Wanna Play Marbles? by Nolcha Fox and Barbara Leonhard

I’d play, 

but I’ve lost my marbles.

Thought they were 

in my purse. Last week,

I caught them rolling

down the hall

into my bedroom

under my bed, 

hiding with the dust bunnies.


I lost my marbles,

they rolled out of my head

and out the door

to scatter sunlit reflections

my thoughts can’t hold.


Maybe our marbles

will meet in the ivy

or under a tree

or in the gutter.

Knock around together

like pool balls.

Like startled memories.


Memories are pool balls

under startled ivy,

marbles once a child’s toy,

forgotten in the gutter.

A trashman picks the marbles up

to give them to his baby boy.

Crystal balls refract the sun

of yet another childhood.


BIOS


Barbara Leonhard is an internationally-known prize-winning poet and Pushcart nominee. She is especially indebted to Well Versed 2021: A Collection of Poetry and Prose and Spillwords Press for past honors. Her debut poetry collection, Three-Penny Memories: A Poetic Memoir (Experiments in Fiction, 2022), which is about her relationship with her mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s, is a best seller on the Amazon. Barbara is also Editor for MasticadoresUSA. You can follow her on WordPress at extraordinarysunshineweaver.blog.


Nolcha Fox’s poems have been published in Lothlorien Poetry Journal, Alien Buddha Zine, Medusa’s Kitchen, and others. Her poetry books are available on Amazon and Dancing Girl Press. Nominee for 2023 Best of The Net. Editor for Open Arts Forum. Accidental interviewer/reviewer. Faker of fake news.
Website:
https://bit.ly/3bT9tYu
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/nolcha.fox/
Instagram: nfoxauthor


Link to image
https://pixabay.com/users/1195798-1195798/

Barbara verses are in italics and Nolcha’s are in regular font.