Amy Barlow Liberatore… stories of lost years, wild times, mental variety, faith, and lots of jazz

Category Archives: Humor

Sunday Scribblings asked us to write on the theme, ‘Friction.’ You can tell I’ve had too much coffee today. Enjoy!

FILM FILLY’S FRACTIOUS FRICTION

Feeling friendly,
phoned Fiona Fleshpot.
Faded fashion filly
facing failed flick – fetid flop.

FLASH! (flotsam for females)
fancied former, firmer,
flexible, “fine” Fiona.
Furnished factoids.

Fix festivities.

Fry fast foods…
fling fresh fare
(fodder for former fatties).

Flaming flambes,
frozen Frangipani,
Früzen-Gladje,
fudgy fondues.

Fiona feels friction falter;
feeds fairly fully…

finally, farts.

© 2010 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil


This one was inspired, in a way, by the Kafka Metamorphosis, but… well…  GAFBers, this one’s for you!

READY, SET, BLOW

I started off so fat
carefully dressed in white
that clung to my body
like Travolta’s ice cream suit.

OW! That burns,
but I am comforted by kisses
lips caressing me,
I am passed from friend to friend.

I’m the life of the party.
Glowing like the star of the show,
as the lava lamp flows,
bloop… bloop… bloop…

Minutes later, spent.
They’ve used me until I’m
a scrap of my former self
Now, indignity. Out comes the roach clip.

© 2010 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil


Poetic Asides asked us to write about location. Nothing says location – or loquacious – like those damned Garmans!

LOQUATOR

He bought a Garman off the Net
Maybe so he’d be spared pulling over
and asking directions?
Yeah, it’s a guy thing.

It sits on his dashboard
like a chunky trophy
and says, “Course correction” a lot.
He set the voice to “Female Euro-trash.,”
which pissed off his girlfriend,
who refers to it as “Garmina the Map Slut.”

Gadgetmaster of Expensive, Trouble-making Toys,
thy name is Pete.

© 2010 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
Published at Poetic Asides


After the debates in the NYS Gubernatorial race, I was soooo pleased that Poetic Asides posted the prompt, “What I Like About…”  This is an equal opportunity offender!  Even the Dems get it in the butt!

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE 2010 NYS RACE FOR GUV

Sure, Cuomo’s in
but I watched the debates anyway
Hoping to see Paladino explode
but he ran offstage to do his exploding in the men’s room
He must have been tranquilized
I didn’t hear a single remark about gays being damned or that his son is STRAIGHT, dammit

I have no horse in this race
since the all-but crowned winner
is same old, same old
and his daddy held the office first
and I saw how that played out in the White House

But the also-rans were great
A former madame for the Anti-Prohibition Party
who, while endorsing legalized marijuana and casinos,
did not endorse legalizing prostitution
Now there’s a confused person

The RENT IS TOO DAMN HIGH Party
I swear, I couldn’t make this stuff up
Col Sanders is now black
andtalkssofastyoucanhardlykeepup
And while rent may BE high
I cannot in good conscience give them my vote
Because the correct name should be
The Rent Is Too DAMNED High Party
I hate bad grammar

Loved the Greens cause they love the earth
Great agenda on the environment
They understand that ‘hydro-fracturing’
is actually ‘hydro-chemicals-including-methane-fracturing’
You can’t frack without chemicals
As Starbuck would say, “Don’t frack with me”

Libertarian, suitably stern
Would privatize everything
and we’d watch our houses burn
if we didn’t keep up our fire dept. payments

Cuomo, silk-suitably smug
Talked like a weiner
I mean winner

There were more candidates, I think
But these were the standouts
I’m going to start my own party
and call it:
The Price Of Prostitutes Is Too Damn High/Don’t Frack With Me/Legalize Pot/Tax The Rich Til They’re Poor/Health Care For All/If You Want To Wear A Hijab or Other Arabic Dress In Public, Juan Williams Will Have To Get The Hell Over It

…Party


This week at Writer’s Island, we were asked to think about masquerades. First one was heavy, so I decided it was time for a little more fun. Easy, my Tea Party friends, it’s just a poem! Amy

SCARY COSTUME

This year, Halloween’s too easy
Red suit, sharp and stiff, not sleazy
Hair up in a shiny bun
Posture of a warring Hun

Sensible dark-rimmed wire glasses
Worn especially for the masses
“Shopped around, I’m really smart
Picked them up at our WalMart”

Smile until my lips vibrate
Platitudes at rapid rate
Kids, I’ll drag along behind
tied up to my butt with twine

Red high heels from Macy’s, dear
(“WalMart”? Not with my career!)
Vacant stare and “Yeah, you betcha”
Look out! Sarah’s gonna getcha!

© 2010 Amy Barlow Liberatore, Sharp Little Pencil


A Poetic Asides post. An ever-so-delicate look at how women’s bodies change over the years… Enjoy, and then click the link to check out poems by the rest of the gang! Amy

CHANGING

It comes to us all
Those gifted with double-X
The passage of time brings
the curse of our sex

First we get periods
Bloat like balloons
Bitchy and bothered
We cry to full moons

Then comes the part where
if you have some luck
you have a big baby
comes out like a truck

Your skinny jeans gone
to the clothing exchange
Your once-lithe young self
is at once rearranged

Your boobs not your own
‘Cause you share them with baby
and hubby gets jealous
But fools with them? (maybe)

Now gravity takes hold
and Cooper’s Droop socks you
More than a pencil
I can hold a whole box, too

Then finally menopause
There’s God’s big laugh
You sweat and you chill
and your mind’s cut in half

Part of it knowing
what you need upstairs
the other half, getting there,
asking, “What the hell am I doing here and why? There was something I needed up here but I don’t know WILL SOMEBODY TURN DOWN THE HEAT? I’M SWEATING MY ASS OFF!!!”

(c) 2010 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil


Another “Seven Sins” theme for Jingle Poetry – this one, acrostic.

S.E.V.E.N. S.I.N.S.

Secrets
Envy
Volcanic temper
Excess
Navel-gazing

Sniping
Inertia
Nodding off in church
Snarkiness

© 2010 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil


CIRCLES (You know, for kids*)

My sister brought it home
we all fought over it
until Dad wisely bought enough
for all three sisters to have their own

Three grade-schoolers shimmied, did the hula
Pint-sized Balinese dancers
practicing the ancient, seductive art
of the hula hoop

© 2010 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil

* Special kudos to whomever can name the movie reference first!


Writer’s Island prompt:  Another poem with song titles, this time from one of my favorite Beatles albums, Rubber Soul:

MICHELLE

If I needed someone in my life
it wouldn’t be you, said Michelle

I’m looking through you, toward the future
and neither seem too bright

I need someone who says
Think for yourselfin my life

Don’t wait for me in the Norwegian Wood
You won’t see me there

I’ll drive my car far from you
My mind whispering, “Run for your life

© 2010 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil


PalinDrone

I ran for Vice President
while killing a moose with an assault rifle
from a helicopter
during labor for my 28th child!
But my daughter flunked her abstinence class

While not as glamorous as the White House
Fox News gives me lots of air time
I go to lots of Tea Parties
and I finally got rid of Todd
Running for President? I’ll get back to ya!

I like to shop at consignment stores
like Bonwit Teller, you betcha
and Macy’s and Tiffany’s
But my favorite accessory is Trig
I carry him around like a badge

(c) 2010 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
written for the Pyramid prompt at Poetic Asides