Just FYI

All the edits I did on my poems I just pasted over the old poems, so if you wanted to reread them, oh faithful followers, the new and hopefully improved versions are now on display for your endless enjoyment.
About Time
Crackers
Recipe For Fail-Proof Invisibility (formerly known as See Through)
What's Mine is Yours (actually this one didn't change since I thought it was already as near to perfection as I could possibly squeeze out)
Empty
Easy Come

I'll think of something else to let loose on here soon. I'm pretty busy with a lot of school writing and other homework. And I'm actually doing most of it, believe it or not.

Easy Come

Lungs allow air to enter and exit
mindlessly.
First we are born
and they get to work
For the rest of a lifetime.

The sky allows itself to absorb
and drain water.
First the sun scoops it up
then it falls for a while.
A rhythm to recycle.

The heart allows love to enter and exit
not easily,
but sometimes too easily.
Not entirely unlike blood
It flows, within and out
For a lifetime.

Love expands,
Deeper than oceans or breaths.

Her heart can't exhale.
Not because he fainted, needed heart to heart, or died
(For she could have done something then).
He just got tired. Or She did.
Perhaps she got light-headed,
Or he was soaking wet.

A lung that can't breathe out,
Or a cloud that endlessly orbits the world.
Is that possible?

Not easily.

Lost and Found

When the kids in the back of the bus all stand up and start freaking out about something, usually they don't sit down until I physically go back there and figure out what's going on and how I can save the day. Today, one of the littlest apparently had been chewing on a paper towel and it must have been ripped from his playful jaws, for the surge of attention today was directed at a suddenly bloody hole in his gums. He lost a tooth. His mouth hung open, wider than his shocked eyes. I asked if he wanted a paper towel and he nodded absently, drool gathering, eyebrows furrowing, mind preoccupied with where his missing tooth could be. I got him a new, clean paper towel to collect the drool with and I ordered the show to be over and pockets to touch the seats and faces forward. We were off. When the kids were dropped off, and the bus parked in its cozy spot, and I was sweeping, I noticed that the high schooler that had brought a box of Nerds on the bus hadn't gotten them all in her mouth, and every pink one caught my eye, in case the little one's tooth was perhaps slightly bloody. A couple seats into the sweep I saw a tiny rounded rectangle in the corner. I slipped it into my pocket and continued sweeping up surprising amounts of nerds, random beads and lots of paper bits, but gratefully, no bloody, drooly paper towel. I have prepared a gift for the little one, for when he boards the bus tomorrow morning. He will be one tooth richer, although still one tooth down . . .




Also today I had an exciting thought. How cool would it be to have a traveling board meeting, where all your business was discussed around a fine table, sitting in cushy chairs -- all bolted to the open trailer bed behind a big rig, cruising down the highway at 70 mph? Paper weights would be your most valued office accessory. And a good hair scrunchy, for girls.

Empty

Just a girl in her empty boat
Floating hardly beyond the rocks,
Ocean licking, looking for a way in.
Without a paddle the waves steer
Her and her half walnut shell
Along nutcracker cliffs.
She lays her body in the bottom,
Palms pressed into the side
Of her empty boat.
From a wood-framed view
She sees clouds in the sky
Pitching to and fro
Turning darker, churning.
Their juices spill on her skin
And the ocean spits on her clothes.
Eyes closed she does not see
The rock that wounds the wood,
Ocean bleeding into her bed,
Emptiness filling
From above and below.
Body pressed and still,
Water replaces air
In her empty boat.
The flood tries to refill
The dry riverbed of tears
Mapped upon her cheeks
Pooling gently on lidded eyes
Until the wet wraps her whole.
Eyes open she can see
What a fish must see
When it looks to the rim
Of its empty bowl
Filled with water.
She watches the ocean surface
Blend into the sky
Until water replaces air
In her empty lungs.
Welcomed to the calm ocean floor
Just the girl in her empty boat.



(note to those who may worry: this is not a literary reflection of my personal inner workings at this time.
Another note: I will be submitting certain pieces of writing to that Touchstones magazine at my school again, and I'd like to have your editorial notations and suggestions for any of my more recent musings into poetry, What's Mine is Yours, Crackers, See Through, and About Time. And please, if you have suggestions for this one, Empty, please make your notes! And tell other people you know that like to read to read them too and make their comments, because I don't have an editor, so you will be my eyes and ears to what I don't see or hear 'off' with my pieces. For example, I already think with this Empty piece, that I might delete the first line or the last two lines, or change some of the words throughout. So as you can see I'm open to your suggestions! Thanks beautiful readers!)

I will lead you along

I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;
And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.

Be thou humble, and the Lord they God shall lead thee by the hand and give thee answer to thy prayers.

(Doctrine & Covenants 78:17-18; 112:10.)

What Next, Dear Mother?

Most mothers make good impromptu nurses when time requires, but Mother nature sure has it out for me right now and not helpfully. I've had quite the cough for almost a week now. I've tried her natural honey and lemon drops, salt and warm water gargle, rest and relaxation, steamy-hot-water showers, sucking on frozen water (ice) to shrink bronchial membranes, and then I've moved to sticky syrups and bitter gulps of stuff, but those lungs are still battling and the war sounds wheeze from my covered kisser (which hasn't been kissing anyone for at least a week). So, you know, thanks a lot, Ma. But you won't take me back into your earthy clutches over this bout. You'll have to try harder than that to get me!

Most females are content to live and thrive in their homes and with family and close friends, rummaging for her family's daily needs through hard work and generous service. But mosquitos. Ohhhh no. The females cannot survive without stealing for daily their needs from unsuspecting, or sometimes very suspecting and somewhat paranoid strangers. Tiny vampires, not looking for love in rain-cloud-covered towns, but lusting for blood, dementedly probing any warm dermal surface to retrieve their needed nutrients all because they can't stomach peanut butter or hamburger (plenty of which they could probably find in dumpsters, if they'd just branch out and try some). I ventured into the out, for a mere half slice of an hour, and returned to the in with 25 (twenty-five) dirty left-overs of their quick, greedy meals. Only one casualty on their side. And look at me. I look diseased.



But this too shall pass. It will take more than this to pull me under!

Marriage

Well, most people figure their dad will get married before they will. Today I saw my dad marry Shawna. I'm very happy for him of course and for her, too. They just came together and they go so well together. It was a nice and very casual wedding. We were wearing hawaiian style clothes and leis, and then we had a buffet bbq dinner, and it was the perfect evening. Sometime I think it will be really nice to get married. Preferably before I have kids. But whatever, I'm not picky.

New Age Dating Rules

These are rules I've heard of, seen, experienced, etc. that seem to rule the world of dating or just as general rules. Of course this is not an exhaustive compilation. Please feel free to add other rules, since these days really anyone is free to make them as they please.

Texting:
1. Do not double text before receiving a reply.
2. Guys, do not text a girl until two days after getting her number.
3. Girls, do not text a guy before he texts you if he has your number.
4. Do not text someone who doesn't know you have their number.
5. Do not text what you can't fit in less than three texts.
6. Text when you can't give your full attention to a person, but don't tell them that.
7. When in doubt, don't push send.
8. Do NOT assume that because someone hasn't replied that they don't like you. (But don't rule it out completely, either.)
(Don't forget that assuming in general only makes an ass out of u and me.)
9. If someone only ever replies with a maximum of seven words, they aren't interested in receiving much more than that from you.
10. Emoticons do not clear up much. For example, in a text, "yeah right" can be read approximately 85 different ways. Adding :op or :-) or ;) still reads approximately 85 ways, no matter how many you add.
11. Texts do not clear up much, in general.
12. DTRs should not be texted.
13. Do not text and drive. Drive and drive.
14. Remember if = he and me = of.
15. The after date thank you text. Something about it... Not sure why it's necessary.

Facebook:
1. Do not request a friend that isn't your friend yet that hasn't mentioned to you that they are on facebook.
2. When a person mentions they are on facebook, they want you to look for them.
3. If you have gone on a date with someone...better not to add them as a friend at all, actually.
4. Do not add or even message a friend because you saw them tagged in a friend's picture and you thought they were cute.
5. Do not mix up "what's on your mind" with your reply to what someone wrote on your wall.
6. Do NOT leave yourself logged in and then leave the computer.
7. Don't take quizzes. Just don't. Please.
8. When in a relationship, don't write on each other's walls. If you're away from each other, message or call, or do anything but write on each other's wall. Come on.
9. Remember who your friends are...sometimes one is your mother, or old bishop. Just don't forget who you've added.


MySpace:
1. Did you want a lasting relationship?


Internet dating sites:
1. Meet in public, then release your number if he/she is not insane.
2. Wink, poke, nudge, flirt...if you're lame.
3. Realize it sucks. No one that you think you might be interested in will be interested in you.
4. Don't describe yourself. That's not really who you are. Nor is your picture really doing you justice. Or, it's unjustly representing what you look like in person.
5. If he/she says no, don't push it. We already know you're desperate. You're online.


Craig's List:
1. Are you kidding? Do not use as a dating service. The end.


Twitter:
1. Really? Who cares. If they care that much, they probably live with you already and they don't need to go online for the update.


If you fancy someone, go for it. Worst they can say is no. Well, sometimes it might be worse that they say yes, but you'll never know if you don't try.

And, remember, Edward isn't real.

What's Mine is Yours

I want to care for you when you don't care,
hold you when you're losing grip,
listen when you have nothing to say,
whisper sweetly into your mouth
to give you everything you'll need
to whisper later in my ear.
to press my cheek to yours
when you talk, or chew, or smile;
seal your lips with mine,
hold your hand in mine,
take your hug and give you mine,
sync your gaze to mine,
to breathe your lungs,
trade you hearts
to trace your bones with mine,
to witness as you live
the matrix
of your life becoming mine.

Better than One

Actually what I like most about this pic are the framed double wall hangings. Who really wants to kiss their self anyway? Not I. Not really.