Turn the bathroom light on.
Go to the bathroom.
Wash my hands.
Dry my hands.
...
There is beauty found in dying
when Autumn dons her velvet gown—
A pastel landscape underlying
when Autumn strolls through town.
...
Hills and valleys cloaked in fawn;
The tangled trees are leafless now.
Persephone, where have you gone?
...
(For Sara Teasdale)
Her words, a tapestry of brilliant colors—
topaz, silver, crimson, and indigo.
...
Sunsets fade to black
seasons change
love moves through its cycles...
romance, marriage, divorce
...
I don't understand you;
I've given up trying.
You just walked away
and never looked back.
...
Shadows returned when you left—
taunting and teasing with glimpses of light.
Wrapping me in a velvet cloak—
...
Lost in darkness,
Without a tomorrow,
River of tears—
drowning in sorrow,
...
Diamonds and stars trade places,
fooling a velvet-coated sky—
Stars sparkle on my fingers,
...
tiny clover
on the brink of perishing
no one notices
the plight of this
...
Kathy Lippard Cobb is an award-winning haiku/tanka poet and has been published worldwide in small print journals. Kathy's poems are rarely over a page and often reflect a moment in time.)
Ocd Girl
Turn the bathroom light on.
Go to the bathroom.
Wash my hands.
Dry my hands.
Turn the bathroom light off.
Turn light on.
Turn light off.
Turn the hall light on.
Be sure that the breaker to the stove is off.
Turn the hall light off.
Turn light on.
Turn light off.
Turn the kitchen light on.
Be sure the stove is still off, and the toaster is unplugged.
Turn the kitchen light off.
Turn light on.
Turn light off.
Turn the living room light on.
Double-check all door and window locks.
Turn the living room light off.
Turn light on.
Turn light off.
Turn the bedroom light on.
Center the pillows.
Be sure the comforter drapes evenly on all sides.
Turn the bedroom light off.
Turn light on.
Turn light off.
Lie down, relax, and try to sleep.
(Five minutes later)
Turn the bathroom light on.
Go to the bathroom.
Wash my hands.
Dry my hands.
Turn the bathroom light off.
Turn light on.
Turn light off.
All through the night...
Kill me Kill me Kill me Kill me Kill me Kill me
Kill me Kill me Kill me Kill me Kill me Kill me...