Butcher's street

Pulitzer walked up this street. A beard to his waist tucked in a pocket of his long coat. Vladimir waived his hand to him from a distance, when he was writing his revolutionary poetry. Now a dog, an empty bucket in his muzzle, walks the street with a purpose. Pulitzer walked up this street. Dazed street whispers Maiakovsky's verses. The dog disappeared inside of the slaughterhouse. Everybody around here knows this dog. After a while he reappeared. His master is now helping him to carry a full bucket. Pulitzer walked up this street, whole street sighs deeply. Trolley pole shouts Maiakovski's verses, when the streetcar turns right corner. Pulitzer and Maiakovski are now shaking their hands. Which of them has had the beard? I don't know. Did those two ever meet? I don't think so. Butcher's Street was in need of little drama. What about the dog? He is inside of his home now. What about the streetcar? It still sways thorough the street. What about the slaughter house? It is still there. And what about Pulitzer? I doubt he knew anything about Maiakovski's poetry. Nearby Butcher's Street Vltava river washes its banks, and I keep walking. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville 12/10/2010 Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 12/20/2009

Drug addict

Life is one big party. Just observe, look, steal everything you can. Just do not get caught. You are on the drugs. Go to the source. Observe, take, enjoy. Get free housing. You have no income, your pockets are empty - now, today. Observe. look, take, enjoy. Just don't get caught. Work is for others. It's something you didn't learn. Music, drugs, give me the right buzz. Everything is free, just for taking. If you will strike the proper well you will get instantly rich. Life is one big party, enjoy when you can. Be smart, don't overdose. Have right mixture. There is a risk and that will end it all. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 12/20/2010

Apartment for rent

Relatives came to pick up a chest of drawers. They took pictures in front of high rise. First all of them together, then one by one. One soul left. There is no need this mouth to feed. I wish to be Buddhist, and this soul in its next life will not have to worry about being lonely. Little bit of grief, little bit of memories, and long way home full of remorse. Time stopped for one short second. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, translated from Czech 12/18/2010 POW! GROW

My street

The birds are flying above my street and make my cat chatter his teeth. Sometimes the dogs are fighting. They are not many houses here. Poverty is looking out of the windows. People are walking. They have no cars. Walking is good for them - if they can. Children are skating and dreaming every day, when they'll grow up they will leave this street. They skate faster, when they are dreaming. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville 12/15/2010 POW! assignment.

Hey, Josh

Hey, Josh,
I am going
to think,
because you sit
in every meeting,
and I can not
stand you.
I simply can not
stand you.
I am going
to think.
Within a year
I shall be goner.
My children
will cry.
My grandchildren
will cry
and call:
we shall miss you
grandma.
I shall send
my sister
on such guilt trip
she will never
come back.
My oldest sister
will knit me
nice warm sweater
to wear
in the casket,
and my brother
will tell more
tall tales.
He will cry:
Why did she run away?
No, that's another
tall tale - mine.

Hey, Josh,
why you don't get
lost? Buzz off!
Go away!
It's not working,
Josh.

Copyright (c) MP
Pottsville, 12/10/2010
POW! GROW

Doorway

Shut the door! Do you have a Christmas tree sticking in your behind? Please, close the door. There is no door, only a doorway, but not the door. Hang up beads, or put a blanket over the frame. Wind is blowing and brings inside snow. Move your butt and go and buy the door. Don't forget to bring hinges. Just cover the doorway. In summer there will be chickens pecking on the floor. Oh, you like a view on the mountain and the meadows. They are there cows, too. Go, and buy glass door, so you can have your view. Don't forget the hinges, a lock, and the handle. And what you will do? just sit and tell me what to do? I am going to chase these chickens out, stitch something to cover your glass door, and make supper. Something what you like, so I'll know, you are coming back. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 12/10/2010

Life skills

I taught you well by word by body language by my actions. I hear an echo of what I have said now and then. You remember good. I taught you well. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 12/2/2010

Peppa

Before Christmas I stopped at my sister. They lived in small, completely renovated 1 bedroom apartment in the historical part of town. They had four year old boy at that time. Everything was in preparation for Holidays. There was a big laundry going on, in the kitchen the cupboards were scrubbed and all dishes washed, and she was also in the middle of baking Christmas cookies. Of course she had a couple of new recipes she had to try. In the bedroom on the bed stand there was a half finished crocheted doily - a Christmas present for her mother in law. I excused myself if I can go and wash my hands. I went to the bathroom. In the bathtub filled with water was swimming a good ten pounds size carp. The carp's color was already changing to the whitish grey color from chlorine in water. The carp was a part of traditional Christmas dinner.
"You have a fish in the bathtub."
"Yes, I know. His name is Peppa."
"Are you taking a bath together?"
"No, we take showers at Jarda's parents. We talk to him and Milan likes to play with him. He was full of leaches, especially around gills, so I pulled them out with tweezers. Now, he is clean.
I was in the hurry to catch a train, so I wished them Merry Christmas, and left. I stopped again after Holidays. The bathtub was empty.
"Did you make fish soup and fish fillets?"
"No. Milan cried. He loved him so much we couldn't kill him. So we put him into a shopping bag, walked to the river and released him. He swam away."
What did you make for dinner?"
"I fried wiener schnitzels."
I wished them Happy New Year. There was another train to catch. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann 2007

Cherries and elephants

Local farmer, John Smith, knew it's time to pick cherries. Early in the morning he filled his flat bad truck with baskets and crates and drove to his cherry orchard, where he had sixteen cherry tries. Cherries were the size of golf balls, dark red, crunchy and juicy inside. In ten minutes he filled fifty bushel baskets. He had to make ten rounds to bring all cherries to the barn, where his wife was sitting on the low stool sorting cherries: to the market, for canning, for jellies, and the best for herself, because she liked canning them also. In the middle of the orchard the farmer discovered three elephants hiding in the tree tops. He picked them up and brought them home to his wife. By the end of the day they put all the baskets on the scale and found out they picked one hundred tons. "John, I found three elephants among the cherries." "I know, they were hiding in the trees so well, I didn't see them among the branches." "What are we going to do with gray elephants?" "We will take them tomorrow morning to the market." And they did. By the afternoon all cherries were sold out, but nobody wanted to buy three pink eyed elephants, so they returned them back to the orchard. The factory canned all cherries and whole county made cherry pies for all year around. Behind the factory was a mountain of cherry pits. In the winter time all family, including both grandparents, one great, great grandmother, about thirty grandchildren, and several aunts and uncles, were busy making cherry pits necklaces, bracelets, dangling earrings, cherry beads, and other popular articles sold at Boscov's stores. Cherry pits made great stuffing for mattresses, car seats, neck supports and socks and delivered for health savvy customers in the health stores. Heated cherries could do amazing things. The story is based on Czech joke: Did you see pink eyed elephant on the cherry tree? No. See, how they hide well. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 10/10/2010 POW! GROW

The end of the World

They were told the end of the World is coming. So they gathered in the basement and sit there. They brought with them food and water, blankets, pillows, flashlights and candles. They sit in the basement, holding their hands, and waiting. They are hugging each other, sitting in the basement, holding the hands, praying - and waiting. One day they walked out. The World is the same as was before. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 11/25/2010 POW! GROW

Doors

There are always doors. Familiar doors
we use every day.
Coming in
and going out.
Close it quietly.
Some don't.
Some slam it shut.

There are doors
to tomorrow,
there are doors
to yesterday
and the doors
to the future.
Little flap doors
for the cats
and big doors
to the banks.

Doors with the doorknobs
and those with the handls
and the doors
where you have to
punch the numbers.

Door to the kitchen
and you think
you still can smell
tomato soup
you had for supper
yesterday.

Door to your parents bedroom
you don't open
when it is closed.
Huge door to the school,
when you are so small.
One day that door
closes behind you.
One day you own a key
to your first apartment
and it has your name on it.

The doors to your future,
the doors to unknown,
full of surprises,
we open every day.
One day you return
your card
to the door
you closed willingly
and open the door
to the quiet life.
You open it quizzically.
Here I come
my old age.

My neighbor died yesterday.
He had diabetes.
The illness which
will get you
soon or later
finger by finger,
toe by toe.
There is emptiness
and wet eyes
of his wife and children,
It was his last door
and now it's closed.

Copyright (c) Marie Neumann
Pottsville, 12/2/2010

Blue

To Alexa Little blue house and little blue river, little blue lady riding little blue donkey, holding little blue guitar and singing softly blues. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 11/10/2009

"The Sun, the Moon and the Stars"

For Jan and Ashley Mother Moon is baking moon pies for her children stars. "Save some for father, save some for father, save some for father." "Father will get none." Children are gathering pie crumbs and throw them into the sky. "They are for you father Sun." Then hail comes. Father gets none. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 2010 POW! GROW

Home

It's raining outside. I am lying on the sofa under the light of the lamp with the pink shade, wrapped in the warm blanket, reading a mystery book and sipping hot tea with lemon and honey from my favorite mug. The cat is sleeping at my feet. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 15/10/2009 POW! GROW

I don't dance

I don't dance Texas two step. No, thank you. I really don't. I even do not waltz anymore. I can not tango, polka, fox-trot, or cha-cha. I don't dance two step. I even do not walk steps. I can sit and smile, sometimes frown. I cook, eat,watch the world still in awe. I can smell roses Yes, I can flirt. I just do not dance anymore. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 10/20/20011

A cat

I am white and orange, nine pounds including whiskers and a tail. Our mom knew how to dip deep into genetic pool. I have three brothers and two sisters. One is Siamese, one calico, brother is a big, fat tabby. We have Himalayan, and scrawny, bowlegged, bushy tailed sister.
They used to call me a Hop, or something like that, because I liked to hop high on the grass. It was sunny, grass was green, fields full of mice and snakes just across dirty road. Little town had a butcher who knew how to make jitrnice (something like pudding in the casing) and sausages. There were also two bakeries with wonderful kolatches and poppy seed strudels.
Then one day two women came. One of them was driving a van. I knew I will have to go. They were to many of us in the house. They put me on the floor of the van and took off. I had to pee, but I was holding back. Humans can be very opinionated about little puddles.
I went to live with my woman. She smokes.

To be continued.

A mouse and a moose (Tongue twister)

To Krystof A mouse mumbles to the moose: meet me Monday at midnight under the mistletoe when is full moon. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 10/9/2009

You told me

You told me go and eat your shoelaces. So I am eating them early in the morning and all day long. Then I shall fall into the sewer. You will be not mon amour. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 9/15/2010

Name and night

Moon is shining autos are driving rhymes are not rhyming Ian is going to Erie lake. Night is bright Erie is quiet u see a moose and an ape. Nice to have two n's in the name. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 9/14/2010

Time

"You are wasting your time." I am standing at the door. "Do you want to buy girl scout cookies?" The knock on another door. "Do you want to buy a chocolate bar for Red Cross?" "Do you want to subscribe to the newspaper today?" "You are wasting your time." "Do you want to buy tickets to the football game?" "I am waiting in the line for the bus tickets to Acapulco." "You are wasting your time." I am knocking on the door for the elderly. "Come in. You don't have to sell us anything. We are watching the tree grow." I am meeting a child jumping a rope. "I am done with my homework. I have time before mom will call me for dinner." Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 9/17/2009

Retiree

My computer is irretrievably broken for long time. All e-mails were sorted at least twenty times and are gone by now. Bank accounts are closed. There is no money to put into savings anyway. All valuables were stolen and taken away. What's left is one knife, little rucksack and sore feet. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 7/20/2010

Five fingers

Thumb is for greed forefinger for envy middle finger for jealousy ring finger for superiority and pinkie to delete. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 7/26/2009

The age difference

How old are you? I would risk ten. Twenty are too many. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 7/17/2010

What's for the City?

We are coming to shoot your picturesque row houses falling apart. "What the City will get?" We are coming to make movies about your dark smoky bars, your falling apart town, broken bridges, your burn down houses, your potholes will be in the movies. Aren't you proud? "What's in here for the City? What's in here for town?" Your town will be famous. Our production will sleep in your best hotels. We will eat in your restaurants. "What's in here for the city? What the City will get?" Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 7/15/2010

Robin

Robin is peeking over my shoulder when I type. Sometimes I ask him if what I wrote will not get me into the trouble with the authorities. "You are a poet!" Oh, Robin, I am such a fake and not a poet. I do not know how to spell and my poetry even doesn't rhyme. Not today, Robin. I am writing in Czech and chuckle silently to myself. I think it's funny. I will translate another day. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 7/7/2010

Flea circus (Czech joke) (Adaptation)

Jaja was the best jumper in the flea circus. He jumped so high it took two days for him to come back. The nights do not count, because nobody can see a flying flea in the dark anyway. He was so famous that a well known scientist decided to examine closely Jaja's skills. The flea circus went on vacation because without Jaja, who was the main attraction, they couldn't perform. First day the scientist ordered: "Jaja jump!" Jaja jumped. The scientist carefully measured the flea's weight, height, counted the number of the legs, their length, and he also measured how high the flea jumped. In the evening he fed Jaja with his blood. Then they both slept. Second day the scientist tore away one of Jaja's leg. Then he measured how high Jaja jumped. The flea jumped almost as high as yesterday.The third day the scientist plucked off another leg. The flea still jumped high. Day after day the scientist continued his experiment and Jaja jumped. The last day, when Jaja lost his last leg, he didn't jump. The scientist, before closing his experiment, wrote down the conclusion: "When the flea loses all its legs, it also loses its hearing. The flea circus temporarily closed down, because everybody went to look for Jaja's replacement. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 7/6/2010 Edited by Becki White, Reference librarian

Justice

What is right and what is wrong? If you will not teach a child, the child will not know. What will you do with all that money? Use it for bribery and corruption? Give away something for good cause. Everything is about power. Easy come, easy go. Only little fish will get caught. What about big fish? Statue of Justice is blindfolded. She shifts from one foot to another in embarrassment. I hear an old man's wheezing laughter echoing in Americas. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 6/26/2010

The keys

I have too many keys on the key ring. "Why do you have so many keys?" I even do not know where some of them go. Some do not have the doors anymore. "Why do you keep them?" For the thieves, I guess. It will take time to sort them out and there is a chance they will get caught in what they are doing. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 5/23/2010

Chimney sweeper

My friend cleans and repairs nuclear plants. He makes good money. Thorough a big hole he can see stars, so close, he can reach one, two, three, or whole bushel and bring them home to enjoy. At home they do not look so shiny when he polishes them. He mutters to himself: they must be made of some cheap metal. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 6/16/2010

Vacation

I am retiree. I have vacation every day. Cheap pass to swimming pool, time to relax, time to stop and smell the roses. I really do, I mean, smell the roses. What are your plans for retirement? I do not know. What are your plans for your future? I don't know. But I know I have a future. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 6/16/2010

Snake people

In the South of United States live people which are devoted to the cult of snakes. They have the snake farms there and cowboy boots made out of fine snake skin are worthy of oil magnates. There are so many snakes in Texas, that it is better to wear high boots, or at least rubber boots even in hot summer day. I don't know how to overcome big, old rattlesnake. I would recommend a big detour. Czech viper, when it is not taken by surprise, usually crawls away. As children we used to go to the woods to pick up wild strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or cranberries. We were told to carry a stick in front of us and make a noise with it. It was a warning for the snake to disappear. I guess the stick technique worked. I didn't see many of the snakes there. At the Spring time in Texas are groups of people which go snake hunting. They catch the snakes, kill them, drink fresh blood and have a barbecue. I was told the snakes taste good - like chicken. I begged them to take me with them, because I would like to see something like that. They didn't. We went for a walk to the lake on the rock side. It was a warm early Spring day, bluebonnets were blooming, and we were wearing only sandals. Suddenly something long, grayish black passed by us and disappeared in the rock pile. "A snake!" It was the snake. It looked at us from his hideout with his little black eyes. It watched us and we ran away. Texas snakes are not afraid of people. They live beside each other, they live together. Farmers carry guns with them, shoot them and leave them to the black birds. Or they can drink their blood and have the barbecue. It depends on the taste. Neighbors burned brushwood. From the burned up pile was sticking little head of the snake with wide open mouth in the pain of the death. We went for walks with a man who was a part Indian. "Look at the similarities. The nature offers a cure for each poison." In Texas the cats kill the snakes. Sometimes it takes many cats to kill one snake. Take a good look at the snake and the cat's mouth; compare their abilities. The cats can also jump high. People do not drown kittens, or neuter, or spay cats. Nature takes care of their numbers. Of course, do not send your pet cat, which is resting whole day long on the sofa and eats only cat food, to catch a snake. That would be a murder. Snake people are celebrating Spring by killing the snakes, drinking their blood and eating barbecue. After a meal they stop at the bar with the name like Snake pit to wash it down with couple of beers, or something stronger. What the snakes say? I don't know. I ran so fast I didn't have time to ask. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 6/7/2010

Christmas cake

I baked a Christmas cake on Christmas Eve Day. I woke up at five o'clock morning to make a dough. I followed up instructions from the cookbook and it wasn't first time when I made this cake. Yeast reacted the way how it supposed to react - it rose nicely. The dough also rose the way how it supposed to rise. Humidity wasn't high, but something happened and the Christmas cake didn't turn right. The family took one polite bite and there was a big piece left only for me, so I decided to treat wild animals and threw the cake out of the kitchen window to the snow on the backyard. I was hoping for the birds to show up. They might be so hungry they will eat it. Then I went to wash dishes. When I wash the dishes I look out of the window from time to time to see what is going on the backyard. There is a little piece of the garden, little bigger than a handkerchief, maybe the size of four bed sheets. I can see the neighbors house, their lean on, our fence and behind the neighbor's fence there is a tall cypress. On the cypress tree I can see my Christmas cake rising. So I dry my hands and go to get my glasses. The cake is still on cypress, only this time little bit higher. So I watch Christmas cake rising slowly, climbing higher and higher on cypress. After a while I can see a gray squirrel caring the cake for its tonight dinner. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Christmas 2007, Stephenville, Texas

Nightmare's caterpillar

So many little tiny legs and one tiny sucker. Something is missing - a tail. What does it eat? Shadows in the bushes. Where is it heading? To my sister's bed. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann 5/15/2010,Pottsville

May Saturday afternoon

Nice breezy day White curtains are moving in the windows The birds are peeping in the distance. Teenagers are listening to the music full of dreams and longing. There is a dance night tonight in town. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 5/10/2010

Holiday blues

Big expectations - favorite cookies are burning in the oven. The cat pulled a fish off the counter and the dog ate whole chicken carcass with half of the meat still on it. Nobody calls from overseas. I guess, it's up to me to make a phone call. Little presents under the Christmas tree, while you expected a cadillac. "I gave you a coffeemaker. I know how much you like your coffee." It's time to make coffee in new coffeemaker and relax. Copyright (c) 3/15/2010 Marie Neumann, Pottsville

Relaxation music

The lake waves are slapping sandy beach. They are not seagulls here but big black birds are circling in the air above a water pipe. Something is moving inside. A beautiful black cat is cautiously walking out. His fur is all dusty. I throw him a stick. He sniffs it hopefully. I am sorry, I have nothing for you. Second cat, also black, sleek and slimmer, moves slowly to the daylight. The birds are circling lower now. Oh, kitties, get back! On the other side of the lake deer are watching. Cello is playing. I stop at visitor's booth at the entrance of the park. "They are two cats in the drain pipe by the lake." "Yes, we know about them." The birds are still circling in the hot sky. I do not hear a flute and piccolo. I hear clarinet and oboe instead. 4/12/2010 Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, PA

Therapies

Radioactive mud on rheumatic knees for three weeks. It doesn't take arthritis away, but it helps. Sipping water while strolling colonnade from the mugs with thin spouts. Three weeks at the sea shore. Just relax, swim,take suntan. Eat and dance in the evenings and listen to the cicadas. Eat ice cream and flirt with your eyes. Do not touch. Relax. Hop on the treadmill. Move your limb to the left fifteen times, again to the right, and in the circles. Listen to the music. Ride the bicycle lying on your back and watch the shadows on stain glass. Keep your thinking positive. Watch bumblebees mating high above white bouquets of blooming pear trees. You are right. I do not know anything about pain. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville 4/9/2010

Tomcat

Somebody gave a kitten to my friend. "What gender is my kitten?" "He is a male." An expert farmer declared. "Definitely he is the male." The male kitten grew and did as he pleased. He often wasn't home. Where is he? What do you expect? He is a tomcat. One day the proud cat was walking home with four kittens in the tow. And the cat wasn't their father. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 4/7/2010

M

I worked for A and M business. A stands for agriculture, M is for military. My neighbor is a farmer. Then I must be M. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 4/6/2009

Busybody

Don't ask me questions if you want to be my friend. Do not ask me where I go, and when I shall be back. Don't ask me about my plans. Don't ask what I think. I don't give free rides. Don't ask me about money, or if I have a television. I might think you want to steal them. Don't stalk me in the elevator. I don't want to do my laundry with you, or I will stop thinking it's a washer which eats my socks. Don't ask me what I am writing. It's none of your business. Do you still want to be my friend? You need people in your life, too. Just don't ask me questions. (c) Copyright Marie Neumann Pottsville, 2/20/2009

Marmie

Big, orange cat came to visit in the car three times. First he marked an open door with his whiskers and then carefully stepped in. I was sitting on the driver's seat. He walked over me, hopped down on the floor and ate a few morsels of cat's food spilled on the floor. I was allowed to pet him. Then he walked over me back to the open door and left. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 2/2/2009

Television junkies

Texas farmer found a newborn calf. He took a calf home and nursed it from the bottle. In the evenings they watched TV together. The calf grew into a young cow and have had to move out. The farmer enlarged a window. The cow is now standing outside of the window watching her favorite shows. Copyright (c) 1/1/2010 Pottsville, Marie Neumann

Polar bears - diving

One day morning polar bears woke up, left the cave, didn't pay any attention to the soccer ball in the corner by the fence. They went swimming instead. "How do you dive, Standa?", asked Northern. "Do you prefer forward dives, or feet first? They spent whole day, except meal times, diving from the rock to the pool. They tried to dive with their front paws above the head, with the paws touching, not touching, with the front paws close to the sides of their body. They tried to dive like a knife without any splash, or with as much splash they could create, so the water splashed over the wall and hit the sleeping seals. "What are you doing?" piped the seals but the bears didn't pay any attention. They were busy diving with their feet first, then with front paws touching their knees, trying to roll in the air and dive with their heads first. They dived backwards, with the behind sticking out. It's wander there was still some water left in the pool. They didn't stop until their keeper called them: "Dinner time!" The polar bears were so hungry they gobbled up everything in one gulp and they begged for more. The keeper couldn't refuse. "I shall bring you one more bucket of fish," he promised. Meanwhile children and their parents, aunts, uncles, babysitters, neighbors, teachers grandparents, and other visitors, gathered by the polar bears watching the feeding. The bears were busy shaking water out of their furs, stretching their paws and making eyes: "Please, please, give us some food, we are starving." "I have a ham and cheese sandwich," said little Alexa. "Can I give it to them?" "No," said her father. "Do you see the sign? It says: do not feed polar bears, and look, the keeper is already coming with the buckets full of fish and vitamins." "Vitamins?" giggled Mady. "Do they eat vitamins as we do?" "Of course. They need proper diet. In the nature they feed on seals. Since they can not have seals, they get supplements, like you, your brother and your sisters." This time the bears ate more slowly, chewing their fish and swallowing carefully. "Stop eating so loudly," warned Northern Standa. "Children are watching us. We don't want them to think we don't have any manners." After the meal time the audience left and Northern and Standa were lying on their bellies licking their paws, and doing their manicure. They were cleaning carefully their claws one by one and between and biting off the overgrown claws on their front and back feet. They also cleaned with their claws what was left of fish between their teeth. Meanwhile the Sun went down and yellow, pink and blue streaks of light disappeared. Canadian geese honked their: "Good night" and it was time to sleep. Before Standa curled up in their cave, he said with very sleepy voice: "We had so much fun today. Are we going to dive tomorrow again? and he buried his nose into the fur on his belly and was asleep. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, Summer 2009

The watchful eyes

It's O.K. for now. I need many eyes to watch who is coming, who is going, who lives here, who is just visiting, and who comes in no good. It's O.K. now. I need their eyes. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, Summer 2009

Polar bears - sports

For Christmas Standa received from Brno brand new soccer ball with a letter: "Here is new ball for you, Standa. You don't have to kick it into foxes den again. It scared them, so no wonder, they shredded your ball into pieces." "Try to kick the ball with your hind leg." "I don't have eyes on the back", rambled Standa. The bears had to make their own rules with their four feet and luck of soccer field, so soccer became more like rugby. Sometimes the ball flew over the wall and landed on one of seals noses who tried to get it back over the wall. So, soccer became a volleyball. After a while the seals began whining, they would like to get their own ball, they don't want to wait for the bears lost balls to play. "Oh, can we have nice colorful beach ball instead?" Soon the elephants began to beg for their own ball and Canadian geese asked for bright yellow ball to remain them the color of goslings, dandelions and Spring Sun. Baboons asked for warm winter clothes. The directors of the Zoo found out since the animals were playing the ball there were more visitors with children who liked to watch, and kept buying the balls all kind of colors and sizes. The polar bears didn't loose weight, but they had lot of fun. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann 1/10/10 Pottsville

Polar bears - home

Finally the big day arrived and they let Standa to move to his new quarters. He approached quarters occupied with one bear very cautiously. Nosy seals were jumping high in the air to take a peek at new arrival. If they would have chairs they would sit on them and just stare. Standa stood on the rock with new supply of good fish. It was a code this time. There was a waterfall to clench the thirst. He stood and stood. After a long time something moved in the cave and out came bigger, not much bigger, polar bear. They looked at each other and sniffed the air. "Are you?" "Aren't you?" "Yes, I am." "You are a boy! Do you want a fish?" "Yes." Standa taught Northern how to play marbles, since there was very handy hole in the platform and they played marbles all day long; using pebbles, little rocks, tree cones, pieces of the stick, anything, what they could move with their paws. They were winning and loosing and cheating. They hardly noticed seals and the seals accepted new neighbor. What about multiplying? Who cares! Food and diet The bears, after having good time, sitting on their butts, or sides, whole day long playing marbles and eating, were gaining weight. The veterinarian took a look at them and he said: "It will not take long and these bears will weight a ton." So a veterinarian prescribed a diet. No more big fish like halibut or code. The bears received smelts for breakfast, minnows for lunch and fresh sardines for dinner. Full baskets of them, but they had to pick them one by one with their big clumsy paws. Of course they used their muzzles a lot, just laying on their bellies. It still took hours to fill their stomachs, and they were not losing weight, they were still gaining! It was not so much time for marbles game - and one day they locked them up in their cave and started to build something - a gym! Did you see a polar bear hanging upside down on parallel bars and sliding on the slide directly to the water? "Splash!" Seals gathered around the wall to watch. "Splash! Splash!" Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville 1/5/10

Polar bears -voyage

The trip from Brno was tedious and long. Standa traveled on freight train and he didn't have a comfort of sleeping or dining wagon. His wagon even wasn't heated. He didn't mind. He had his cage and a whole barrel of fish to eat. They were fresh first day, second day they were not fresh anymore, and the third day they were not good, but the third day was Standa already in Hamburg, Germany. In Hamburg they boarded, with the help of lift, the boat. The bear and his keeper were left on the deck. Standa enjoyed his voyage immensely. The keeper looked grumpy, cold and miserable. Standa loved an ocean on the first sight with its waves, seagulls and fish. He admired sunsets (he always missed sunrises because he slept), flying fish, dolphins, whales...They fed him very well with fish freshly caught in the ocean. He could taste squid, Atlantic cod, turbots, brills, topknots, megrims, flounders, dobs, soles, kingfish, salmons, tuna, herring, Atlantic torpedo. chevy octopus, dogfish and catfish. The sailfish landed on his nose once. By the end of the trip his belly looked like marching band's the biggest drum. After a week the boat reached the harbor, and Standa was, somehow, looking forward to meet his bride. "I hope she will be not too bossy. In that case I would prefer to be transferred to another zoo." A veterenian, a new keeper and a driver were already waiting in the harbor. They lowered the cage with the polar bear into the truck and served him fresh, still alive, halibut. Standa had to catch the fish couple times, and, oh my, it was delicious! He didn't have much time to say Good bye to his Czech keeper. Standa's cage was secured on the back of the pick up truck. New York looked bigger then Brno, and also noisier. The bear closed his eyes, flatenned himself on the bottom of his cage; he felt sick. He didn't opened them until he felt a wind whistling around his ears, eyes and nose on highway. It was a long trip. The vet and keeper were worried, since he came from milder climate, the bear will not catch a cold, so they put a blanket over the cage. The blanket blocked his view, so Standa tore it here and there with his claws - and the blanket flew in the air and off the highway to the snowy fields. They stopped couple times to feed him a fish and they had to use a restroom - not Standa - Standa went to the corner of his cage - he didn't eat his fish, because he didn't feel well. After several hours they arrived to the city zoo. The air was much colder. There was snow. He remembered snow from Brno. All animals were white, except Canadian geese, grey elephants - and baboons. They kept him separate from his bride in quarantine for a while, so he could calm down. "What I will do with her?" He also went for a checkup, but he was asleep. so he didn't remember anything. He knew he was healthy so he couldn't understand a slight disappointment - and then smiles...

Polar bears

Polar bear was lonely and being lonely for long isn't good even for polar bears, so people from the zoo did some thinking and money counting, and they decided to get another polar bear. They wrote a letter to Philadelphia zoo where they had a young female bear. The answer came: she is too young, so she isn't suitable for such an old grouch like Northern. So people from the zoo sent e-mails to other zoo's. Second day there was an answer from the zoo in Brno, Czech Republic. Yes, they have Standa, and Standa will be just right company for Northern; the bear is for sale, and a bill was also pleasant. Both zoo's agreed and a preparation for Standa's voyage began. Standa's housekeeper packed a birth certificate, list of shots, allergies (none), and a list of favorite foods. Northern zoo didn't have to do anything. Polar bear quarters were big enough to accommodate two bears and they can get enough of fish for both of them - no seals. "The Northern zoo will pay shipping and handling." "No, Northern zoo will pay shipping and a round trip for Brno's keeper to do handling from Brno to New York port. So Standa and his keeper received a train ticket from Brno to Hamburg and a boat ticket from Hamburg to New York. Northern zoo even paid for brand new cage. So Standa departed. No one missed him. Board of director's of the Brno's zoo told him to write a letter after arrival. Of course the bears do not know how to write, so they didn't expected one. Copyright (c) January 2010 Pottsville, Marie Neumann

Shadow

We have shadows. We know it. So we don't pay attention to it. We move, our shadow moves. We stay in one spot, the shadow lays at our feet like a dog. Come with me my shadow, don't linger. You suppose to follow me and not go window shopping. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 2009

X-rays

My x-rays are on the gray market for sale. Buy them, use them! They are cheap. In some houses they have black lungs x-rays. Buy them, steel them! They pay more. They pay much more than x-rays of my right foot. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville 1/7/09

Violets are blue

roses are red, the black crow is eating old bread. The sky is gray, the ground is brown, I was born a clown. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 2008

Reincarnation of a small pot

When we moved to the United States, one friendly family brought to us a small saucepan. It wasn't new. We used it every day: to boil water for coffee, to boil the eggs, for heating one can of spagettious, ravioli, or spaghetti with meatballs. We cooked many other things in this pot. We never returned little saucepan back. It travelled with me from Pennsylvania to Texas. White layer of minerals replaced original non-sticking coat. The cat liked to drink water purchased in the store from it. It tasted better than water from the wells too rich on minerals. I brought little saucepan with me back to Pennsylvania. I looked at it when I was unpacking. It wasn't brown anymore, the bottom bulged, so it began to dance on the stove. The saucepan was all worn out. It's cooking carier was over. It has a little hole in the holder, so I used it for a string and suspended little saucepan from the knocker on the door. Little saucepan serves now as the knocker. I hope one day there will be somebody who will use it and I will be coming to open the door smiling. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann 2/2/2010

Umbrella

I delivered newspaper in Port Carbon. I was on the third street. It's called Shantytown. I had one address: Austin Drive. What is Austin Drive doing in Port Carbon? I was looking for the street, I asked people, I even stopped at Borrow Hall. It was somewhere there. I came back to look for an address. It was raining hard and I was third time on 3rd street. There was a confederate flag hanging on the garage. So I new I was close. I stepped out of the car, planning to go on foot, I opened my beautiful, expensive umbrella, with the white clouds on the blue sky. Suddenly the wind blew, turned upside down the umbrella and broke it - and it stopped blowing. It still rained, but there was stillness in the air. I wrote down the address wasn't in my area - and left. My supervisor found the house later. She said: it's kind of spooky there. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Port Carbon, 2/2/2009

Immigrant

I am an immigrant. What do you want from me? I am the immigrant with long family tradition. My grandfather was an immigrant. My father was an immigrant, and I am also one. For variety each of us picked different country. My grandfather left and my father came back. I left, and so far, didn't come back. I am also a citizen of a country, where I am now, and I feel like one. Some people still call me the immigrant. When I am cheeky I answer: We all are a nation of immigrants - except - - of course - Indians. It's New Year, so I propose a wish: Good health to all immigrants, and Happy New Year! Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 1/4/09

A doll

Once I had a doll with porcelain head and stuffed body. The doll could open and close its eyes. The doll didn't last long. I wanted to know what kind stuffing was used for this particular doll. So I played a doctor. What kind stuffing? I do not remember anymore. I wasn't able to reverse my deed. My sisters called me a wrecker and refused to do repair, or buy me another one. No more dolls for Marie, the wrecker. I discovered an eye mechanism, too. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville,12/29/09

Beginnings & endings

I have to hem a skirt, which is too long. Where is the beginning? Where is the end? They are two seems. One will be the beginning, second seem is in the middle and the ending is at the beginning. It's a circle. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville 1/1/2010

Dog's poop

My sister and her friend walked one sunny fall afternoon to help to clean closed down allotment gardens. They found and dug out bulbs of all kind of plants. Her friend had a back yard garden with some flower beds, so they were very pleased with their findings, and it was time to return back home. They boarded tram with their plastic bags and took a place on the back platform. After a while they began to sniff and sister's friend says: "I smell something. Do you smell something also?" And after a while: "It stinks like dog's poop." They sniffed the content of their bags, but it was O.K. They sniffed follow travelers but they were also O.K. Finally they began to sniff each other until her friend discovered a dog's poop on her shoe. They had to get out off the tram. The friend cleaned her shoe very carefully until the shoe was free of smell, and everything was O.K. again. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, New Year's Eve 2009

Taxi Continued

you have to go." Eventually I found out the town recently has no Taxi service, but old phone books have mine phone number under Taxi. For a while I was playing with the idea to take Taxi Service as my second, evening job, but my common sense talked me out of it. "Girl, don't be dummy, you are capable get lost everywhere, and now you want to deliver people in the area you are not familiar with." So I started to talk to people and tried to pursue them, that this town definitely has a market for Taxi Service, so the town should do something about it. Into the phone I patiently explained: the town doesn't have any taxi service right now, and I am very sorry for inconvenience, and I was thinking: Oh, boys, you will have to walk tonight, when I went to make myself a tea. The last taxi phone I received at 6.30 in the morning on Christmas Day. It was freezing outside and icy, unusual whether for Texas. Young lady asked me to take her to the airport - about two hours of fast ride from town. Young lady was desperate. I told her I am sorry, she has an old phone book and I can not help her,