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National Poetry Month Community Project Posts

To Be Young and Thriving

by Julianna Ladani, 2024

I think we all take for granted the years of young life,

It isn’t until they’re gone that we miss living a kid’s life.

Everyday was happy with no worries or fears,

Now life is far more complicated and we look back on those years.

I wish I could have stayed a kid forever; I had so much hope,

But at some point we all grow up, we all must cope.

At some point we were all carefree and striving,

Living our best lives, young and thriving.

I wish we could just all go back to that time thereof,

Living our lives much higher above.

No matter the day and no matter the year,

As a young child time seemed to just disappear.

I miss that stress-free life of eventful and fun,

But hopefully the sequel to young life has just begun.

WHO I AM

by Mia Tsaktsirlis, 2024

I am from a loud chaotic home

From scattered shoes to nerf bullets made of foam

I am from the smells that brighten your mood

My mom in the kitchen cooking good food

I am from the mighty oak known as my dad

Whose long limbs I remember as if they were my own

I’m from swimming in the blue sea and tubing in the sound

From my sister my brother and I just goofing around

I’m from teaching my dog cool tricks

To getting him to fetch some sticks

And from having dance parties all night long

To a super loud crazy song

I’m from advice from my mother

Such as always share and be kind to one another

I’m from early morning Easter egg hunts

And the football everyone punts

I’m from Long Island and Greece

From spinach pie to baklava in a big feast

From my little sister explaining to my family how to make a kite

Who is funny, loving, and bright

I am from all of these things and moments

My personality and who I’ll become

I am proud of who I am and where I’m from

Variety vs Time

by Joe Costanzo, 2024

Variety vs. Time © 2017 

The problem with me you see
Is that I like variety
I can not stay in one place too long

The sun is now setting
Excuse me for forgetting
This may be the last sunset in my song

Life’s music so sweet
My family almost complete Writing another memoir in peace

The clock on the wall
sounding ticks through the hall
Out my window Flying south under the clouds are two geese

Variety, variety
A tragedy, a tragedy
How do I split myself in two

Life offers too much
Short time is my crutch
I’ll be happy for now, what else could I do?

In Springtime

by Anne Kelly-Edmunds, 2024

The first Daffodil
Opens
Presents its fluted face
To morning’s sun
Still
March’s wind sends
Shivers
Through Rhododendron’s
Waxy leaves
Flipping some
Upside down

Brooklyn’s Echoes

by Barbara Progebin Graffe, 2024

Children’s voices in the alley

Tag your it

Throw it to me

Echoes of laughter everywhere.

 

Come in big Barbara

Little Barbara come home

Women leaning out of windows

Echoes of mothers voices calling.

 

Parades down Eastern Parkway

Marching bands heard

People dancing during celebrations

Echoes of steps in unison on pavement.

 

My neighborhood was Crown Heights

Greetings from those walking to stores

Ebbets Field not too far from home

Echoes of crowds cheering on clear days.

 

My Dad’s voice singing songs

Reciting children’s rhymes

His words of encouragement always

Echoes of “I love you forever”.

 

Brooklyn’s echoes are with me always

Bringing smiles and laughter

Fond memories to my heart

And warmth to my soul.

Rose

by Jack Peirano, 2024

The was an old lady named Rose,

Who made an unusual pose,

She fell on the floor,

Crashed into a door,

And the truth was she stepped on her nose.

Back Yard

by Charlotte Heotis, edited by PM Heotis, 2024

Three bunnies cavorting in the play yard

Flip turns they do in air

Two woodchucks nibble nearby

Stopping now and again to look

A big crow flies in, stalks close

Enough to interrupt there dinner hour

Each chooses his favorite morsel

And goes his merry way

For sure they will all return another day.

I watch, trying not to miss a move

To spy upon their dinning

To take of note of their menu

They do not leave me a tip

For God has spread their table.

 

 

Midnight Isolation

by Maria F Rojas, 2024

Midnight Isolation 

I’m a girl.

I look at boys with eyes of passion, 

they, back with a prideful smirk. 

I want a brush of their touch and

submerge my pain into their arms.  

 

What a warmth he would bring to my life.

When I glance at him, I see a facade: 

6 ‘5, brown eyes, brown fluffy hair, skinny, cross around his neck. 

Knowing so much yet nothing from a stranger’s sight. 

Wishing to know, 

what his insides look like

divergent from the external. 

His beauty deceives.

Trips my eyes to look where I should not, 

the places I have gotten lost before, 

and still have not recovered the pieces of my lost, broken soul. 

 

The darkness of the night camouflages my love for him.

 

He, lost in motion,

I, found. 

My lovely distant distraction, 

glances at the ticking clock.

Is he waiting for me?

Ten feet from me, but I know his cologne, 

*Versace Eros.

 

Missing my chaos while focusing on my glimmering sun. 

 

Planning the perfect interaction, 

never having the courage to speak.

My mouth wants to kiss, but my mind is overwhelmed by his sight.

I freeze looking at him. 

body function is none

 

My pulse increases, my head starts to spin. 

I could pause life for him. 

Is he just in my mind? 

 

Glitches of reality and my fantasy start to synchronize,

I can’t tell the difference. 

What a joke am I.

 

I lose control over my body,

sweating and 

trembling

as he walks towards me.

 

“Is he ignoring me?”

 

He gets closer to me as the train approaches the station. 

“The midnight train,” 

the last one for the night. 

My train. 

He gets on.

I watch the doors close with him behind, 

I, left alone in the station 

dreaming of his touch.

 

What was his name?

Woodchuck

by Charlotte Heotis, edited by PM Heotis, 2024

A huge graying woodchuck owns my hill.  He peeks out from blackberry thorns—eyes the play yard up and down.  Then, casually waddles out. His fat loose skin waving over his short legs.  Spying a tender dandelion he munches its leaves until he spies others he thinks more tender—thus he proceeds up my hill stopping innumerable times to take stock of what’s around.  Making sure he’s in full ownership of his territory.  Should he even get a glimpse of my shadow in the window he streaks for cover.

Then guess what—I saw him yesterday sitting up under my apple tree—a small green delicious apple in his two front paws.  Nibbling away.   It must not have been tasty because he did not eat much.  Off he ran to his woodchuck hole.  Me being very curious went out to check his tooth marks in the apple. Hope he doesn’t get a tummy ache-I surely would.