No Artificial Colors
NO ARTIFICIAL COLORS
Mixed Poems
Monica K.K. Lee
NO ARTIFICIAL COLORS
Copyright 2015 © Monica K.K. Lee
FOR MAMA
Table of Contents
1: Unwrapped*
2: Eyes*
3: Onward*
4: This Mourning*
5: And the Music Played*
6: Another Window*
7: Beware*
8: Gloss*
9: As Seen on TV*
10: The Dance*
11: Appeal*
12: Hush*
13: Goodbye*
14: The Race*
15: Hold My Hand*
16: Care Package*
17: Textiles*
18: Wisdom*
19: There is Only One*
20: Skinned*
21: Push*
22: Carpe Diem’ing*
23: Tomorrow*
24: This Is the Day*
About the Author
1
*Unwrapped*
so wrapped up in gender splendor
his and hers
she and he
whole societies state
that the beauty of a woman
can't belong to a boy
nor can a man's strength
belong purely to a girl
that two "wrongs" can't make a "right"
but peel back the packaging and
we are all
living giving energy
pure shimmering souls
belonging to nothing
and everything
2
*Eyes*
he told me how to read people's eyes
by looking right in
he said
you get a glimpse of their
true intentions
you know right away
when a person's smile
is really a smile
or when a laugh
is merely noise
coming out of a vacant corridor
and when they lie
he warned me
when they lie
they look away
hide behind darkened veils
so the masks they wear
won't reveal
the true ingredients
of their artificial colors
won't show
their wish to harm you
to break you down
and make you crawl
beneath their slithering tongues
and sharpened talons
So don't you let them
he said
don't you let those people
have that power over you
instead read their eyes
to decide
whether to topple buildings
or build bridges
and hiding places
together
and you
he beamed
you
be transparent
vibrant
shine so bright
that you radiate
everything that you are
and hope to be
3
*Onward*
its long hand draws out
turns a tick
drops downwards
taking us all with it
when you die i’ll come visit you
he once said to me
love me while i’m here
i told him
the hand moves slow
and deliberate
pointing to a place
that is unknown
the good go to heaven
she said
bad people burn in hell
i replied
i know
i know
so i live a life by a book
of rules
penned by shriveled old men
and me not knowing
where i will find my soul
will die
someday
alone
4
*This mourning*
oceans of despair
me on one side
you on the other
me fearing for you
wail
and fill the sea with sorrow
you fearing for me
send portents
and fill the sea with love
we are calm
5
*And the music played*
it was out of darkness that it came
first a warble
a shrill
a grotesque shriek
so angry
it attracted wretchedness
evil
pain
but then
there came a time
when light itself stretched across the shadows of his mind
and invoked
music
6
*Another window*
another window
to peek through
this one
more pained
then the rest
views that eyes don't want to see
people restless
unbroken
spirited
the overlords may
cover the window with
draped discourse
poor exposure
glamorous distractions
plastic promises
they can leave it be
but it won't go away
it will never go away
7
*Beware*
Beware of smiling faces
curled lips with
the deadly eyes
the dead eyes
those layers of batting lashes
the acid brewing toxins beneath
for beneath the wide grinning mouth
the friendly words
the buttery sugar
are incisors
poised to demolish
the entirety of you
8
*Gloss*
show me a magazine cover
with a woman on it
and I'll show you a gal
who sees herself inferior
someone not good enough as is
the perfect surgical candidate
a living talking bank machine
show me a magazine cover
with a female on it
and I'll show you a little girl
who believes that all ladies
should mirror dolls
and doesn't think because thinking isn't important
when you look a certain way
show me a magazine cover
with a healthy image on it
and I'll show you a world
without tortured individuals
trying hard to be someone else's fantasy
instead loving their lives and
accepting themselves as they are
which is truly
beautiful
9
*As seen on TV*
those commercials ask us
what’s in your wallet
who cares
what's in your wallet
like that makes a difference no
I want to know
what's in your mind
what's in your soul
what's is in your heart
who moves and inspires you
who makes you better
what's in your fiber
what's in your wallet
huh
what is your motive
is what I want to know
10
*The dance*
dancing across thin ice
predictable steps
carefu
l movement
toes
treading
softly
while my shadow
swings a heavy mallet
with deceptively uniform lips
11
*Appeal*
apparently
you feel the need to judge me
trial by fire
closed jury
no defense
your peers
stand witness
point your talons
go ahead
and laugh
while my acts
make a grandstanding mockery
of the court of your own creation
12
*Hush*
there are no songs inside
this well is void
echoes...
only
echoes...
piercing
through
husks of silence
13
*Goodbye*
goodbye happy jester
wobble yourself
towards
dream lane
where clouds gush
and rainbows drip your name
my feet are stuck
in the rocky road
below
this is my path
please don't look back
just move ahead and
leave me alone
14
*The race*
while others chose to whiff snowy gardenias
he ran
while they chose to laze in dew sprinkled grass
to skip to play
to learn in class
he ran
and ran
and ran
when life zipped by
amid a blue streaked sky
and friends asked
"you're still running-- why?"
he ran
he ran
until time slipped in the heat
'til he realized he was really beat
couldn't describe his life as complete
so he stopped
that treadmill
beneath his feet
and strolled
waltzed
wandered
on the street
as the cause of his running
became obsolete
15
*Hold my hand*
hold my hand
again
i ask
i'm scared
i need help
i will help
you say
and reach out
we touch fingers
we are together
you are here
16
*Care package*
I don't know you
but I care
I pray for things to get better
I ask that you be safe
that you are warm
that you have lots to eat
and drink
I give what I can
help any way I can
I don't ask for anything
in return
except that you survive
I don't know you
but I care
17
*Textiles*
I wove some fabric for you
entwined it with dreams
hope entirety
worked it with tireless
hands
of gold
love eternal
knotted the ends with kindness
promises of truth
then I filled it
my love
yes I filled it
on the day of your birth
with the most precious gift
that was ever mine
to hold
18
*Wisdom*
oh, to be wise
to reach
dust off treasure boxes
from a happy beating heart
to live again and always
without fear
knowing that time
is but a measure
and youthfulness
is best left
to the inexperienced
and the foolish
19
*There is only one*
there is only one you
this isn't a poem these are words stating reality
no one else thinks the way you do
your brain your soul
no one else talks the way you do
your mouth your voice
no one else sees the way you do
your perspective your vision
no one else hears the way you do
your translation your perception
no one else feels the way you do
your heart your soul
no one else looks the way you do
your face your body
there is only one
so bask in the exclusivity
of you
.
20
*Skinned*
and they continued to go along their way
using the crutch of
political correctness
to hold them up
and see them through
the acts
of their pompous circus and
each and every time they stumbled
over inappropriate tongues
and thick skins shed
from a lack of tolerance
it was considered well and good
because politically speaking
they would always be correct
no matter what the action
and none would be the wiser
21
*Push*
push gently don’t shove me
if i fall i might break
might not seem fragile but
there’s not much i can take
22
*Carpe diem’ing*
1
Sunday was ours
to celebrate
sloven
unencumbered
loose
we
the stubble faced man
our tangle headed clan
and
empty faced
grit legged me
it was early
and we were barely even awake
Sunday was ours
2
Spontaneous phone call
to the question
he muttered yes
sure
come on over
unpremeditated
I mouthed
no
he said too late
no food I whined
the last of our stash
was then thawed out
to please the makers of the
spontaneous phone call
3
Sunday was ruined
tainted with brooms in rooms
and trash baggery
the smell of rushed chemicals
surface sprayed in haste
work
actual labor
even the vacuum’s moaning oh
why the clan cried
do we have to work today
you said we could read
you said we could play
but no
Sunday was ruined
4
Its almost time
quick hurry up
last of the dishes hidden
pillows fluffed
closets stuffed
clothes thrown over bones
fresh faces
fresh hair
fresh smelling underwear
smudge on deodorant
splash that toothpaste
on a brush do it right now
now and whip it through
your mouths because
it’s almost time
5
To the door
H
ello hi
our house is yours
oh this old thing
and those things too
oh thank you
you too
that’s not true
it’s so nice to have you
we’ve missed you so much
oh, you know all homes
need a good woman’s touch
we laugh
we eat we unwind
we roar
‘til goodbye leads us right back up
To the door
6
Sunday was ours
23
*Tomorrow*
tomorrow is a fresh day
i’ll do it tomorrow
brand new way
brand new me
i’ll do it tomorrow
that diet i’ve read about
do that tomorrow
that one great workout
do that tomorrow
the plans i’ve set aside
you betcha tomorrow
the book i want to write
i’ll start that tomorrow
phone my family
my friends yeah
i’ll do that tomorrow
get that raise
do those chores
i’ll do it tomorrow
yesterday’s passed
saying bye to today so
i’ll do it tomorrow
tomorrow
tomorrow
promises kept
as long as i wake
i’ll do it tomorrow
i’ll do it tomorrow
another day older
and wiser i’d say
tomorrow’s a good day
i’ll start it tomorrow
i’ll be smarter
and better
i’ll plan out my ways
tomorrow
tomorrow
if i get to it
tomorrow
24
*This is the day*
This is the day
I’ve promised
and all but delivered
days dripping
like water
from a faucet
time spilling
and me wasting
all this precious
wonderful
life