Poem #16- Barbed Wire (and the best I can do for a Slice of Life)

By Waugsberg, via Wikimedia Commons

 I'm writing, no, trying to write, poems with Mary Lee and friends over at Year of Reading. Mary Lee is selecting an image from Wikimedia Commons every day, then writing a poem in response. Today's image was from the category "Things." Because my entire life is being consumed with writing bad poetry this month, and because it's 11:03 p.m. and because I still have quite a bit of school work to do tonight, this is also going to have to serve as my Slice of Life.

 I started out this morning with maudlin…

"Barbed Wire Teacher"

A little rusty
seen better days
but still 
she gets the job done.

Once I was a younger teacher
watching the older gals work
thinking, "I will never get that old."

And now
younger teachers
tell me
I remind them of their moms.
And kindergartners
call me Grandma.

Even though I'm a little rusty
I hope I am not as prickly
as barbed wire.
(c) Carol Wilcox, 2013

**********
And ended with stupid…

"A Poem About Barbed Wire"

I might have a poem about barley
or barges or barrels or bards
I might have a poem about barbeques
But I don't have a poem about barbed wire.

I might have a poem about Barbados
or maybe the Barbary Coast,
Those places with beaches and barnacles
where barbed wire's usually a ghost.

I might write a poem about bargains
or barbells or Barbie or Ken
Perhaps I've a poem about Bar-Bar-bara-Ann
But those barbed wire poems ain't no gems.

I might have a poem about barn burners,
barnstormers, barnyards, or barn doors,
But those poems about barbed wire fences
Are wadded-up trash on the floor.

Poems about barbed wire fences
are poignant or raunchy or wise,
I've written me poems about many ol' things
But barbed wire's one I ain't tried!

(C) Carol Wilcox, 2013