Cover Story

Every year, The Contributor editors gather a selection of poetry from the year to highlight the work of our Contributor Vendor poets. This year we did the same and added a few new ones. We hope you enjoy this selection and reflect on the words and imagery in this issue.

Eagles Nest

CHRIS SCOTT F. | JAN. 3, 2024

I’ve lived among the ones,

With nothing left to lose.

Not because of what they’ve done.

Not the life they choose.

Nowhere left to run,

And don’t know what to do.

Can’t get out from under it,

Wondering what’s the use?

They need an Eagles Nest.

Find peace and find some rest.

The helpless and the homeless,

Need a place to lay their heads.

Shelter from the storm,

Somewhere safe, someplace warm.

Is that too much to ask?

They need an Eagles Nest.

It’s cold out on the road.

Fight to find a bite to eat.

Having to crash under an over-pass,

With no other place to be.

Kicking back on a park bench saying,

“How could this have happened to me?”

Pretend that you don’t see,

But for others it’s reality.

They need an Eagles Nest.

Find peace and find some rest.

The helpless and the homeless,

Need a place to lay their heads.

Shelter from the storm,

Somewhere safe, someplace warm.

Is that too much to ask?

They need an Eagles Nest.

Now you can say,

“It’s not my problem.”

“Leave it for someone else.”

The lost and the forgotten,

That cannot help themselves.

It’s not about a hand out,

It’s a hand up, for those who’ve fell.

Society, inevitably,

Will benefit as well.

They need an Eagles Nest.

Find peace and find some rest.

The helpless and the homeless,

Need a place to lay their heads.

Shelter from the storm,

Somewhere safe, someplace warm.

Is that too much to ask?

They need an Eagles Nest

--------

Rich Tourists and The Locals

SEAN L. | JULY 17, 2024

In the joyful heat of summertime,

rich folk come into town, all dressed up fine;

They look at us as if we aren't worth a dime,

and think we are just a waste of precious time.

We may not have their riches,

their diamonds, or their gold,

but our hearts remain far richer,

with stories — still untold.

So, as some may walk past,

with noses high in the air,

Believe, there will surely be others,

helping out, here and there.

In the moon lit parks and city streets,

when the sunset starts a’glow,

Someone will always be there;

The locals they don't know.

------

Stigmata

Jen A. | Aug. 2, 2023

You awaken in the darkness

And set out to break your fast before work

The floppy toe of your worn-out shoe

Catches on an uneven sidewalk seam

You stumble and tumble down

Unable to catch yourself

The knees of your pants rip open first

Then the skin on your knees and palms

Gives way

To the rough craggy slab of ancient concrete

You do your best to staunch the blood

With the cuffs of your shirt

Then limp on to the fast food place

You grab some napkins at the beverage bar

And continue to dab at the blood

You take a place in line and notice

The girls at the counter

Are looking in your direction

Like there must be someone

With two heads in your proximity

You look behind you with excited anticipation

When a young man wearing a name tag

That just reads "manager"

Approaches and asks you to leave

Saying they don't serve your kind there

-----

How Long?

GAIL D. | Oct. 11, 2023

Sitting in a doctors office waiting on test results finally the doctor comes in

and apologizes sorry for the wait

Good news he says, your numbers look GREAT!

You graciously smile and nod and shake his hand

Still you find yourself wondering

Why do I feel SO bad?

Looking out the window before you leave,

and what do you see?

In the distance there’s a small grove of trees

Most are lush and green

But in the midst of these

There stands one stripped of its beauty,

sapped of its strength, completely barren, with no leaves

Nothing to protect its branches from the days scorching heat

It’s as though the other trees and greenery round

about were draining this once majestic centerpiece of glorious crown

Exposing the frailty of its boughs

What once stood tall, rock solid, immovable, and proud,

with roots that ran deep into the ground

Is now left tired, weak, fragile, falling down,

A shell of what once stood in its place

How long will it continue to stand against the

elements until it breaks down you wonder

How long before it is completely sawed asunder

The heat, the cold, the wind, and the rain, that come against it each and every day,

How long can it last?

There’s no way to know for sure

Only time will tell just how long it will endure

Until nothing’s left of what it once was

And fades away

Like a distant memory from the past.

-----

The Hayride of ‘92

Norma B.

In the Fall of ‘92

I was invited to attend

A hayride hosted by a friend

She lived in the country

Making it the perfect place

For such an event

I was a little unsure of what to expect

I had never been to something like that before

It was a congregation get together

Still when I got there I was surprised to find

Lots of people in casual clothes

Jeans and flannel shirts and things like that

While it was fitting for the occasion

I suppose

I must admit many of them I didn’t recognize

I’d only seen them in skirts, dresses, suits and ties

There were lots of family friendly activities

Their home set atop a very big hill

Some of us would climb to the top

Then roll all the way back down

Repeating the process again and again

It was A LOT of fun!

That is until I got dizzy and almost threw up

Then I decided it was time to something else,

So I went to check out

The bonfire in the front of the house

There I found people sitting around

Talking amongst themselves

Anyone was welcome to join in

As we sipped on hot apple cider

with cinnamon sticks

Some were roasting hot dogs

That’s not really my thing

But looking back now,

I find myself wondering

How a Bratwurst might have tasted

Others were toasting marshmallows

I like mine golden brown on the outside and Ooey-gooey in the middle

I didn’t have the patience or skill to do it

But thankfully my husband had a ‘gift’

For getting them just the way I liked

Then there are those who like them flaming like a torch

Setting them on fire then blowing them out

You have to be EXTREMELY careful with those

The host’s daughter Jasmine found that out firsthand

When one still aglow with fiery embers

Slid off the stick and stuck to her nose

As if that wasn’t bad enough

School pictures were taken the very next day!

Still the show must go on or so they say,

And it did after administering some much needed First Aid

Though it is worth noting she still has to explain that picture

To those who ask, ‘What happened to you here?’

There was A LOT of singing, you KNOW I loved that!

A few played the guitar which was nice

It reminded me of times past

At last, it was time for the main event

The hayrides and yes, there was more than 1

Men, women, and children of all ages were well represented

As for me, I was throwing hay around carrying on like a big kid

Looking like a scarecrow by the time I was finished

All of us there to have a good time with family and friends

For me, it was a once in a lifetime kind of thing, or so I thought

As it turns out, I was wrong

-----

Peace

FREEPRESSGMA | Aug. 2, 2023

Warm summer evening beckons

the children to the baseball diamond

The public swings creak, people calls across the park

Touching each other with their voices

The last birds flit and swoop

The moon like a wonton

Plump and near

Music thumps,

Melodies linger in the voices of women friends

A breeze reminds us

Of what we share

-----

Pennies

FREEPRESSGMA | Feb. 14, 2024

Tower cranes hover above the skyline

Red Yellow. Blue

Arms waving slow, delicately searching

Preying Mantis

No matter how many Pennies we throw at them,

We must run

Far from home

-----

Haiku Buffet

Norma B. | Jan. 3, 2024

What is empathy?It is your pain in my heartHow do you show it?

What is a true friend?Someone who’s there for othersIn their time of need

Turbulent watersDifficult times stress and strain.Who will stop the rain?

To make a true friendBe the friend you’d like to haveBe kind and listen

Happy, average, sadEmotions run high dailyLeaves you feeling drained

PediatriciansCare for our children and teensUntil age 18

UnbelievableLife situations can beExhilarating

DiscriminationIs detrimental to ALLAffected by it

IndividualsStand out as one of a kindA community

IntimidatingA scary situationFeeling all alone

RepresentativeSomeone who speaks for othersGiving them a voice

SophisticatedElegant, refined, fancyNot regular folks

IrresistibleDesire that won’t fade awayWith each passing day

AppreciatedRecognized for what we doRare in today’s world