Transfixed
A Dior-clad skeleton, lipstick perfect,
brilliant specimen advertising disaster
relief while illustrating famine effects
A self-centred fashion icon starving to
death in an attempt to stay fatally slim
dying in two or three weeks at least
Keeping to a masochistic regime, she
shall be dead soon; I stare transfixed
such a fate could never befall me
I top up all ‘faux pas’ in food intolerance
management diet by adding more food-
stuffs to keep liver and kidneys busy
Leaving insufficient time to process the
allergens, lessening physical and
emotional distress
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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Leaving Me Space (Revised)
Of course I was wrong; the gods had
more trials for me after the successful
completion of my urgent documents,
Tonight my daughter kindly advised my
contribution to discussion of her friend's
driving mishaps was unwelcome -
I only wanted them to leave so I could
watch a romantic thriller on television -
but nobody moved, so I left instead
I‘ll want to watch it uninterrupted
fairly soon - it is beyond me why they
cannot quietly leave now
They should calm down, hold a different
conversation leaving me space too - or
let me watch wilting romance in peace
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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Dance With Nutcracker Prince
My guru recommends positive, joyous
anticipation, promising the universe is
abundant; it struck me that on October
the tenth I ordered a Nutcracker ballet
DVD with Mikhail Baryshnikov, no less,
in the leading role, and it is already the
twenty-sixth
I had better do research as to why the
dear Mr Plaatjes in charge of my quest
has not produced the desired DVD as
yet, given that he is the hands through
which the universe will provide - and I
am the orchestrator who said I wanted
to watch
The Sugar Plum Fairy dance the grand
pas de deux with the Nutcracker Prince
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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A Living Sundial
Man, the living sundial, blood changing just
before sunrise and living life within three
rhythmic cycles - earth’s daily turning on
an axis, the moon monthly orbiting earth,
the yearly earth journey around the sun
Pulse, temperature, hormones, blood pressure
and breathing rise and fall in tandem with the
world’s spin – since ability, temper and resis-
tance to infection are controlled by all these
rhythms and sunlight spurs hypothalamus
action which stimulates hormones -
It explains why date of conception has such
a huge influence on temperament
and attitude!
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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Become a Machine
Tonight I am worried about not knowing
what to worry about most, my computer’s
malfunction at the office on Friday, my twin
sis alone in the world - she says God shall
provide and I must trust that He will
My daughter’s exam - maths - tomorrow,
my anger when my son did not answer
his phone – being uncertain is the most
worrying thing of them all; I suspect that
early tomorrow morning I shall find
That I should have worried about my inability
to become a machine - computing numbers
and facts without any concern about what
life’s priorities should have been….
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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In Love Ever-Lasting
Love cannot be a profitable
concept exploited for money
while true affection can come
into being through dedication
sacrificing various things for it
If a ‘beloved' does not require
anything from a claimant, love
is non-existent; only once we
know how much we gave for
something can we claim
True love; devotion, like trust
requires work to be immortal
spontaneous love for the sun
& people by showing conside-
ration, abounds like sand
Loyal love tested and purged
through experience is rare -
[...] Read more
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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Melodic Themes
A beautiful stained glass cathedral lamp,
a white heart-motive decorated book stand,
silver wire containers covered in silk and
elegant roses, classic journals with velvet
and leather covers and textured pages -
inspiring dreams of unique first editions
Yet I came home with Fantasia, orchestral
sound producing beautiful pictures through
Chladni’s figures; material objects being
frozen manifestations of sound patterns -
ideas and dreams expressed in melodic
themes – creating the visible world
As a series of fossilised moments in an
eternal process of infinite becoming…
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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Shrinking (Revised)
Why does a conversational ploy that charms
one colleague fall flat on its face for others?
When I enact a little tragi-comedy for Hanlie
she embroiders the tales I tell, brings out the
hidden glitter in every situation and adds joy
by weaving her wan spell -
but when I share the same anecdote with
other colleagues my story loses its appeal,
I feel guilt and fatigue, and the story shrivels
up and dies; a more robust, feisty colleague
simply kills the story by pulling down corners
of her mouth -
thus, with Hanlie on leave, I already know
why life at work keeps shrinking
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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Infinitive of Rire
After conjugating verbs in French class
seeking the infinitive of rire, nous riions,
but we did not laugh because we watched
a French film noire
A romantic series of pictures ending with a
lover telling his girlfriend never come back,
ne reviens pas - that is why I love you so
much, you are always loving
I feel safe with you, my youth was without
certainty and you arrived like a ship in a
storm, today I trust more people than ever
before and you taught me this
Thank you for the discipline you brought into
my bohemian existence so that I always feel
safe in an ever-changing world
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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Sweet Repose
Everything served as stepping stones, I am not
grieving as the end appeared to be a new be-
ginning; a higher flight, more enchanting delight,
no fear at all, this deep dream unique cannot let
me fall as the silver chord and golden thread
weave in patterns of meaning eluding me still,
but beckoning more beautiful then ever before,
a masterful voice uttering words so choice, my
soul responds, my heart rejoice, my mind be-
calmed makes me see the sweet repose that
used to seem completely out of reach: if it is
there, if it is calling; I can follow because
I know where the doorway is….
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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