Brandy Apple Days 'n Dandelions

By Scharlie Martin

Written over the course of a life time, the eighty-nine poems and associate drawings in this volume represent a unique and changing view of how we as a society view life and love. Good poetry should be like a good cartoon--short and sweet and to the point and provide a "ha-ha" discovery moment that is like a gentle slap in the face. These poems speak for themselves.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jul 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098309725

Book preview

GAME PLAN

When everything hinges on

A stolen glance

And stealing seems to be

Your only chance,

Then bump your mark

And snatch your dreams,

Throw your heart into the

Flames—

And when the ashes cool

To a steady glow,

Bank your hearth to burn

Agonizingly

Slow.

BRANDY APPLE DAYS

For me time is like an airport

Control tower

Setting up holding patterns

To prevent us from

Colliding with

Ourselves.

Except when we’re

In love—

All the air traffic controllers

Must go on strike in

Those brandy apple days

We glide

Thru love

And keep colliding with

Ourselves.

LADY OF THE LANGUAGES

I walked ninety-two blocks

To find a phone

To call you and

You said, Sure, come on over.

So, ninety-two block later

I arrived—

Only to find you couldn’t wait

And had gone out again.

Then after I crawled back

Into my hole

You called and

I ran another ninety-two blocks.

What’s the matter?

Aren’t there

Enough oceans to climb

And mountains to swim

Anymore?

IS IT YOUR MOVE OR MINE?

Your love

Plays waiting games

Pushing out

Only when

My pawns are vulnerable.

Too bad I don’t have

A carving set

And access to

An ivory factory.

TEASE

Your laughter

Like talking water

Stirs

The me in me.

That must be why

I go to so much trouble

To seem to

Ignore you.

PORCHES

I hope love

Is not like those

Antiquated tacked on

Vestibules between

Out and In

Called porches—

All closed in.

But open and free

Like a patio.

SIDEWALK CAFES

I’ve always thought

Of sidewalk cafes

As filling stations

For sun nuts

And connoisseurs

Of the delicately

And deliciously

Turned calf.

SOLDIERS ON THE TRAIN

Why do soldiers only

Take the train

Late in autumn after

Summer’s blazed and gone?

It’s almost as if

The heart only becomes

A conscientious objector

When uniforms are donned.

PASSING IN REVIEW

Once, while driving through

Cincinnati

In an Army buddy’s convertible

A pretty young