# Amber Alert



## Chesters Daughter (Dec 9, 2014)

This year,
my table's down two.
What's a mom to do
save to caress
empty bronze shoes
and watch red and green
take on a blue hue.


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## Arcopitcairn (Dec 9, 2014)

"empty bronze shoes"

Compelling and sad. Nice job.


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## Nellie (Dec 9, 2014)

Chester's Daughter said:


> This year,
> my table's down two.
> What's a mom to do
> save to caress
> ...



Welcome to a life with grown kids.  Nice poem, tho.


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## joshybo (Dec 9, 2014)

Very well written and emotional.  I'm not looking forward to those days.


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## Gumby (Dec 9, 2014)

Sis, I think this is a first for you? I've never seen you write such a short one, and it's such a good one, too. Just lovely. 

For me, those last two words, blue hue, immediately brought the words boo hoo, as in crying to my mind. What a neat trick that was!  Clever girl.


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## Firemajic (Dec 10, 2014)

I fell madly in love with this poignant poem. As Gumby said, this is a new one for you, and I must confess--You rocked this to the max. Each word--perfection. Thanks.  Peace always...Julia


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## aj47 (Dec 10, 2014)

You know if I find a nit, I have to pick it.  It's who I am.

Didn't find any here.   

Excellent work.  And incredibly dense with meaning.  The texture of pound cake rather than angel-food.  Love it!


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## tiphhhhh (Dec 12, 2014)

Both beautiful and heartbreaking.


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## Deleted member 56014 (Dec 13, 2014)

I like this kind of poems, where few is all. Good job finding the right words to describe what you feel, without need for fillers.


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## Blade (Dec 13, 2014)

Very touching and true, the last line is amazing.

I must say the title threw me at first. I first thought 'amber alert' as a kidnapping as i heard on the news this morning but i guess technically it is 'missing persons'.#-o


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## Fats Velvet (Dec 14, 2014)

Touching.


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## escorial (Dec 15, 2014)

short,compelling and choked with raw emotion....got to say poetry written this way is simply the best.


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## Chesters Daughter (Dec 16, 2014)

I  apologize profusely for the delay. My computer is comatose for good, and Nico stole my D key so now I have to shove my finger in a hole and depress again and again to get me a D. Do you know how many D's are necessary to write a sentence? Ugh. It just took me almost an hour to get this far between unresponsive and D digging. Santa better make his way to my house first this year, no matter how naughty I've been, or there will be repercussions of the lethal kind. I'd rather have an arm amputated than struggle to surf. Ugh. There are many pieces I want to reply to, but using this thing is so frustrating. I'm going to start handing out likes so at least people know I'm reading their work. Nine days of torture left. Appreciate everyone's consideration. Infinite thanks to all for reading and taking the time to reply.



Arcopitcairn said:


> "empty bronze shoes"
> 
> Compelling and sad. Nice job.



I was pouting at the dining table, with my chin resting on my hand and looking at the newly hung Christmas stuff when my husband plunked a memory on the table. My eldest was pigeon-toed and had to wear open toed baby shoes attached to a jointed brace while he slept. At that moment, this piece was born. Bronze shoes were a better choice than blah blah blah brace, blah blah blah, you know, my usual, lol. 




Nellie said:


> Welcome to a life with grown kids.  Nice poem, tho.



Thank you, Cindy. I usually growl away the things that disturb me, but not having my two eldest for the holidays for the very first time is really bothering me. It feels so foreign and I can't seem to shake it. Wonder what will happen when the two youngest abandon the nest. Won't be pretty, I'm sure. Rotten kids making me feel stuff, lol.



joshybo said:


> Very well written and emotional.  I'm not looking forward to those days.



You want them to fly the coop, but when they do, you feel like poop. Appreciate the nod, dear, truly. I've been enjoying your work and I'm elated you liked one of mine.



Gumby said:


> Sis, I think this is a first for you? I've never seen you write such a short one, and it's such a good one, too. Just lovely.
> 
> For me, those last two words, blue hue, immediately brought the words boo hoo, as in crying to my mind. What a neat trick that was!  Clever girl.



You got the boo-hoo! Thank you, thank you, thank you, my dear Sis. I thought it would go unnoticed. This is actually my second shorty. My first stab at it actually won the poetry challenge. One would think I would take the hint and stop writing fifteen stanza rambles, lol. Hugs for Cin.



Firemajic said:


> I fell madly in love with this poignant poem. As Gumby said, this is a new one for you, and I must confess--You rocked this to the max. Each word--perfection. Thanks.  Peace always...Julia



Danke, Jul. So few words that took a good two days to string together. Elated you loved, love. Means a lot to me.



astroannie said:


> You know if I find a nit, I have to pick it.  It's who I am.
> 
> Didn't find any here.
> 
> Excellent work.  And incredibly dense with meaning.  The texture of pound cake rather than angel-food.  Love it!



I'm framing this. That's all I got, save for some hugs for Ms. A.



tiphhhhh said:


> Both beautiful and heartbreaking.



Many thanks, dear, and welcome to the forums! Read some of yours, am happy you've joined us.



bspn said:


> I like this kind of poems, where few is all. Good job finding the right words to describe what you feel, without need for fillers.



If I were pet food, I'd be pulled from the shelves for being 99% filler. I'm a serial abuser of padding, so your words are music to my ears, eyes, you know what I mean. Thank you ever so much.



Blade said:


> Very touching and true, the last line is amazing.
> 
> I must say the title threw me at first. I first thought 'amber alert' as a kidnapping as i heard on the news this morning but i guess technically it is 'missing persons'.#-o



Amber alert was actually named for Amber Hagerman after she was snatched in Texas in 1996 and found murdered four days later. To be honest, I mulled over whether or not to use it for an entire day as I didn't want to make light of its official purpose. I don't know how people who lose a child to abduction survive. I could not. In the end, I used it to tie into the colors, but I'm not sure if I'll keep it. Trying to come up with something else out of respect for the actual purpose of an amber alert, but titles are my bane. Any suggestions would be welcome. Pleased as punch that you liked that last line, hon.



Fats Velvet said:


> Touching.



A million thanks, kind sir. Means a good deal coming from one I admire so much.



escorial said:


> short,compelling and choked with raw emotion....got to say poetry written this way is simply the best.



Have you no mercy, oh King of brevity? We all know I can't do short to save my life, and this is probably just a fluke, lol. Truly appreciate the nod, love.


My gratitude to all for sharing your precious moments with me, especially given the season. May your red and green shy away from blue and remain true this Christmas.

Excellent things to all,
Lisa


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## Blade (Jan 2, 2015)

Chester's Daughter said:
			
		

> Trying to come up with something else out of respect for the actual purpose of an amber alert, but titles are my bane.



i would like to suggest "Empty Bronze Shoes" as it is kind of catchy and in the spirit of the poem.

I was not aware of the origins of 'Amber alert'. I supposed it was a colour code of some sort.:scratch:In any case titles are the bane of poetry. i am beginning to wonder if it would not be easier to come up with a title before writing a word and then just applying it at conclusion.:snowman:


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## Firemajic (Jan 2, 2015)

I  am going to respectfully disagree--Amber alert--missing child. She is missing  [longing to see] her child--very slick word play[imo]. I may be waaaay off here, but that is how I read this...Does that make sense?  Peace always...Julia


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## rcallaci (Jan 2, 2015)

a heartbreaker- good short poetry is hard to do - you've done it proud- outstanding....

my warmest
bob


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## WhitakerRStanton (Feb 20, 2015)

It's poems like this that make me want to combine art with poetry. I am no artist but I would like to draw this scene. Be it short, you painted a poem worth a thousand words.


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## JustRob (Feb 21, 2015)

*Technonerd to the rescue*. I have always been a computer usage support person. To type capital D hold the Alt key down and type 68 on your _numeric keyboard_, not the main keyboard. For lower case d type 100 instead. If using a keyboard without a numeric extension keyboard, e.g. on a laptop, there may be a numeric shift option with the alternative values marked on the appropriate keys. If this doesn't apply either then post back and I'll think again.


Regarding the poem, we never had children so haven't experienced this although loss of pets is just as significant to us. We are occasionally involved with a boarding school, so have over 800 children flowing through our lives should we feel the need. We have just made friends with a thirteen year old "borrowed" from her single mother. We will never be without children despite never having any. 


I like economy of words in poetry. It means that I can use far more than necesary in my prose. Just joking. Loved it.


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