FALL

A crimson red blanket
Orange, yellow and brown
The leaves indiscreetly 
Now fall  to the ground.

The air is so crisp
We welcome daylight
The smell of the pine trees
The morning sunlight.

Jackets are worn
Boots, jeans and hats
A lone figure appears 
It’s a small, stray, black cat.

The change of the seasons
Fall is my favorite
I take a deep breath
In an effort to savor it.

The majestic view
The mountains and streams
The sun on the meadow
The perfect fall scene.

Acorns and chestnuts
Pumpkins and gourds
Hot apple pie
Campfires and s’mores. 

A cup of hot cider
A donut or two
So glad that I’m spending
This day, here with you. 

_____________________

Image: Google Images. Elite Tree Care.

SO HAPPY I FOUND YOU

We met about a month ago
On a dating site 
A photograph, a profile
Then agreed to meet one night.

Dinner by the river
A cozy table set for two
Now up close and personal 
I sat alone with you. 

Caviar and escargot 
The waiter…. so nonchalant 
Suggested a shrimp cocktail
For an entree …Chateaubriand. 

Champagne by the river
Beneath the moon and stars
I wanted to impress you
I was trying really hard.

Dessert a flavored coffee 
We shared a crème brûlée 
We talked and talked for hours
We had a lot to say.

I was feeling really comfortable 
Felt so good to be with you
We made plans to reconnect
Talked about some things to do. 

The next day at a ball game
We had hotdogs and drank beer
We were meant to be together
From the onset this was clear.

No more dating sites to ponder
No more profiles to go through
So happy that we met at last
So  happy I  found you.

______________________

Image: Google Images. Pinterest.

THROWING SHADE

What’s your point? Stop throwing shade 
It won’t work on me
I simply am impervious 
You’ll never see me bleed.

Don’t lie …. think I don’t see you
Don’t even try to hide
I know everything about you
Every single heartless lie.

Pounding on the table
Screaming at the wind
Raised by wolves and jackals
A loner with no friends. 

A coward here among us
Never be one of the pack
You’ll slither in, unnoticed
Slip between the holes and cracks.

I‘ll be there when you surface
Watching your every move
I’ll be alert and vigilant
Cause I am on to you.

______________________

Image: Google Images. Escape Authority.

FINAL

On the brink, a warning 
A vision you can see
Can’t forget your face, your smile 
You  told me you loved me. 

Filled with raw emotion
Naked in your arms
All the promises were made
No intention to cause harm.

But, nothing lasts forever
Promises often fade
Caught up in the moment
In the drama, the charade.

Years pass by so quickly
Time isn’t always kind
The beauty of the moment
Gone….though once was so sublime.

Loss so final, never more
A mere dark reality
Where hope once reigned unchallenged
Now a faded memory.

_______________________

Image: Google Images. Flaming Text.

BEE STING

Walking round the festival
Outside having fun
Till suddenly defenseless
I had in fact been stung. 

A swarm of yellow jackets
Consumed with rage appeared
Looking for some sugar
The one thing that I feared.

It started with an ice cream cone
Chocolate, double dipped
He got me on my finger 
And right above my upper lip.

The pain was instantaneous 
The toxin was released
The swelling and the throbbing
Continued to increase. 

Afraid my throat was closing
Where was my Epi Pen?
I knew I needed to react
Looked through my purse, again.

It was there , I found it
In seconds, felt relief 
Then I saw the EMT
He was there to  rescue me.

He sprayed an antiseptic 
Then applied a cold icepack
I was shaking , but felt better
He could see, I’d been stung twice.

I cried aloud, was helpless 
I dropped my ice cream cone
Tried to run , to get away 
I began to cry , to moan!

He took me to their station 
Set up for emergencies 
I soon calmed down, I thanked him
For looking after me. 

______________________

Image: Google Images. Perham yellow jackets

A RAINY DAY

A rainy day
Chilly and wet
The perfect day
To stay in your bed.

Where’s the remote?
Turn on the TV
Have a slice of wheat toast
And a hot cup of tea.

Hold your dog close
She’s happy you’re home
So great to be with you
Instead of alone.

Pamper yourself 
Wear your favorite sweats
Stay off of your phone
Read a book, better yet. 

Sleep and relax
Play hooky today 
It’s raining and cold
The sky has turned gray. 

Recharge and reboot
Close your eyes, get some rest
Tomorrow you’ll be
On your game, at your best.

All that you need 
Is to take precious time
To try and refuel
To learn to unwind. 

______________________

Image: Google Images. oobi/wiki/fandom

THE CORNER CAFE

We met at the cafe
On the corner down the street
I knew it was her favorite
Her favorite place to eat.

A crowd had quickly gathered
Formed a line around the block
I never understood it
The food smelled like old sweat socks.

The hipsters from Manhattan
Drove their Beamers and Range Rovers
Parked them on the street
Where it was safe, a few blocks over.

Entrees were quite pricey
The menu short and sweet
No chance to get a burger
Or a decent piece of meat.

Limited dining tables
The place was rather small
I sat near an open window
With my back against the wall.

The conversations noted
Bout the Hamptons and  their beaches
The parties and their cocktails
All their marvelous, summer peaches.

The rich and the entitled
Quite young, yet  powerful 
They ordered from the menu
I thought the food was horrible. 

Written up in GOURMET
All the foodie magazines
The special for today
A plate of Peppered Greek Sardines.

A fried bologna sandwich
With a plate of tangerines
A Pig Tail soup with vegetables
And a bowl of salad greens.

I opted for the sandwich
She had frog’s legs , broiled not fried
I couldn’t watch her eat them
It made me almost want to cry.

The bill was 90 dollars
Was it worth an hour’s drive?
I didn’t comprehend it
Thought the price was way too high!

They put on their sun glasses
Sweaters draped cross their shoulders
Wore their slacks above their ankles
And their Prada leather loafers.

I was wearing an old t-shirt
My sneakers and my jeans
Should’a gone for Mexican
Had some rice with refried beans.

_________________________

Image: Google Images.

THE CANDY SHOP

Two doors down would you believe
A new merchant has moved in?
Making troves of candy
Like I had when I was ten.

Thankfully not open
All seven days a week
Wednesday straight thru Sunday
That’s enough, enough for me.

All the old time favorites
Licorice and malt balls, too
Chocolate covered raisins
Half a pound of those will do.

All hand made chocolate candies
Creams and jellies, and guess what
Coconut and peanuts
Don’t forget the chocolate fudge.

To say that I am happy
Would not quite suffice
Did I tell you they have gumdrops 
With both cinnamon and spice? 

A dream come true, there it is
In the middle of my block
Just a few doors down from me
A sweet new candy shop! 

_________________________

Image: Google Images. Zazzle.

THE GALLERY

A myriad of colors
Textures woven, intertwined
Cuts and corners, shift, divide
Check out the curves and lines.

The pounding of the hammer
The twisting of the pliers
Another metal sculpture
In awe .… I was inspired.

The music in the background
The flutes, the waterfall 
The homogenous lighting
Sets the tone,  accents them all. 

Feeling liberated
Expression so divine
A pathway to one’s heart and soul
A message or a sign.

A marvelous exhibition
Soon upon display
The eyes capture the passion
In tones of blue and gray.

Welcome to the gallery
Here’s a pamphlet, an hors d’oeuvre
Feel free to have a glass of wine
We’re here to please, to serve.

PATTY RICHARDSON
34 S. FRONT STREET APT B
HUDSON, NY 12534
(845)532-3630
richardsonpj2@gmail.com

__________________________

Image: Google Images. Facebook.

DON’T SETTLE

Don’t settle, you know better
Don’t think he’s right for you
In my heart I  know it
I think you know it, too!

It’s more than education
Backgrounds and attitudes
You’re worlds apart, it’s obvious
He is no match for you.

It may not be apparent
But, his closet is quite full
Of skeletons and demons
That will often push and pull. 

Addictions never vanish
They linger and take hold
When you least expect it
They suddenly unfold.

Emotions often trigger
Cravings from the past
Promises are broken
It can happen really fast. 

Before you get entangled 
Learn to heed the warning signs 
You really need to walk away 
Protect yourself this time. 

You simply should know better
This guy’s not right for you
In my heart I  know it
And I think you know it, too!

________________________

Image: Google Images. LinkedIn.