Paul is an author of books, poems, progressive essays, and scientific journal articles. His book Sonnets of Love and Joy, was published by Kelsay Books in 2023. His book Alice’s Adventures was published in 2022 by Kelsay Books. His historical novel, 1871: Rivers on Fire, was self-published in 2021. His most recent non-fiction book was Disposable Americans, published in 2017 by Routledge.
Minutes to Christmas
Sing along at: https://boomerboys.org/minutestochristmas.mp3
Christmas Time, Christmas time,
through a silent shroud of snow I hear the church bells chime...
Bright and bouncy children, tumbling on their sleds,
home for steamy cocoa, and crunchy gingerbread...
Love the sound of bells,
love the fond noels,
love the spicy smells,
love the fare-thee-wells...
Christmas is the best time of the year.
Christmas eve, Christmas eve,
time for Santa's elves, and jingle bells, and make-believe...
Stockings on the fireplace, cookies for St. Nick,
children hear the sleighbells as seconds slowly tick...
Love the sound of bells,
love the fond noels,
love the spicy smells,
love the fare-thee-wells...
Christmas is the best time of the year.
Christmas day, Christmas day,
just outside I hear the jingle of a one-horse sleigh...
Kids in their pajamas gather 'round the tree,
all the family singing a yuletide melody...
Love the sound of bells,
love the fond noels,
love the spicy smells,
love the fare-thee-wells...
Christmas is the best time of the year.
Christmas is the best time of the year.
Bio of Patrice Boyer Claeys
Patrice Boyer Claeys graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Manchester, U.K., and completed a Certificate in Poetry from the University of Chicago. Her first collection, Lovely Daughter of the Shattering, was published in 2019, followed by The Machinery of Grace (2020), Honey from the Sun (with Gail Goepfert, 2020) and This Hard Business of Living (also with Goepfert, 2021). Her work appears in The Night Heron Barks, Adirondack Review, SWWIM, *82 Review, Burningword Literary Journal, Zone 3, Inflectionist Review, Literary Mama and Aeolian Harp 5, among others. She was nominated for both Pushcart and Best of the Net prizes. Patrice lives in Chicago with her husband and has two grown daughters. Find her at www.patriceboyerclaeys.com.
Kiwi
Faux fur—
homely as a house.
It’s that odd
the paradox
of inside and outside.
Your belly grew round with dew
created a glossary of seeds
like rings of colored glass.
Green Sunshine,
the god who loves you
confidently wielded the crayon.
If the meek deserve
a form of comfort,
you would know.
Cento Sources: Suzanne Buffam, Marianne Moore, Cedar Sigo, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Pattiann Rogers, Pablo Neruda, Catherine Bowman, Leonore Hildebrandt, Don Kubicki, Carl Dennis, Louise Gluck, Evan Kennedy, Denise Levertov, Marvin Bell
From Honey from the Sun, Patrice Boyer Claeys and Gail Goepfert, Blurb.com, 2020.
First published in The Night Heron Barks, Fall 2020.
Hegemony
(A play with Hegemon, outspoken leading man;
the innocent Subordo, from a world apart;
and simple Publico, of short attention span;
and Opulo, the merchant.) Let us start.
Says Hegemon: “It’s vital that we intercede
to help you govern.” Says Subordo in reply:
“This serves us well. In compensation we’ll concede
our country’s wealth.” But as its fortunes go awry,
Subordo nominates a leader for reform.
Says Hegemon: “His record of debauchery
and greed will devastate your land. You must transform
your nation to a market-based democracy!”
The people balk, thus Hegemon’s soliloquy:
“Such insolence demands that we suspend
all trade.” Subordo, cast aside in misery,
appeals to Hegemon, who promises to send
a righteous leader to restore the fragile peace.
Says Publico: “You’re welcome to our bank accounts!”
Says Opulo: “Our arms production must increase!”
As Hegemon prepares a gala to announce
the victory, Subordo cries, “Our homes are lost,
our land destroyed!” Says Hegemon, “We must denounce
the enemy, and then rebuild at any cost!”
Says Publico: “You’re welcome to our bank accounts!“
Says Opulo: “Rebuilding? Let me calculate.”
And Hegemon declares in mighty voice: “We state
the Truth – throughout the world our message resonates!”
(Then silence, as production terminates.)
The Drawer I hadn’t Cleaned in 30 Years
His keys to my old place before we moved in together.
A JFK 50 cent piece.
Temporary tattoos. I thought we’d used them all.
Fangs, adult size.
The silver case he gave me for my now obsolete purse calculator.
False eyelashes, (which my ophthalmologist now forbids).
Earplugs we used when we went to hear the kid’s garage band play.
Hypnosis tapes for losing weight.
A perfume bottle with the scent he chose for me.
An LED headlight for power outages.
Money, in the clip I gave him.
His glasses.
Kleenex.
Virginia Braxton
Touching Eternity
I know an enchanted place
where bouquets of words
grow wild and profuse.
I can choose as many as I like
in any color or fragrance
even some that do not really exist.
The collecting is effortless
as if done for me;
All I have to do is think myself there
a self-hypnosis
that takes me nowhere
and everywhere…
It might be the same place
where Keats heard “unheard melodies”
or El Greco had a vision of Toledo…
Reflection causes my feet to tremble
at the garden’s gate
I feel as blind and awestruck
as Paul on the way to Damascus