Brunch with Betty

10 Words by Rickie: English, house, dogwood, daffodil, palladium, clean, grass, clouds, blue, bark

 

Though a great venue for purchasing art,

I had to depart the colossal Merchandise Mart,

Full city block - Orleans, Kinzie and Wells,

I had to escape from whom the toll bells.

 

Walking, running, straining to board my train,

Hopes running high and body in slight pain,

Workday was weary and also slightly dark,

Demands, orders, ten shouts, one bark.

 

iPod music drew me into blue clouds,

Happy to be away from the Loop crowds,

Riding the mean Chicago Green Line “L”,

Looking out of the window in a wistful spell.

 

On the way home I ran into a neighbor,

The day was long, but no more forced labor,

She smiled and insisted we take a different route,

My instinct was to doubt, perhaps even to shout.

 

Silently walking down the quiet streets,

Reminding me of the visual aesthetic treats,

Passing pleasant flowers of beautiful Dogwood,

To enjoy the present was completely understood.

 

We walked by a stately English Tudor,

Alarms sounded loudly, an unexpected intruder,

Drowned out the pianist practicing Strauss,

From inside this elegant three-story house.

 

It had a staircase the color of Palladium,

Playing with senses like radioactive Radium,

Big beautiful broad lawn of man-made grass,

Daffodil designs in intricate stained glass.

 

Hemingway would rather relax on Bimini,

Favoring narrow minds in handsome bikinis,

Compared to the city, Oak Park was clean,

Such a relaxing scene, everything so green.

 

Because of the walk I felt very much reborn,

Passed the house where Betty White was born,

I remembered the Palmer House brunch in May,

What a pleasant end to an awful workday.