ED WOODS

Timeless Times

the day is easy
my mind wanders
I think of our love
a past love
remote from today

I couldn’t wait to get home
light a candle
undress you in tease
play in silken hair
kisses to eternity
covers of pleasure
pillows that harbor
far too many secrets

now and then
I drift back
into loveable pleasures
never to forget
timeless times

--------------------

Sisters

as two as one
bound and bonded
for life

trust never failed
secrets kept in secrecy
secrecy kept in secret
fashion and style shared
thoughts and suitors abound

but stand back
when dispute arises
nuclear eruptions
accusations in jealousy
emotions burst and breach
a catfight to the end

then sisters
two as one
toast champagne

--------------

Canadian Breeze

far from strife
sunlit day
cottage ambience
lawn and hills
lush green
slow waves
lap a rowboat

foreign affairs
are exactly that
foreign affairs
my glass in nearly empty
this is a local affair
something I can solve

now and then
worldly problems
remain worldly problems

----------------------

Vagrant

a vagrant
tried to fool me

stench and staleness
ragged clothes
unshaven face
out of style coal pile hat
open toed running shoes
filth encrusted pants
from waist to cuff
mismatched socks
and homeless stride

what gave him away?
an ergonomic squeegee
salon tan
blonde highlights
designer sunglasses
and new Rolex

ED WOODS

Time Tattooed in Memory

humming power guiding the long hood
smooth between highway lines into darkness
interrupted by the occasional set of headlights
coming to glare bright until passed
into darkness and broken lines                               
the night is beautiful in weather and celestial display
car lights after car lights approach in a steady flow
then depart in passive redness
reflected in blackened mirrors
the next set of lights looks lonely                             
approaching faster than the others
as if in a hurry to reach a destination or destiny
it won’t take long for these lights to pass
so close and fast in a time
about to be tattooed in my mind

abruptly this car crosses into my lane                     
suddenly time is hollow as this vehicle
disappears into the slant vision vacuum
just ahead of the hood of my truck
I lift out of my seat anticipating a full collision
activating all braking methods including
the deathbed Red Button Terminal System

impact is heavy
engines die
rubber screeches life and motion to a stop
sounds and smell of emergency break the night
into a path of speckled glass and debris
leading to a wreck on the ditch embankment
paralyzed, staring in stunned disbelief                   
I step down shakily to begin a jittered tip-toed walk
towards no sign of life
among ominous automotive litter
of a shockingly unrecognizable car

a stilled mannequin figure in fixated stare
hands locked onto the steering wheel
still alive, thank God she is still alive
safely I remove this youth from potential disaster by fire
amid a swirling fog of fluids unable to survive such a collision
shocked only, thank you God, she is shocked only

the stress of youthful priorities
overpowered by a parental demand
to get right home to study for school
instead of socializing with friends

enroute streaming tears and ranting
gave in to losing the will to live
I’ll show you, all of you
you will be sorry now Mom
for I am going no farther than the front end
of this oncoming truck


Editor`s Note:  This is actually a true story.  It was originally published by Tower Poetry Society in an anthology.

ED WOODS

Birds

they gather as never before 

impossible to count

the friendly ones and the hunters

the beautiful and the ones where God

seems less creative              

the masses land
then take flight
fast, quick and majestic
quite the choreography

 some bring back food
others twigs, to finish a nest
some steal out of laziness
others confiscate by force.

but all know their place
in Nature’s hierarchy.

 

Copyright©EdWoods 2012

ED WOODS

Billy the Bully


in school, in fact
all of my school years
I was a bully
it didn’t matter
who I hurt
I enjoyed the hurt
superiority above all
especially the intelligent kids
they bugged me the most
now, an adult
with a career I love
life has repeated itself
bullying continues
against all classes of life
a sort of ‘Round Two’
good or bad
right or wrong
your misfortune
is my prize trophy

Billy the Bully
is a roaring success
for Billy has found his calling,
he is now a credit collections agent

ED WOODS

Wanderer


lady with a shopping cart
bags heaped high and full
compared to her original cart
a dolly with broken wheels
dragged around as if
an Egyptian slave
pyramid bound
her goal is always
one block away
my images of her mind
may fool me
I see her at rest
in a bank lobby
curled up to a heater
in cold winter
enroute to work
I retrieve money
from the ATM
before sunrise
and slip a few bills
into a deposit envelope
to leave under her hand
there is not time
to ask of her plight
but I do understand
more than she could
ever imagine

ED WOODS

Precious Life

we land softly

onto a safe runway

my passengers

should be vacationers

but this Mercy Flight

will save famine victims

doors open to fresh air

a tiny child looks at me

then points to a stilled figure

I raise her body

onto my chest

as light as a rag doll

and hold in tears

of sincere apology

our efforts failed

too late the takeoff

too long a flight

attendants approach

to finalize her journey

I recoil back and wail

“not yet”

the Grim Reaper

proved a little too eager

for this precious life

Copyright(C)EdWoods2011

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

This poem came out of Ed Woods membership in an Aviation Museum and a story told by a Boeing 747 pilot who was involved in an airlift of famine victims from an African country.

International aid had been given but was not distributed in a timely manner, leaving the vulnerable in a desperate position.

Airlifts to air force bases in Europe were arranged as quickly as possible.  A Boeing 747 has 400 seats, but due to the starvation of these people, five children could fit into one single seat.  One aircraft had approximately 1400 people on board desperately trying to take them for medical attention.

This poem reflects one such flight. 

ED WOODS

Seeds of Life

my technical life

never left time to plant

seeds for flowers

or greenery of crops

I seeded RRSP’s

mutual funds

and pension security

yet failed to nourish

the body mind and soul

retirement balances

always seemed to cry out

in continuous hunger

Copyright (c)EdWoods2011

ED WOODS

Abandoned

I sit alone and cold
desolate bench shivers

poised so prim and proper
cute and delicate
big blue eyes of wonderment
framed by long blonde tresses
a secretive grin
by a naughty city orphan
abandoned under a canopy
of open country glitter

dark swirls of coldness
Goosebumps on clammy skin
wishing for comfort
on a soft safe bed
far away from this place

I was good this week
my lost and lonely look
of street life innocence
should entice a new friend
especially one with a car
traveling roads that lead
to my bicycle
if still where I chained it
among downtown crowds

for now
I just want to curl up
under warm covers
sink into soft pillows
drift into cozy dreams
and I will promise
forever and ever
with all my heart and soul

to never let the final bus
that leads to my bicycle
leave the casino without me


Copyright(C)EdWood2011

ED WOODS

Exhausted

today exhausted
work was work
my balcony is a haven
wine by sunset

sounds sooth the air
as slow as a flat tire
filled by hand pump

saxophone notes
reach my ears
sounds and sight blend


Copyright (c)EdWoods2011

ED WOODS

Week One

my first week
in Canada
much to learn
adjustments to make
culture shock
wonderment of changes

mall retreat
friends arrive
one by one
misty fragrance
of Asian Green Tea

we bask in our dialect
I feel better
in warm laughter

I look forward
to week two

(c)Ed Woods

ED WOODS

Donations

to meet human obligations

a portion of income

is gifted to charities

with envelope in hand

at the postal box

a scene catches my eye

in fixated stare

across the street

I survey the line up

at my chosen charity

a local Food Bank

designer dressed people

from trendy sideways cap

down to signature soles

cigarette in one hand

logo coffee in the other

they jostle both

to cope with the dilemma

to talk on a cell phone

and scratch off a lottery ticket

until doors open wide

to fill their bags tight

reflected from a window

behind my blue collar soul

is letter of good intentions

about to be released

to cover their lifestyle

this image pauses

then peeled back the stamp

and ripped up the envelope

a quick reflected nod

and then it’s off

to the same logo shop

for a beverage to sip

in contentment of change

enroute home

CopyrightEd Woods(C)2011

ED WOODS

Ghost


a ghost approaches
from barren lands
slow as a Humidex wave
of oppressive pressure
to wreak havoc
upon strength
and stability


an opaque figure
somewhat familiar
hovers close to my view


in fixated stare
I listen
it whispers of change


a change must occur
soon
or it will return

ED WOODS

Alzheimer’s lack of Compassion

mom peers out entrance doors
awaiting my weekly visit
this image overpowers frustration
in congested traffic to Toronto

my disgust is sickening
for highway decision makers
let us use visible benefits
of kickbacks and payola


to reach this building of compassionate souls
eager for contact and love
or a trip down memory lane

walking into the nursing home
mom’s brightens up as a child opening gifts
I knew you would visit today

a waif in a wheelchair gets the royal tour
as if a new adventure
we pass many less fortunate guests
and find a quiet time to reminisce
her war work years buildings Lancaster Bombers
for young aviators to defend freedom
many never came home
transfers to Montreal to produce layout drawings
Bren guns, landing gears, or tank assembly schematics
barracks and parade marching in sub zero storms
the antics of working the Toronto Film Festival
flying with me over Toronto in a small plane
a ride home in my transport truck when stranded in a blizzard
many long ago Sunday outings then we drift
to family happenings and picture books

time is nigh for slumber as darkness eliminates window panes
quietness seeps into the evening air and mom begins to yawn
we roll down the carpeted highway to the last room on the right

brakes go on in the doorway as mom has one soft question
telling me that our time together is so special
and she didn’t want to be troublesome today

but on my next visit would it be OK
if we went for a drive to Hamilton
so she could visit her son

ED WOODS

Verse Afire, June 2011


a ghost approaches
from barren lands
slow as a Humidex wave
of oppressive pressure
to wreak havoc
upon strength
and stability

an opaque figure
somewhat familiar
hovers close to my view


in fixated stare
I listen
it whispers of change


a change must occur
soon
or it will return


CopyrightEdWoods2011

Ed Woods

ED WOODS

Ed, who is Metis by origin, is originally from Toronto but has lived many years in Hamilton and now currently lives in Dundas, Ontario.  Due to a horrific crash in which he was badly injured, his career as a Commercial Truck Driver was ended in 1999.  His experiences before, during and after this traumatic event has given him plenty to write about.  Bouts of unemployment, homelessness and illness has provided him with good  material for his stories and poems.

He has written a book which is dedicated to The Staff and Volunteers of Hamilton Health Sciences called  “Poetry and other unfortunate non-fiction.”

Many of his poems have been published and he continues to write on a regular basis.  Look for more work in the near future from Ed Woods