Light sunrise winds
Full sails hoisted
She glides along
Slow steady pace
Dolphins swim by
Pelicans fly low
No crashing surf
Sea kissed beach
Life slows down
Time to reflect
Blend with nature
Hear your thoughts
Liten to them
Whisper back
The sailboat moves on
Gulf is deserted
Except for my thoughts
Who spread out all over the bay
Waiting to be engulfed by a wave
Thought killer waves
Waves crash in
Thoughts slain
Empty mind
Empty beach
Empty bay
Full Life!
The savage murder of the houseplants was a huge blow to our integration plans
I had to act fast to keep everything on track
I asked Cos to investigate who was responsible and find out what was known in the garden
He quickly reported that the garden had not been eavesdropping on our therapy sessions
They had no idea what we were planning to do
The fact that we were inside the house for so long had aroused suspicion
A terrorist squad from the plants of another color seized the opportunity to create fear and division
I assembled all the plants for a group discussion
Although grieving over the attack, we were all resolute on never giving in to terrorists
We decided to plant the firewall immediately, it would take a week or so to be fully effective
In the meantime, I set up a filtration camp in the potting shed
All plants would pass through there for processing
Those deemed to be radicalized would be kept in the potting shed for de-programming
The rest would be told of our integration plan and given a choice
They could either sign our integration pledge and live happily in the garden with all the other plants
Or they would be composted
Not surprisingly they all signed the pledge and I started to change the garden
The flower beds were no longer mulched or trimmed
I stopped cutting the lawn
After a few weeks, it all started to take shape
The firewall was working and keeping data from the terrorists outside
There were only a handful of diehard radicals locked up and guarded in the potting shed
Cos felt safe enough to leave the house and be planted outside again
Over time, a beautiful wild natural garden flourished
All the plants were respectful and helped each other grow
Everybody was happy and I enjoyed chatting with them outside every day
The bees were so grateful for all the flowers to visit, I got to know them so well
The butterflies came in droves adding more color to the garden
The birds were delirious to have places to eat, sleep and play
They started to disperse seeds and cuttings to other gardens nearby
Then out of the blue, I got an official letter from the Home Owners Association
Your flower beds and lawns do not conform to the bylaws
You are requested to mow the lawn and clear out all weeds from the flower beds
Failure to comply with the HOA rules for landscaping within 15 days will incur a fixed penalty fine
If you incur a fine and it’s not paid within 7 days, the Association will put a lien against your property
Please sign the enclosed acknowledgment form agreeing to conform to the bylaws
I tore up the letter, poured myself a beer, and hung out in the garden with my plant buddies
I looked around the room to find who was talking
It was one of my houseplants
He was livid about me bringing a weed into the house
All weeds are evil he shouted
The rest of the houseplants downstairs joined in the rant
My little weed Caps started shouting back
I had to go downstairs and yell at them all to stop shouting
I said if anybody utters another word tonight they will be put in the potting shed for a month
I promised we would continue the discussion in the morning
After a good nights sleep I arranged all the houseplants and Caps in a circle on the lounge floor
I moderated this group therapy session for hours on end
It was obvious that weeds were despised and rejected by all but their own clan
It emerged that the plants in the garden also had active terrorists
They carried out retaliatory attacks on the weeds
This really is a deep rooted conflict
After weeks of daily therapy sessions we started to make progress
I had breakout groups work on specific tasks
Caps brought more of his friends in to even up the numbers
We did team building exercises to build trust between the two sides
The final session was a presentation given to me on how they proposed to end the conflict
Here is a summary of what they decided
The term “weed” is offensive and from now on shall be replaced by “plants of a different color“
All the plants in the garden shall go through cultural training so that all can live together in harmony
A plant counter terrorism group will be established to protect the garden from attacks
A firewall will be created by planting specialist plants around the perimeter
These plants will connect to the mycelium and prevent any data transfer with terrorists plants outside
The garden will no longer have manicured flower beds or lawns
It will be planted as a natural garden and wild flowers will be encouraged to grow
An alliance will be established with the birds who will spread our seeds and cuttings to other gardens
The objective is to spread harmonious plant gardens all over the planet
I was well impressed with their work and congratulated them all
I suggested we repeat the presentation tomorrow morning in the garden
I was looking forward to the reaction of all the garden plants
We all slept well that night and planned to get up early the next day
I awoke around 4am to terrible screams
I ran downstairs to find two dead houseplants on the kitchen floor
They had been strangled by vines who had crept in through an open window
My talking weed was gasping
I grabbed the stems of the vine
Cutting them with the pruning shears
The vine recoiled and my talking weed gasped for breath
You saved my life again he said
I shall forever be in your debt
I decided it was safer for him to be inside
Placing him on the coffee table and asking his name
My full name is Capsella bursa-pastoris
but you can call me Caps
For the next few hours I asked lots of questions of Caps
I learned a lot about the conflict between plants and weeds
It started with playground style pushing and shoving
But as the weeds were persecuted by humans it took a sinister turn
Radical weed groups were formed
They organized paramilitary insurgent cells
Set up training camps for weed commandoes
Hacking into the Mycelium which connects all organic matter underground
Its like the Internet for trees and plants
The radicalized weeds were able to detect where weeds were being eradicated
Then they sent in their troops to overrun these areas
more frightening were the terrorist weed cells
They were actually targeting weed eliminating gardeners
Poisoning them with natural herbal substances
Inducing heart attacks and strokes
Deaths of these gardeners appeared to be natural
Nobody had ever suspected that terrorist weeds were to blame
Caps had attended training camps but wanted to abandon their ways
He knew that they would forever hunt him down and kill him
But he was prepared to take that risk
I thought he was such a brave little weed
I told him we should talk more tomorrow
It was getting late so I gave him a sip of water
Then I headed off to bed
I could hear a strange voice in the bedroom
You are making a big mistake
This will end badly for us all
The weed in the middle started talking more
You have too get me out of here quickly, before the others kill me
His voice sounded strained like he was being choked
I used a trowel to dig him up
His roots were entangled with the other weeds
I gently freed his roots and planted him in a small pot
After giving him some water, I took him to a shady part of the garden to rest
Once he recovered he started talking again
Thank you for saving me, the other weeds were strangling my roots
I asked him why they were trying to kill him
We are not supposed to talk to humans, only other plants
I told him I am fighting a battle to control weeds in my garden
He replied you are not the only ones fighting a battle
There is a long running war between the flowers and the weeds
It goes back to the time when humans started cultivating
Before then, all plants lived together in harmony
Until some of us were designated to be weeds and shunned from gardens
The flowers became arrogant and tried to push us out of their beds
Then humans started to hunt us down and destroy us as well
We had to fight back to survive
I was fascinated and asked him to explain more
I need to rest again now, can you give me more water please
I brought him water and left him to do more gardening
The weeds seemed to have multiplied even more
Perhaps it was my imagination getting the better of me it seemed like the weeds were harder to pull out of the ground, as if their roots were resisting
I thought one of them swore at me as I pulled him from the flower beds
I must have left my talking weed for only half an hour
When I returned to him he was crying out for help
A creeping vine weed was wrapped around him
He was being strangled
We try to grow flowers, shrubs and herbs
But our flower beds are under constant attack
The bunnies and deer graze on everything growing
Fungus and mites step in to infest whats left
Then there are the weeds which seem to appear from nowhere
A bare patch of mulch turns into a weed farm overnight
I have a ritual to pull one hundred weeds daily
Every morning I go out and tour the flower beds
I pick the biggest weeds first
Some of them are two feet high
When my count goes beyond fifty
I am usually hunting for smaller weeds
The next day the big fellows are back again
And the little ones are just about everywhere
Does somebody sneak in and plant the big weeds overnight I wondered
Why are they left untouched by the grazing deer and bunnies
I decided to investigate further yesterday
Homing in on a bunch of tall weeds in the rose beds
OK guys you need to start talking and tell me who planted you
Otherwise you will be pulled up and thrown away
You will wither away on the compost heap, a slow lingering death
Tight lipped silence was their response
I pulled out the biggest and shook him hard
Parading him in front of the others
Still no response so I reached to pull out another
OK I’ll talk said a weed in a high pitched voice.
………………….to be continued
The only two certainties in life are death and taxes
You might think this quote originated from humorist Mark Twain
You may believe it came from Benjamin Franklin in1789
However it has been traced to earlier origins
In 1716 Christopher Bullock wrote the Cobbler of Preston with the words
Tis impossible to be sure of any thing but Death and Taxes
So maybe the quote should be modified to say
The only three certainties in life are death, taxes
And the uncertainty of who first said this
Uncertainty is with us constantly
We never know for sure what will happen today
Or what tomorrow may bring
You may at any moment be bathed in bright light and happiness
Then plunged into darkness and despair in an instant
You could be jogging along on an aerobic high
Before tripping on uneven pavement and knock your teeth out
You may be struggling to make ends meet
Then suddenly learn of an unexpected inheritance
You may be battling a terrible long drawn out illness
To learn from your doctor that you have completely recovered
Light always precedes darkness
Darkness always follows light
The exact timing of your own change in brightness is uncertain
The only thing certain is uncertainty
Embrace the uncertainty in your life
Use it as fuel for your hope engine
Its your time to rise up
Leave the darkness behind
Forget your bad dreams
Watch the sunrise
Smile
Fill your heart with light
Recharge your kindness batteries
Smile
Soak up the silence
Breathe deep
Blink slowly
Let the world creep in
At your own pace
Live your morning dream
Smile
Do something creative
Make outrageously ambitious plans
Drink tea
Eat breakfast
smile
Start conquering
Repeat daily
Everybody needs a mirror
not the shiny reflective kind we all look into occasionally
although useful for checking out your appearance
but oh so unforgiving
highlighting every blemish and wrinkle
showing your fat bulges
yelling straight back in your face
you look terrible today
but I digress so lets get back to the point here
everybody needs a mirror into their soul
for those moments when you must step back and reflect
when you are contemplating a big decision
it might be a major financial transaction
a huge change in your career
or a relationship crossroads
ask yourself why you want to go a certain way
what is really driving it
is it the right thing to do
are the risks worth taking
are you being totally honest with yourself
its hard to put your emotions to one side
they keep jumping back in and pleading with you
making you have doubts and second thoughts
it helps to have a human mirror to consult
perhaps a good friend or a partner can be your mirror
somebody you can trust completely
to guide you into the right path to follow
it does not always work out that way
one of the worst things that can happen to anybody
is losing the trust of a long term partner
suddenly your mirror is broken and shattered
leaving you desperately alone and seeking another mirror
if you are lucky a friend will step in to help
but fear not if you are totally alone in such a crisis
dig deep back into your soul and find that unused mirror
polish it well and take a deep breath
it will not judge you or despise you
for all those years of neglect
it will tell you exactly how things are
help you to make the right decision
once things get better you can revisit your mirror
just to say thank you for all that help
it will glow in appreciation
you will feel the self love inside you
and your soul will whisper
keep looking into my mirror
The champagne cork popped
It was a party
For the birth of baby Jane
Jane cried a lot
The champagne cork popped
Jane was ten years old
The champagne flowed freely
Jane drank lemonade
The champagne cork popped
Jane was twenty one
All her friends were there
Jane chugged champagne from the bottle
The champagne cork popped
Jane got a big promotion at work
Friends toasted her success
Jane guzzled champagne all evening
The champagne cork popped
Jane just got married
Her mother cried
Jane drank a lot of champagne
The champagne cork popped
Jane was on a business trip
Dinner with a male colleague
Jane drank way too much champagne
Champagne corks littered her hotel bedroom when she woke up
Jane could not remember the night before
Her colleague was snoring loudly next to her
Jane never drank champagne again
Cheeky Monkey Poetry 