NARCISSUS

MY NARCISSUS HIDES
UNDER A
BRAMBLE BUSH
ARRIVING
IN SPRING
THE EARLIEST PART
WHERE ALL THE
NEW FLOWERS
MAKE LOVE
TO MY HEART,
WHILE OTHERS
PUSH OUT
AND STAND
VERY TALL
THE TINY WHITE
FLOWERS
ARE NOT
SEEN AT ALL
BY MOST HUMAN
EYES:
THEY ARE A SURPRISE
FOR THE VERY FEW
ONES
WHO KNOW
OF THE BEAUTY
AND SCENT
OF FOLKLORE
THE LEGEND
OF POWER
AND THE FALL
OF THE POOR,
THE MAN WHO
WAS MIGHTY

AND FULL
OF HIMSELF
BURSTING WITH
BEAUTY AND
STUNNING
GOOD HEALTH
BUT IN ALL THAT
DRAMA
WAS THE HEART
OF A BOOR,
OFTEN SEEN SINCE
BUT NEVER BEFORE,
HE LOOKED IN
THE POND
TO ADMIRE HIMSELF
AND THE JOY
THAT HE FELT
WAS BEYOND
ALLHIS WEALTH,
HE PRIMPED AND
HE POSED
UNTIL HE EXPOSED
THE CRIME OF HIS SOUL
A PUNGENT AND
SORRY DISGRACE
WHILE HE DESIRED
AND DANCED AND
RETIRED TO
SIT AND ADMIRE
HIS PERFECT
AND GLORIOUS FACE,

NOW THE FLOWER
THAT SEEKS
A MOST SECRET
TIME
TO ARRIVE AND
DELIGHT
IS SO VERY SUBLIME,
NO DANDY
NO CANDY
NO SEE WHO I AM,
NARCISSUS WAITS
SOFTLY
FOR A SECRET
ROMANCE,
SOMEONE LIKE ME
WHO JUST COMES
ALONG
STOPPING TO PLUCK
AND DELIVER THE
SONG,
THE FABULOUS
GLORY
THE SCENT OF
THE STORY IS
OFTEN PASSED
OVER
IN JASMINE
AND CLOVER,
BUT LOOK HARD
AND LONG
IN THE GARDEN
AND LAWN
UNDER THE
TREES
IN THE WARM
EVENING BREEZE,
TRAIN YOU
BRIGHT EYES
FOR THE SIMPLE
SURPRISE,
THE OPPOSITE
SIDE
OF A BIG FRANTIC
PRIDE
IS THIS LOVELY
WHITE FLOWER
AMIDST ALL
THE BOWER,
WAITING TO
KISS
YOUR HEART’S
SIMPLE
BLISS,
FIND ONE
AND GRAB IT,
PULL IT ASUNDER
UP FROM THE
DIRT
AND INTO THE
WONDER,
THE SECRET
IS YOURS
RIGHT NOW
FOR THE TAKING,
I WISH YOU
TRUE LOVE
AND A SWEET
SPRING
AWAKENING!

©J.W. WINSLOW 3/1/18


BAREFOOT

I LOVE THE FEEL
OF OCEAN WAVES
SPLASHING
ON MY FEET
AND SANDY SHELLS
AMONG THE SWELLS
THAT WASH
UPON THE BEACH,
I LIKE TO WALK
ON WET
GREEN GRASS
AND TIPTOE
OVER PUDDLES
WEARING JUST
A SWEET FLIP
FLOP
PROTECTING ME
FROM DIRTY
CROPS
(AND DEBRIS)
THE OTHER GUYS
MY FANCY SHOES
THEY SIT THERE
ON THE RACK,
AWAITING SOMETHING
VERY COOL
LIKE HIGH HIGH
HEELS
FOR DANCING
SCHOOL,
FLOWERED
WEDGES
AND STRAPPY
FLATS
ALL OF THAT
IS WHERE
ITS AT,
BUT SECRETLY
AND OPENLY
THERE IS
THE LAZY
DREAMER,
THE GIRL
WHO WALKS
AROUND THE
PEARLS
INTO PUDDLES
OF RAIN,
OR SHOPS FOR
CLOTHES
IN RAINBOW
SANDALS,

PEOPLE
THINK
IT’S QUITE
A SCANDAL,
WEARING
STRIPES
OF BLACK
AND WHITE,
OPEN TOES
(GOD FORBID:
NO PANTYHOSE)
I MUST CONFESS
THE FRESH CLEAN
AIR SATISFIES
AND COMPENSATES
MY BRAIN,
I FEEL SO SAFE
AS IF TO SAY
I CAN ESCAPE
MOST ANY WAY
AND RUN TO
SOME AMAZING
PLACE
WAY AHEAD OF
THE TONY
RACE,
PERHAPS THE
COLDEST
BOLDEST
WINTER
WILL CATCH
MY FEET
IN UGGS,
BUT ONLY
JUST UNTIL
THE SUN
RETURNS TO
WHERE I
WALK AND RUN,
SO NOW,
IN CASE
YOU DIDN’T KNOW
THE THINGS
THAT MAKE MY
HEART AGLOW
ARE JUST THOSE
THONGS
THAT HOLD MY TOES
FOR WHAT ITS
WORTH:
I’M STILL A CHILD
BOUND TO
THE EARTH!

©J.W. WINSLOW 2/1/18


ITCHY

CHRISTMAS EVE
ITCHY
BITCHY
WATCHING THE LIGHTS
BLINKING AND
BRIGHT,
OH
WHAT A NIGHT
FOR A
TERRIBLE
FLIGHT:
INTO THE
DEPTHS
OF POISON
OAK HELL
EVER BEEN
THERE
DOES THIS
RING ANY BELLS,
COMING AFTER
A YEAR OF
BUMPS
HELIMUM
HIGHS
AND
TOUGH
BITTER LUMPS,
I NEVER
EXPECTED
TO JUMP
BACK TO
SUMMER
WHEN I RUSTLED
THE BUSHES
AND CAUSED
A BIG BUMMER:
I SHOULD HAVE
KNOWN THEN
WHAT I KNOW
NOW,
STAY CLEAR
OF FORAYS
INTO THE BOUGH,
AND THEN
HERE’S THE
WORST,
THE TERRIBLE
CURSE IS THAT
I DID IT AGAIN
WITH THE VERY
SAME CLOTHES
MANY MONTHS
LATER
IN THE
RAT RACE
REPOSE,
I’LL BET
YOU DON’T KNOW
(AND THIS IS
THE TRUTH)
THAT THE OIL REMAINS
IN THOSE
SWEET LITTLE
PANTS
AND TANK TOPS
AND HOODIES
THAT MAKE
FOR A DANCE,

YOU GOTTA
WATCH OUT
WHILE IT
JUMPS ON YOUR
BONES,
OFF OF THE
INSIDE
TO STICK
ON YOUR
SIN SIDE,
AND THEN
IN THE NIGHT
WHEN YOU
START IN
TO ITCH,
JUMP OUT OF BED
WITH A CRY
AND A TWITCH,
THE PHANTOM
IS BACK
ALL SET TO
ATTACK
ON SWEET
CHRISTMAS EVE,
YOU’D BETTER
BELIEVE
ITS MISERY’S
BONE
WITH NO
WAY TO ATTONE,
EXCEPT
TO JUST SWITCH
AND SCREAM
AND ITCH,
MERRY CHRISTMAS
TO ALL,
AIN’T LIFE
A BITCH?

PS: HAPPY 2018!
I CAN HARDLY WAIT
TO SEE WHATS
IN STORE
BEHIND THE
GREEN DOOR.

©J.W. WINSLOW 1/1/18