Quiet Miracles

My near-daily walks with these little guys is one of the quiet (though not unrecognized!) miracles of my life right now. Four generations of us—some combination of iivo and me, my dad, EV, Ronald, and these little boys—traipsing around this neighborhood we’ve lived in for most of the last four decades. Paired with three dogs and a large double stroller, we’re quite the scene, I’m sure!

Indignation at the Inevitable

The inherent frustration

In the changing

Of the meaning

Of a word

Over time

Has me irritated

Flustered

A little bit pissed, even

When did voluptuous

Betray me

And cease to mean sensuous?

Prone to sensual enjoyment?

Yes!

Relating to

Or characterized by

Sensual pleasure?

You betcha!

Full of delight

Or pleasure 

To the senses?

Yes sir, indeed!

Why did big tits get to highjack

My perfectly good word

And render it backward?

Awkward?

Off?

They’ve tried to hijack everything

The bodacious imposters

And they’ve almost succeeded

One too many men spoke of the voluptuous woman

And one too many a person 

Who didn’t know that big ol’ word

Assumed it referred to those big ol ‘things—

The charlatans

And assumption

Became connotation

Became presumption

Became fact

So I can’t be voluptuous anymore

Just like you can’t be gay

Or lusty

Perfectly good words

Gone askance

And askew

On the way to their new home

No matter!

I’ll be voluptuous

And you be lusty

And we’ll roll around in our holy lust

Till the world tilts a little

And the angels will sing

© 2019 Laurie Sitterding

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My entry for the September 2019 prompt—"Lust"—at Poets Online
"Our September prompt is lust, in one or more of its forms. Consider all levels, from intense sexual desire to a strong longing, or even the obsolete meanings of pleasure, delight, wish, or craving. Surprise us."

Just So

Nobody moves anything anymore.

It all stays put.

Just so.

Exactly where I thought I wanted it

Back when I didn't know better

Back when little fingers touched everything

Took everything

Or it just went walking

Somewhere

Anywhere but where it goes

We built these trains

And laid the track

Of this life

One little piece at a time

Little locomotives

And steam engines

To run away with my heart.

Or maybe just over it.

Leave it gasping, frantic

For just one screw

Out of place.

Something.

Anything

To step on.

Anyone

Underfoot

If these floors could have told me, they would have

If these walls could have warned me, I'd have known

That every little block

And shoe

And piece of everything

Would one day stay put.

Just so.

We built these engines that ride off the rails

And carry a piece of my soul

On the way to get a cheeseburger

In a new town

With a new best lady

I found my tweezers just the other day.

How I wish to God they were still missing

Instead of you

© 2019 Laurie Sitterding