Faith & Destiny

THE HUGE SILVER
TRUCK ARRIVED
LUMBERING
UP THE STREET
RIGHT ON TIME
HE SAID,
JUMPING
WITH HIS FEET
ENCLOSED IN
BIG OLD
TENNIES
STOMACH
HANGING OUT,
SWEATING
IN A TIGHT BOLD
T-SHIRT
SMILING
LIKE A LOUT,
I SHOULD HAVE
KNOWN
RIGHT THEN
BUT WHEN
HE SNIVELED
ABOUT THE
DRIVEWAY
INCLINE
SLANTED
“WAY TOO HIGH”
TIME FOR
HIM TO SAY
GOODBYE,
MY MOUTH
HUNG OPEN
IN STOIC SHOCK
WHILE HE DUMPED
MY SHIPMENT
OFF THE DOCKS
ONTO A PLACE
BY THE SIDE OF
THE ROAD
WHERE THE
DOGGIES GO
TO DELIVER
A LOAD,
“SORRY MISS”
THE DRIVER SAID
“CAN’T DO NO
MORE, YOU’RE
STUCK WITH
THIS”,
GRUNTING SOME
WHILE HAULING
TWO BIG
PALLETS COVERED
WITH PLASTIC
WRAP
AND BOOKS
DISCOVERED
PEEKING FROM
A BREATHLESS TRAP,
WHILE ALL
THE TIME
A FRIEND OF
MINE
WAS WATCHING
FROM CLOSEBY
HE SHOOK HIS
HEAD WHILE
WONDERING
WITH A
SERIOUS SIGH,
AND SO I TOLD
HIM I WAS STUCK
WITH NO ONE TO
APPLY
SOME STRONG
GOOD FORCE
ON THE PAVMENT
COURSE
AND RESCUE
MY SWEET BOOKS,

ALL IT TOOK
WAS ONE GOOD
LOOK AND
THEN HE MADE A
CALL,
“NOT TO WORRY
THERE IS NO
HURRY,
I WILL FIX IT ALL,”
AND SO I WAITED
AND DEBATED
ABOUT ANOTHER
SHAM,
BUT SOON THEY
CAME,
THE SAVIOR GAME
TWO GUYS WITH
LOTS OF GRIT
SMILING, LISTENING
TO MY TALE
READY TO ADMIT,
RESTORE AND CARRY
THE LOAD
TO MY ABODE,
THE MIRACLE
WAS A SUPER JOB
AS I WATCHED THEM
MOVE THE BOXES,
PACKING THEM
INTO THE CAR
DELIVERING
ALL LIKE FOXES,
AND SO I GAVE
THEM WATER AND
ALMONDS
AND LOTS OF CHEER,
ALONG WITH EACH
A BOOK,
SIGNED BY ME
WITH CLARITY
AND THANKFULNESS
FOR THEIR CHARITY
ONE WENT TO LOU
BUT THE OTHER TWO
WERE DAUGHTERS
OF THE MAN
WHO LIVES NO LONGER
WITH THEIR MOTHER,
BUT LOVES THEM
DEARLY
LIKE NO OTHER,
THE BOOK WAS
SIGNED TO
FAITH AND
DESTINY,
A RATHER AMAZING
FACT: A MESSAGE
FROM MY ANGELS
TO ALWAYS STAY
ON TRACK,
THEY LEFT
TWO PALLETS
PILED WITH BOOKS
THAT HOLD MY
OWN SWEET HEART,
SAVING ME FROM
TEARS APART,
I HANDED THEM
THE BOOKS I SIGNED
THANKING THEM
AND ALL MANKIND
FOR KINDNESS GIVEN
IN THE SWEETEST WAY
SO I WILL LIVE
ANOTHER DAY
TO WRITE AND DANCE
MY LIFE AWAY.

©JW WINSLOW 9/1/18

Page Turners

PAGE TURNERS
FAST LEARNERS
INK BURNERS
BEGIN:
TIME TO SHOW
AND SMILE
AWHILE
MUCH TO
OUR CHAGRIN,
THEY FILLED
THE ROOM
AND THEN WERE
GONE,
STAYING SHORT
OR WAY
TOO LONG,
WANDERING
AIMLESS
CALM
BUT TAMELESS
FULL OF
SILLY QUESTIONS,
TOUCHING
THINGS
AND WRINGING
HANDS,
MAKING
THEIR
SUGGESTIONS,
MANY CAME
WITHOUT
THE CASH,
PERHAPS THEY
THOUGHT
IT CUTE
TO TORTURE
AUTHORS
FAR AND WIDE,
MAKING
THEIR DEBUT,
BUT THOSE
OF US
WHO’VE BEEN
THERE SOME
WERE NOT
SURPRISED
OR SAD
OR DUMB,
FOR REACHING
OUT TO
QUIET READERS
OFTEN LEADS
TO SUCH,
THEY CAN BE
SHY
AND WANDER BY
PEEKING IN
REVERSE,
THEN RETURN
WITH TIME TO
BURN,
READY TO CONVERSE,
ALAS FOR ONE
IMPATIENT SOUL
THERE IS A THING
CALLED SELF-CONTROL,
AND WAYS TO MAKE
THIS JOURNEY,
SMILE AND
NOD
SIT STRAIGHT
AND PROD AN
ARTFUL WAY
OF ASKING,
PERHAPS THEY
WANT TO
TALK ABOUT
THEIR TRIP
UPON A GUERNY,
OR BETTER YET
THEIR AUNTIE BETTS
WHO ONCE
WROTE POEMS
AND SWEET
VIGNETTES,

SO NOW YOU SEE
WHY SOME
GREAT AUTHORS
FIND THE CLOSEST
BAR
THROW BACK
A FEW
RETURN ON CUE
TO BE A FAMOUS
STAR,
SO IN THE END
AS BOOKBAGS
BEND
AND WE PACK
UP TO LEAVE,
WE ARE
REMINDED
OF ONE THING:
THE JOY
THAT BOOKS
AND TALES
CAN BRING,
WE AREN’T SUPPOSED
TO BE THE
HOST,
JUST A PINBALL
WHIZZARD
WHO SMILES
AND FROWNS
WITH UPS
AND DOWNS,
AND SLITHERS
LIKE A LIZZARD
ON THE FLOOR
AND OUT THE DOOR,
I SAY NO MORE,
WHILE YOU
EXPLORE
MY MIND,
I’LL SLIP
AWAY
TO GO
AND PLAY
AND LEAVE
YOU ALL BEHIND.

©JW WINSLOW 8/1/18