LOIS GREENE STONE - POEMS

​Lois Greene Stone, writer and poet, has been syndicated worldwide. Poetry and personal essays have been included in hard & softcover book anthologies.  Collections of her personal items/ photos/ memorabilia are in major museums including twelve different divisions of The Smithsonian.  The Smithsonian selected her photo to represent all teens from a specific decade.

Masquerade

I take a book to the lunchroom
each school day.  Alone,
pretending
to enjoy my story,
I slowly eat while
feigning sophistication.
Though reading gives me pleasure,
I'd really rather be
talking
with the gathered groups.
So afraid of rejection am
I the label snob
Seems simpler to sustain.
 

©1974 Nazarene Publishing House
reprinted Spring 2013   Shemom

Best Friend
​

We shop together, talk
about boys, other girls.
I compliment your hair-do,
though secretly dislike it;
you praise my taste in clothes,
but dress differently.  We
manipulate our relationship
with white lies to protect
feelings and friendship.
Why?
 

©1976 Oblate Fathers of St. Mary's Province
reprinted Summer 2017 Shemom

Teen and Mom

Pretending indifference,
I stared.
My mother's pleading
provoked me.  It's
my hair!
She curled, combed,
sprayed, smoothed,
smiled.  Expressionless,
though inwardly satisfied,
I did not acknowledge
her accomplishment.
 

©1986  Christian Board of Pub.

​Collection Box

Buy.  I don't need it.
Buy. Item useless.
Buy. Duplication.
Barter and clutch
Trinkets for cardboard
Box in my basement
Crayoned 'vacations'
Proof I may touch.

 
©1986 The Christian Science Monitor

​Dad

You always said, “Be Careful”
when I left the house
and I responded by acting
defiant, telling you
I wasn’t a baby that needed
to be told to be careful.
You still said, “Be Careful”
the very next time even
when I just took my
bicycle a few houses away.
“Yeah.  Sure,” I replied,
sounding cool, indifferent.
Now I understand what
you meant when you said
“Be Careful,” it was
your way of expressing
you love me.

 ©1999 Skylark