Spectacles

Bleary-eyed soul

stung by a bumble bee

beneath the magnolia trees 

entertaining an autistic child

"Is this my world or yours"?

He would ask wordlessly 

with stormy blue eyes

that met in the center and rolled

from side to side.

I could tell him anything, but

he would never listen

 nor would he ever judge or repeat.

Throughout that first year 

in the Orphanage

I would find 13-year-old Serena

pimples and sweat in her trainers' bra

gathered upon the Headmaster's lap

learning the Hebrew language

 He would say

through incarnadine lips 

smeared with lost innocence and spit,

Spectacles and Torah. 

Another door of blessed serendipity 

slammed in my face, and I 

the happier for it, nay

Thankful for it.

Reviews

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

I really love the ending of this great poem. Being thankful for his hard life because it made him stronger

[Corset]

A thousand thank yous Dale!

[John the Baptist]

Indeed, you should be thankful. There is nothing serendipitous about pedophilia.

[Corset]

certainly not, it was sarcastic, but I've happily escaped a few very uncomfortable fates.

[Chris Shaw]

Poor Serena I thought and shame on the headmaster in a position of trust. What a difficult situation to come across and remember through the years. You narrate this story so well Corset. It could have been you, thankfully it wasn’t.

Chris

[Corset]

A shame one can't Un-see a thing once seen. He had a wife and a son.

[Corset]

Thank you for stopping by :D

[Chris Shaw]

You are so right. You have carried that with you. A man with a family ………….hell for them

[willweb]

I just love how your poetry always makes me pause, it is a little break in my day that allows my mind to think of perhaps situations in that past I have faced or to follow in the footsteps of another as they tell of their journeys and adventures. Life is just that, regardless of the outcome or the weather on a given day and you my friend, allow us those moments to reflect and feel.

[Corset]

so true, loved this review, thank you Willweb

[Ken Simm.]

What I so much love about your work are the stories they tell and the way in which you tell them. Autobiographical or not they hit nerves and create feelings.

[Corset]

Indeed this one is a memory, so lucky to have dodged that bullet myself, but crazy as this world is that man actually left his son and wife for that girl once she turned 18 I heard they married.

[Coyote Poetry]

Hello dear Corset. Many places you took the reader. Many memories adding up to the strong ending. I liked the set-up of the poem. Like a whisper of secret places and memories. Thank you dear friend for sharing the amazing poetry.
Coyote

[Corset]

As always thank you Coyote, much appreciated!

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome my dear friend.