The Creature

Bits and pieces of flesh and bone

Sewn together in the dead of night

Head in his hands, a mad man alone

Why did the spark of life fail to ignite?

 

Sewn together in the dead of night

A monster of enormous proportions lies still

Why did the spark of life fail to ignite?

Then the man hears a groan that gives him a chill.

 

A monster of enormous proportions lies still

As if from a nightmare its eyes open wide

Then the man hears a groan that gives him a chill

Heaven and hell have begun to collide.

 

As if from a nightmare its eyes open wide

It pulls at restraints feeling anger and fear

Heaven and hell have begun to collide,

With its borrowed brain wondering, How am I here?

 

It pulls at restraints feeling anger and fear

With a crazed look the man shouts out "It's alive!"

With its borrowed brain wondering, How am I here?

Thoughts and emotions spinning in overdrive.

 

With a crazed look the man shouts out "It's alive!"

He loosens the chains so the monster can stand

Thoughts and emotions spinning in overdrive

He thought that the creature would obey his command.

 

He loosens the chains so the monster can stand

One step at a time it crosses the floor

He thought that the creature would obey his command

But the monster decided it wanted much more.

 

One step at a time it crosses the floor

Like a child, was expected to do as was told

But the monster decided it wanted much more

It broke down the door and ran out in the cold

 

Like a child, was expected to do as was told

Unclear of its strength, its speech or its thoughts

It broke down the door and ran out in the cold

Not quite understanding what was right and was not

 

Unclear of its strength, its speech or its thoughts

It wanders about, causing fear and outrage

Not quite understanding what was right and was not

It's captured and tortured and put in a cage.

 

It wanders about, causing fear and outrage

This creature with no choice in how it became

It's captured and tortured and put in a cage

Sadly, it's not the one who should be given the blame

 

This creature with no choice in how it became

Called demon, devil, abomination and worse

Sadly, it's not the one who should be given the blame

Paid another man's debt, lived another man's curse.

 

Called demon, devil abomination and worse

The pathetic thing's life ends in fire and pain

Paid another man's debt, lived another man's curse

And by dawn's light, just ashes and nightmares remain.

 

Caren E. Salas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Death by Solitaire

It started innocently enough. One

Suit Spider Solitaire downloaded on

My little "Kindle Fire". I was thinking

It would help me pass the time while waiting

For my doctor appointments and other

Otherwise wasted moments in my life.

But Spider Solitaire, like a spider,

Crept into the dark of my sub-conscious

Urging me to play morning, noon and night

And effectively dying to all else.

 

Its web glistened, tempting me with the hope

Of beating the machine. It could be done!

I won...but then I'd lose, and lose again.

I did it once, I can do it once more!

I'd say to myself as it knit new webs.

Little did I know it was wrapping me

In its threads, but so focused on the game

I didn't notice, and now I'm afraid

It's too late for me. The Spider has sucked

Those last few brain cells I had left inside.

 

 

Caren E. Salas

 

 

*Game and logo by MobilityWare

You Can Take it With You

The summer sun has disappeared behind

The mountains, but has forgotten something

Important. It packed up its color, light,

Photosynthesizing powers, except

One thing (granted, it seems to possess quite

An over-abundance these days). It left

Without taking a large measure of heat.

We need some, of course, but seriously?

Sun! Feel free to take a few more degrees

Along with you when you go tomorrow.

 

 

Caren E. Salas



Photo: William Salas

Unaware

 

 

Little bee

Buzzing as he flies

From flower

To flower

Is totally unaware,

I'm sharing his world.

 

Caren E. Salas

The Words

I miss my old friends,

Seems we've been apart so long.
I pushed them aside.
Didn't mean to forget them,
Ignore them, or neglect them.

But one day I knew
Somehow I'd left them behind.
I'd never written
Spoken, or even e-mailed,
And they were no longer mine.

See, it's all my fault
I just let them slip away.
No good-byes or tears
Just a dark and silent space
With nothing to do or say.

I can only hope
They'll give me another chance
To put things in line,
Focus on important stuff,
And love how they make me feel.


Caren E. Salas

Shhhh - I'm Tired - Day 28: a Shhhhadorma (poetry form)

I'm so tired
Of being so tired
Waiting for
A time when
I can wake up feeling fine
And enjoy the day.

Caren E. Salas

Daleks - Day 27: a "Mechanical" poem

They're one part alien.

And two parts mechanical.

Ugly little creepers

Move as robots quite maniacal.

 

EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!

Through time and space they roam.

They must defeat the Doctor

But he always beats them home.

 

Doctor who? You ask, well, yes!

He has Daleks on the run

All you need to know

Is he's the Doctor, he's the one.

Caren E. Salas

 

 

 

 

For my crazy Whovian kids!
photo: www.bbc.co.uk

Destined to Be a Star! Day 26: "Casting" poem

 

 

And playing the part of the beloved family pet...

WHISKEY!

Approximately 9 whopping pounds of excited furry fun!

About 13 years old (no one really knows)

Dark eyes, long blondish hair

Missing teeth, long tongue

Scar under one eye where he once had an abscess

Has an odd attachment to mini tennis balls (likes to chew the fuzz off)

Suffers from separation anxiety

Thinks a crust of bread trumps a dog treat any day

Can adaquately communicate "yes" and "no"

Wants no payment for his obedience and loyalty

   Aside from a little affection, a warm bed and some food

Clearly, he is destined to be a star!!

Let's here it for....

WHISKEY!!

 

 

Caren E. Salas 

Lies - Day25: "Everyone_______"

Everybody lies

No matter what they tell you

It's human nature

 

 

Caren E. Salas

Alarm - Day 24: an "auto, or automatic" poem

Alarm screams
I roll over, push
The blankets
Off of me
Trudge to the kitchen to make
My morning coffee.

Shower, dress
Brush my teeth, my hair
Do make up
Put shoes on
Grab coffee and a bagel
And I'm out the door.


Caren E. Salas

Sweet Amnesia - Day 23: a love poem

 

Let me be your sweet

Amnesia, Close your eyes and

Just let go. The hours

Will fly like dreams forgotten,

As I kiss your cares away.

Let the memories fade

To darkness, temporary

Blindness heals. The days

Will blend like soft summer rain;

Let real life blur for a while.

 

Caren E. Salas

Friends - Day 22: A "Complex" Poem

It's really
Not complicated.
We both know
Each other's
Darkest secrets and sad songs
And yet we're still friends.


Caren E. Salas

Right of Way - Day 21: a Senryu

Sure, go on and take

The right of way. Clearly you

Own the road, don't you?

 

 

Caren E. Salas

Beyond the Universe - Day 20: "Beyond____"

Beyond the universe that we all know

Hundreds of thousands of light years away

Maybe there's a planet where we'll never go

Beyond the universe that we all know

Where amazing plants and animals grow

And maybe there's forty-eight hours in a day

Beyond the universe that we all know

Hundreds of thousands of light years away.

 

 

Caren E. Salas

 

 

Rejection - Day 19 a "Burn" poem

I presented myself
Neatly packaged, tied with a bow
And there ya' go.

I hold out my hand
Nice to meet you, I'm on display
What can I say?

Apparently,
I'm underwhelming, not what you need,
You just can't see.

You smile at me
We'll be in touch, as I turn to go
That just means "no".


Caren E. Salas

I am...Tired - Day 18: prompt "I am ____"

I am tired of being

Tough

Strong

Brave

I want to choose

The easy way

The short cut

Avoid the pain

I want to be

Taken care of

Once in a while

To be the care "taker"

Not the caretaker

I am tired of being

Tough

Strong

Brave

But I don't see

Any other way

 

 

Caren E. Salas

Say It! Day 17: an "Express" poem

Yes?
No?
Say it
Just express
Don't suppress yourself
Go on, tell me that you love me
Or tell me if you don't, just let me know and I'll go...
Or maybe stay, if that's the way
You'd rather have it
Open up
Say it
Yes.
No.



Caren E. Salas

Some Things - Day 16: a "Possible" or "Impossible" poem

You can't make me love you if I don't; you
Can't make me someone that I'm not. You can
Force me to perform with violent means
I guess, but you can't make me enjoys it,
Or ever want it to happen again.
If you try and show me something very
Far away, I won't see it without my
Contacts, and I can't remember something
I have not lived, no matter how I try.
Some things are impossible after all.


Caren E. Salas



(Something about that phrase "Nothing is Impossible" has always bothered me. There are just some things in life that will not happen. Get over it.)

The Bar - Day 15: an Infested poem

What was I thinking?
All alone in the bar
With the creepy old men
Covered in tattoos and scars.

The place was infested
With all shapes and types
I imagined that some
Had once worn prison stripes.

In the corner a man winked
As he drank his last beer
I was starting to feel sick
I should get out of here.

So what was I doing,
Midst the winos and strays?

I was feeling just as lost
And as lonely as they.




Caren E. Salas

My Love and I - Day 14: A Sonnet

 

 

My Love and I

My love and I need to run away for a while

To relax and remember how it feels to smile

Far away to some paradise close to the sea

On an isolated island where we don't need a key

Because not a soul will around there for days

Except seagulls and turtles and endless sun rays

We'll feast upon mangos and coconuts and fish

Stay up all night long, and wake when we wish

Swimming in an ocean that's warm and clear

We won't want to leave until maybe next year

And I'll collect sea shells while he lies in the sun

And together we'll count stars when the sunsets are done

It all sounds like heaven, and that's how it will seem

If we ever escape, and find this sweet dream.

 

 

Caren E. Salas

(okay, so I'm not Shakespeare, but I gave it a go.)
photo: William Salas

Heartbreak - Day 10: A "Suffering" poem

I pray I'll never
Know the heartbreak a mother
Feels, holding her child,
Knowing that there's nothing she
Can do to stop the cancer.


Caren E. Salas










(in case you saw another poem with this day # or prompt, I messed up a little. I had all my poems in my journal and ended up posting the wrong one with this prompt - "Easy to Say" was supposed to be my "comparison" poem on Day 13)

Seven Years - Day 12: a "Broken" poem

Broken mirror, seven years
Bad luck they told me,
Years of life unfortunate
And lonely sadness, seven
Years for one mistake doesn't
Really feel quite fair, does it?


Caren E. Salas

In Case of Sleep - Day 11: "In Case of ____"

In case of sleep, give in and don't fight;
Your blankets are warm and you're tucked in tight.
Grab your teddy before I shut off the light,
And just say good night, just say good night.

In case of sleep, give in to your dreams;
Submit to the stars and the shining moon beams,
For there is where everything glitters and gleams,
Even more than it seems, even more than it seems.

In case of sleep, give in, close your eyes
And imagine rainbows and sweet butterflies.
For now, just listen to my lullabies.
I'll be here when you rise, I'll be here when you rise.


Caren E. Salas

Easy to Say - Day 13: a "Comparison" Poem

What's painful for me, or painful for you
Cannot be proven false or true.
So don't tell me the level of pain that I feel,
Or that what I'm feeling is not actually real.
It's easy to say that it's all in my mind;
When it comes to me and my body, you're blind.
Unless you can feel what I feel inside,
Stop spouting from books and reacting from pride.
Just because the things that I'm feeling don't show
Doesn't mean they're not there, but you'll never know.

Caren E. Salas


This is for every doctor or nurse that has told me, "this won't hurt" or "it can't be that bad" or "it's all in your mind". Really?  (*sigh)

Pantry Raid - Day 9: A Hunter or Hunted Poem

Tomato paste, evaporated milk,

Hot cocoa, enchilada sauce, peanut

Butter, lasagna noodles, cereal,

Instant mashed potatoes, chocolate cake mix,

Flour, sugar, salad oil, salt, pepper,

Cinnamon and other spices, honey,

Camomile tea bags in a jar, several

Cans of chicken soup, a bag of croutons.

All this food but nothing really sounds good

To eat, so tell me: Where are the cookies?

Caren E. Salas

 

How to Fly - Day 8: an Instructional Poem

Take a breath and imagine:

The taste of a summer's day

The sound of a dream come true

The feeling of being loved

The most beautiful sunset.

 

Now, add pixie dust...and fly.

 

 

Caren E. Salas

 

 

 

 

 

photo by Lauren Salas

Lori - Day 7: A Sevenling poem (form)

Her facebook page
Pops up sometimes
Friends remembering.

Photographs
We took that summer
Are all I have left.

I miss her so much


Caren E. Salas

Postcard Pals - Day 6: "post"

Under the pile of junk mail
Between a stack of bills
I see a splash of color
That always gives me thrills.

Sometimes it's unique artwork
Or a tourist spot to see
A few words scribbled on the back
Of a postcard sent to me.

And I try to add a smile
To every postcard that I send
Because though I've never met you
I feel like you're my friend.


Caren E. Salas


Note: This poem is for Andrea, a writer I met online. She had written an article on her blog about how nice it was to exchange postcards, and how if you really search you can find some really unique ones.  I contacted her about doing that and she agreed! Ever since then, every few weeks I know I can count on getting something in the mail that doesn't require a payment, lol. When I was a kid I loved having a pen-pal, especially from another state or country. Letter writing and sending postcards seem to be going the route of record album, but hey, turn-tables are making a comeback, right? We can't forget how to communicate with words. We're all busy, but writing a short paragraph on the back of a postcard is a great way to reach out, and who doesn't enjoy getting one?

Check out her blog! (I'm even mentioned in this post!)
http://andreakristen.blogspot.com/2012/03/mailbox-candy.html

The Arithmatic of Love - Day 5: a "plus" poem

-   My love can't be subtracted   -

It will not be divided  *

+   It can only be increased

Multiplied to infinity   X

/    An imperfect fraction

In a set that's incomplete  ...)

With decimals repeating

 π  Like pi or square root of 3  

<  It's greater than forever  >

=   And equal to the world

No variables or unknowns  x,y

|   Just absolute and true.  |

Caren E. Salas

Hold that Pose! Day 4: "Hold that_____"

Hold that pose!
Give me a smile,
So later I can remenesce
How you were mine a while.

Time goes on,
And before we know
The dreams we shared together
Will be a moment long ago.

Caren E. Salas

Just Do It - Day 3: A "Tentative" poem

Standing on the edge of the swimming pool

Black lines across the bottom, the cool blue

Sides, tiled with numbers: 3 feet, 4 feet, 6.

Inhale, exhale...one foot slowly lowered

Into the water. The smell of chlorine

And the sound of ripples lapping against

The steps. Hesitation. Fear of the cold...

Not fear really, but anticipation

Of that sudden shock before adjustment.

Inhale, exhale...just do it. Just do it.

 

 

Caren E. Salas

Midnight - Day 2: a Bright Poem, or a Dark Poem

Bright
Sparkling
Firmament
Brooding midnight skies
I gaze and dream of paradise.


Caren E. Salas

Smiling - Day 1 of April Poem a Day Challenge

A friend of my daughters

And my sons

When he's with us, he feels like one

Of my own, that is.

Appearing last week

In his camos and boots

At my front door

Smiling, like he always does.

Succeeding in his covert surprise

I tried not to cry

His mother and I sharing

A knowing glance

How to make this last?

I don't know where she

Finds the strength

If his absence breaks my heart

Then how...? Never mind

Because he is here

Right now

At my front door

Smiling, like he always does.

 

 

Caren E. Salas

 

 



April is National Poetry Month, and for the past few years I've participated in Robert Lee Brewer's Poem a Day Challenge. He posts prompts on his website, which will hopefully inspire me. For Day 1 (yesterday actually) the prompt was "New Arrivals" and could be arrivals of any kind. This poem is dedicated to our friend Nate (I've mentioned him before) and his mother Sharon.

Slow Crush

An old beater, not

Old enough to be classic

Not new, shiney, cool,

But tired, worn out and rusty

And not running well at all.

 

Lifted a moment

Then slammed back down to await

A slow, painful crush

Steady increasing pressure

Which builds until destruction.

 

 

Caren  E. Salas

 

 

 

 

 

photo: i-buy-scrap.com 

Meltdown

What next? I wonder
As the panic rises up
And I can hardly
Breathe and I just want to scream

As I'm falling deeper down

Than I ever thought
I would and there doesn't seem
To be any way
Of stopping so I'm waiting
For the inevitable

Mind blowing brain crash
Emotional overload
Nuclear meltdown
End of life as I know it...

Yet I hope...for salvation.


Caren E. Salas







photo:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Operation_Upshot-Knothole_-_Badger_001.jpg/250px-Operation_Upshot-Knothole_-_Badger_001.jpg

Brain Storm

Got my coffee and my gourmet scone,

Turned off the ringer on my mobile phone.

Have my notebook out, and pen in hand

But my mind has turned to desert sand.

I'm on a beach where there's no ocean

Getting burned, I've no sunscreen lotion.

So this will be my final verse

Before this poem gets any worse.

 

 

Caren E. Salas

 

 

 

If I Were Dreaming...

If I were dreaming and I could fly

Off to Neverland  I'd go, second star to the right

I'd stay forever, never to die

If I were dreaming and I could fly

Just the pirates, mermaids, the Lost Boys and I

We'd make our adventures last morning to night

If I were dreaming and I could fly

Off to Neverland I'd go, second star to the right.

Caren E. Salas

Whiskey Dreams

Whiskey dreams in black and white
Nightmares fierce, ready to fight
Threatening growl toothless glare
All nine pounds of "just beware!"
Whiskey dreams in black and white
My little guy, all through the night.


Caren E Salas

No "Fair"

 

 

 

Dark and light, wrong and right

Up and down, day and night

Fish that swim, birds in flight

The world seems right; the world seems right.

 

Then balance sways, the tide is turned

Innocence lost, lessons learned

Blood has boiled, stomach churned

Now I've been burned; Now I've been burned.

 

My faith in others sadly wanes

My heart is locked with double chains

Each rainbow's dented, marked with stains

And so it rains; and so it rains.

 

The guilty flee while others stay

Dealt the blame, where no blame lay

How nice it is to walk away

While others pay; While others pay.

 

These days I find I just don't care

Forgotten dreams I used to dare

I go along, I breathe the air

There is no "fair"; there is no "fair".

 

 

Caren E.Salas

 

 

 

 

Sometimes I just gotta' get things off my chest. For those of you that don't know me personally, recent events have made me a bit bitter (just a bit) and somewhat cynical. Don't worry, I don't intend on writing a series of angry poems...hopefully just this one. It's a monotetra in form - I tend to repeat myself when I 'm frustrated, so this seemed the perfect fit for how I'm feeling.

What's left?

Across a moat that's filled with crocodiles
I take a step or two or three
Balancing with my pink umbrella
On a tightrope tied to a tree.

In an act that is death defying
I pirouette 'round with a smile
This may be my very last encore
So I think I should go out in style.

What sounded so easy in theory
Became more of an uphill climb
And whether I retreat or go forward
It seems I have run out of time.

The crocodiles are eyeing me hungrily
And the rope has begun to untie
My mind has been lost in the sunset,
So what's left, but to bid you "good-bye"?

Caren E. Salas

Just silly, okay, a little morbid, inspired by my recent trip to the big D.
Photo: the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland.

All I Need...

A bucket full of cool wet sand
Moulded, pat down well,
A feather for a flag on top
Some seaweed and some shells.

A peice or two of sea glass
For the windows will do fine,
The ocean spray and sunlight
Will make the castle shine.

A photo of the masterpiece
In case memories grow thin,
For this castle on the sand will last
Just until the tide comes in.


Caren E. Salas


This was inspired by Robert Lee Brewer's Wednesday Prompt: "measured".

A Beautiful Day

Spare some change? he asked
My immediate response
Was to shy away
His ragged clothes, his face
Unshaven, his dirty hands.

Sorry, I mumbled
Practically running away
But then I pause to think
What if that were my brother?
My father? Son? Best friend?...Me?

Reached into my purse
Found some change, a dollar's worth
Walked back to the man
Here, I said. Thank you, he said,
And have a beautiful day.

I definitely
Got the better end of that
For just one dollar
Was wished a beautiful day
From one with a grateful heart.

Caren E. Salas

Maybe

A hopeless and optomistic dreamer I

Raise my champagne glass up high

To toast the coming year.

Maybe I won't make the same mistakes

Or break the promises I never made

To those who swear I swore,

But I don't remember any more.

 

A chronic and procrastinating dreamer I

Gaze out at the somewhat cloudy sky

To find my destiny there.

Maybe if I could just play the game

From start with zero points

For once as I was getting going,

And I'd get ahead and not be owing.

 

An exhausted, underestimating dreamer I

Sometimes find I've bit off quite

The challenging buffet. What can I say?

Maybe this will be the meal

That satisfies without the consequential

Calories or price, and dessert for free.

This could be the time...maybe.

 

 

Caren E. Salas

 

 

photo by William Salas