Our Tomato poets take us on a  poetic journey that explores the intricacies of life, its joys, sorrows, and the beauty that resides within. Enjoy this lyrical voyage, where words dance and emotions sing, unraveling the tapestry of human existence.

THREE HAIKUS

1

The beach at sunrise

The sand under soft blue mist

Two hands bind morning

2

Afternoon is gone

The tree bends to the pale light

Footprints fade to dark

3

Sundown by the bay

The letter now floats away

She walks to the night

~Marjorie J. Levine, author Road Trips

JUNE 17^th

I lie in bed alone and hear a strange song,

No one beside me, is something wrong,

The melody, is it strains of sadness or longing,

Or the poignant echo of comfort and belonging?

I find comfort in my life at this moment,

It is filled nowadays with far less foment,

I close my eyes and relive the day past,

With those joyful moments that I hope will last,

Today was my birthday spent with best friends,

If this is my story, would this be how it ends,

With laughter, good food and  birthday cake,

How simple are life’s pleasures I choose to make,

Yes, I create my own story day after day,

Filled with many decisions and words to say,

Those words come to mind like a tape to repeat,

It’s like a prayer of thanks for health and food to eat,

Thanks for your friendship, a gift you keep giving,

It’s you my dear friends, who make life worth living!

~Carol Ostrow, author, Poems from My Pandemic Pen

IT IS VERY CLEAR

 Some despite the need refuse to learn
They dont think and stopped learning when school ended
School is not a building in fact it is all around you
Reading is not only fundamental it is as important as breathing
Communicating face to face or in a group is getting away from us
Technology lets us reach out but the contact is the reach in
You wonder why people talk at each other and not
talk to each other
While we are at it
When was the last tine you listened and not heard
It is very clear
Or is it?

~Madlyn Epstein Steinhart, author Put Your Puts on and Dance in the Rain, and the forthcoming, Beautiful Heart

In Rotation

I want my headstone to read

“had her cake and ate it too”.

I hope to make sad strangers passing by

giggle a little

while standing on my grassy plot.

I want to get everything I want

when I’m supposed to have it.

I can be patient

and live each moment fully

because time must not be squandered.

But I ride my merry-go-round

with my weaker hand griping the rein

and the stronger one

reaching for

that brilliant brass ring.

On the never-ending rotation

one day I will yank it down

and wear it as a bracelet

until my next chapter begins.

Then I will return it

to the ride’s chassis

for someone else to pursue,

while I am eating strawberry shortcake

all the way to my grave.

~Nicole Freezer Rubens, author The Long Pause and the Short Breath