Irony In The Air
Summer’s here, or so it seems.
Shining sun – the stuff of dreams.
Odd Wisconsin irony,
not a trace of snow to see.
Last year, we were steeped in snow,
flannel-clad from head to toe.
Now I wear a sad array
of summer stuff not packed away…
Ensemble matching? No, I fear,
but T-shirt’s message does ring clear:
As war grows on despite our rants,
Lennon’s pic: “Give peace a chance!”
© 2012 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
For ABC Wednesday, brought to you by the letter “I.”
Sharp Little Pencil 
booguloo
If mankind would only do it.
Sharp Little Pencil
Human beings must first remember their childlike selves. Tend to the kid within and suddenly all one wants is peace… and ice cream. Thanks, Michael! amy
purplepeninportland
Oh Amy, how much this takes me back, and, unfortunately, forward.
Sharp Little Pencil
The “forward” need not be unfortunate. If we all share a hug and a smile no matter what the weather, peace is possible. It starts within. Take it from someone who has had time to navel gaze in The Ward, ha ha… Amy
Lisa
The irony between the seasons is not lost here in middle Missouri either. Last winter we had 40 inches of snow; this year we had 6! It’s been 80 degrees all week and it’s still March! Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment at my place. It take a lot of courage to share a story like yours. I’m happy you’ve made peace with your father.
Sharp Little Pencil
Lisa, I understand. I’m worried most for the farmers. We may have tomatoes in June at this rate, and their corn harvest is going to be affected as well… the Midwest is indeed America’s breadbasket.
I want one more whopper of a snow. Then a nice, easy melt. Don’t think it’s coming, either. Harrumph.
As for my dad, thanks for that comment, hon. It’s taken years and years of work, none of which could start before his death… Peace, Amy
Carver
This has been a weird winter a lot of places. I love the T-Shirt.
I enjoyed your story about the ice cream parlor next to the cemetery.
Sharp Little Pencil
Funny, the other place was a soft-serve called CarVEL. Really.
This image was the best resemblance I could find; my T is actually quite colorful! Thanks, Carver. Peace, Amy
El Guapo
Nice one! There’s a lot going on here…
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Guapo. Yeah, I seemed to shift gears, but the destination was still satisfying for me, anyway! Peace, Amy
vivinfrance
I like the way you have used rhythm and rhyme in this.
Sharp Little Pencil
I appreciate this, Viv, especially from you, since you are the queen for me of form, of rhyme, of the meat and potatoes of the poems. Thanks! Amy
Kim Nelson
What a great reality piece, Amy. You’ve accomplished a lot in these few stanzas. I get a sense of the weather, your mood, the wardrobe and your socio-political perspective.
Sharp Little Pencil
THanks, Kim… and guess what? It’s ALL a storm on the horizon, which is scary… Peace, Amy
AudreyHowitt
Amen!
Sharp Little Pencil
Hey, I’m preaching to the choir with you, right, Audrey? (wink) Amy
Inside the Mind of Isadora
I loved that song … and … John Lennon. I liked him better when he went solo. Although, the Beattles were great together,too. We need more songs like those.
We have had a rush of summer here. We skipped right over Spring. It was 88 degrees today. I’m not complaining I love summer but Spring is always so renewing.
Hugs Amer ….
Izzy xoxo
Sharp Little Pencil
The Beatles’ greatness lies in the sweetness of Paul mixed with the irony of John. On his own, John could be grating, but it’s only because of his insistence that people wake UP! No one really wants to; at least, most people don’t. Paul sank into saccharine and his music suffered much more than John’s, in my opinion. Thanks for mentioning the Beatles, because that was on my mind, Izzy. Love, Amer
wordsandthoughtspjs
Amelita, you are making me look at life from so many different angles.We have lost so much. True to the core write. When will it end?
Pamelita
Sharp Little Pencil
It will end when we flood Washington, DC once more (c’mon up!) with signs decrying blood and money wasted on war that could be used to heal our country. America needs to stop playing Cop on the World Beat, because we lost the “white hat” status the moment GWBush fired the first volley at Iraq. Thanks for asking, hopping off soapbox to thank you for your comment… Paz, Amelita
oncealibrarian
Four of the twentieth century’s most important words so well expressed in your poem.
Sharp Little Pencil
From one of the twentieth century’s true thinkers, activists, and rebels. He came up from the working class and used his fame and his money to promote peace. The irony of his death by gunshot still chills me to the bone. He and Yoko were Upper West Side neighbors, and we all had a nodding acquaintance. What a profound loss. Peace, Amy
brian miller
i am fairly sure we will be in another large scale war soon enough…how else will we save the economy…smiles…sadly…
Sharp Little Pencil
Yeah, the War Machine has us all by the short ones. It sucks that President Obama has turned out to have been “handled” by not only the military guys, but financial idiots like Bernanke. Hard to smile, huh? Peace, Amy
macheide
Imagine, continuously. Believe in. Choose to. Act on.
Good poem.
Peace.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, M. And yes, activism is at the heart. We have to stop looking for leaders and embrace our own power, particularly the power of the masses, as with the Occupy Movement. No more providing the media with sound bytes for their second-class corporate news. We ALL have a part to play. Peace, Amy
Anthony North
Great rhyming, and how can I fault a poem that ends with Lennon?
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks for the compliment, and yes, Lennon is one of my heroes. So is Yoko. She didn’t break up the Beatles; as John said, they were already over when they went corporate with Apple. It wasn’t the direction he wanted to take… RIP John. Peace, Amy
woih
Amy, I just realized you live in Madison. I stayed at the Madison Occupation from mid-October till the beginning of December, went to the noontime solidarity sing-a-longs, rallies, etc… interesting, I’ve probaly shared the same space with you and didn’t even realize it.
Madison is….quite diferent than Chicago. What an amazing experience that all was. Say hi to Scott Walker for me..:)
Sharp Little Pencil
Chicago? I’m there from time to time visiting friends Carolyn Bowes and Duncan Stephens, plus their uber-talented daughters. As for Scott Walker, I’ll be sure to spit in his direction in your honor!! Peace, Amy
kaykuala
Give peace a chance. A message that doesn’t get its fair hearing. Seasons change but conflicts remain a constant. A pity! Glad you brought it up Amy! Beautiful verse with all its rhymes!
Hank
Sharp Little Pencil
I love your observation, Hank, that seasons change but… conflicts remain constant. We could have a different world if we paid more attention to the seasons, to the earth, than to geopolitical and religious boundaries, all human-made… peace, Amy
Tracy Crenshaw
Lovely poem. I have come to the conclusion I will adore anything you write :0)
Sharp Little Pencil
Oh, Tracy, be careful what you wish for! I have everything from scary clown poems to matters of incest and depression/manic/panic to politics. There’s bound to be something that truly pisses you off, I guarantee! (wink) Thanks, hon, Amy
Paul
Wonder if JL ever really found peace himself? I like the alliteration of your poem and its thought provoking… guess for me peace is a state of mind over physical events. P.