Poetry - Carrie White - BLACK AND WHITE MOVIES

Reading fellow writer Carrie White's recent memoir UPPER CUT,
Highlights of My Hollywood Life was like riding in one of those tour buses through town, like a time machine through Hollywood in the 60's, 70's and 80's, like a madcap whirlwind of a "party time," glamour, palm trees, swimming pools and sun, with Robert Evans, Sue Mengers, Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty come to life. I marvel at the parallel in our lives, the places we probably passed right by each other and how Hollywood in the 70's affected my own decision to leave Ohio and travel west.

The ride through those decades and her honesty in telling her story is something to behold. Read it. And if you are lucky, Carrie will have one of her early poetry chapbooks for you to read too. http://www.thecarriewhite.com/post/12771858417/i-dont-have-a-question-your-book-answered-all-and
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Here is a poem from BLACK AND WHITE MOVIES, a prayer to tweet, share, like, pin, photograph, blog, instant message and hey, even use the phone to call me up and talk about.




People, Places and Prayer
by Carrie White

Dear Heavenly Father
I thank you for your heavenliness
all the wisdom of the universe
the bodies of life and their infinite intricacy
a sun and moon and ocean of consistency
a heart that beats beyond control
the intangible place for love
the expandable space of soul
the workings of mind and memory
the coincidence and connections of affinity
the ability to grow
the desire to know
the unfolding of a flower
how sometimes fast and sometimes slow
that time is the same in any hour
how teaching is a learning game
how the reverse can be the same
which brings me to my question
about existence or purpose on this plain
is it for the lessons or awareness
of the garden
I know only by service we gain
yet why some lives so joyful
while others filled with pain?
I do my best
I guess
I choose with what I'm wired
and no matter how good at the job of this life
at the end we all are fired
I make requests
not that often
my relationships with you is enough
the details vary
it's still just stuff
my wholeself feels I love you
I believe in all my world
I am extremely blessed
I am a lucky girl
My children are the greatest gifts
My family are my friends
I understand and stand in my way
and once more I must say
Heavenly Father
I am grateful
for each moment of every day. 

POETRY - Jill Rosenthal

Love Letter To My Daughter 

By Jill Rosenthal

I’m having a sizzling love affair with my daughter.

I gaze at her when she’s not looking, 

And even when she is.  

“Quit it, Momma,” she says

Looking back down to pull 

A lime green prom dress 

Over her Barbie’s knees.

In the bathtub she’ll hand me that doll,

And tell me to be “The Mom.”

“Why do I always have to be The Mom,” I’ll ask,

And she’ll huff a lock of hair out of her eyes and smile:

“Cause I’m the kid!”

I’m in love with her because

During her soccer games, 

She stands in the middle of the field 

And looks for butterflies,

Or makes up a dance,

Trying to turn her toes out with her elbows,

As though that will help. 

Because at night, after I’ve set down 

Her glass of water,

And fluffed her pillow,

And checked the closet –   

She holds very still,

So I can kiss her face 15 times,

Only her eyes following me

As I make the rounds: 

Three on her right cheek, 

Three more on her forehead, 

Left cheek, chin and nose.

Nose is always last.

And because every morning,

I find her in my bed – 

Legs intertwined with mine,

Blond hair fanned out across my sheets,

And when I say: “Who’s been sleeping in my bed?” 

She burrows her face

Deep into my pillow

And giggles.

Muffled giggles,

Elbows akimbo,

“Quit it, Momma”

I’m so in love.

Jill Rosenthal is an attorney, writer and longtime member of the Los Angeles Poets and Writers Collective. She has taught poetry classes at UC Berkeley and more recently through Get Lit; Words Ignite – a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing classic poetry to inner city students (and recently honored by Michelle Obama at White House).  Her performance of “Avoiding Penetration” -- an original humorous poem about explaining sex to her daughter -- can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEFjDMV4J00.)