PROMPT #154 – “IT COULD BE WORSE”: GUEST HOST – PAMELA SMYK CLEARY

One of my favorite poets on these sites we frequent hails from the great state of Connecticut, a small state that holds the big vision of my Guest Host – Pamela Smyk Cleary (PSC in CT).

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POET and IMAGE ARTIST PSC in CT’s Selfie
(Pamela Smyk Cleary)

Pamela Smyk Cleary was born & raised in the small, but beautiful, state of CT (U.S.A.) where she currently resides with her husband – a handsome & talented actor/retired Math teacher.  A faithful “practitioner of poetry” throughout grade school, high school and college, Pamela (you may know her as ‘PSC in CT’ – or simply PSC – which is quicker & easier to type) eventually graduated, got a real job, and fell into an extended period of ‘poetic hibernation’. 

After almost 25 years as an Information Technology professional, she was given the opportunity to step away from that career – a step she took happily (& with great enthusiasm) to take up yoga, and spend time hiking, biking & bird watching.   Shortly thereafter, thanks to Robert Lee Brewer’s Poetic Asides Poem-A-Day Challenges, she re-awakened her narcoleptic muse and connected with a number of talented ‘poetry peeps’ – many of whom are also “Creative Bloomers”.  Despite her low profile, some of her poetry has managed to find its way into print (or bits & bytes) in such places as Poetic Bloomings the first year, A Blackbird Sings (a book of short poems), Beyond the Dark Room, Sprout, Enhance, Every Day Poets, Long River Run, and Umbrella Online Poetry Journal.  Additionally, she has recited several of her poems (albeit reluctantly) before a live audience at Hi5netTV’s “First Thursday” performances in Woodbury, CT. 

At the present time, PSC’s favorite pastime is traipsing a nearby walking trail that meanders along a local river and reservoir.  Her current ‘occupation’ (a labor of love) is best described as “keeper of the trail”, as she long ago adopted the habit of picking up litter on her rambling walks.  (It’s not uncommon for her to collect up several bags of trash during a single jaunt, and local residents consider her both an inspiration and/or a nutcase – depending on who you ask.)  Currently, she is ‘supervising spring’ (see: http://wanponpopix.blogspot.com/2012/04/supervising-spring.html), although the job is a year round position and offers numerous benefits.  Many of the poems and photographs that are gathered along these walks – or while kayaking the waterway – eventually find their way onto her blog.

Feel free (if you are so inclined) to drop by her site “Wander, Ponder, Poems & Pics” @ http://wanponpopix.blogspot.com/ to saunter with her for a while.  She’d love the company!

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PROMPT #154 – “IT COULD BE WORSE” – Somethings go without saying. And sometimes there isn’t a right time to say the obvious. Think of  about seven (7) of the worst things you could say to someone who was just dumped. Make three of them the first lines on a three (3) stanza poem on the subject!

WALT’S FAUX PAX:

GOING, GOING, GONE

She doesn’t deserve you.
You’ve got a good heart,
but you start to obsess
and I guess you can be a little much sometimes.

You’re better off without her.
She’s got a good heart, and
her propensity for intensity
gives the impression she’ll never get enough loving!

On second thought, you don’t deserve her.
You can be a jerk sometimes
and I’m on the prowl to make a play.
So I guess she’ll be free this Saturday?

(C) Copyright Walter J Wojtanik – 2014

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PAMELA’S THOUGHT:

I FEEL YOUR PAIN

“At least he waited ‘til after your birthday.”
“And you’re too good for him anyway.”
“In my honest opinion the man’s too lazy” and
“His whole family? Totally crazy!”

“Think of my future grand-kids”, she said.
“His children are sure to be slender and tall.
In family photos beside all their cousins –
your sister’s kids will seem chubby and small.”

I knew if her “nurturing chatter” persisted
my sister & I would forever be scarred;
but it didn’t feel right to just haul off and hit her,
so I didn’t hit Mom (very hard).

(C) Copyright PSC/2014