Poems by Bob Boyd

Had a dream that I had red suede shoes
and a woman liking them.

In the dream, I didn’t know her well,
and I wasn’t really attracted to her.

But she kind of forced her attention on me,
and she wanted to go see a new apartment

I just rented in another city. I started thinking maybe
it would be nice

to be with a woman for a while again; it’s been
a decade since I’ve gone anywhere with one.

But then she began dominating my time, planning
the day with things I didn’t want to do.

And I wasn’t looking forward to spending time with
her, but I agreed to it, so I was obligated.

I woke up and realized that even though it seemed real,
it was all just a dream, and I was so relieved.

Bob Boyd

What a scene from the 1942 movie, Cat People,
when the moment a woman and a man open
the door to a pet store, all the pets go crazy.

Moments earlier, the man had bought the
woman a cat that hissed at her as though
she were a monster, and you knew then
that she was

by the reaction of the cat who gets along
with the man. And when the woman says
cats don’t like her, you knew there was
far more to the cat’s reaction.

You know it even more when she steps into
the pet store to exchange the cat for
another pet and all the animals freak out with fear.

This told me her evil monster wattage was
high voltage, and that she was going to be
the dual persona of pretty woman and
evil cat monster in the movie.

Great scene. Great set up for diabolical things
to come later in the movie. Hats off to whomever
conjured up that frantic, frightful scene.

Bob Boyd

Imagine a fierce dog with three heads
guarding the gates of Hades to prevent
doomed souls from escaping.

An imaginative creation of Greek mythology
that must have literally scared the hell out
of people who believe in Cerberus.

A dangerous dog with one head is scary
enough.

Imagine a snarling pit bull with three heads.
But truth be known, Cerberus seemed
even scarier than that.

Bob Boyd

Maybe the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree is
more predictive of behavior

in many, but not all, people more than known.

Or maybe genetics for the most part has little effect on
the outcome of a person’s behaviors and actions.

I have seen the like father like son in some people,
but, mercifully, I have seen the opposite in many
sons and daughters of evil people.

But if those in whom genetics seems to predispose
them to bad behaviors that result in prison time,
I have to wonder if they are totally responsible
for their antisocial behaviors –

as if they are compelled beyond their control to
to lead self destructive lives and reap the punitive
effects all of their lives.

Bob Boyd

She became addicted to posting tidbits and
pictures of herself on social media

and consumed with seeing all the views
everyday, sometimes every hour.

Her obsession with social media took
over her entire life.

She thought about it day and night
and lived for the views.

Perhaps she had low self esteem
and all the attention was an

attempt to boost it and assuage
her inferior feelings.

Bob Boyd

There are those who believe
aliens are among us

as if somehow they morphed
into looking exactly like us.

I supposed an advanced race
of aliens would have the

technology to replicate our race,
but I just can’t believe it.

Bob Boyd

I can recall a number of times
when I met women I found unattractive
until I discovered who they were
beneath the superficial
then like flowers blooming
they became beautiful to me

Bob Boyd

I’m living in an old body
It’s time is running out
It’s nearing its expiration
From this earthly life
One glorious day
I’ll leave this old vessel
And fly like a bird
Into a greater life

Bob Boyd

An old abandoned church in the middle of
nowhere in Wales
Flat grave stores from the 1700 and 1800s
Stone walls, stone floors inside
Old wooden pews and benches
Unreadable writing etched on a wall
A single cross standing on a table
An ornate lecture not far from it
A dilapidated organ in a corner
A man named Dylan found signs of
Paranormal activity there
With scientific instruments
Signals, words, and sentences
From the unknown beyond
Maybe some of the deceased
Parishioners still linger there

Bob Boyd

I thought she was the sweetest woman
I’d ever met

She had an angelic face and always
said nice things

But after I’d been involved with her
for a while

Her demons emerged out of the
dark corners of her soul

and life with her became an
insufferable hell

until I escaped with my mind and
soul barely intact

from her unending inferno of
hurtful words and mean comments

Bob Boyd