I have been trying my hand at poetry for fun, encouraged by friends of mine who (gulp) write a poem every day! This I accomplished for a short while before life got in the way. I call my poems "badpoems," because that way I don't have the pressure of making them good.

Children, don't try this at home.

More accurately, they are "fastpoems" because I write them in 30 minutes in the morning before breakfast but after coffee. It is very much a matter of seeing what comes into my head at that time then trying to make something of it.

In honor of fall, Halloween-to-Holidays, here is "Ghosts and Angels."

I repurposed the tissue-paper ghosts

As angels

By adding cardboard wings.

Their eyes and mouths are only dots of ink,

But I splurged on their voices.

I hired June Foray.

My angels are not aloof like Mary Oliver’s.

In fact, they will perch on your shoulder

And provide advice

While they await their devil companions.