ALEXANDRA H. RODRIGUES

ALEXANDRA H. RODRIGUES

Payback

She is a lovely little lady

Quite spry for her age

She is fun on every level

Never resorts to tantrums or rage.

At times she was rich

And sometimes poor

No matter what

She remained always demure.

Wherever she could she would spread a smile

It would make any sadness pass in a while

It gave her pleasure to share what she had

There was never a time when she really got mad

When we visited she would invite us to stay

Till later she would send us with a kiss on our way

Then one day a turn of events appeared

I had stopped by her house to be cheered

The greeting I got was anything but warm

My brain immediately sounded alarm.

The lady who always looked so proper and prim

Seemed in a puddle of blood or was it jelly to swim

“Leave me alone,” she did stutter

Followed by a vile curse I’d never heard her utter.

I felt to me as if I had gotten hit by a truck

That I knew her good side became her luck

Knowing how sweet and happy her mannerism was

Made me decide to stay and check for the cause

Then suddenly she gave out a loud scream

Choked, then spit out what looked like cream

Irritated she stamped her feet

I realized that for 911 emergency was dire need.

The poor lady a seizure had had

That I had stayed and acted I was now very glad.

Had she been a nasty old witch during times before

I admit I would quickly have been out the door.

Our lady friend, she recovered well

To whoever wanted to hear this story she would tell

I got more praise than I deserved

She will never know that I had between decisions swerved.

It seems true that if a good deed one does perform

It reaches the universe and becomes one’s norm

Good produces good, so try to be nice

It is only fair that being bad has rightfully its price.

Monkey – Monkey

In a Zoo and born in a cage

Puck had no wish a challenge to wage.

Given the daily necessities

He had no desires, did not seek release.

Wild monkeys came to visit from the outside

Tried to convince Puck to join in their fight

Stressing that freedom is everybody’s right.

“I see it is hard for you to survive,” said Puck

“Why would I give up my easy life, why tempt luck?

“Do you have no far- reaching goal?

No yearning that inhibits your soul?”

Puck was asked by the free roaming monkey bunch.

“Don’t you have about liberty a hunch?”

Puck shook his head. “All I hear of is killing and war

Animals are tormented more and more.”

With gusto a banana he peeled.

While happily on a swing he kneeled.

“I can climb around or go to sleep,

At all times the advantage of choice I reap.”

As the exchange of words went on

A caregiver entered the cage with a ton.

He refreshed the water and cleaned the floor.,

Done, with a smile and a mumble he shut the door

“You animals for sure have a good life

For comfort like this I myself always strive.”

Aha, Puck thought

If a human would like to change with me

No advantage in being free, I can see.

The group of wild monkeys went their way

They saw no use near the captive to stay.

Being monkeys they could not understand

What with “To each his own. Is meant.

My Garden

Year after year my garden goes through stages

As does our body while it ages

With spring incarnation begins

The embryo is free of sins.

Virgin plants push through the earth

Like babies do at time of birth.

In summer the splendor makes whistling winds sing

The June bride shivers with joy and takes her ring.

Flowers and trees thrive in their beauty,

The man in his prime is conscious of duty.

When fall comes nature acquires a veil

And the minds of people follow this trail.

Remote sadness mingles with peace,

Leaves unwillingly abandon their trees.

During winter grounds fall dormant in snow and ice

The human heart beats calm and wise.

All is filled with anticipation of the unknown

God gave us nature and life as a loan.

ALEXANDRA

H. RODRIGUES