Tuesday, February 28, 2017

The Family Fog--By Barbara Tate--United States

The Family Fog

...I'm on the down side of midnight
with a statute of limitations looming,
too little, too late.

Living on the drama inside my head
knowing stars still shine at noon
and wondering why the breeze loses its way,
the day needs a pause, a break before
the curtains close.

Cuddling phantom pain
retreating to a fetal position
remembering what I try to forget,
a solitary vigil lives in the vortex
sucking reality gone
till gone is all I have.

In the corner of yesterday's memories
cherishing the quiet lonesome
with that statute of limitations looming,
I lose myself in the family fog
and ask "why" before I forget to remember.

Barbara Tate is a member of the Gulf Coast Writers Assoc., the Haiku Society of America and the United Haiku & Tanka Society.  She has been published in Santa Fe Literary Review, Storyteller Magazine, Frogpond, Modern Haiku, Contemporary Haibun Online, Bear Creek Haiku, the Heron's Nest & Cattails, among others.  She has been included in several anthologies, most recently Robert Epstein's animal rights anthology Every Chicken, Cow, Fish and Frog.  She currently resides in Winchester, TN.

8 comments:

  1. Dear Barbara,
    Profound truth conveyed thru a note a sadness.
    Thank you for moving my heart.
    Michael

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    1. Dear Michael--thank you for your kind words and thoughts.

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  2. Barbara,
    Such a touching poem. I enjoyed it a lot!
    Your friend,
    David Fox

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    1. Hi David. Hope everything's well with you and thanks for the comment. Will try to be more diligent in keeping in touch.

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  3. Dear Barbara, Your touching poem made me get on my knees and pray for you. Such a picture of suffering. If rhis is happening to you, may God bless you.
    Love, Charlene

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    1. Thank you for your kind words. This poem was inspired by a friend who entered a nursing home last year. Thank you again--your words gave me more inspiration than you will ever know!!

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  4. Well expressed Barbara. A lot of my life has been clouded over with
    Family fog. This is a very good writing.
    Yancy

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    1. Thank you very much. I also want to thank you for taking your time to encourage each of us as you did for the March Activity "Alliteration and Assonance".

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