When a Legend in Your Field Passes: A Poem for Vicki

When a legend in the world passes

They lower the flags to half mast 

When a legend like you passes

The sun shines with less sass

For you brought us all cheer 

Like a Santa all year

No matter our life issues

Your hugs were metaphorical tissues

You made everyone more alive

With a spirit uncontrived 

A genuine soul without limits

That made us feel like Emirates.  

When you called us a "little shit," 

We knew you loved us every bit 

Cause your saucy sailor's mouth 

Did not conceal a savior's worth

To many, that's what you forever are

A spike in a flat-lining day

A ray of light in a darkened age

A symbol of hope, like the Magi Star.  

Who knows how many you inspired 

To college, or whatever else transpired

But while content and success you spoke about

It was love that you most measured out

To the thousands of kids who graced your room

And needed the love of mom, dad, or someone soon

And felt for minutes the embrace of care

Of a stranger who treated us like we came from her womb 

We will miss you Vicki-

The world shines less bright tonight.

I'll remember your laugh, your controversial air

And the way that you didn't care 

About form or pomp or circumstance.  

How you loved gossip, but loved more

To spin it your way, in a way that we all could bear.  

They don't make 'em like you anymore,

So we will have to try and make do 

To remember that the style you loved, shared, cared is way overdue.  

The world seems less bright this night, 

But this silly sphere can't hold in your light

So tonight when I look out to the heavens 

I know I will see a new star shining alight

That's sassy and brassy and to darkness, an annoying spite.

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The Quest for Happiness (A Poem)

A painting by my mother, Margaret Plumb.  It makes
me imagine a journey through dark, dangerous places
that still have hope of light and color.  

I have searched for you in the depths of my needs  

In the bedsheets of a hundred loves sought

and in the breath of insipid kisses

with lesser beings. 

You elude me like a high from illicit content

Withheld like withdrawal

Of substances supposing to do

Something better than depress

So pour me another drink, and yet another,

And hit me up with that antidote

That your brother’s girlfriend

Swears her life by. 

Is this thy precious elixir?

Of endless laughs, and smiles that will

Not break at the end of a long day

When sleep won’t come from thoughts undone.

Roads not taken, and dreams deferred

And I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.

Damn you Dad for the words

You said to me that day.

I limp through this life with the crutches of

A thousand sins of the father.

Sans the constants and peace that a

daddy should supply cause he was all sold out.   

And this emptiness isn’t replaced

By the world’s distractions and neon lights

And no matter where I tap her precious

reserves, all I find is dead preserves. 

Oh how I want to be like they look on tv

All laugh tracks and happily-ever-afters

And lessons learned with nary a scar or

Afterthought of deeds done in the dark. 

Is there a man or a woman, or a food

Or a wine, or a politician

Or a product with guarantees to

Exonerate sins until they are undone? 

No. No, there is only You.  Who promises to

Love me unquestionably despite the foolish

Acts I’ve done in want of brief reprieve.

You who has loved me, unwaveringly from the start.

*(I don't write a lot of poetry, and when and if I do, it is usually very private. 

But for whatever reason I felt inspired to jot this down.  I haven't edited it much,

as it seems more personal when I leave the flaws of my thought process intact. And 

although the emotions are personal, the story is not my own personal story, nor is this inspired by my own father, who is a loving, caring, and great man).