Monica E. Smith

Monica E. Smith

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Celebrity


Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.


(Author Unknown)

She has lost her luster,
this old movie star
about whom no one speaks anymore.
It's sad, really, how she once sparkled,
eliciting gasps and sighs
upon mere sight of her—
her entrances being quite grand.
Most loved her, but some knew
her true colors lurking deep within,
though whether loved or hated
she was never far out of mind.
Time does take its toll, however,
and if she once commanded respect,
she now is seldom worth a thought.
She is criticized, mocked
kicked and walked upon—even feared,
for we remember—and we do not...

Once, she had been admired for her beauty,
but now she is simply old and cold
and has worn out her welcome.
People want only to forget
how they were duped by her seeming magic.
She faded over time, as we all must,
but make no mistake, she is only sleeping.
When winter returns again
she will awaken, and cover the earth
with a blanket of jewels as beautiful
and fit for a Tiffany and Co. showcase as any gem.
And we will "Oh" and "Ah" once again,
mesmerized by her facade of beauty.
Fickle, fickle man!







Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Perfect Day



Be not mindless/Of the mundane moments
While seemingly unimportant/They pass quickly,
Yet command/A lifetime of remembrance

Monica E. Smith


Perfect Day

I remember
when fun was a Saturday bus ride
to downtown with my sister
on a cold winter day
Excitement
was a Beatles album
surprisingly on sale for $3.99
at Higbee's Department Store,
the coveted place
I could never normally afford
on my teenage salary
Comfort
was a mid-morning cup of hot coffee
sipped with delight in a booth
at a Euclid Avenue coffee shop
as we reminisced
the still fresh experiences
of the morning, anticipating
the rest of the day to come
Satisfaction
was lunch at the Silver Grille
and exercise
was an all-day walk
around downtown Cleveland—
window-shopping, talking,
dreaming and planning
our next Saturday excursion—
But contentment
was the aroma of Morrow's Nut Shop
which lingered on the bus ride home
while we warmed our hands
on hot bags of fragrant, freshly roasted nuts

Each of us treasured
this fitting end to a perfect day—
A memento that would soon evanesce—
as would these precious times spent together