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Lucky
It stormed around our house last night,
The lightning turned the black sky bright.
Tornadoes came to join the fray,
The morning news led me to pray.
Six houses leveled, not too far—
How vulnerable we all are!
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Why We Have Mother’s Day
The son while visiting called: “Mom!”
What happened next was stunning.
She’s 62, he’s 26,
No matter—she came running!
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Parents’ Drop-off Kisses
Our house is near a bus stop, so
Today I watched who came.
The moms and dads and children
Either talked or played a game.
To black and white and Asian kids
Each parent’s kiss brought shame.
We hear so much of contrasts now,
But mostly we’re the same.
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The Effect of Lawsuits on TV Commercials
The long commercial all but says
“This medicine can kill.
But nonetheless we’d really like
For you to use our pill.”
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To Bill Cosby
I wanted to believe you,
I really loved your show.
And some folks do see dollar signs
Or don’t tell all they know.
Plus power-hungry prosecutors
Might put in a fix,
But who believes you when accusers
Number thirty-six?
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Russel Winick recently started writing poetry at nearly age 65, after ending a long legal career. He resides in Naperville, Illinois.
Thank you for five slices of life.
I really liked the drop-off kisses, and strangely enough I’ve just read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which made ‘Lucky’ resonate.
And what can I say on the topic of Bill Crosby? It’s a bit like in the UK, where so many of our past idols have proven to be anything but.
Thanks again for the reads, Russel.
Thanks Paul. I’m glad you enjoyed them. The number of Cosby accusers has now risen to over 60. The lawyers proclaiming his innocence are just doing their jobs, but nonetheless I always felt that such instances further harmed the image of my profession, and it was embarrassing.
Good, Mr. Winnick.
“Mother’s Day” reminds me of our eldest daughter’s household.
Sorry–Mr. Winick.
Thanks Julian. I trust you are as proud of her for it as I am of my wife, whom this poem is about.
Your comments in your poems are the same problems that have not any way to prevent them. However your observation is appreciated. There is a lot of talk here about the new poets and the old ways of writing a poem. To me it is either sincere or a bunch of words who some trickster assembled together like merchandise from China. I live to read a truly new seeing of an otherwise taken for granted world. I often think of Marlon Brandon and the contrast with Laurence Olivier. Both different but brilliant performers. Your poems are lovely.
Thank you Norma. I love providing my two cents’ worth of observations about the world we all live in, and it’s gratifying when my efforts are enjoyed by others.
The subjects you wrote about are heavy duty. Somehow they became a thing lighter and yet heavy at the same time.
Thank you again, Norma, for your touching words. They are quite inspiring.
Russel, I love these bite-size morsels of poetic wisdom with their delightful dollop of delectable truth… a rare luxury these days. Thank you!
Susan – you made my day, with your comment that unsurprisingly is better than my poems are!
You, Russel, have become a cynical man in your retirement. Please keep the poems coming, because everyone here likes a good dose of unvarnished truth now and then.
Thank you Sir. I learned early on that, as my favorite contemporary poet might say, a “doleful dollop of sky-high skepticism’ is healthy, perhaps now more than ever.
Russel, you have a talent for relaying a lot of truth with just a few words. My favorite is “Lucky”. I also like “To Bill Cosby” & “The Effect of Lawsuits”.
Thank you Cheryl. I appreciate that and am glad you liked those poems.