A day in the Life

autumn evening in the valley
they sip Champaign
under twinkling stars

AS

fireflies pulsate in the grass
a single willow in the distance

AS

a farm dog barks
at something
chittering in the dark

RMB

listening attentively
the smell of smoke

KH

curious of the silence
the moon lights
a pathway

UW

stars twinkling
bring music to the night sky

HM

the day dawns
running the
shadows out

UW

walking further into the forest
confidence building

KH

snowy owl
wings whispering
just overhead

RMB

steamy breaths
create clouds in the night sky

AS

night life
leaning over the toilet
all day

TJ

night air
Bright is the North Star

BH

the full moon
competes for the spotlight
with the stars

AS

warming my chords
I grab the microphone

HK

the owl
releases
a lonely melody

HM

white moths
comforting stars flutter by

HD

they fly past me
to the cherry blossoms
owl still singing

BH

peaceful rive song
in the distance.

AS

• • •

Mad-Verse Kasen

by

Randy Brooks = RMB
Samantha Bies = SJB
Heather Doyle = HD
Tyrone Griffin = TJ
Betty Hartnett = BH
Hannah Mahr = HM
Megan McGurr = MM
Emily Mihalkanin = EM
Alizarin Salmi = AS
Uriah Walker = UW

Class Reunion

quick trip to the grocery store
wearing no makeup . . .
class reunion

EM

weaving through aisles
pretending to read

EM

my cart
crashes
face turns red

HD

my bare eyes
meeting hers

SJB

dark outside
thoughts of home
the moon wanes

BH

dreaming about love
with the right one

TJ

I step outside
wind cools my face
rustling of leaves

BH

in the corner
a whirlwind

SJB

emotions
fill the room,
I look for him

HD

empty silence
alone with my thoughts

EM

at last alone
my cat
demands attention

HM

that’s never enough,
she hungered for more

UW

he leaves her . . .
she stares at the moon
pondering

EM

she’s lost her hope
emptiness

SJB

bouncing balls
all the kids playing
one is left behind

TJ

the runt of the litter
nursed with a bottle

RMB

scorched by the sun,
found shade under
the cherry blossom tree

UW

Ah . . .
finally a break

EM

• • •

Story of My Life

tears in her eyes
she catches her son
stumbling home again

UW

waking up
seeing the pain he caused

xx

he races out of the house
to the old tavern he came from
whiskey and ice in his cup

xx

a shaggy buffalo head
on the wall

RMB

hearing his name
in the background
no one else around

xx

a breeze chills his spine
falls to his knees

xx

Grasping his unkept hair
crying out
his last name betrayed

xx

a face in the window
then gone

RMB

late October night,
a light flicks on
in the abandoned house

xx

hope it wasn’t the
house on the left

xx

life is mystery
he keeps walking
the clock strikes twelve

xx

the glass face
a reflection of lost love

xx

rooftop
light shining down
while with my love

xx

the pigeon walk
just for her

RMB

trapped by her
love, deceived by
her beauty

xx

unable to let go
choking me

xx

my breath escapes me
the cherry blossoms
soaked in tears

xx

as I look up . . .
It was all a dream

xx

• • •

Where the Sun Goes

october sunset
pastel colors swirling
in the tide pools

-AS

looking for mom
the baby seagull

-HD

webbed prints
washing away
with the waves

-SJB

a crab in the sand
the child watches

BH

gazing at the sky
the stars surround
the crescent moon

-TS

she reaches to the sky—
moonlight on her hands

-AS

my love. . .
caring for the one
I always dream about

-TS

I hear the surf
slapping the shoreline

-BH

her hand
in his—
the sun sets

-SJB

a shared kiss
in evening tide

-HD

a reflection
sparkling in the water
A full moon

-EM

tiny pink shell
washes along

-HM

the moon bright
in her eyes
a special sparkle

-HD

diamonds in the sun
such rare jewels

-BH

emeralds sway
around her neck—
she saunters around the room

-AS

snatch!
the backside of a ski-masked man

-KH

cherry blossom perfume
last item
to admire

-HM

waste of energy
no one close to me

-HD

• • •

Mouse Peep

time to meet the parents
quick
zip your fly

em

holding hands in the foyer
Mom & Dad

rmb

nailed with questions
cheeks beat red
Dad’s shotgun

kh

the wooden door
blocks the heat

uw

Summer moon
silence
not a mouse peep

hm

the happy couple
dancing the night away

em

on vacation
sunscreen, flip flops
on the beach towel

hm

clothes disappear
from the empty beach

uw

stomach growling
she checks the time
late!

kh

on his cell phone
with the ex

rmb

his face
becomes red . . .
click

as

dime a dozen
more fish in the sea

tj

let the nets out
into the deep water
moon

rmb

wings slice
silence in the air

uw

an eagle soaring
majestic
free

em

perched
on the highest branch

sjb

come and go
cherry blossoms vanish
when I snap to reality

tj

vows on the back
of her senior photo

rmb

• • •

Lost Love

jilted . . .
she goes to the beach
to be with the sun

BH

lying on the sand
the rays warm her skin

BH

HOT!
Guys being guys
when the girls are around

TJ

colorful tanners litter the beach
the smell of suntan lotion

AS

Seagulls crowd
around the hot dog
left in the sand

RMB

tidal patterns
becoming parallel with my breath

KH

ocean liner
starts to churn a path
to Alaska

RMB

newlyweds gaze at the sunset . . .
splash!

AS

soaked!!
please . . .
don’t leave

TJ

walking down the beach
everything wet and full of sand

BH

shivering
he holds her close
warmth

SJB

a blanket of love
wraps me up

HD

my mind travels home
my dog waits
in Minnesota

BH

watching from a window
I pull my car in

AS

good mood flying good-bye
my clothes now a new pattern
zig-zags

KH

the path of
a darting bumble bee

UW

following cherry blossoms
floating through the air
the aroma

HD

bumble bees, dogs
whatever

BH

• • •

Fantasy

face planted in the ground
Watering the grass
With her tears

UW

muddy dirt
flowing like a stream

UW

fish jump
eating flies
for a morning lunch

HM

the picnic blanket
checkered beneath us

EM

day turns to night
the bright moon
surrounded by stars

HD

fireflies paint
the air around us

SB

the symbol of love
chained . . .
around my neck

HD

the key to my heart
kept by no one

EM

man passes by
my prince
takes form of a frog

HM

a curse to punish,
him or me?

UW

entering the foyer
approaching the bookshelf
Walt Disney

KH

a blizzard on
the black & white tv

RB

sun, eclipsed by the moon
my hair grows
and my feet tingle

UW

goosebumps . . .
taking over my entire body

EM

the strands
on the back of my neck
stand erect

SB

a moment of silence
surprises the room

TJ

cherry blossoms
around the lake
from her hospital room

RB

wind rushing through
the broken window

UW

• • •

Rusty Iron Gate

rusty iron gate
a butterfly
takes its place

(MM)

shaking in the wind
floating to the moon

(SJB)

she flies off
to a nearby cone flower
blue sky

(BH)

a new year
where did the time go?

(TJ)

frost coats the gate -
a monarch's wings
close for the last time

(AS)

little red riding hood
arrives

(RMB)

the wolf stands
in grandma's clothes -
devious grin on his face

(AS)

who are you?
. . . Oh, I know!

(TJ)

the stories of long ago
the tales read in childhood
in bed

(BH)

coming to life
as the days drag by

(SJB)

weekend
finally!
gone too soon . . .

(HD)

her last few minutes
treasured by all

(EM)

her slight smile
glimmers
in the moon

(SJB)

the girl of my dreams
I have found you

(TJ)

blue masked daddy
holding her up
for all to see

(RMB)

mother smiling at her -
flatline

(UW)

the cherry blossoms
in her hair
wilting

(EM)

on her grave
the petals of a rose

(SJB)

• • •

Forest Awakens

dreaming dog
twitches her paws
chasing squirrels

HD

meanwhile, families are
outside gathering winter nuts

HM

the brother
mindlessly
wandering away . . .

EM

the oak forest
calls his name

HD

through the branches
the moon
lights up the path

SJB

the minstrel’s song
in the air

BH

the breeze
whispering
in his ear

SJB

chills down his spine
mother nature’s call

HD

she kisses his neck
goose bumps
over his body

EM

soaring far above
the clouds a song bird cries

HM

my body a float
moving with each
crash of the waves

KH

out of body experience
my beat seizing

KH

blue moon
sorrows fill
the brim

HM

a slice of an orange
clinging to my glass

HD

I relax
listening to Mozart.
I turn up the volume.

BH

pouding at the door…
my eyes spring open

AS

kissing my nap goodbye
water leaking
into my neighbors

KH

cherry blossom tree
grows strong, The Great Flood

HM

• • •

Stories of the Night

Violence in America
a boy . . .
lives to tell his story

TJ

frequent hospital evaluations
another script for the pharmacy

KH

exploring the wonders
of a healer
within myself

UW

taking time to explore
the powers of willow bark

HM

praying for
Him
to relieve my pain

EM

my mosaic of wounds
become a blank slate

HD

blood dripping
tears steaming
Why me?

EM

evil nurse
slaps a bandaid on my arm

HM

red room with sharp instruments
is this an
illusion?

UW

my lower body going numb
craving a juicy burger

KH

on the calendar
dairy cows in
a green green pasture

RMB

the angry worker
flips a burger

AS

their date tonight
a full moon
bringing out the crazies

KH

werewolves lurking
out in the twilight

HM

my silver dagger
I left. . .
at home

HD

oh well
I like a challenge

BH

I tackle the beasts
with my bare hands
cherry blossoms bloom above us

AS

my hands
ripped and stinging

KH

• • •