"Silence says it all" by Laurie Molloy

Silence says it all
eyes peacefully peering into
eyes on the other side of a room
or the eyes across or beside them-
deciphering the depth
of eyes meeting eyes-
touching fingertips lightly,
gently brushing one arm,
glancing away and then catching
the all knowing return glimpse.
The truth of movement
takes command over speech-
the purity and unconsciousness of action
rules the world of precise expression.
Words are rehearsed, made-up, made to sound
like something you want to hear.
An embrace, gentle knudge, or quiet look
happens freely, an impulse without a plan-
silence says it all.

A Moment Beyond by Laurie Molloy

Delving below,
diving under-
another moment
of discovery
or denial.

i asked you please
please tell me more
you said nothing
maybe tomorrow?

.....Today.....now.
it is the chances
we take
that make us real-
the risks we take
allow us to feel.

i love to gaze
upon cresting waves
stare upon beauty
of an ocean's rich blue
but the deeper I plunge
the further and further
life's extraordinary presence
awakens me

Metamorphosis by Laurie Molloy

the smallest whisper

and the softest breath

a little bit of precious

dancing twirling

in tiny circles-

upside down maybe

and sideways

thriving on being

a simple dot

a blurb about to

mature into a novel.

"Monsters are our friends" by Laurie Molloy

Have you ever thought of monsters

creepy crawly green -

full of boogers and ear cheese?

The monsters of your dreams

living under your bed

lurking, ready at any moment

to tug on your hand or your foot

if they aren't safely tucked under your blanket?

Well i have, i think really they are are friends-

just waiting for the chance to be part

of the human world.

So next time you go to sleep

and feel a monster tug

or a monster booger on your face

try to wake up

say hello.

maybe you'll make a new friend

"Clumsy" by Laurie Molloy

She walked into the wall

with a clumsy grace

only accomplished through

careful genetics and

oblivious action,

finally recovering her stance

jamming her finger

slowly into the door.

Steadily feeling the pain,

slowly reacting,

quickly ducking-

to avoid the free

swinging cabinet door.

Words slipping

as she loses her footing

the wrong thing-

she always says

crashing down-

the wrong way.

She learned to fall

the right way

but then thought that was silly

what could possibly be right

about falling?

so she quickly forgot

the "right way to fall"

and fell again,

alas, to land

fiercely on the couch

giving up for the day.

Too many broken glasses

and shattered dishes

to count

all in a day.

"Anna the Warrior, part 2, Anna's story" by Laurie Molloy

Anna's Story

I was born in a small cottage in the year 2040. Ten years prior to that, society had already started to drastically change. I am grateful that I was born beautiful, tall and perfect, according to society's standards. My parents were always wonderful to me, and my childhood was pleasant. I always felt loved and well cared for.

Around the time I turned 14, I noticed things around me changing faster and faster. Both of my parents took government jobs, and my parents and I had to move to a state monitored industrial type apartment. This was attached to the building where my parents worked. My school was also attached to the same building by means of an underground tunnel. Everything was contained so everyone and everything could be monitored all of the time. By presidential mandate, everything continued to be maintained beautifully, people, plants and buildings alike. Foliage and flowers were planted everywhere and the insides of buildings were meticulously decorated and kept clean. Even though so much care was taken in the detail of architecture, decoration, and planting, everything still felt bare and void. No one put real feeling into what they did, including the people in charge of beautification.

My community continued to evolve, and it came to feel very plain and cold. More and more same looking complexes emerged everywhere. And, it seemed that just about everything was attached by tunnels, either below or above ground. People were encouraged by government officials to stay indoors, but no one ever told them why it was necessary. Anyway, no one questioned the government, people went about their ordinary business, and everyone stayed inside. Small children in pre-school and kindergarten were the only ones seen outside. For everyone else, it was looked down upon to not follow the government's recommendation stay inside.

By the time I turned 16, almost everyone in my town worked and lived in a building like the one my family resided in. I did not understand why people agreed to move out of their houses and cottages and moved into apartment buildings, but again, no one wanted to question what the government asked them to do. Jobs started to be assigned rather than chosen, and although some people were unhappy with the jobs given to them, they appeared afraid to ask for a change.

When I turned 18, it was time for me to work. I wanted to go to college, but I was not allowed. Because of my beauty, the government decided I would be a model. There were a few agencies I could choose to apply to, but it did not matter which I picked because they were all entirely the same. I missed my youth, when some things were still unique, but I new it would take a lot to change The System.

Every building and every street was monitored by surveillance planes and cameras. Nothing went unnoticed. Freedom, people's rights and The Constitution were all destroyed by the new socialist government, led by President Pete Blossom, which took over America. The president felt that in order to protect people, all actions had to be monitored and restricted. Society started to socially move backward. Arranged marriages were enforced as the government wanted to control mating so that only the healthiest, strongest, and best looking children would be born into the world.

By the time I was 20, the government was terrifying. Most people were obedient. However, people who questioned what was going on or did not follow the rules swiftly disappeared, and everyone knew exactly where these deviants went.

President Pete Blossom seemed most concerned with two things. One was making sure that all of the babies born were of the best quality. The second was to reduce the population. Most people were obedient citizens, so he could not exile them. If he started to destroy people outright for no reason, he was afraid the people would start to rebel. He did not want to take that chance. Left with little choice , the government started plotting different strategies to reduce the population and ensure healthy, beautiful, and strong citizens.

I came to know this information through a secret organization which I was and still am a member of. So far we have successfully hidden ourselves from the watchful eyes surrounding us. We are growing in numbers, but we are not large enough to risk starting a rebellion. In fact, like the government, we are trying to be clever. We must be subtle and careful, and eventually we will figure out how to slowly change things for the betterment of society.

"Produce or Create" by Laurie Molloy

I care not what you sell
or the things your company
mass produces.
But i'd like to know who you are
and what you create-
what you want to make.
The original crafts hidden inside you,
half-blossomed-and the rest
newly emerging, fighting for their turn.
I am vast, deep and confident.

But I still want you to take care of me
and watch the sun glisten
through my bay window-
spattering light on my freshly windexed
granite counters-
The cook preparing our next meal
and the maid finishing our laundry,
all while I daydream about our next escapade
to Tahiti or maybe the British Isles.

So even though I say
I care not what you sell
or what you produce.
I care how much money you make
and what you can do for me.
I am vapid, shallow, and uneasy.