Then it's off to bed again

     Kiss his head and tuck him in.

I stretch my arms and give a yawn

     I do not want it to be dawn!

I woke up on Sunday

quite ready for church;

backed out in my Hyundai

to crash with a lurch!

My pleasant demeanor

(which started the day)

crushed flat by the beaner

I got in the fray!

On Monday, I figured

things couldn’t get worse,

but that folly triggered

more reason to curse.

The ride I’d finagled

(my car in the shop)

was out getting bageled

and forgot to stop!

That might be forgiven

when Tuesday arrived

if she hadn’t driven

where bees had been hived.

Ten stings were the answer

(allergic I’m not),

my jumps like a dancer

throughout parking lot!

By Wednesday, though weary,

I tried to regroup.

I even got cheery

and packed me some soup.

It tasted so yummy

(while warming me through),

I filled up my tummy

and went to the zoo!

I’m glad that my bosses

by Thursday could see

I’d dealt them no losses

and cost them no fee.

It’s not that I’m lazy

(I work really hard),

but life had been crazy

for this week, so far.

On Friday, you know it,

I counted the tocks

though I couldn’t show it

by watching the clocks.

I don’t think it’s stretching

(in fact I’m quite sure)

to say all my kvetching

had only one cure –

and that was for free time,

now Saturday bound.

A ‘what do you see’ rhyme

in Seuss-i-cal-sound

I’ve writ for a week

(though it’s only a lark).

Life isn’t so bleak

if your car can stay parked!

Posted on Prose

Woke up this morning got out of bed

Dizzy woozy wobbly post party head

Reached for the aspirin and the coffee pot

But everything empty got diddly squat

Nothing for my headache

Nothing to help me keep awake

Went for a shower to liven me up more

Slipped on the bubbly soap fell on the floor

Took myself and my bruised bottom back to bed

I´ll give this getting up another try later instead!

----------------------------------------------

© M.Withers/M.Strudwick . All rights reserved.

Both the name The EriduSerpent/EriduSerpent

and any written material is owned solely by the above named.

Permission granted for all written material to be shared but not for profit.

Printing or publishing is prohibited without seeking permission first from said owner.

Open my eyes, stretch, and yawn

Stumble out of bed, cursing the dawn

Brush my teeth, brush my hair

Wash my face…and here…and there

Scour through my closet to find some clothes

Then change four times from which I chose

A glass of water, a protein bar

Every morning (is this bizarre?)

Sometimes I run to the store or bank

And get some gas inside my tank

Back home to write and listen to tunes

That’s how I spend my afternoons

In the evening I teach a class

And try hard not to be a smart ass

On the way home, I stop at the gym

That’s how I stay fit and trim

Home once again, this time to stay

After quite a hectic, busy day

Sit down at my desk and begin to write

For countless hours until it is night

At the end of a perfectly frantical day,

I sit on my seat and send my worries away.

I like the TV, it makes such a sound,

You could almost forget you had troubles around.

I watch Star Trek and Arrow and Conan and Friends,

I have such a good time that the fun never ends!

With all my snacks on my lap, and a coke in my hand,

I sail far away to a fantasy land.

It's so good to forget that your day was so bad,

You can let go and focus on what makes you glad.

There are no bad things on the shows of all kinds,

Except all the sad stuff on Criminal Minds,

But that doesn't matter, just switch to Cupcake Wars,

Or maybe just go and dance with the Stars.

Just kick back and grab up some scones,

And be glad you can relax with Game of Thrones.

REMEMBERING ALICE

Alice was a withdrawn seven year old in the second grade classroom in which I taught. Her parents were separated. Alice's father had physical custody. He told Alice that her mother was dead. Alice's mother hoped to get custody at the divorce hearing. She was eventually able to tell Alice that she was not dead.

Alice's behavior was strange and she had no friends in the class. The other children giggled at her unusual behavior. One day, Alice's mom came to the classroom to take Alice out for lunch. I took advantage of Alice's absence to talk to the class. I said, “I want to talk with you about something important. I know Alice's behavior is odd at times and I don't blame you for laughing. But there is something that I think you should know. Alice is living with just her father right now. He told Alice that her mother is dead.”

The children gasped.

I swallowed hard, then continued, “I'm not trying to make you sad. I'm telling you this because Alice is going through a difficult time and she needs us to be kind to her.”

Alice returned to a more compassionate classroom. No one was her friend, but no one laughed at her.

Two weeks later, Alice's mom told me that the following Friday she was taking Alice out of the school.

The day before Alice's last day with us, I spoke with the school secretary. I told her that I needed some time to talk to my class so that I could tell them that Alice is leaving and ask them to make a good-bye card. I told the secretary that I would ask Alice to deliver a note to her and would she please keep Alice in her office for five minutes before sending her back to the classroom. The secretary smiled and agreed.

Later that day, Alice took the note to the secretary's office. While she was out of the room, I talked with the students.They appeared happy to make a card. Alice was often in her own world, so it wasn't difficult for the children to make a card without Alice noticing. I told the students to put their cards on my desk at dismissal time.

After the students left for the day, I looked at the cards. The boy who was her chief tormentor and laughed the loudest had made a card with flowers and butterflies He had written, “I'm sorry you're leaving. I love you. I'll miss you.”

Many students created cards with similar sentiments. 

The following day was Alice's last one with us. I asked one of the students to write Alice's name on the envelope and decorate it. I gave the envelope to Alice at dismissal time.

Four days later, I received a note from Alice's mother. It read: Thank you so much for the envelope you gave Alice. She reads the cards from the children over and over. She said, “I didn't know they loved me.” This weekend she was the happiest I have ever seen her."