.

Fake Sales

“Fifty Percent Off”
The store signs all say,
But I have to scoff—
There is simply no way
That the clothes I picked out
From the “sale” in that store,
Were—on this there’s no doubt—
Ever one penny more.

.

.

Didn’t Look There

I looked everywhere,
But it was no place,
Except for right there—
In front of my face.

.

.

Parents’ Love

As small kids everywhere they went
_Were places we had planned.
We’re proud of all they got to do,
_But they don’t understand.

The food they ate was good and fresh
_With little thawed or canned.
We’re proud they often got the best,
_But they can’t understand.

Their teams played games in places
_Spread out all across the land.
We’re proud we made that possible,
_But they won’t understand.

The schools that they selected
_We all visited firsthand,
We’re proud they had such choices,
_But they cannot understand.

We’re proud of all they have achieved,
_How awesomely they’ve grown.
Our love they’ll understand once they
_Have children of their own.

.

.

Russel Winick recently started writing poetry after ending a long legal career. He resides in Naperville, Illinois.

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24 Responses

  1. Roy Eugene Peterson

    1. “Fake Sales” are something of which I have been aware for a long time much like going out of business sales lasting years. Good take.
    2. “Didn’t Look There” is something most of us have done. Hiding in plain sight befuddles us and may be the last place we look.
    3. “Parents’ Love” is a great parents’ lament about all that we have given that has future reward as long as we are patient and continue the love. Then we have the last laugh.
    As always, your poems are fun and filled with wisdom.

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      Thank you Roy. I like your comment about “Parents’ Love” more than I like the poem itself!

      Reply
  2. Paul A. Freeman

    Three little gems, Russel.

    When I go around marking students’ work, I often fold up my glasses, lodge them above my top shirt button and amuse the students when I ask, “Has anyone seen my glasses?”

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      Thank you Paul. I trust that your students enjoy much more than just that about you!

      Reply
      • Paul A. Freeman

        I don’t know why you always have to reply with a snide, cruel comment, but if it helps you through the day, good luck to you.

      • Russel Winick

        Paul – I’ve communicated with you very few times, and my comment here was intended solely (and I assumed obviously) as a compliment – i.e., the implication that you are an excellent and popular teacher. Similarly, my previous communication to you offered congratulations for a publication. So I’m afraid that I’m completely unable to understand your last message, and I wonder if it was meant for somebody else. If it was not, I certainly regret that you thought I was trying to be anything other than complimentary, as I assure you that was not the case.

  4. Anna J. Arredondo

    Russel, the observation in “Parents’ Love” is well-captured and so, so true. I always thought I appreciated and loved my parents. But within just the first few weeks of being a new mom, my eyes were opened and I was enlightened and flooded with love and appreciation for my parents (especially my mom) like never before. And that appreciation has just kept growing as my kids grow…

    Reply
  5. Cheryl A Corey

    Ironically, “Didn’t Look There”, for all of its brevity, gave me a good laugh.

    Reply
  7. Margaret Coats

    Truth and wisdom condensed and rhymed, Russel. Like Anna, I understand about my parents. Though my children don’t have children of their own, they are old enough and wise enough to express appreciation.

    There’s another thing about those lost items. Whether found in plain sight or at the bottom of my bag, they are ALWAYS in the LAST place I look!

    Reply
  9. Ivy Joew

    I read and enjoyed down to the penultimate line, where “Our love” precedes “they’ll understand” for no apparent reason, such as metrical restraints. The fronting of the object in the otherwise syntactically conventional poem wasn’t worth the potential added emphasis.

    Reply
  10. Warren Bonham

    All of these were great, but I particularly liked Parents’ Love. My kids aren’t yet at the stage where they understand (no grandkids yet), but this poem does remind me that I need to phone my Mother this weekend and let her know that I understand.

    Reply
  11. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    Russell, I am always drawn to your poetic wisdom, and I have thoroughly enjoyed all three of these sagacious gems. I especially like “Parents’ Love”. Having spent a beautiful Thanksgiving with my son (a father to my gorgeously challenging two-year-old granddaughter) our relationship has veered into realms of wonder I didn’t think possible when he was a teenager. Great stuff!

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      It’s always special to please SCP’s Poet Laureate. Thank you Susan. So glad to hear that you are getting better!

      Reply

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