Tokens from Life:
A Snap From Past to Future
By Sheryl Bodine
Tokens from Life:
A Snap From Past to Future
By Sheryl Bodine
Table of contents:
All Roads Lead to
Another Day Lost to the Broken Sun ..6
Handkerchief ...7
Of a Time in Spring 14
Spiritual Poem ....16
Mist .20
Skyscraper
...22
1
All
Roads Lead to
If
you want to get to
Take
any road you want
Travel
past the
Past
the intersection of 5 highways*
Where
that doctor exploded
The
truck
At
2 am. The metal bridge
Melted.
One broken artery
Just
replaced with another,
The
constant helicopters,
The
sound echoing for days.
Next
to where the Ground Rounds
Got
torn down
Take
a right at
Past
the longing souls as they
Meander
the streets
Waiting
for their next paycheck and a
Winning
lottery ticket
People
working on welfare and shouting
In
blocked traffic
Dont
make enemies with The Nardies
Know
for slashing
Tires
and putting rocks
In
exhaust pipes.
* Henry Hudson Parkway, Hutchinson River Parkway, Sprain Brook Parkway, Bronx River Parkway, Cross County Parkway
(not including newer high ways such as I-87)
2
3
But
imagine an enigma, a quiet piece of the past Amongst the hustle and bustle**
Off
that tiny road and thru the open door of the red Brick house
There
is a garden lush with figs, apples and maybe a Peach,
Past
the creaking fence and raspberry bush
Pumpkins
droop from up above
A
canopy
A
beautiful view
If
you want to get to
Think
of past inclinations
Think
of present lives
Think
of future dreams.
**where all the roads converge the location of the cross county
mall (the first mall in
over a hundred years old is located on an old presidents tennis
court) << the quiet
4
5
Another
day lost to the broken sun
Escaping
out of folds in winter time
Its
looming in the shadows where I sleep
Such
in the dark and shrouded room a crime
From
futile efforts come a hidden weep
Of
she that sits along my lengthy bed
With
flowing light on cold and metal bar
The
dark that slashed across the deepest red
I
see it comes from covered panes afar
From
peach soft shirt come pants so black and tight
From
arm and mind I see the stripes of pink
I
want to make it all that black and white
Its
done with aging canon camera blink
Its
there all past forgotten gone and done
Another
day lost to the broken sun
6
Handkerchief
I did not
Cut
My hair
It fell out.
Such is life. //prelude
Years ago*
In a land
Id venture
To call
A man
I met
At 12:00 AM
A (k)night
With eyes
//Green
Meant
For drowning
*December 2001 //The Time
**
7
8
Threw me
Over his
Shoulder
Like a
Rag
Doll
And carried
Me away
Was in //my life
As quick
As was out
Two days
Later
Same time
Same place
With gritty
Sand
And raging
Shore
Sleeping
Under
Stars
That pour
9
Woke up
Next morning
To see
He
Beet up
In a bar fight
White
Bandana
Like a Band-Aid
Covering
His wounds
Bad goes
Like a blanket
Clenched
From
A bare
And broken
Bed
Its been
Wrapped
And
Bandaged
Around
The bleeding
Head
10
Its weakness
Is our strength
So thin
Breakable
See-through
Weeks ago
I wore
This
Blood red
Handkerchief
Its soft
Almost cheery
With patterns
Of an older day
Last night
I watched
It sit
With deep
Ravines
Now
I Need
It no longer
11
Its been stretched
And twisted
Used.
12
13
Of
a time in spring
On
a crowded field,
A
ball flies
Through
the air.
Just
last year
I
was on that lacrosse team.
The
sun was soaking,
The
leaves were sprouting,
Stretching
out,
The
cool breeze
On
out backs,
The
seeds floating,
Fans
cheering,
The
green-
The
moment is intense.
It
feels like
With
each step
We
are closer to
That
next goal.
Then
Shelly slides to the right,
Then
she swoops.
Now
they race.
Now
they score.
14
15
Spiritual
Poem
Come let us go
Up to the mountain
Where the wind is
Eternally in the sky
Where the paths
Lead to the jagged cliff
I will fear no evil
Where all alone
The nights and days
Away but known
Thou art with me
May we soar through the paths
Of most high
And dive into the valley
Of the shadow
And none shall be afraid
Above the rock and ice
Or bellow the sea
All one knows is that
16
17
Crash
Into the water
Or jump
Among the breeze
Let us unite
And we shall
Cross the ocean
Forget the rest.
18
19
The Mist
A dividing force between the skies and earth
Appearing on a day when the rain doesnt want to stop,
But through the clearing, a hill rises above it all-
From a day that has no end,
To a sky that has to fall,
It sends us to a place weve seen before.
20
21
Skyscraper
Soaring
Stretching
Scraping the sky
Rooting in earth
Defying gravity
Shinning Silver
Symphony
In technology
A mirror from past
To future
Yet reflecting
All shades of
Blue
Metal clamor
Horns from below
Erased
No one knows where
He shall go
The man with the camera
Maybe the river
Maybe a show
Endless possibilities
For an eternal
Race
To a seaming goal
Walk along the masses
Or fly above the rest
Snap shot sky
Snap shot road
Snap shot you.
22