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Poetry Breakfast

Serving a little poetic nourishment Monday thru Friday and featuring a Short Play Saturday Matinee to read.

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Havertown Road in Mourning (Pantoum)- A Poem by Ali Widdoes

Havertown Road in Mourning (Pantoum)
A poem by Ali Widdoes

Havertown Road in Mourning (Pantoum)

On Havertown road in bedroom lit morning
the Fisher-Price farmhouse letters in sun
old crayons to color, the pages imploring
and Popsicle sheaths held in hands, sticky thumb

the Fisher-Price farmhouse letters in sun
a game of Old Maid, cards fanned out in warning
and Popsicle sheaths held in hands, sticky thumb
my dad reads the paper beside me, its morning 

a game of Old Maid, cards fanned out in warning
“Let’s bike ride to Hillstream,” father-daughter-sun
my dad reads the paper beside me, its morning 
the far-fetched odd stories on bike ride begun

“Let’s bike ride to Hillstream,” father-daughter-sun
his slicing of apples in kitchen commands
the far-fetched odd stories on bike ride begun
Dad cutting up pancakes on top of my hands

his slicing of apples in kitchen commands
the whispers of tales I do not comprehend
Dad cutting up pancakes on top of my hands
while ten-speed goes ticking, cannot apprehend

the whispers of tales I do not comprehend
heavy eyelids asleep in the backseat of the car
while ten-speed goes ticking, cannot apprehend
my Dad’s all-day drinks, ice cubes clang in the car

heavy eyelids asleep in the backseat of the car
earmuffs of fake fur can’t displace the disgrace
my Dad’s all-day drinks, ice cubes clang in the car
fifth grade he breaks all of the bones in his face

earmuffs of fake fur can’t displace the disgrace
eyes far and forlorn, the vapor of Michelob
fifth grade he breaks all of the bones in his face
car explodes to the fore, crawls on side of the road

eyes far and forlorn, the vapor of Michelob
the snap of a polaroid, whip it dry in the sun
car explodes to the fore, crawls on side of the road
hot tears I don’t see who he is in the sun

the snap of a polaroid, whip it dry in the sun
he looks cold, not the same, picture limp in my hands
hot tears I don’t see who he is in the sun
His mind slips away from us all as unplanned

he looks cold, not the same, picture limp in my hands
phantom floats in my brain with a stain still undone
his mind slips away from us all as unplanned
the Fisher-Price farmhouse letters in sun

About the Author:

Ali Widdoes is an entertainment professional, writer and producer based in Los Angeles. Born in Wilmington, Delaware, she graduated from University of Delaware with a bachelor’s degree in French language and literature, and holds an MBA from Pepperdine University.  Currently pursuing an MFA in creative writing from Mount Saint Mary’s University, she resides in Los Angeles with her life partner Dean Alioto, an independent filmmaker.

Poetry Breakfast is an online journal publishing poetry and short plays.
If you’d like your poems considered for publication visit our Poetry Submissions page.
If you’d like your short play considered for publication visit our Short Play Submissions page.

1

The River and the Crows – A Poem by Karen Vail

The River and the Crows
A poem by Karen Vail

The River and the Crows 

The path along the river is steeped in green.
The summer crows cast an alarm as I pass,
scolding me, an interloper.

Their sharp jibes only encourage me 
to eavesdrop on their conversation.
They speak my heart. I believed

they did not understand our kinship.
But, maybe they will, and welcome me as a sister.
I walk the river and revel in the belonging.

The river rolls on heedless of my presence.
Steady. Rock-bottomed. 
Just what I need.

The crows know it is a good place to be.
Solemn preachers sharing the Good News.
We are one congregation worshipping the water .

About the Author:

Karen Vail is a retired teacher, mother, grandmother and writer. She mostly loves playing with her one-year-old grandson but finds time to write some poetry while he naps. Her work has been published in a variety of journals and anthologies, including Poetry Breakfast, Art in the Time of CoVid, and Waco Cultural Arts Fest: WordFest Anthology. She resides with her husband in Flemington, NJ.

Poetry Breakfast is an online journal publishing poetry and short plays.
If you’d like your poems considered for publication visit our Poetry Submissions page.
If you’d like your short play considered for publication visit our Short Play Submissions page.

2

This – A Poem by Joe Cottonwood

This
A poem by Joe Cottonwood

This

Quail Court 
is a manicured plot 
where dwells a schoolteacher 
named Jane who this once 
in the entire span of our lifetimes
I meet for a few minutes in her bungalow of
flamboyant art, orchids in pots. 

Jane outlines my electrical task, 
a new circuit plus a couple of floodlights, 
and then with schoolteacher gaze 
both merry and serious she asks 
“Are you honest? Wonderful and all that?” 

“Um… Yes.” 

“Then here’s where I hide the house key. 
Just leave a bill on the table. I’ll pay it because 
I’m also honest and wonderful and all that.”

And I do. Next day. Alone.
And she does. By mail. Promptly.
And I love. All that.

About the Author:

Joe Cottonwood has repaired hundreds of houses to support his writing habit in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. His latest book of poetry is Random Saints. He appreciates bushy eyebrows, big paws, and dog-eared pages.

Poetry Breakfast is an online journal publishing poetry and short plays.
If you’d like your poems considered for publication visit our Poetry Submissions page.
If you’d like your short play considered for publication visit our Short Play Submissions page.

4

Riding the Highlands – A Poem by PD Lyons

Riding the Highlands
A poem by PD Lyons

Riding the Highlands

She spoke in an accent lost like heat from living things
broken snowy things that long winters become around here.

The absence of people in her world meant things would not get bogged down,
such was her preference.

She admired stainless things like steel, well-honed blades of knives
sound of a good axe square stuck into a block; pieces split clean hard solid.

She’d find a smile in steel spurs as her heels struck the floor. While copper had a value too.
The bit she blew warm to keep from sticking to the horse’s mouth made her own water.

Horses understood her language. Cold winter thrived upon it.
Well-crafted metals bantered lightly with her.

On the trail, sipping Bourbon accepted every word without argument. Snow dust from tall pines,
crows like midnight splinter into a wide-open Ingenious blue
from which every question ever asked returned every answer she’d ever needed.

About the Author:

PD Lyons was born and raised in the USA but travelled and lived abroad. Since 1998 he  resided in Ireland. Lyons received the Mattatuck College Award for Outstanding Achievement in Poetry. Received a Bachelor of Science with honours from Teikyo Post University Connecticut. The work of PD Lyons has appeared in many magazines and e-zine/blogs throughout the world. Lyons published poetry collections by Lapwing Press, Belfast and erbacce-Press, Liverpool. 

Poetry Breakfast is an online journal publishing poetry and short plays.
If you’d like your poems considered for publication visit our Poetry Submissions page.
If you’d like your short play considered for publication visit our Short Play Submissions page.

3

Anhinga Drying Her Wings – A Poem by Laurie Kuntz

Anhinga Drying Her Wings
A poem by Laurie Kuntz

Anhinga Drying Her Wings

Where has she flown
for the need to stop 
on a lily pad and spread 
wet tipped wings
under the ebb of day?

What venture caused 
her to dive into this lagoon 
black with its endless bottom?

Who are we, passersby, 
to disturb her stance 
on reeds fragile to sight 
and thought of these steps
we both make on sandy roads?

Under waning suns
winged and footed journeys 
are beginning anew

and ending, marked 
with the coming 
of first snow and last rose.

About the Author:

Laurie Kuntz has published two poetry collections (The Moon Over My Mother’s House, Finishing Line Press and Somewhere in the Telling, Mellen Press), and three chapbooks (Talking Me Off The Roof, Kelsay Books, Simple Gestures, Texas Review Press and Women at the Onsen, Blue Light Press). Her poetry has been nominated for three Pushcart Prizes and one Best of the Net. Happily retired, she lives in an endless summer state of mind. Visit her at:
https://lauriekuntz.myportfolio.com/home-1

Poetry Breakfast is an online journal publishing poetry and short plays.
If you’d like your poems considered for publication visit our Poetry Submissions page.
If you’d like your short play considered for publication visit our Short Play Submissions page.

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There is Beauty – A Poem by Njeri Wangari

There is Beauty
A poem by Njeri Wangari

There is Beauty

There is beauty in who we are,
not men and women,
but children
whose souls go giddy
when our soles feet feel for the dew
on fields of green
where our eyes stretch out to touch
the morning sun
on a park
where dreams are allowed to sleep.

There is beauty in what we love
this part of Nairobbery
where love is allowed to pluck a rose
where the only Estate that is real
is your state of mind
as it gasps for
the only pure air
in this city where
it’s a crime
to breathe free air.

There is beauty in what we are
rebels, radicals, believers,
lovers, optimists, ungovernable
our blood burns through our veins
with the spirit
that led our warrior
Wangari Maathai
to battlefields.
Her Maji Maji rebellion made it rain
on fields of brown,
on jungles
where rocks now grow through steel
yet still,
her rose now chokes.

Her rose-
today’s heroes
yet still,
they can’t breathe.
We rose from the rocks
yet still,

we can’t breathe

About the Author:

Njeri Wangari is an acclaimed Kenyan poet and writer with a multi-faceted career
spanning over 15 years as a spoken word artist, journalist and communications
specialist.

Njeri’s first poetry collection- Mine and Mind Fields; My Spoken Words published in 2010 is a 114 paged collection which contains over 40 poems that explore themes on; Urban Blues, Love, Identity, Traditions, Cultural changes, Exploitation and Politics written in English, Kiswahili and her native language Gĩkũyũ.

In 2022, her poetry was published in the Across Borders – An anthology of new poems from the commonwealth.

Njeri’s poems have been published in Badilisha Poetry, The East African, Kwani!,
Msafiri & Down River Road magazines. She has performed at various regional and
international events including the BBC Contains Strong Language Festival, Kwani & Story Moja Festivals, Global Voices Summit, Tedx Nairobi & at the Still Water middle school in Minnesota.

Njeri’s 2nd poetry collection, Arrested Tongues is due in 2023.

For more info visit www.kenyanpoet.com

Poetry Breakfast is an online journal publishing poetry and short plays.
If you’d like your poems considered for publication visit our Poetry Submissions page.
If you’d like your short play considered for publication visit our Short Play Submissions page.

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