["Feather on Asphalt" by lisa]
 "No Means No," by Lisa H. Owens She is a woman unadorned. Beautiful in her plainness. Gentle in her ways. Freely giving of herself. Charitable to all, but contemptuous to herself. Not her fault at all. Fault lay with the perpetrator. The man with unhearing ears. The man ignoring her plea to stop. Now she is broken. She is beautiful in her brokenness. By Lisa H. Owens Art by Lisa H. Owens - "No Means No," painted in oils. [2018]
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 A woman is so much more than her breasts: A mother. Raising children. Tending to their every need. Teaching them to be strong and independent. Leading by example. Protecting them. Always putting herself last. A wife. A help-meet. Loving and caring for her spouse. Overlooking his weaknesses and annoying habits. Building him up—at her own expense—when things get tough. Too stubborn to ask for help. Too stubborn to admit that she cannot do it alone, at times. Always putting herself last. A friend. A gentle soul exuding kindness. Aware of the moods of those around her. Brightening a room with her presence. Encouraging—while still holding her ground—on the things that really matter. Defusing situations with a kind word, a stern look, a hug. Always putting herself last. A warrior. Willing to fight for her survival. Unwilling to leave those she loves behind. Realizing that sometimes it is selfish to not tell those around her what she truly needs. For once putting herself first. An artist. Filling the world with beauty. Watching the sunrise... By Lisa H. Owens May, 2021 Dedicated to a neighbor battling breast cancer. (*warning - triggering subject matter) Cry me a river. Okay, so they forgot it was your birthday. What’s the big deal? Not quite the sweet-sixteen you expected, but ...it was sure cheaper than one of those Sweet-Sixteen blowouts that seem to be the norm now. Spending your birthday alone in the park by the railroad tracks, eating a Little Debbie Cake and sulking. Alone until that boy showed up. Speaking of the norm, why is it that getting raped seems to be treated as normal? Oh, boo-hoo. Cry me a river. Next time, maybe you’ll think twice before leaving the house with your tits (I hated how they used the word "tits," as if a woman's breasts were dirty.) ...hanging out for all the world to see, the Defense Team’s entire stance. Those people have never woken up feeling shame with nightmare-swollen eyes. They don’t know what it feels like to awaken each morning, young and beautiful with the whole world at your feet, and to finally step out to create a new life—completely covered—wearing long-sleeved turtlenecks and baggy jeans. Then, to finally realize, it wasn’t the clothing you wore; it was the sickness of the college boy. Let them laugh at your bungling ways and shyness and aversion to men wearing Izod shirts. Now, there are not enough clothes in the world to cover wounds that are invisible. By Lisa H. Owens April 22, 2021 A Micro-fiction directed at the injustice of certain crimes against humanity. I tested the water, gingerly skimming the surface with my big toe. It was a delicate balancing act to stay upright, one foot held aloft ready to flee at the first sign of trouble just past the break, or ready to step down into a gentle tidal pool. It was an exercise in trust. Trust in the sea—my fickle friend. Placid waters could be deceiving. Would the sea betray my trust? We’d always been so close, the sea and I. We shared memories of midnight swims. The sea kissing and cradling my bare skin as I sought tranquility. I trusted the sea to give me what I longed for, a place to rest. I submerged into a roiling turmoil hidden just beneath the surface. The sea pulled me down. Held me under. It was beautiful to let someone else decide my fate. I felt happy, then confused as the reality came crashing down, smothering my senses. I was drowning. A gentle swirl—two waves kissing then mingling as the two became one—transformed into an angry undertow. The two covertly clashing like the mighty Titans. My life flashed before my eyes. We’ve heard about that happening, one’s life flashing before one’s eyes, just before a life altering accident. Floating as if in a dream, I saw a vision of my wedding day, standing at the altar in Mama’s wedding dress as we repeated vows to be faithful: I take thee to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith. Two becoming as one. It was a farce. I was as lonely as I’d ever been; but the Lord works in mysterious ways. With arms open wide, I welcomed a gentle death. They say drowning, after the initial panic of it all, is akin to sleeping. You take in that gulp of water and relax into it. It would feel like heaven, in a way, to let it all go. The sleepless nights. The loneliness. The exhaustion. Is it giving up to not fight with all one’s might to break the surface? To not struggle to launch out of the depths, gasping for breath, releasing the saltiness of it all? My eyes fixated on a ray of light as the sea called me home. By Lisa H. Owens Inspired by a near-death experience in the Pacific Ocean.  [By Hailey Brabazon, @Random_Sample Writing Prompt] Twitter @Random_Sample Photo Prompt:We hope to see this become a thread of written works inspired by Hailey Brabazon's work. Our editors will be monitoring this thread and we will let you know when each editor has made their selection. Chosen works will be featured on our website! *** The eyes are the window to the soul. The eyes looking out, reflecting flowers for all the world to see. A brain stem? Nay. A flower stem. Brain-Crocuses? Yea. A brain-filled perennial, carefully cultivated through winter. Kept warm through its dormancy. Roots protected under a shroud of wavy hair. The eyes will reflect it all. By Lisa H. Owens A Twitter @Random_Sample photo prompt @LisaHOwens replies Something about the snow tonight, Brings a deja vu to mind. An evening not so long ago, And rampant fear that left me blind. Remembering a winter eve, My love, and a joyous snowball fight. A shadow figure, stealthy crouched, And patterns triggered—fight or flight. My love grabbed me by the hand, Running faster, scared to death. Soft muffled footsteps on our heels, Slowing, stopping, ragged breath. My husband's face—visibly relieved, Rumors of his other life, She ran too slow to confront me, His hidden child, his second wife. Was I blinded by the snow; Or was I blinded by my love? It doesn’t really matter now, I’ll take my guidance from above. Lord, please help me. By Lisa H. Owens In the moments you thought you were dying, you called my name. In the moments you were living, you called everyone else. By Lisa H. Owens Inspired by true events.  Decades spent, clutching shards together. A daddy, taken too early. By Lisa H. Owens A haiku inspired by true events - 5/22/2020 An Ode to Cigarettes (A curs-ed haiku) Ye smoldering fiends. Ye enemies of mine lungs. Ye sticks-o-fire. How doth thou do it? The lack of thee maketh me... Crazed, ye curst Devels. If mine love shall ask, Thy curs-ed hold I rebuke. Me smoketh? Never. By Lisa H. Owens Inspired by a Poetry Prompt - Liberation - 6/24/2020 Reddit r/poetrycritics June 2020 Poetry Contest-Liberation I thought you were my knight in shining armor. You swept in, taking me by the hand; You gently pulled me out of the abyss. I waited and waited to be your one and only. As I waited and watched, your collection grew. It was then that I realized you like broken things. You keep your life compartmentalized. In boxes. Each box unaware of the existence of the others. I make a discovery. A discovery of boxes; Each containing a toy, broken. The boxes are silent; waiting for you to speak on their behalves. I hear laughter and quickly hone in on one box. This box is different. This box contains joy. A broken toy tending a child. The child healing the broken toy. A broken toy mended by a child. The child created by my knight, now their knight. I love this broken thing. This unspoiled child. This broken toy. Now unbroken. Not broken. Now mended strong. She will take their daughter’s hand and walk away. By Lisa H. Owens Hiking is my jam; you know? Just me and the clear blue sky. Treaded boots tromp over branches, as I watch white clouds swirl by. Pitching a tent, building a campfire, now in survival-mode, Breaking-down camp, black sky turns to gold, leaving this lonesome abode. The journey (though harsh), conditions raw, like oysters on a platter, Harmony, peace...I CAN BREATHE...and color doesn't matter. By Lisa H. Owens Inspired by a June 2020 Shut Up & Write Picture Prompt Challenge Posted on Beneath the Surface News June, 6 2020 [Reddit Writing Prompt] You have accidentally died. No, no, no, you didn’t die in an accident. You’ve accidentally died, as in, the Grim Reaper has no idea what you’re doing in the underworld. Oops… What the heck, Bill? Why are you here? According to the list, it should be a year. ‘Til deep in the night, my scythe you shall see. I must do research, on how it can be. That you are in line, at the Pearly Gates. Awaiting to hear; what might be your fate? Will it be Heaven? Or will it be Hell? You're not on the list; so there’s no way to tell. Back to your home, in limbo you'll be. Until the right time, December, twenty-three. But until that date, you'll exist as a spirit. No purpose at all, you'll not want to hear it. So sorry. My bad. Ashamed I must say... It wasn't my fault... ‘Twas my very first day. By Lisa H. Owens Inspired by a Reddit Writing Prompt Just like Judas; your words ring —Hollow. Just like Judas; your kisses breathe —Betrayal. I ask myself; What would Jesus do? And like Jesus, die a soul-crushing death, Then forgive you. I want to say; Forgive him, Father; For he knows not what he has done. But I am filled with —Doubt. Instead, I ask; Why did thou forsake me? But my ears are met with —Silence. Then inundated with —Excuses. I want to reach into the void, where your heart Should be, and extract the —Forgiveness. I want to —Take it back. But when I happen upon you; you kiss my —Cheek. I look into your —Eyes. But see only brokenness —Reflected. I feel dizzy and pull away. I cannot —Linger. You know the Siren's whisper causing me to doubt —Myself. In my mind's eye; I revisit the —Betrayals, the —Lies, And self-doubt is —Arrested. But unlike Judas; you do not look away in —Shame. By Lisa H. Owens Shut Up & Write Poetry Prompt - Today, turn to a random page in your journal, close your eyes, and pick out three words as prompts. Write a haiku with one of these words on each line. Necklace ● Prayer ● Nightmare I remember well, the day I got the necklace. Twas the answer to my nightly prayer, A gift for me; not for her. You gave her one gift. A child. Wasn't that enough? It is time for the nightmare to take leave. Time for me to leave, taking the necklace; leaving you. Now a father. By Lisa H. Owens Inspired by Shut Up & Write Three-word prompt haiku: Necklace ● Prayer ● Nightmare When you ask me to be funny, my mind fills up with dread, and Thoughts flash through my head, of baby bunny dead, and The neighbor's house on fire, and my husband is a liar, and My nephew failed his test, and Dad was laid to rest, and Mama Has dementia and is living with my sister, and My mailman is a dick, and I hope I don't get sick, 'cause the virus don't discriminate. Don't want it to eliminate, the one causing my heart to break, but that shit isn't funny, now I'm back to the baby bunny. Don't ask me to be funny, 'cause I'll fail every time. By Lisa H. Owens Runner-up in a Reddit r/poetrycritics writing prompt - 2020 Humorous Poem Contest. I am strong. I am fearless. I can lift you up. Help you soar. Help you shine. Help you reach new heights. Help you make your Mark. Me and you; you and me. Redefining gravity. I am the wind. I am beneath your wings. I make you fly. I am invisible. By Lisa H. Owens You are merely a distraction. One in a long line of distractions, as important as a grain of sand is —to the ocean. Do not flatter yourself that you are different than any one, in an eternity of stars is —to the sky. You are merely a distraction. Nothing more. —Nothing less. By Lisa H. Owens |