The Reading Room

I’ve written and I’ve read
from a chair to a bed,
keeping stories in my head
for those who have said,
I must discover what’s ahead;
I’ll need memories to spread
for that day when I am...
Gone.

I’ve listened to music night and day,
and gone to concerts far away,
morning, nighttime, matinee;
I’ve followed some along the way,
watching them sing and play,
until I finally hear them say
that they remember...
Me.

I’ve been lost and I’ve been found,
waiting to become renowned
for my poetry profound;
rhymes I give to those around
me, whom I hope to astound,
and maybe even dumbfound,
with each and every...
Word.

With my poetry book I took aim,
achieving some small acclaim,
drawing attention to my name;
though falling short of any fame,
I believe I overcame
any hesitation to explain
the poetic story of my...
Life.

However, I never did assume,
nor did I dare to presume,
that a special singer/songwriter, whom
I admired night and noon,
would put my book in his reading room!
I’m in Ellis Paul’s bathroom!
Don’t forget to wash your hands, and...
Thanks!!

Lora Frikken ~ 12-27-03

Hunger...

Longing, yearning, desire,
flesh and blood on fire;
Needing, wanting, require,
heart and soul inspire
The Hunger...

Giving, taking, delight,
seeking to reunite;
Thirsting, tasting, excite,
tonight and every night
It is Hunger...

Unthinking, unending, more,
flowing from shore to shore;
Consuming, drowning, reservoir,
opening and closing the door
Of our Hunger...

Driving each other to despair,
when one ceases to care;
Falling back into thin air,
lost until you dare
To Hunger...

Lora Frikken ~ 12-26-03

Whisper

Shhh! A lady does not shout,
Nor does she dash about;
She must remain aloof,
Not shake the very roof!

A lady must refrain
From anything profane;
Her voice always sweet,
Delicate and discreet.

A lady will never find
A gentleman so refined;
If she is harsh and shrill
It won’t give him a thrill!

A lady will pass the test
If she follows this request:
Whisper often, but don’t be surprised
If no one knows how you really feel inside!

Lora Frikken ~ 12-13-03

Rich Promises

Your promise of love arrived amid the glistening snow;
Your words were like tinkling silver bells all aglow;

To live with you forever in a world of constant desire;
To know the kind of love the world would long admire;

Your affection would sustain us through the coming years;
Your simple words of promise were sealed with your tears;

To acknowledge your gift of love, so filled with hope;
To accept your pledge of mere promises, would make me a dope!

I asked you for a diamond ring, a trip to Rome, and more;
But all you bring me are rich promises! Honey, there’s the door!

Lora Frikken ~ 11-30-03

Crystal Dreams

My wishes will all come true...
What I desire will be mine...

Revelations are found in unlikely places,
In a store where unusual faces
appear before me.

A small man, old, walking with a cane,
back bent as though in pain,
looks up at me.

At first, his eyes appear blank and dim,
but they are lit from within
when he smiles at me.

I hear his thoughts, I hear him say,
“You will have what you have wanted,
what you wish for, it will come to you.”

I notice there is a woman, silently near,
not wanting to interfere,
standing quietly.

She is very beautiful, average in height,
her hair nearly white;
she touches me.

Her smile is wonderful, peaceful and wise,
she looks into my eyes
and I see

The irises of her eyes are as clear as crystal,
like a sparkling waterfall,
a mystery.

I know she is blind, but she ‘sees’ me;
she sets my heart free;
she is the key.

Her words seem to be spoken aloud,
“You will have what you wish for;
your desires will be fulfilled.”

I stare deeply into her fathomless eyes;
the light never dies,
magically.

The lines in her irises look like crystal waves on the sea;
she stands so close to me
I can see...she is me!

“I will have all that I wish for;
all I desire will come true.”
I finally knew...

Lora Frikken ~ 11-29-03

Id Versus Ego
(for Kate)

If it isn’t my ‘id,’ then what is it?
I thought I had inherited these ways!
I’m impulsive and anal and deliberate,
Safe to say, there’s no need to paraphrase!

When my psyche tells me, “Do this now!”
Should I attempt to make myself stop?
Or proceed as my conscience will allow,
While obeying my ‘id’ until I drop!

Then, of course, there’s this pesky ‘ego,’
Always worrying about who said what!
So concerned about what seems apropos;
Yet somehow always landing me in a rut!

Now the way I see my life is a mystery:
It’s me against the world to the bitter end!
With my psyche safely under lock and key,
My ‘ego’ and ‘id’ will soon become friends!

Lora Frikken ~ 7-27-02

The Romantic Superego!

Sure! I can do that! I could be a doctor or a nurse;
Couldn't hurt to try, after all, there are things that could be worse!
I know that I could be an actor, or maybe a writer, or even a poet!
Okay, don't laugh, I get the picture, I should stick to reading and I know it!

If it weren't for this conscience of mine, directing and misdirecting;
I might not be so starry-eyed, and optimistically forgetting,
That it's my Superego causing me to behave this way, I fear;
And that, my friends, is no ideal way for me to find a useful career!

If I restrain myself, stay calm for a time, and learn to think more clearly;
I certainly do believe I can find something to occupy my mind all year-ly!
All right, so possibly that was my clue to learn to be a better grammarian.
Or perhaps I could help save mankind; does it pay much to be a humanitarian?

I suppose we each have a battle with our conscience, now and then;
I just wish that I could find a way to justify my behavior in the end!
This thing called Superego seems to have taken over my every thought;
So for today I'll escape reality; I'm off to my home in Camelot!

Lora Frikken ~ 9-8-02

E-Friends

Jokes, games, cyberinformation...
How did we ever manage without this fascination?

Friends, family, distant relations...
Email flying back and forth, so much conversation!

Viruses, links, program registrations...
Then the comp freezes up, causing such frustrations!

*LOL*...*S* and *BTW*...with variations...
I wonder whoever thought up so many abbreviations!

Chat rooms and online dating, made for flirtation...
You can always find a place to email your imagination!

Email here, email there, easy communication...
Waiting for you to answer my message with great anticipation!

Lora Frikken ~ 11-19-02

Twenty Lines...

What can you say in twenty lines of verse,
When it doesn't even have to rhyme?
No choice of it being profuse or terse,
But at least I can still take my time!

Should I tell a story about someone I love,
Or describe some moment in the day?
The trick of this, when push comes to shove,
Is squeezing it into a twenty-line display!

Shall I be witty, or dejected, or profound,
As I begin my poetry or prose?
You know, I might even become a bit renowned,
As long as I don't overdose on verbose!

How can I create (and I'm whining here),
When there are so few lines to use?
Speaking simply, and yet being quite sincere:
Why do I have to pick and choose?

Was I really aware of all that I had done;
Was I actually deciding my fate?
My ending has arrived before I have begun!
This is it! Twenty lines! Oh great!

Lora Frikken ~ 2001

Tintype Reflections

Fading...nearly faded away...
Such serious countenances:

Was everyday life so difficult
that smiles were impossible to find;
or did you reserve your laughter
for private moments, when unconfined?
Did you love to write, or did you draw,
or was it for music that you pined?
Were your thoughts just like this tintype;
and were your dreams similarly colorblind?
Were women truly taught to be silent;
did they live their lives sadly resigned?
Could men have been so domineering,
or where they often elegant and refined?

Life fading...faded and gone...
How very austere and reserved:

When you were alone with one another,
did you speak openly of love and romance;
or did you hide away all emotion,
denying all, due to life's circumstance?
How did you manage to exist day by day;
were you happy, or did you leave life to chance?
Would your serious demeanor ever change;
could you come alive at a loving glance?
Now I wonder: Would you have liked my world;
would you think these times so very advanced?
And if I could take your picture to make a memory,
would you stand unsmiling, still trapped within your trance?

Lora Frikken ~ Begun 8-19-01 and finished 2-8-03

Wanderers

Will you travel with me to far-away lands,
Walking by my side wherever we roam;
Wandering the streets and shops of the world,
Never once pausing to think of home?

Hold my hand and share the joys of the day,
While we speak of our plans and our schemes;
Then at night as we gather our treasures near,
We will whisper of unfulfilled dreams.

To share each memory of the day with you,
I will worship your body and your mind;
As we lie among the gifts of our hearts,
Each evening more treasures you will find.

Run away with me to lands old and new,
On a journey throughout time and place;
Each moment we share will find us anew,
Traveling a pathway only true love can trace.

Lora Frikken ~ 6-1-02

Watercolor Clouds
(Written as a visual: misty clouds surrounding an island)

Are they merely a reflection,
Brought about by fading mists;
Or are they complete perfection,
These clouds in water, which coexist?

Iridescent showers of droplets,
Shimmer over rocks and trees;
Between the sunrise and sunset,
Coming to life on a gentle breeze.

An island adrift among clouds;
A world turned upside-down.
How much time will be allowed
Before it all slips away and drowns?

As the harsh light of day interferes,
And the watery clouds begin to fade,
Once more this land will disappear,
Concealing its magical world of jade.

Lora Frikken ~ 11-4-02

And You Want ME To Go First?
(Written as a visual: a mysterious door to ??)

If you think I am going to open up that door,
Then you'd better think again, my dear!
Have YOU ever been through that door before?
No? Then you can be the very first volunteer!

What if there is a monster or a giant;
Do you want me to be torn to shreds?
Well, since you are so brave and self-reliant,
You go first and I will sit and watch instead!

Who cares if you think it's all quite pretty;
You can't just walk through any door you see!
If things go badly for us, it would be a real pity;
We might end up stuck in some scary mystery!

Okay, there's a possibility I might be mistaken,
True...heaven could be waiting on the other side!
But rather than end up lost and quite forsaken,
You go through first, then maybe I'll decide!

You know, I thought I heard a very faint knock!
By the way, are we on the inside or the out?
And I think it's time you told me, Mr. Hitchcock,
Is this all for real, or are you trying to psych me out?

Lora Frikken ~ 1-28-03