“You think it’s okay?” Abigail asked tentatively. Emma held up the phone and began to read aloud. “‘Dearest Troy’ – Dearest was a nice touch – ‘I’m so happy for you getting your dream job! That’s quite an achievement – you should have a big celebration. The thing is, Troy... I don’t want to hold you back. You need to be free, and deserve someone just as supportive of your aspirations as you’ve been of mine.’ “Supportive?”...

Have you found them? Don’t worry, most people can’t on the first try.  They’re there, all right, but only reveal themselves to those who are ready to believe, to accept, to embrace.  Close your eyes and open your mind. Clear away the prejudices, fears and preconceptions. Suspend your skepticism. Relax and let all your senses — even those you don’t fully perceive or comprehend, and may not even believe in — do their jobs....

Sipping dirty martinisWatching girls in bikinisAnd strumming on my Les PaulAlbert King ambles throughRiffs ‘I’ll Play the Blues for You’Man, I really got it allCHORUSIt’s a dream vacationNo place I’d rather beYeah, a dream vacationNot sure where I’m atBut it suits meChecking out picsFrom my Exakta 66Can’t believe what I seeDon’t remember all thoseSometimes, that’s how it goesA penguin, potato and a beeCHORUSIt’s a dream v...

  MARTIN HANDED A MUG of fresh coffee to Jane and slid into the seat opposite her at the breakfast table, pausing a moment before he spoke. “Jane, I need to ask you something.” Caught off guard by the statement, she slopped a little of the steaming liquid. “You always do that when I’m holding a drink,” she chided gently, dabbing the spill with a napkin. Her lighthearted tone belied the knot in her stomach, which was quite...

  THE CALENDAR TAUNTED JANE, its little yellow-highlighted square outlined in a bold red stroke mocking her lack of progress. ‘You’re going to miss the deadline, you know. I’m just six weeks away now,’ it scoffed. ‘Whatever made you apply for that fellowship anyhow, and what could the panel have been thinking when they gave it to you? You’re no writer; you’ve proven that over the past ten and half months.’ She glared at i...

Note: This compilation occurred to me more than a year ago. In fact, the reason I logged on to Facebook on March 14, 2017, was to reach out to Alan and propose that we combine our efforts, merging his Colorado Calling and my Jersey Rejoicing into one poem. Instead, I learned that morning of Alan's passing a few days earlier. It threw me for a loop, and the idea got pushed to the back of my mind. But it was always there, t...

 1. NaIgnoNaNoWriMo: Just ignore all the NaNoWriMo hoopla and hype. Pretend you didn’t read this or anything else about the writing frenzy that occurs every November. Yeah, yeah, I know it’s almost impossible to ignore NaNoWriMo anymore. But you can say you did. I promise not to tell anyone otherwise.2. NaNanoWriMo: In the short time remaining, craft some kick-ass nano fiction. Whether it’s five words or fifty, nano ficti...

You always did like surprise endings,A twist no one could see coming,And that last one of yours was a doozy.Days later, we're still reeling,Not from the shock, which dissipates,But from a grief that lingers.You probably never knewThe regard people held you in,For it seemed to sneak upAs we chatted and laughedAbout topics big and small.Our esteem grewAlongside your virtual menagerie,Vintage music, Exacta and photography ta...

The president is doing greatOnly a fool would thinkOtherwiseMost everyone believesWe should trust himThere is no cause for concernBut some are sayingThe country is in dangerPeople are scaredNothing could be further from the truthEverything is going to be fineNow read from the bottom up…* * *© 2017 by M.P. Witwer • All rights reserved  

There was a crooked manWho ran a crooked race [1]And with his crooked words,Put opponents in their placeHe chopped them down, one by one’Til a single foe remainedOn merit, she’d win handily,So he painted her with disdain [2]This shameless huckster’s styleIs totally ‘in your face’At any time in memory,It would have brought him great disgraceBut that isn’t how it happened,Not in this odd campaignHis way: relentless bullying...

1. NaNO!WriMo: Do not write anything — not a single word — for 30 days. The challenge is tougher than it might seem. 2. NaDoWriMo: Chronicle every episode of The Simpsons in which Homer exclaims, "D'oh!" This, of course, requires watching every episode of The Simpsons. Not a bad way to spend the month. 3. NaSloWriMo: Writing shouldn't be a race. Take it slowly, savoring the process, and don't worry about the number of wor...

Excuse me, sir; I hate to intrudeBut you're out in public and your shirt's rather rudeAlthough fairly mild, as far as some go,The sentiment still dips pretty lowI mean, 'Life's a bitch - don't elect one.'Why does she deserve that, what has she done?Oh, I cannot stand her, lots of reasons whyFor one, get in her way, and you're gonna dieShe's had people murdered time and againYou don't need enemies if you count her as a fri...

Today at the Trump School of Dance we’re going to teach you Mr. Trump’s personal favorite move, The Narcissist Hustle. If you promise not to tell him I told you this, it’s actually the only step he knows—but he performs it expertly, better than anyone alive, in fact. Follow these steps precisely, and before long you’ll be doing it like a pro, too. 1. Rationalize: Dismiss and make excuses for your bad behavior. (“This was...

Pardon me, miss, have you time for a poll? No, not today. I'm out for a stroll. That's okay, ma'am, while you stroll I can poll! All right, I suppose, if you poll while I stroll... Do you plan to vote in the presidential race? Oh, yes! Not voting is a terrible disgrace! Tell me a bit as to how you'll choose— If you could, please share your views! Well— I do not like the orange man I do not like his Muslim ban I do not lik...

do I still have to stay?do I still have to care?tell me, please, why should I?tell me, please, who says so?do I still have to show up?do I still have to try?tell me, please, what's the point?tell me, please, when will I know?do I still have to smile?do I still have to pretend?tell me, please, where did the time go?tell me, please, how did it slip away?do you know the who-what-where-when-why and how of it all?tell me, plea...