PAT RAIA - POEMS

Pat Raia is a professional journalist, and a lifelong poet. Her blog http://www.horsewelfarenews.com covers welfare, legislation and litigation in the equine industry. 
She resides Florida with her husband Barry Bucciarelli, her horse Santino and her dog, Daphne.

​Arithmetic

​A dozen
misunderstandings
at least
one hundred
slights
Thousands of
small indignities
that
can't be
overlooked -
A million
brand new
chances
to get
to alright -
Your heart
is no
accountant -
but
mine
is

​Not yet

​I've
asked
for
forgiveness
and
I've
prayed
for
grace
I've
asked
God
to make
me
good -
just
not
right
away

​Pickpocket

​Just as
close as
your heartbeat
as
the thoughts
inside
your head
I'm watching
and
I'm listening
to you breathe
and
I'll discover
every weakness -
shake all
your demons'
hands -
then
I'll
let you
know me
and
trust me
with your soul -
the moment
when that
happens
I'll turn
you on
yourself

​I wonder

​Everybody
 
loses something -
 
keys
 
and
 
coins
 
and
 
letters
 
from
 
old lovers
 
It takes
 
nearly
 
a lifetime
 
to lose
 
these things
 
for good -
 
So
 
what is
 
the soul
 
allowed
 
to keep
 
I wonder?

​Real Americans

​Real Americans
 
can afford
 
to amuse
 
their children -
 
to take
 
vacations
 
at
 
the Cape
 
to spend
 
summers
 
in Europe
 
But we
 
had just come
 
from there
 
and
 
since then
 
all we do
 
is work
 
to get
 
accepted here
 
so we
 
can afford
 
to amuse
 
our children