"Winning the Prize" by Laurie Molloy

searching for a lost monkey-

the one in the corner

scrunched up so small

around and under or

maybe inside

a barrel of treasures.

If i knew how to get him out

i surely would, dollar after dollar

i feed the machine,

the crane, laughing back at me,

says, it isn't your turn to win yet.

"Fulfillment" by Laurie Molloy

A dream untouched

rusts and collects dust

draining your heart

from the inside out.

Left alone, to clutter

up an otherwise

content existence-

so twirl and skip

jump and flip

and run along-

not to worry

about getting it wrong.

You'll get there

if you don't ignore

the voice inside

that wants you to soar.

you're almost there

Keep it up-

fill your life

instead of letting

it slip away,

every tomorrow

is one less day.

"Persistence" by Laurie Molloy

Fierce hands

softly placed

with determined passion-

lasting night after night

and into the morning,

opening and reaching

grasping at the air.

Stretching out so far-

Eventually

reaching me.

"Rainy cold memories" by Laurie Molloy

Beautiful rainstorm

trickling down a tin roof-

ping...ping....pang,

melodic drops along

with the thermometer.

A gaping wide open

memory of a past

ridden with a chill-

kept out by curtains

and snuggles and

stolen blankets.

"Hugs" by Laurie Molloy

A hug so big the stars can't fill it up

and if they try to they spill over

into a heart encircling us,

and we walk inside a big heart

made of stars and we shine

and glow and sparkle.

All the while the stars

burst and burst and burst

and make new planets,

and we keep walking

in our new bubble made of stars and

our hearts are protected

from the black holes

circling us.

"Hot and Cold" by Laurie Molloy

My legs, warm and thawed

suddenly popsicle sticks

as i walk inside

the freezer box

air conditioned places

that i always seem to go.

Cold and stiff

flesh flavor treats-

i will paint them

red and orange,

the best two color flavors there are

and pretend i'm in candy land

where everything's yummy-

and then walk outside

and let the colors run

together in a dreamsicle rainbow.

"Guardian Angel" by Laurie Molloy

Everywhere, she watches me

knowing all i think and all i do

and all the things i want

but never quite get to-

pushing me further into

that deep pile of dreams untouched,

ready to knock me over

into the colorful autumn leaves

or give me a hefty shove

down the water slide

or off a cliff

to parachute and land

softly in one of the places

i always wanted to go.

Looking out for me

and all the things

i hold dear - watching

quietly waiting, gently

placing a vision in my daydream

reminding me of her

sitting next to me

invisible to the tangible world.

"Desire" by Laurie Molloy

An old desire

i bumped into,

and awake i was

and joyous to remember

the pleasure it brings

to follow a vision

and walk along

my heart's trail

to a place where

the wind only blows softly-

the rain drops lightly-

the sun shines just enough-

and there are plenty

of trees where you need shade

a perfect promise

a dream divine

"Small Talk" by Laurie Molloy

Chitter, chatter

blah blah blah-

constant conversation

saying all the same things

again and again.

There's only so much

i can take,

maybe it is snotty

or pretentious of me

but I don't like to

feel obliged to be a part

of small talk conversations

every single day.

If i avoid them i am rude,

and if i choose to partake

then i feel like i am being

dishonest to the part of myself

that has more to say.

"Old Thoughts" by Laurie Molloy

A sandwich left over-

like a thought

it finds you

or you discover it

days later, after

you thought maybe

it was long forgotten.

Stagnant stale smelly-

a rotten reminder,

one day you will

throw it out,

and it will be gone-

eaten by a bird or

just part of the landfill

of your mind.

"Warmer Days and Angels" by Laurie Molloy

Another day

sun lightly passing over

warming the sky-

warming me

drying the tears

from the moist eyed clouds-

relief for everyone.

Angels dance delightfully

among the newly dry sky

finding crooked places

that fit perfect around

their awkward wings,

cumbersome as they fly

with the weight

of plentiful prayers

daily collected, carried

everywhere, each one

considered carefully.

"The Sun, The Moon, and Everything" by Laurie Molloy

Is the wind the master of the sky
or the sky the master of the wind?
It is like the question of the chicken
or the egg - what comes first?
No one knows except my dad,
he knows everything, probably
the same as your dad.
Next time you ponder the meaning of life
or what came before what
or why something came do be -
remember who knows and will always know
everything there is.

Who will fix my broken car?
the leaking pipe my mom complains
all day about
the leaves stuck in the guitar
the broken heart he left me with
the rays of the sun
if they are not bright enough
I know my dad can
he can fix anything

next time you are broken
remember your dad
next time you are not sure
of the answer
ask your dad

and remember
if your dad is broken
it is easy to fix
just call and say
i love you

"Making a Decision" by Laurie Molloy

I feel the wind transluscent
wash over me
and turn opaque;
impossible not to notice
as I waver from one side
to another -
decision sitting lightly,
easily strewn across
the madness of
my bedroom floor.
The sun, its rays too bright
too look at
like a pink, flourescent
bathing suit.
I turn away
and instead face down
feeling the sun warm
my cool and wind blown body.
And I am alive,
my eyes protected
by a big beach blanket,
and my face
feeling each groove of the sand;
and now I know.

Introduction to the Film

Film Class by Laurie Molloy

Long dreadful film class
sore shoulder leaning on a tiny seat, too small
a smelly dork sits next to me
starts a boring conversation asking
about something he already knows
want to move away
feel stuck, nowhere to go,
slowly place my sweater on the floor
try not to drip with heat as I
try to catch a glimpse of the sunlight
to enliven my day, brighten my spirit
and lighten the mood

would rather be home
ready to fall asleep
dark, smelly guy, sleeping people
much to much.