Women's History Month: Tuesday, March 2, 2021: "Two Poems by L.B. Sedlacek"

 

                                                                           photo by marie c lecrivain

Unused Head Shot

   

The manila envelope could contain

anything:  a passport, a wallet,

someone’s keys, ad copy, a book,

an important memo, a secret recipe

this manila envelope contains

head shots taken 20 years ago

forgotten and closed up inside

a silent tomb of facial youth

this manila envelope contained

too much hair and bushy eyebrows

a mole or two, long since removed

lipstick that’s no longer worn

this manila envelope contained

hairspray that’s no longer used

a suit jacket with shoulder pads

heavy makeup so out of vogue

this manila envelope contained

dreams of acting, singing, modeling

a skinny body devoured by age

a three second chance at stardom

this manila envelope contains

an unsaleable photograph

a face with no wrinkles

natural colored hair

the manila envelope could contain

something:  hope, innocence, dreams,

imagination, desire, achievement,

success or a secret romance

 

but now this manila envelope contains

unused head shots worth nothing at all.

 

© 2021 L.B. Sedlacek

 

 

 

Graffiti Trail

   

Paint can caps

of neon

orange, blue

forgotten in the sand and a

pink jacket hanging

on a pole

forgotten

this road to the lighthouse

chained off

the abandoned lighthouse far out in

the sea inaccessible  but you

can still see it from the

beach they must come at night to spray paint to

graffiti the

roadway, the parking lot with

so and so plus so and so

motivational messages

drawings

in orange, blue, pink, yellow

and red

the lighthouse, untouched, stands tall

and takes the sea in

a blend of grays

lacking in spray paint, no graffiti, no color.

© 2021 L.B. Sedlacek

BIO:  L.B. Sedlacek has had poetry and fiction appear in different journals and zines.  Her first short story collection came out on Leap Day 2020 entitled "Four Thieves of Vinegar" published by Alien Buddha Press.  Her latest poetry books are "The Poet Next Door" (Cyberwit), “The Adventures of Stick People on Cars” (Alien Buddha Press), “The Architect of French Fries” (Presa Press) and “Words and Bones” (Finishing Line Press.)  She is a former Poetry Editor for “ESC! Magazine” and co-hosted the podcast “Coffee House to Go.” LB also enjoys swimming, reading, and playing ukulele.