Rush

chaos
blinking lights
electricity
running wild
darkness
and light
strobing
with
seizure-inducing speed
hot
sweaty
dizzying
closeness
thought-reducing
fever-building
nearness
propinquity
proximity
to
you

©2009-Art Belliveau

Birthday Limerick

There was a girl from Smith Station
Who was a stunning sensation
She stole my heart
Because she is smart
And walks with an awesome gyration

©2009-Art Belliveau

I Want to Be a Pirate

I want to be a pirate
And sail the seven seas
I want to sail a pirate ship
And feel a salty breeze

I want to hoist the mainsail
And make someone walk the plank
I want to fly the pirate flag
After the enemy sank

If I could only be a pirate
I would act real mean and grim
But I’ll never be a pirate
Unless I learn to swim

©2009-Art Belliveau

07/26/09

last week of summer
school starts soon
everything begins again
another spin of the year
another chance
another opportunity
I hope that summer never ends

©2009-Art Belliveau

07/25/09

driving
traveling down deserted
stretches of road
nothing in sight

I think of you

©2009-Art Belliveau

07/24/09

sometimes
late at night
I look up
to see the stars
but
nothing is there
except
the obscuring clouds

©2009-Art Belliveau

Time for Bed

I go into your darkened room
lights out, but for
the angel in the wall
Final kisses
Final hugs
“You’re my good girl”
I whisper with my kisses
“And you’re my good Daddy”
you reply with conviction
as you hug me tight
And
with everything in me
that’s just
exactly
what I want to be

©2009-Art Belliveau

senryu 07/22/09

Internet again?
I just love my computer--
All my friends live there

©2009-Art Belliveau

even in the midst of

even in the midst of
chaotic clamor
my soul embraces
a calmness
listening to
internal silence
echoing from
memories of solitude


©2009-Art Belliveau

because I have you

hundreds of miles
separate us
the sky is cloud covered
and black
no one is near for miles
but I cannot be alone
in the dark
because I have you

©2009-Art Belliveau

in the deep stillness

in the deep stillness
of the unpeopled wilderness
in the silence from conversation
the loudest voice i do not hear
is yours


©2009-Art Belliveau

A Summer's Day Parade

A Summer's Day Parade

Who can be bored on a summer’s day?
There’s so much to see.
As I was laying out on my front lawn,
All these things went right past me:

A bunny eating a carrot
A narwhale skarfing down krill
A cowpoke riding a bucking bull
(That one gave me a thrill)
A dragon spitting a fount of fire
An angel dog guarding us all
A tiger stalking a two headed pig
A clown balancing on a ball
A flock of penguins
A bighorned ram
A chimpanzee
A little lost lamb

All of this I laid there and watched,
As the day just breezed on by.
Laying there comfy on my front lawn,
Watching the clouds go by.

©2009-Art Belliveau

Everyone Said...

Everyone Said...

Everyone said that the Earth was flat,
Go to far and over the edge you’d bound.

Everyone said that the Earth stood still,
And it was the sun that traveled around.

Everyone said if people should fly,
God would have given us wings.

So why should we listen to what Everyone says?
Everyone's wrong 'bout so many things.

©2009-Art Belliveau

The Grup-a-lup

The Grup-a-lup

The grup-a-lup just plods along,
Without a word, without a song.
Without rest, it plods ahead
From when it's born, until it's dead.
It never stops; it rarely slows.
Why it keeps going, no one knows.
It never eats or takes a drink,
Or changes course or stops to think.
Having no fun, it's journey never ends.
I'm glad I'm not a grup-a-lup, aren't you, my friends?


©2009-Art Belliveau

Molly Had a Sleepover

Molly Had a Sleepover

Molly had a sleepover,
All her best friends were there.
With sleeping bags and giggles,
All of them walked on air.

Kat, and Kylie, and Kaiden,
Came for a night of fun.
They were ready for the party.
It would be the bestest one.

First they got into their p.j.s,
And then they watched TV.
They ate some ice cream and some chips,
And drank a gallon of sweet tea.

They played with their stuffed animals.
Had a midnight tea party.
They did each other’s hair and nails,
They were beautiful to see.

They dug out Molly’s jewelry,
And put on a fashion show.
They were going full speed now,
Not one of them did slow.

They went into the bedroom
And shut off all the lights.
They took turns telling sacry stories.
They gave themselves the frights.

They squealed and and jabbered all night long,
Until into the sky the sun crept.
And finally after a night of fun,
As the morning came, they slept.

©2009-Art Belliveau

Just Do It

Just Do It

When you’re told that something
Simply can't be done,
You just smile and nod your head.
And then, instead of believing that,
Go out and do it instead.

©2009-Art Belliveau

Think Pink

Think Pink

I love to wear pink,
From my toes to my hair.
My good Sunday clothing,
And all my beachwear.

It drives my dad crazy;
He don’t know what to do.
He just keeps on saying
That boys should wear blue.

©2009-Art Belliveau

Dreams

Dreams

future visions
aspirations
churning yearning in the soul
deep desires
longed for wishes
help to keep us sane and whole
fuel ambitions
fire passions
help us reach
our heart-held goals


©2009-Art Belliveau

Recipe

Recipe

layer a sprinkling of stars
twinkling in a velvet black sky
over a mixture of sea & sand
stir the stygian sea to create
waves, flecked with luminescent foam
lapping gently onto the warm beach sand

add one pregnant sea turtle laying eggs
& a half dozen or so
awestruck & silent boy scouts
(hidden behind a garnish of sea oats)
marinate in silvery moonlight & stillness
for several minutes

Yields wonder, awe, and a new respect
for nature

©2009-Art Belliveau

Elegy for Bonnie

Elegy for Bonnie

soft, sad beagle eyes
staring at me
just watching
tail wagging as I near
head popping up, alert
wanting me to pay attention
coming to me as I sit
putting her head beneath my hand
willing me to get the idea
and start scratching

eating furtively, timidly
stopping if I get too close
wanting reassurance it’s okay to eat more
each encouragement lasting for just one bite
then looking up again
as if for permission
onece again

wanting out
needing out
dancing with impatience
in front of me
as much as saying, “Pay attention!”
relief streaming from her
as I let her into the backyard

wanting in
so grateful when I open the door
tail wagging, whole back end wagging
head down, grinning, sneezing and snuffling
taking care when crossing the door
afraid her former human will hurt her again
relived that I am here instead

rolling on her back
exposing her stomach
waiting to be scratched
trusting and loving

still living in memory
still alive in my heart


©2009-Art Belliveau

The Door

The Door

I see a door half open,
Or maybe it's half shut.
Perhaps I should go through it,
But if I do--then what?

I don't know what's on the other side,
And I'm half-afraid to see.
Through that door there could be danger,
Or perhaps my opportunity.

There's just one way for me to know;
I must go out and take a look.
I must this time show courage.
Or mourn the chance I never took.

©2009-Art Belliveau

Day Dream

I have a mind that wanders;
It goes most anywhere.
And as it travels far and wide,
Into the sky I stare.

In my flights of fancy,
I don't need anything.
I can take off from the Earth,
And to the sky take wing.

I soar above the topmost clouds,
And venture into space.
I drink in the Milky Way,
As past the moon I race.

I leave our Solar System,
Our galaxy, our--sheesh!
My mind can get so far away,
When I let it slip the leash.

©2009-Art Belliveau

Rubaiyat of the Carousel

Rubaiyat of the Carousel

Riding my horse as it moves up and down.
See the lights, hear the noise as I go round and round.
Chasing a dragon; pursued by a pig.
Calliope playing--no happier sound.

Ahead moves a tiger bigger than big.
As I travel in circles on this fancy rig.
Not so fast I am dizzy, not so slow I am not.
Liquid laughter surrounds me, and I take a swig.

I want to keep riding and never get caught.
Free from all cares, I am one happy tot.
I want to keep riding and never slow down.
The lure of the carousel cannot be fought.

©2009-Art Belliveau

Rock-a-Bye Baby

Rock-a-bye baby,
In the tree top.
Someone should arrest
Your mom and your pop.
Putting a baby
Up in a tree
Doesn’t sound right
Or real safe to me.

©2009-Art Belliveau

07/07/09

unexpectedly
a message I had hoped for
happiness refound

©2009-Art Belliveau

the only way

the only way
to communicate
to let you know
that I am here
and you are not--
not forgotten--
is through
the words
of a poem

and even if
i never hear from you
again
i am here
and you
you will never be--
never be forgotten

©2009-Art Belliveau

and he held it in the palm of his hand

and he held it in the palm of his hand
scared
excited
thrilled
nervous
knowing it wasn’t really his
knowing it could so easily disappear
again
and it started to
it began to float away

panicking
he squeezed his bearlike hand shut
trapping in it
the broken pieces
that could never
be remade

©2009-Art Belliveau

4th of July

Flowers of fire in the sky.
Brilliant explosions way up high.
Blue and green and red and gold...
Watching fireworks never gets old.

©2009-Art Belliveau

4th of July

parking deck--top floor
setting sun, cool breeze, clear sky
waiting for fireworks

©2009-Art Belliveau

Mixed Emotions

I woke up feeling sick today and got to stay in bed.
You may think that made me happy, missing school.
But I am not overjoyed, I’m miserable instead.
Cause getting sick in the summer isn’t cool.

©2009-Art Belliveau

Ed

There is a monster under my bed.

He is my friend.  His name is Ed.

He is invisible.  I never see him.  

I think he’s stuck here.  I want to free him.

How to get Ed out and keep him unharmed,

And without Momma seeing (she’d be alarmed),

That is the puzzle I must figure out.

And it is a toughie, of that there’s no doubt.

I have tried and tried to find Ed a new place.

And a new friend, who he can embrace.

I put an ad in the paper and stay by the phone.

And invite them over when I am alone.

So far Ed’s met forty-nine new little friends.

But it’s kinda weird how it always ends.

I step outside and while I am gone,

The new friend disappears and Ed has withdrawn.

So, if you need a monster for under your bed,

Just give me a call and I’ll let you meet Ed.

And if he doesn’t eat you, you may take him home,

To put under your bed, from which he’ll never roam.

©2009-Art Belliveau

senryu 07/01/09

precision cooking

"order up!  your order's up!"

short order cook's life

©2009-Art Belliveau

senryu 06/30/09

tunes for a nickel

oldies start blasting away

old-fashioned jukebox

©2009-Art Belliveau

senryu 06/29/09

smell of grilling meat

the bustle of the diner

chilhood mem'ries live

©2009-Art Belliveau

senryu 06/28/09

southern lunch counter

all races eat together

my, how times have changed

©2009-Art Belliveau