The Pantser’s Life
by Kelly F. Barr
I stare at a blank computer screen
Until my eyes water.
My fingers are poised
Above the keys.
A character whispers in my ear;
My fingers begin to type.
She tells me about her life
And includes more characters.
Oh, the ups, the downs
The round and rounds —
She keeps me on the edge of my seat.
She stops.
She needs a break
Until tomorrow when we meet again
To continue this story.
“I’m Sorry:
by Kelly F. Barr
“I’m sorry”
He sounds so sincere
But the actions do not change.
The hurts come again and again.
“I’m sorry”
Words without meaning
When he really only thinks of self.
I wish I were a turtle
So I could hide inside my shell.
“I’m sorry”
An empty sound
As the hurts abound.
How long before
The actions prove the words sure?
Promises
by Kelly F. Barr
Promises come in
Whispers, kisses, rainbows;
They come in darkness,
Passion, and that magic moment.
But like a breath,
Or the blink of an eye
They can disappear quickly.
Promises broken
Leave sorrow, scars and pain;
Promises kept take wing —
Bring love, beauty, peace, eternity.
My favorite place
Has all of my favorite things:
Quaint little shops,
Open spaces to spread your wings.
It’s rich in history
Of lighthouse, ponies, Bebe’s and more.
And new discoveries await,
of this I’m sure.
Walking the streets
I see friendly faces.
Surrounded by water
Nature abounds in these spaces.
I’d love to have a house here,
For a frequent geat-away.
It nourishes my creativity and spirit.
My dream — to live here someday.
The sun shines,
A cool breeze blows.
The smell of ponies
Touches my nose.
Here they come
Trotting along the sandy beach,
Nickering and chuffing,
Their common forms of speech.
Heading back to the other island
I stop to watch the birds:
Cranes, Herons and Cormorants.
This place holds beauty beyond words.
Scraping, scraping off the plaque
With that sharp, pointy tool.
Glad this paper bib and suction tube
Will catch my drool.
A cavity? You say,
And stick a needle in my gum
So when the drill starts
My mouth will be numb.
When it’s over,
I get toothbrush, floss and paste.
As I exit, I can only feel
Half of my face.
I wrote this poem while in the waiting room, waiting on my son at the dentist’s office.
Bedtime story.
Bedtime prayers.
Tucked in tight
With his teddy bear.
Brush hair from his forehead,
Kiss his cheek.
Just before you close the door
You see him peek.
Blow a kiss,
Whisper “good night”.
In this moment,
All with the world feels right.
Jadis
demanding, screaming, deceiving
female, witch, male, lion
singing, speaking, breathing
loving, trustworthy
Aslan
Life of a Story
by Kelly F. Barr
A story runs round inside my head,
Often as I attempt to sleep in bed.
Its characters speak to me,
Telling me what will and will not be.
They dictate whom they will love and where they will go,
And from their ups and downs the story will grow.
Each chapter I submit for critique
As tips and advice for improvement I seek.
After edits, Beta Readers have a look,
Then final edits before turning story into book.
Chipmunk Courage
by Kelly F. Barr
Chipmunks running across my deck.
I stand at the top of the steps.
I see one peek from under the shed;
It and another come scurrying up
And stop one step below.
I am here, they know.
One decides to retreat
As the other flashes by my feet.
Kelly F Barr 