Sarah Flanigan - Poetry Simply Put

beach dogs catch the rays
that sparkle across water
deep green and perfect

copyright 2007

Winter roses sag
Clip, trim, dead leaves fall to ground
Roses safe in vase

copyright 2006

“Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own instead of someone else’s.”

– Billy Wilder

Billy Wilder, the Austrian-American film director who gave us classic films like the farcical Some Like It Hot and the sardonic Sunset Boulevard,  as well as The Lost Weekend, The Apartment, Double Indemnity, Stalag 17, Witness for the Prosecution and many more.

 His, was a true rags-to-riches success story. Born in 1906 in the Austria-Hungarian empire, he fled the Nazi regime in 1934, arriving in Los Angeles with $11 and speaking almost no English. By the 1950’s, he had become one of Hollywood’s greatest directors, directing more than 60 films. He won six Oscars and the National Medal of Honor. He died in 2002.

If you have never had the pleasure of watching any of his many movies, do yourself a favor and rent a few of them. This man was a true writer and knew his craft. Watch his movies, read the scripts and study them - he has much to teach us.

Sarah 

Not long ago, my buddy Evyl did a really fun post that linked to a quiz which would tell you just how scary you are. Sadly, I discovered I was not scary at all. In fact, it said I was sweet. (boring!) But of course Evyl scored very high on the scary meter (lucky bastard). We got to talking and we thought we’d do our own little test of sorts.

Word association. He came up with a list and I came up with a list. You can see Evyl’s list with my word association and his and below is mine. Remember, I’m sweet and he’s scary. LOL.

Court
Sarah says: Woo me like no other.
Evyl says: The stuffy building where the judge bangs the gavel and says ‘ One more outburst and I will gag you like transvestite bondage queen.’

Line
Sarah says: Dialogue at its best.
Evyl says: What you use to pick up loose women at a seedy bar. Such as ‘Do you have a mirror in your panties because I can see myself in them.’

Paisley
Sarah says: Pattern that is thankfully no longer fashionable.
Evyl says: Isn’t that the pattern you get with Dollar Store Boxer Shorts?

Revile
Sarah says: Hatred from my deepest darkest places.
Evyl says: The emotion shared by all my ex-girlfriends.

Body
Sarah says: The home in which our spirits live.
Evyl says: A good quality to have in beer and women. Too thin and you have lite beer and bony chicks but a good full body and you have Guiness and one hell of a woman.

So, are you sweet or scary? It’s a fun question to ponder.

Sarah

Pennies gathered in a jar
all the same

None have a different idea
of who or what they are

Lonely pennies
waiting to be rolled
not knowing

For they were never told
they’re not worth much of anything
these days.

copyright 2006

I don’t really have anything to say
My clever words won’t come out to play today
My heart and soul can’t find its way
to entertain you.

My head won’t think
my eyes don’t blink
I’m not in the pink
sorry…nothing to see here.

copyright 2006

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/tyI32GsUbJQ]

I thought this was cleverly and very well done. I hope you enjoy it.

sarah

He had no face for me. Just a pleading voice and a dirty shirt.

My automatic head shake made him scurry away and I went into the store. But it bothered me, the faceless man. I was shivering and dressed in a sweater, jeans and a jacket. He had only old chinos and flannel shirt.

 I tried to shop but his ‘non-face’ kept jumping in front of me. I decided I would find him when I was done and buy him something to eat. I didn’t want to give him money because I thought he would just buy alcohol with it. I couldn’t in good conscience contribute to that - but I could feed him.

I tapped my foot as I waited for the cashier to ring up my few purchases, trying to spy a glimpse of him outside. I didn’t see him - but I was sure he was still hanging around the Starbuck’s, waiting. He knew I was coming back.

Finally, purchases rung up and paid. Out the door. I still didn’t  see  him. I walked to Starbuck’s looked inside and out. No one. No faceless man there. I walked through the entire mini-mall looking for the red flannel shirt and beat up chinos.

The whind whipped at my face and my hands stung from the cold. Did the wind gust him away? Flying him back into the abyss for whence he came? How could one, faceless man disappear so quickly. It couldn’t have been more than ten minutes.

He was gone. Leaving no trace of himself or his direction. Yet, I stood at the open door of my car and scanned a few more times, believing in some part of me that he would appear. He didn’t.

Reluctantly, I got into the car and turned the ignition. The heater blasting, the music soothing, the whine of the wind outside, rocking the car. I gave up hope of him and put the gear to drive the few blocks home. Mad at myself for not realizing that I should have looked at him. I should have gotten him a sandwich and a hot cup of coffee. Wondering how many faceless men were hungry that night because of head shakers like me.

copyright 2006

New day
new chance
old ways
same dance

copyright 2006

Passing through
along the same road
for a time
sharing what is real
between us

What is important now
like orbs of light
joining
into a figure eight

Then separating
to go on to galaxies
at opposite ends
of the universe.

Copyright 2006