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Knife wounds were rare with pancakes and waffles, but twin boys made anything possible.
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Like a crystal ball it held secrets, but another puff took another tuft.
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I had surmised that Shakespeare was no angel.
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“No folks, that’s what’s called a wild rumor, fiction, not true.
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No pomp, no circumstance. I guess I could play solitaire.
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I have I try to figure out who’s reading. I like to imagine my sister reading an essay I wrote about her.
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Captain’s Log: Stardate, A Day at the Beach Long Ago
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Those horns just sprouted because of you.
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A whistle blew, splash! Chaos.
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That Time My Hair
I never had a problem with my hair, but Mom was always messing with it. She never let me grow it long because “I couldn’t take care of it.” Truth was, she didn’t want to take care of it and said I was too lazy and inept to handle it, qualities I’ve fought off my… Read more
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Not the Same
IT’S DIFFERENT written by: Devonne Brown published by SpillWords, January 19, 2023 @athesaurus1 The quiet is different this morning.Its timbre has a breadth, a substanceI hadn’t noticed before.The quiet when the boys slept was full of their dreamsThis emptiness is hard. It supersedes noisefrom the TVthat deafens the background silence.It shatters then evaporates like it… Read more
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Waning Xmas
This Week The end of Christmas, the end of the semester, parent conferences, the end of winter break. Parents signed up to be able to tell the teacher how cool their kids were. Endless talk about their kids. They didn’t care about behavior or academics. They wanted to tell us, their teachers, all about their… Read more
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Holiday Fruit Salad
Thanksgiving is about fruit salad. Forget the birds and big gourds, even the shellfish and breadcrumbs. It’s all about the fruit. When Dad was little, his dad would make this incredible fruit salad during the holidays. When you’re from Clay county WV, that fruit salad is a gourmet delight. Grapes, bananas, mandarin oranges, fruit cocktail,… Read more
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Flu and Cold Season
Getting old has symptoms. Stuff I’d always made jokes about in people are really true. Losing hair, eyesight, and teeth aren’t funny things that happen, but do. I’ve always been a list maker and note taker. Memory loss may or may not occur, I don’t know. What I need to remember, I do. The power… Read more
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The Plan
“I’ve got a plan,” said Norris. He looked around the room until his eyes found the dog. It was a poodle, a big brown one. In the poodle world it had several names: German Water Retriever, Standard Poodle, Brown Abstract Poodle, Spoo, Soup Hound, West Virginia Brown Dog, Opal Pearl. Madam, the saddle back, black… Read more
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Knife wounds were rare with pancakes and waffles, but twin boys made anything possible.
-
Like a crystal ball it held secrets, but another puff took another tuft.
-
I had surmised that Shakespeare was no angel.
-
“No folks, that’s what’s called a wild rumor, fiction, not true.
-
No pomp, no circumstance. I guess I could play solitaire.
-
I have I try to figure out who’s reading. I like to imagine my sister reading an essay I wrote about her.
-
Captain’s Log: Stardate, A Day at the Beach Long Ago
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Those horns just sprouted because of you.
-
A whistle blew, splash! Chaos.
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Unspoken Trophy
“I need an introduction to our class.” So, I was asked to lead an exercise, Off the cuff with no tenor and no bass My chest puffed out ever so slight, so wise. Stood taller, looking people in the eye Relax, lean back, let them complete the why As if not wanting to draw attention Wrote poems with the “I am” intentionsTrying…
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Delight Risk
Either you will fall, or will be taught to fly.
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High School Gossip
“I heard they broke up and Tom was going to ask Janeen to the prom,” Becky announced it in Social Studies class. “Betty was all upset about it in English this morning. She was so mad she was crying. I’d hate to be Janeen,” “How do you know that’s why Betty was so mad and…
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Anticipation
Anticipation, sweaty palms shaking; Jittery, bouncing a foot on the floor Trembling legs crossing, uncrossing, twitching Recheck your hair in a makeup mirror Peek out the window, hover by the door Pace — hide your face behind your hands, cover Hover again, then sit quivering A pounding heart, lack of concentration Glances at the clock,…
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Company
Tonight. I am company. I tread lightly in my extended family’s home. I am a guest. I am on good behavior. I tell and listen to the telling from children with wide ears, eyes, and smiles. I am more polite than usual. I have helped the eldest son get an A on an English paper,…

