dust spores
under the bed
to toadstool nightmares
when inhaled
fairy rings
tall as ferris wheels
spin behind eyes
where brooms won’t reach
and I can’t kiss
whateveritis away
anymore
though he thinks I can
with that desperate faith
children have–
they’ll stop it
he says
if you tell them to
as if every other boy
will listen to his mother
the way he does
Susan Daniels Poetry 
Your first stanza just grabbed me–shrooms are in the air!
Oh, shrooms…
Lovely. She wishes shrooms were in the air–I wish I had a baggie full in my drawer. I’d be chomping on them–then you’d see some POETRY!!!!!!! Loved your piece really. Sorry he’s sick. I have dogs, they just hurt, they don’t ask verbal questions–though I don’t know which is worse.>KB
Thanks, KB. The worst part is he tells me what’s wrong in the middle of grocery shopping, and the way he said it–can you tell them to stop, Mom. They will if you tell them–was just so damned sweet and sad. I can’t remember what it was like to believe someone else could make something bad go away completely. I might not be able to stop them, but heads will roll and butts shall be kicked (metaphorically, of course). He’s not physically sick, but hurting nonetheless.
Very touching, tugging on the old heart strings, “I can’t kiss whateveritis away anymore, though he thinks I can with that desperate faith children have” So much is conveyed with your words … good poetry touches you, sometimes deeply, great poetry, like this, doesn’t just touch you, it moves you! I am moved.
Oh, purple, thank you. I really wasn’t sure about this one–thought it might be too _____(whatever it is too of I’m not certain), but you, KB, and Audrey are making me rethink that.
Sometimes, it is that “too whatever” that makes a poem real. If it is within you and you let it out honestly, no need to rethink and hinder your voice, not to mention you never know who might read it and be touched by it. So, thanks for sharing it.
…And thanking you, purple for being so supportive!
Wow, I haven’t thought of that yet, or maybe I have- that eventually hurts can’t be kissed away anymore. KInd of makes me sad! In a good way. Good poem.
mary, thanks. Yes. In this case, I wish I could kiss it away (or kick the cause of it)
This night be my favorite of yours that I’ve read (thus far) I had an image of a mother holding her son in my mind at bed time talking. Your storybook beginning really sets the tone for the whole piece.
Oh, Gretchen, thank you. I just love him to pieces, I do.
Oooh Gretchen! I like that- story book intro. I didn’t take it that way, I thought of it maybe being a bad dream- or not, but that adds to it.
Mary–it could be both, too. I really enjoy hearing other people’stakes on what I’ve written.
awwww…just love it….such trust…and also loved the…fairy rings
tall as ferris wheels
spin behind eyes
where brooms won’t reach….very cool susan
Claudia, thanks. Yeah, the trust is so sweet, and so total.
Horribly sad, Susan
Yes, Duncan, it is. I am going to kick some 6-year-old ass. Well, not really, but symbolically.
I love to new words invented – whateevertheyare.
Paul–I like that one too!
I really loved this poem. Very beautiful.
Thank you, Joseph.
god, it hurts.
Yes, it does.
you have the strength of ten thousand suns, poetess. he will get it from you.
Aw, thank you, Shrinks. Appreciate that.
of course. i know it is true. i wish…
You are stronger than you know.
i love you. i hope that’s not weird.
Nope–not weird at all. In fact, I would say that was really sweet, except that sounds so smarmy and trite, so I’ll just say thank you, and you are a wonderful woman. Sending you a hug to wherever you are.
xo
This is so tender!
Thanks, Mama!
Loving your way with words… and mothering.
Jenni, thank you.
Wow! You come up with the most interesting visual imagery. Thanks.
Georgia, my pleasure. And thanking you!
Bowing to you. Just write them all for me. You captured it.
-Jennifer
I will, but only if you keep writing. 😉
Great poem. Reminds me of my childhood.
Thank you so much!
the day will NEVER come when he doesn’t ‘think’ you can kiss the whateveritis away…the day will come when he won’t ask anymore…but he’ll ALWAYS believe you could/and can. lucky us…truly blessed are we…xo
Ah, and that’s the magic of it…
it absolutely is..
There is a time in life where every child looks upon the words of a parent with wonder and belief.
I wish those days existed the way our children believe they do. I wish I could rewind and eradicate the hard disappointment from the loud crash.
Oh, Nelle, I hear you. I am not looking forward to the day I break that faith, but it’s coming.
The powers of mums! Initial foundations of that thing called faith?
if only we could kiss away all their fears and worries, we would be supermoms 🙂 Nice one, Susan 🙂
Oh, agreed.