COLLABORATING
I sat staring
At the sky.
Clouds
Moved in
And out
Of my
Sight...
I sighed!
The painter
Was
At work
Though
He could not
Make up
His mind.
A sunny day
Or a cloudy
One
Treetops swaying
In high
Winds
Or just leaves
Rustling
In a light
Breeze...
He could not
Decide
However much
He tried!
I watched it
All
From where
I was
Sitting
Relaxed
On a rock.
After many
Long
Moments
Of uncertainty
I whispered
A request
To the
Painter
Asking
Him to heed.
Let the day
Be balmy
So that all
Could enjoy.
He seemed
Happy
With this request
And
Soon the painting
Was done.
From where
I sat
Saw I the
Sky
And felt
The gentle breeze
Rustling
Leaves,
Making clouds
Sail
Across the
Sun's face...
Yea,
He and I
Had created
A new
Day!
FREDERIKA MENEZES
BIRDSONG
Perched atop
A tree branch
Sang thr
Bird
A song of
Love, joy
And beauty...
The song
Touched
My heart
Pulling at
It by
The strings!
My heart
Like a
Puppet
To every
Note
Danced
And swayed.
Togeher with
It
My limbs
Did the
Same!
It was a
Song of
Great feelings
Though the
Expanse of
Forest
Reverberating ...
O the bird
Sang
Casting a spell
And flee
Off
While
I swayed
And danced
To the
Memory of
The bird song
Melody!
A marionette
On Nature's
Strings!
FREDERIKA MENEZES
UNITENTIONAL POEM
Today, I wrote
No rhyme
Thought I to
Myself
I'll do something
Else
With my
Time...
So I called
Up a
Friend
And
Together, we
Sat
Gossiping
About
Everyone
And everything...
We read and
Sang
Together
Dancing!
Then I picked
Up
A pencil
So as to
Sketch.
A beautiful scene
I drew
A garden
In full bloom.
After this
I napped
A hbi
A dreamed
I was
Sprawling
Lines
In rhyme!
When I awoke
Here
It was
The poem
Never
Intended
But nevertheless
Penned!
Who did
Write it
I asked
Myself...
The answer
Clearly
Said ir all.
I wrote
This poem
Today
Despite
Thinking
I would not!
FREDERIKA MENEZES
THE LITTLEST
They were
Playing
In the
Mud.
Digging
For treasure
O what
Fun...
They dug
Here
And they
Dug there
Slowly
The digging
Got everywhere!
One of
Them
Found a tin
Then gathering
Everyone
Opened
It
To find
Nothing...
A let down!
They carried
On digging
Around...
They grumbled
About
The ground
How it yielded
Nothing
Precious.
No one
Expected it
But a
Tiny fist
Went up
Followed by
A cry
Saying
Yes!
The littlest
Among
Them
Had a
Treasure
Found.
It was
A box
Of money
Old and rare...
This little
One
Was chided
For such
A find!
No matter
Rare things
Are worth
More
In time!
So thinking
The young
One
Took the
Find
Home!
It's worth
Was so
Great
The young
One
Was among
The rest
Never
Seen again!
FREDERIKA MENEZES
ALL IN A TALE
It was
Time to
Go
From the
Playground
Home...
But more
I wanted
To stay
And
Play!
The swings
Beckoned
To me
So did
The monkey
Ladder
And the
Merry-go-round...
I went
To them
All
Playing
My heart out!
Come along
Now
It's getting
Late
We must
Make haste.
My mother
Said
Apprehensive!
The stage coach
Is waiting
Come along
Hurry...
Before
The spell
Is broken.
Too late
I kept at
Play
And refused
To go
The stage coach
Turned
To a big
Stone
While the
Horses
Turned
To mice
And me,
I Turned to
A rag doll.
I was
Picked up
Gently
And carried
Away
The playground
Left
Behind
In dissolved
Swirl!
FREDERIKA MENEZES
TRADING LIVES
How can
I describe
What I
Feel
When I them
My age
Walking, running
And living
While I
On my wheelchair
Sit?
I feel
No jealousy
Or rage
Just a
Deep
Pain!
They could
Be me
And I, them...
A change
Of lives
Would be
So wonderfully
Nice.
Then they'd
Know
Better than
Stupid questions
To ask
Regarding
How I
Live
My life.
They'd know
First hand
Of beating
The struggles
And survive!
I'd know
What'd be
To really
Live.
To run
To dance
To walk
The everyday
Race...
I wouldn't
Need to
Imagine
Anything!
How can I
Describe
The Joys
I've been
Denied?
Happiness of
Being
Independent
In pursuit
Of
Living
A complete
Life!
FREDERIKA MENEZES
THE KNOCK
There was
A knock
On the
Door...
It sounded
Urgent!
I drop
The pot
I held
Spilling
All contents...
Soup
Of carrots,
Potatoes,
Cheakpeas
And tomatoes...
All on the
Floor!
At this
My vegetarian
C,at
Made
A feast!
I ran
Toward the
Door
And on
The way
Tripped...
A tangled
Mat
At.my feet...
The knock
Came again
Shaking
The door
In its
Very frame!
Coming!
Called I
As to my
Feet
I got
And dashed
Forth...
Owww
I, on a
Just mopped
Floor
Slipped
Hitting
My behind,
Bringing
Tears
To my eyes...
I finally
Reached
The door
A mess of
Pain and
Spilled soup...
Yanking it
Open
I looked out.
Lo!
I beheld
No one....
A gust Of
Wind
Hit my
Face
Just as I
Turned
Away!
Oh, it was
You
Was it
That
Created so
Much
Havoc in
Just seconds?
As if
In answer
The wine
Blew past me
Into
The house
Rattling
Everything!
I quickly
Shut
The door
Watching
Things
Fall!
I opened
A window
And shouted
For the wind
Out to go...
It left
Leaving
Behind broken
China
Upturned
Pots
And pans
And more
Destruction
Than I care
Say.
It'll be a
Day
Too soon
Should tne
Wind
Return!
FREDERIKA MENEZES
