A Cake of Roses

A CAKE OF ROSES

WALKING THROUGH
THE PATHWAY
OF A PRISTINE
LANDSCAPE
LINED WITH
SEASONAL NATURAL
BOWERS AND
COASTAL FLOWERS
WE COME TO
A WALLED GARDEN
WITH A LARGE DOOR
STRONGLY CLOSED
AND NOTED TO BE
“A PRIVATE EVENT”
I GUESS THE
INTENT IS TO
ELIMINATE THE
UNINVITED,
BUT I AM AMONG
THOSE LUCKY ONES
TO OPEN THE LATCH
INTO A PARADISE
OF WILD CELEBRATION
FULL OF STREAMERS
AND TABLES
OF JOYOUS CREATION,
PLATES AND SILVER
NAPKINS AND GLASSES
BOTTLES OF WINE
AND BRIGHT SUNSHINE,
IT’S A BIRTHDAY PARTY
FOR MONTEREY,
HUNDREDS OF YEARS
OF HISTORY, THEY SAY,
A PLAN THAT HAS
LASTED THROUGH
TREASURES AND TEARS
THEY EACH HAVE A
PURPOSE
ATTENDING WITH
CHEERS,
I WANDER AND GREET
MANY GOOD FACES
AND INTERVIEW THOSE
WHO ARE OFF TO THE
THE RACES,
THERE IS FOOD TO
PREPARE
AND A PROGRAM TO
SHARE,
SENIORITAS AS QUEENS
IN THEIR VERY FIRST DREAM,

YOU FIND FAMILIES
AND FRIENDS
TIED IN RIBBONS AND
COSTUMES
SHARING OLD STORIES
OF MONTEREY GLORY,
WATCHING THE THREE
LOVELY GIRLS
PARARDE
POSE AND SMILE
IN LOVELY CHARADE,
WHILE FAMOUS
STRONG
MEN COOK
AND FROLIC AGAIN,
THERE ARE NAMES
YOU WILL KNOW
AND SOME YOU WILL NOT
BUT THAT IS
PART OF THE
HISTORICAL PLOT,
AS THE SCRUMPTIOUS
MORSELS ARE LAID
OUT FOR ALL
A PARADE FORMS IN
THE PASSION
OF HISTORICAL BALLS,
THEY EAT AND THEY
DRINK, WHILE WE
WANDER AND WINK,
GRABBING THEIR
STORIES
OF HISTORY AND
MYSTERY,
WHICH FINALLY
COMES TO THE
SUMPTUOUS END:
A CAKE FULL OF
ROSES
A SIGHT TO SUSPEND
AND KEEP FOR
A MEMORY,
DOUSED IN THE GLORY
OF FRESH BLOOMS
AND COLORS
ARRANGED BY THE
LADY WHO KNOWS
ALL THE OTHERS,
THE SOUL FREES
AND FLIES
WHILE SPIRITS WILL RISE
AND FINISH THEIR SLICE
WITH VANILLA
AND SPICE,
I LEAVE WITH
A MEMORY
TO KEEP WITH
GOOD CHEER,
AND A WISH
AND A PRAYER
TO RETURN
WITH MY LOVE
IN THE VERY
NEXT YEAR,
LA MERIENDA LIVES
ON FROM
THE DUSK
TO THE DAWN!

©J.W. WINSLOW 7/1/17

The Light and the Dove

Birds

THE LIGHT AND THE DOVE

WE ALL HAVE
OUR ACHILES HEEL
SOMETHING THAT
MAKES US ROCK AND
REEL
MINE IS IMPATIENCE
AND ORGANIZATION
A TYPE OF CONTROL
A STEELY SENSATION
THAT AFFORDS THE IDEA
WE MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE
TO INSURE THE GREAT FUTURE
WITH A SIGH
AND A GLANCE,
BUT THE INFINITE WORLD
FULL OF OTHER IDEAS
IS OFTEN IGNORED
BY STRONG MINDED MEN
AND WOMEN WHO THINK LIFE
IS TRULY A GEM
OF STRATIGIC PLANNING
(JUST STEP UP
AND SIGN
MAKE A BIG LIST
BE RIGHT ON THE LINE)
THIS FOOLISH PHILOSPHY
FULL OF SWEET SYMETRY
WORKS GREAT
IN YOUR HEAD
THE VISION IS BRIGHT
BUT SADLY INSTEAD
WILL END IN THE NIGHT
OF TOSSING
AND TURNING
AND WONDERING
AND LEARNING
THAT THE SYNC OF
TIME
OF WORDS
AND RHYME
OF PLANS
AND SCAMS
PROCEEDS DOWN
THE LINE
AT A CREEPING
SNAILS PACE
SO HUNKER ON
DOWN AND
STICK TO THE RACE
LIKE THE TORTOISE
AND HARE
THE LONG SHOT
DOES COUNT
WHILE GRITTING
YOUR TEETH
BUT REALLY AMOUNTS
TO A WORTHLESS
AFFAIR,
BE KIND
BUT BEWARE

THE THINGS THAT
MAKE DREAMS
AND LOVE SONGS
AND SCHEMES
COME AT A PRICE
YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE
UNDERSTAND
AND CONCEIVE
THAT WHAT SLIDES
DOWN THE ROAD
WAS MEANT
TO BE,
LIKE IT OR NOT
YOU MUST NOW
CONCEDE
THE POWER AND
FORCE
BY WHICH WE CREATE
IS QUITE OFTEN
LOST
IN A BUSINESSLIKE
STATE,
OTHERS MAY THINK
IN A PURE STATIC WAY
THAT LEADS TO
REMORSE
AND BRAIN DEAD
DECAY,
YOUR BOOKS
OR YOUR PLANS
FOR A FABULOUS
SCAM
WILL BE
OR THEY WON’T
SO THE TIME
YOU WASTE WORRYING
IS IN THE REMOTE,
BEST USE THOSE
SWEET HOURS
THE LOVE AND
THE POWER
IN FORWARD
GEAR,
RAISE A GOBLET
AND SOUND
A CHEER
FOR A SUPPLE
FINE FACE
THAT ACCEPTS
WHAT YOU GET
AND CONTINUES
THE RACE,
YOU’LL WIN
OR YOU’LL LOSE
WHATEVER
YOU CHOOSE
THE POWERS ABOVE
ARE THE LIGHT
AND THE DOVE.

©J.W. WINSLOW 6/1/17