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Poet of the Moment
The Poet of the Moment for this issue is:

 Lisa Cherubini
Austin, Texas

Lisa was born August 30, 1980 in Concord, Mass.  She resides in Austin, TX . . . but is moving to London where her fiancé lives.  Her father shares the same interest in writing, conjuring up poetry as a hobby and her mom plays the cello, volunteering in two Austin orchestras. When it comes to writing poetry, Lisa jots down whatever comes to her.  If others enjoy reading her poems, she says it's just an added bonus to accompany the joy she feels for writing.  One tip she has: “write what you feel . . . not what you think you should feel.” She says to allow your mind to flow--the words to stream out--that you'll be surprised with what sometimes emerges.


                                                                                                                                                                                                                              -- tony gallucci
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 25 December 2001



The Absence of “Hello”


It was the other day that I
Walked through the door
Feeling unsure and seemingly
Untied
Stepped into our apartment
Where started just two dreamers
Searching for some perfect world
We knew we'd never find
Looked around our little hideout
To realize the presence of
A suitcase
Not yours    not mine    not wanted here
And later when I asked you
Where it came from
Your reply was confused
But your fixed glare on the square looter
Was insistent
As somewhere near/far from us I heard a
“Goodbye.”






together

more distant now
more fearful
such contrast between us
northern     southern poles
attraction and opposition
not equally separate nor centrally together
mostly
.
.
.
.
apart





Wandering spirits

Raining hands over
Scattered bodies
We're all searching          seeking
An ultimate happiness
A profound ecstasy
Robbing the night of
Dreams and wishes
Once parted with
Taking back what should
Be ours
And awaking to nothing but
Ourselves
Seduced by optimism
Raped by negativity
All feel defeated in
The end when faced with
Reality









what I like

I like
what we are
I like
what we aren't
like the similarity of
our differences
your black in my
white
our grey
enjoy the
running of lips and fingertips
together and
apart
I like to touch
as you touch me
I touch you
when we become one
no more or less than
the other
then that is what
I like








Homo Sapien Syndrome

I'm not depressed
Not negative
Realistic          is different          very
Don't suffer fools      gladly
Refuse to repress thoughts     comments
This is life     live it          think it          say it
Not rebellion but I'm no
Societal zombie
Hate     hate          followers
Sheep amongst their herd
I'm not cynical     just observant
Not a hater          just people-picky
They push me to my limits
Sugar-coated posers
Living behind masks of doubtless gullibility
Will they SEE their world eventually
Smell the pollution     not just the flowers
Why are they scared to break their smiles (?)




tales of centuries

     fall before me as they
reveal          explicitly dissect what
those preceding us dealt with
     and I welcome this
newfound past as our ancestors turn
jaded pages so we may
     in time          find the differences and
uniqueness' that bring ourselves and history
     together so intricately--
          antiquity's wounds though nearly mended
obtain a piece of my heart          as I feel for those taken by
war          famine          disease
     before our history became ours
and these tales of centuries
          make for noteworthy occasions
     as we and as those before us
          celebrate in the refining qualities of
history pieced and pasted in the present
     of our minds