Pets & Other People I've Cherished
A Series Of Related StoryPoems
© Copyright 2007 by John L Patton
Introduction by
Ramachandra Raju Kalidindi, M.A (English Literature)
To understand poetry in all its splendorous hues, is not a lesser task than writing poetry. To enjoy music one should have his mind well tuned to the sensory perception of hearing, and to enjoy a beautiful picture the mind should be well tuned with the perception of seeing. But to understand poetry, all the five senses are to be well channeled to mind via heart. Then only one can enjoy the depth of poetry. It is like merging all faculties into a unified consciousness as in the state of meditation. It is a kind of intoxication of higher order like drinking the divine nectar for immortality.
Generally, autobiographies bore. There may be few exceptions based on our specific interests. It is not new to write stories in poetic forms, in fact all the great epics of ancient literature are in poetry. Biographical or autobiographical sketches are more readable if written in good poetry. I have found the story poems of John interesting both for the content as well as treatment. John uses all kinds of embellishments to enrich the content of the poets. These poems have their soul shining, they are living beings.
Author's Notes
My choice of this book's title is intended to engage you in thought about the importance of our pets, as well as all of nature's creatures, in our lives. To those of us blessed to truly know both the love and comfort of pets, we consider them as much a part of our family as our grandparents, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, our children. Unlike other relationship we have, our pets nurture us, and they love us without question or waver, and only ask to be cared for and paid a little attention. While most of us think only of our cats or dogs when pets are mentioned, any animal, and even at times mammals and insects, should be included when we're discussing pets.
For most of my life I have written StoryPoems, both rhymed and free verse. Recently, my dear Internet friend and soul-brother Ramachandra Raju Kalidindi, read several of my StoryPoems I had written about some of the pets I've known during my sixty years, and suggested a book length effort. Instead, what you'll find here are my collected StoryPoems, not only about the many pets that I've been blessed to know, but also remembering those wonderful people I've been fortunate enough to know and be enriched by over the years.
Besides my trademark StoryPoems, I have also included some collective themed shorter poems, many of these Haiku, from Poetry Challenges from my modest little web site. While I have only used my own efforts from the challenges, friends and I inspire each other to Round Robin creativity in biweekly uncompetitive challenges. You'll notice many of our themes are spiritual, nature, oue peace related. I'd like to thank my special friends from around the world who help create our challenges, Mirjana, Pineal, and Majic. A special hug goes to our teen Angel, whose youthful poetry and enthusiasm is a blessing to us all. Besides our challenges, you'll find far-ranging wholesome themes here; friendshp, comfort, sorrow, reincarnation, time, wonder, spirituality, worry, safety, the list seems endless. I have not explained any of my poems, because it's not important what they mean to be, but what they mean to you, my treasured readers. Not all themes are suitable to be read to or by children.
While this e-book is offerd at no profit by me, there might be a small fee for downloading. My reason for offering it free is to promote peace and serenity. I would ask that if you find my StoryPoems uplifting and inspiring, that you either make a donation to any organization that promotes peace, or volunteer your time in support of an organization that promotes a world peace or is helping others. I offer this e-book as Public Domain, which can be passed on freely, without profit. The only restrictions are that that it must be offered complete and unaltered. I'd be pleased if this e-book was translated with these same restrictions in place.
Table Of Contents
StoryPoems
Those We Know The Best
My Empty Lap
The Boy I Was
Those Left To Mourn
Newborn Infant
The Joys Of Old Age
Expectations
Honeysuckle Sweetness
Specialty Haiku Trio
I Cried Today
A Healing Rainbow
The Cascading Decades
Modified Hungarian Balassi
Angel's Challenge
Comforting The Dying
Burmese Than-Bauk Challenge
Your Theme Challenge
Peaceful Poetry Challenge
Limerick Challenge
Dad's Lucky Parakeet
To Expectant Parents
Emptiness?
It's Been A Good Life So Far
In An Ideal World
I Love . . . Challenge
Ancient Echoes
Innocent Fears
Guide You, Guide Me
The Business Of War
The Screen Door
Groovin' To The Blues
Dear Children
Bubble Lights
Majic's Simile Challenge
Dads Lap Warmer
The Magic Of Youth
Playing At The Game Of Life
Writing Across Time
What Is Poetry Challenge
Past Life Dreaming
Art's Candy Store
Nostalgia
Ifs, Ands, Buts
Really Living?
The Bridge To Yesterday
Neighborhood Reunion Blues
This Special Time
Thirty Days After
The Silenced Keyboard
These Lousy Smokes
Letting Go
24 Hours Challenge
Treasured Friends
Long-Ago Summers
Comforting The Dying
Death Is A Doorway
Striving For The Best Challenge
Our Clownish Siamese
Mirjana's Poem Challenge
Sun Theme Challenge
Freedom Theme Challenge
Pathways . . . Possibilities
Blessed Be
Miracles
Journeys
I'm Terminal, Not Dead
Life's Ecstasy Challenge
January Theme Challenge
Resolutions Challenge
My Journey
Nature Haiku Challenge
Short Line Poem Challenge
Platonic Love Challenge
The Rhythm Of Friendship
Holidays Challenge
Majic's Haiku Challenge
Strife Theme Challenge
Give Me Some Sugar
Those Good Old Days
Reflective Haiku Challenge
All About Time Challenge
On Being Human Challenge
Listen
The Paces Of life
An Old Man's Memories
Echoes Of Bygone Days
Golden Days, Tarnished?
Life Is Funny That Way
Inner Exploration
Kittenish Delight
But Who Am I, Really?
Water Poem Challenge
Who Am I, Really? Challenge
Aged To Perfection
The Joy Of The Pipe
Ode To New Pipe Smokers
Those We Know The Best
If we had been given a choice at our birth
Of a passionate coupling or one true friend
I think my decision would have been simple
At least as I gaze backward over these days
For wedded bliss often changes into strife
While companionship will usually blossom to
A lifetime of wondrous caring and concern
And being more of the soul than the heart
Offers not only compassion but loyalty too
Though maybe since I have never had a wife
Sometimes only the ocassional romantic fling
I've given too much value to mere friendship
But isn't the linking of souls truly magical
When the only bonds are a caring and sharing
Rather than an exchange of often broken vows
Love might turn to loathing with crass words
That seem to fester like an annoying blister
While friendship's stife usually always heals
Often passion looks only upon an outer beauty
Rather than getting to know the inner persona
The comforting thrill of a sharing embrace is
At times enough to seal a couples doomed fate
When problems may come but not their solutions
And if a strenght of character hasn't flowered
Into a unity beyond mere physical attractions
Sometimes that animalistic lure of a romance
Will not survive the agony of a harsh reality
But when there is a true bonding of affection
That has a foundation beyond some carnal need
And a history of compassion rooted in caring
That often stills the most troubled of waters
It isn't the physical desires that often ruin
The beauty of a bedroom inspired relationship
Nor shall it be the hunger and greed of lust
Friendlier foes is what we all seem at times
Is is any surprise we are intimate strangers
So yes, as I review this lifetime I have had
And reflect upon the lonlienss of a solitude
That I choose as a part of my writer's dream
I realize each life must have its sacrifices
The richness of friendship has softened pain
That aloneness might sometimes bring so close
Looking back over the winding path I've seen
At least for me, platonic love has worked out
I'd gladly revisit this glorious like of mine.
My Empty Lap
Sarah Lee gifted me a very special sort of love
Unlike any other relationship I have ever known
And though she spoke with purrs and multi-meows
And my words could have been spoken to a child
We understood, because our loving bond was real
As if after nine years together we were as one
Because we had been joined warmly in our hearts
And though she's gone, she'll always be close
As these tender memories I cherish so deeply
Of all those cheerful ways she had of playing
Each of her many meows all spoke to me of love
As she licked my hand or purred oh so quietly
After all those years I will miss her so much
She was more a daughter than simply my kitten
And whenever I was busy with my everyday life
She'll stay nearby and wait so very patiently
Until I somehow found a moment I could share
How unimportant those humanly tasks seem now
When viewed against the love she had to offer
Her urgent demandings seemed so never ending
Because her deep affection simply had no limits
Her every greeting was like a ray of sunshine
And her squeaky meow was the sweetest symphony
While her loving gaze showed her unending trust
The tiger deep within her was often so cautious
As if she was uncertain that I would understand
And when I would cuddle her softly in my arms
She'd reach out her paw to gently stroke my face
Looking back now, those years seem so very brief
But simply because they ended before I was ready
While some will ask if cats really have feelings
Those of us who have been loved by one can attest
That their kittenish games are more than routine
As they play hide and seek or lick a resting hand
Cats are heaven's angels who just happen to purr
The Boy I Was
I remember back over the decades to my boyhood
And while I do recall most all of the troubles
They seem less important than those adventures
That oftentimes play in the theater of my mind
If the years have turned memories into fiction
That doesn't cause me to treasure them any less
Maybe there is a reason children must be heroes
At least somewhere within their own imaginations
Preparing each of us for life's disappointments
And easing the sorrow of brand new faded dreams
Our youthful belief in the endless possibilities
Might be nature's trick to lure us to adulthood
Never hinting of the burden of new responsibility
For is there anyone anywhere who given the choice
Wouldn't return to those thrilling carefree days
Especially if they could be what we now pretend
Few if any of us become heroes by our own design
As we journey through life in a silent confusion
Stumbling within a maze made up of endless days
And as we begin our final voyage home, we wonder
If common sense is neither common, or makes sense
Maybe all that it fosters is some invisible fear
Which holds us back from being all that we could
Become, if only we wouldn't suppress imagination
As children we celebrate soft clouds, gentle rain
As adults we curse overcast skies & thunderstorms
If we could somehow blend youth & responsibility
Remembering those joys of a carefree summer's day
Maybe those worries that we wear as if glad rags
Wouldn't cloak us all in such doubting misgivings
That boy who I once used to be still lives inside
Wondering how I became who I have finally become
And I ask myself if I really used to be like him,
Or maybe I've created some artificial memories of
Noble beginnings and even long forgotten dreamings
Sometimes that boy who I used to be seems lonely
As if he doesn't recognize the man that he is now
Though we share a lifetime, are they merely lies
How can a carefree youngster lose his way so much
How could my roadmap of life have gone so astray?
Those Left To Mourn
The passing of someone for whom we truly cared
Seldom will remind us of what all we've shared
Rather the countless things that we shall miss
Death never becomes a moment of soulful bliss
And though it is a natural transition of life
It burdens us all with a mantle of sad strife
But while common sense seems to be all asunder
Pause just a bit to study the spiritual wonder
For they are still with us in many small ways
They have only gone to a more peaceful place
Truly as near as an afternoon's contemplation
Time spent ever so warmly in quiet meditation
You'll feel the harsh numbing shock of dismay
Pause and let their spirit comfort your day
And think for a moment of the dearly departed
Would they really want you to be so dishearted
As the shock wears off there must be some way
Of finding a reason to carry on day after day
Remembering the joy that the two of you shared
Recalling the bonds that drew you to be paired
The rhythm that fueled your special stage play
And you'll be able to connect the same old way
Memories alone can take you to a certain place
Where you'll still see that sweet smiling face
Grief is an emotion that never does quite heal
The harshest of elements that we'll ever feel
The sense of aloneness visits and won't leave
With a hollow emptiness that you can't cleave
But know that their agony is now in the past
And a new destination for them has been cast
There's more to living than mere mortal death
They have been endowed with spiritual breath.
Newborn Infant
The first time I ever held a baby was magical
I couldn't believe their tiny fingers or toes
She smelled even better than a brand new car
She cooed and gurgled, then fell back asleep
Although my sweet niece had just been adopted
The bond I felt was born of an uncle's pride
Such beauty I had never witness before in life
As little as she was, she captured all my heart
As a bachelor, she became my special sweetheart
How could that infant also be a worldly goddess
As I baby-talked to her, she giggled and smiled
A mere wisp of a person, she owned center stage
And as I stood watching her asleep in her crib
I finally understood the true miracles of life
Now someone so tiny could command my attention
And capture everyone's hearts without an effort
The magic I felt inside came from her innocense
Her soul as pure as heaven's whitest of clouds
A newborn purity offering endless possibilities
The Joys Of Old Age
With every brand-new ache and pain we feel
We curse the setting of the bright warm sun
Because when you live in the world of agony
There doesn't seem very much to smile about
That might be true if we think pure physical
But the meaning of life is hidden deep inside
Where our spirit of wonderment is ever young
And our dearest memories shall fuel our soul
Thoughts of loving friends can keep us eager
As we hobble slowly toward our final destiny
And now as we sadly approach our sixth decade
Some well-meaning folks call us middle-aged
But I doubt if any of us worn out old geezers
Will still be around at one hundred & fifteen
In our hearts there never will be arthritis
And our souls still feel breezes of long ago
So when you look upon us with well-meant pity
You're really doing us all a great disservice
For many of us are still in the prime of health
And those of us who aren't haven't given up yet
Expectations
As I focus inward in the hope
Of finding truest inner peace
I free myself from the bounds
Expectations hauntingly place
Upon the liberties of my heart
If I must live in this world
It will be on my chosen terms
Forsaking the path of failure
That binds us to unhappiness
Instead I shall gaze inwardly
And as I see who I once was
I wonder who I shall become
In some other time and place
I only hope I will remember
The lessons I've been taught
But those worst expectations
That I have nightmared about
As self-fulfilling prophecies
Reminding me yet once again
To search with an open heart
Sadly we all have free will
Leading us down blind alleys
Shielding us from any answers
That might offer us a clue
To past dreams and schemes
So as I focus ever inwardly
Freeing my mind of chatter
I see the center of my soul
Etched upon its very shadow
Is a message of loving care
All we need if we'll survive
Is a heart and soul so pure
That we can hear His whisper
And understand at long last
Love is the one real answer.
Honeysuckle Sweetness
Memories from my boyhood
Remind me of honeysuckle
Their nectar was sweeter
Than even their fragrance
The wild bush at our fence
Tempted me dearly each day
Though it had been years
Since I had enjoyed them
I recognized their beauty
After many years removed
I tasted their sweetness
As if it had been yesterday
I have never know a woman
Anywhere nearly as sweet
Every lady had her thorns
And her bitter after taste
Course I'm partly to blame
I never nurtured a woman
And now in my winter years
I recall those younger days
And several wilted romances
Turned bitter from neglect
But I fondly remember that
Honeysuckle sweetness still
Specialty Haiku Trio
The Old Neighborhood
I live on a hill
My very best friend was Bill
Why recall him still
That house was so neat
Sat on the porch, air was sweet
Cat laid by my feet
Played on baseball team
Stayed on the bench, a bad scheme
Made me have daydreams
Shared room with brother
Dared to wish for another
Stared hard at each other
Had a fire in house
Bad renter was a drunk louse
Sad to see dad grouse
Hate moving away
Fate was so cruel on that day
Late plea, could I stay
Clowns
Clowns can be funny
Gowns are what they wear sometimes
Frowns they chase away
Shoes five times too big
Blue and red costume they don
Spews seltzer water
Smiles painted on face
Styles can vary funny sad
Whiles you and I laugh
Growing Older
Age, a state of mind
Rage over what I can't find
Stage set to be kind
Think of time gone by
Slink about being so shy
Drink milk and be spry
Taking cat naps now
Waking at night with a scow
Making jokes, oh how
Not as young today
Got to watch what all I say
Hot, inside I stay
Young once, I recall
Stung by bee, took a bad fall
Flung spine, to be tall
Hey, I still have friends
Stay loyal until life's end
Day or night can't bend
Wish I wasn't old
Dish of ice cream cold
Fish with bamboo pole
I Cried Today
I cried today because someone
I knew only as a username died
I might've replied one of his posts
Once, I told him I liked his work
Nothing else but a cyber-stranger
But somehow he was a real friend
Since I'd known him for six years
I cried today because I did care
A Healing Rainbow
With broken hearts our nation now mourns
As we struggle to comprehend the hatred
That has ended the heartbeat of innocense
And as we suffer as part of our nation
We also grieve within our wailing souls
Offering an unspoken prayer for humanity
Wondering if there can be a true healing
From the senseless violence we have felt
So as we unite in a comforting embrace
We must temper our anger with compassion
Coming together in spite of all our fears
Allowing our differences to strengthen us
Instead of dividing us into ethnic tribes
Suffering and pain has no color or creed
Deep inside we are the family of mankind
Honoring those who have been sacrificed
Our shattered dreams can be reborn anew
If we come together rather than retreat
With many voices we must echo one prayer
Seeking both tolerance and understanding
We can never be destroyed by outside foes
If our hearts and souls nurture the hope
Of a brotherhood made of loving neighbors
Maybe then our victims will rest in peace
The Cascading Decades
Living our lives one day after another
The progress can seem so painfully slow
And at least in our earliest years, we
Think that we'll be forever too young
Wishing for freedom to live as we wish
Rather than being controlled by parents
All we dream of is making our decisions
Not worried that we have no experience
For how will we learn if we never try
How cam we grow if not given a chance
It seems so easy when we're very young
But it never is until we've grown older
But it simply a matter of our view point
For from the easy chair of sixty years
Time in review seems to rush so quickly
While I can recall those long ago days
Sometimes it feels I have aged overnight
As I cut another slice of nostalgia pie
I most taste only the sweetest memories
The bitterest of life died on the vine
And as I notice those detours I've made
I think of the possibilities I bypassed
I don't regret the choices that I risked
And don't envy the who I might've become
From our beginnings, our domain will grow
First a crib, then play pen, front yard
Until the magical day we get to explore
The vast universe know as a neighborhood
Proud as one can be, we're never satisfied
Thinking we possess a wisdom of the ages
Convinced we know more than anyone else
As toddles we seek to expand our horizons
Even the hard knocks of life can't slow us
As we plunge headlong into the adventures
Awaiting us just beyond every new corner
Fearful to be alone, too bold to stay home
Looking back over decades of daily strife
We're amused at how brash we once had been
Savoring a memory of an ordinary lifetime
Made special simply because it's about us
Our first kiss, first awkward dance step
Just how cool we thought that we were then
Before responsibility replaced that magic
When imagination was our favorite playmate
Fondly our memories are tinged with regret
For all those times we let reason win out
Never understanding how precious youth was
Somehow thinking childhood would never end
As toddlers making our first wobbly steps
We long to explore, to risk, to discover
Fearlessly, we desire to plunge into life
There's time later on to lick our wounds
Youth is for searching out our excitement
So many brand new sights and sounds await
As if our eyes really can absorb it all
So much to do, why does life move so slow
Everything lures us to experience mystery
Our imagination fueling reckless abandon
Sometimes we pay for mistakes with tears
But bumps and bruises heal quickly enough
Sitting here now, I'm surprised I survived
Some of the foolish stunts that I'd tried
But looking six decades behind me right now
There's so much I wish that I would've done
It's not regret, but more a sense of wonder
So many fears that I should have overcame
Those self doubts that kept holding me back
But no, I wouldn't have taken another route
This life of mine has been a wonderful joy
So, if I could rewind my life to the start
Would I be willing to take a different path
No, but I wouldn't mind reliving this trip.
Modified Hungarian Balassi
Peaceful Bliss
Know peace deep within you
Show that love radiates true
Go the that part that is calm
Believe you've inner power
Relieve the burdens that sour
Retrieve that special soft glow
Care about your fellow man
Share the load, give him a hand
Snare the beauty that is your life
Wondering
Think of your true spirit
Drink in courage, don't fear it
Link you heart to those you love
See the love that you know
Be mindful, and let it show
Free yourself from all your fears
Never foresake your care
Ever aware how you share
Forever live peacefully
Images
Dreams can give us wisdom
Seems to come from God's kingdom
Reams of memories will dance
Sing a song of prue joy
Fling your arms acting so coy
Bring true love to your romance
Share freely of your own heart
Bare each day as a new start
Care enough to offer chance
Music And More
Sound a joyful happy note
Round up feelings to be wrote
Drown your sorrows as you swim
Dance to faraway beats
Prance happily on big feet
Stance only counts if you're slim
Move to the lively rhythm
Groove and feel like you're livin'
Smooth steps will help keep you trim
This is the first of a good number of Challenges that are held bi-weekly on a small poetry forum I run. The challenges invite our members to add their poems to a themed collective poem. Oftentimes, each poem in a challenge will be titled. These Challenges offered here contain only my contribution to a larger effort.
Angel's Challenge
Reality Can Be Cool
Reality is whatever you perceive it to be
Deep within your soul you'll understand
And feel it warmly throughour your heart
And see its meaning while falling asleep
If you meditate its message won't be lost
Among the lies your mind tricks you with
Or you can live with some false reality
And your soul shall never be at peace
Heart ache will surely invade your mood
Falling spirits will haunt all your days
As you life begins to feel as if it's lost
Simply because of your humanly lies
But rejoice, pain is God's greatest gift
Pain's Purpose
Reality may be an illusion
Which my soul will discern
As my heart begins healing
Falling in love with life
Lost in a spiritual embrace
Ego lies must not harm me
Reality is a morror image
Soul sends out its love
Heart catches its warmth
As it is falling in time
Never lost, always found
Lies firmly in my dreams
Pain is simply a memory
Spirit's Dream
Reality senses
Soul, which opens
Heart, and
Falling emotions are
Lost, as
Lies are forgotten
Reality understands
Soul knows
Heart feels
Falling expectations
Lost meanings
Lies untold
Pain evaporates
Soul Voyage
Reality ever changes
Soul ever evolving
Heart ever aglow
Falling silently
Lost in meditation
Lies open to memories
Reality is a dream
Soul is our being
Heart echoes
Falling gently
Lost in love
Lies slip away
Pain perishes
Celebrate Life
Reality can be harsh
Soul can be soothing
Heart swelling
Falling into love
Lost in the joy
Lies peacefully
Reality is a game
Soul keeps score
Heart always wins
Falling confetti
Lost emotions
Lies overcome
Pain but a memory
Progressions
Reality settles us
Soul lifts us
Heart calms us
Falling harms us
Lost in confusion
Lies to our spirit
Reality scares us
Soul enriches us
Heart warms us
Falling into love
Lost in the glow
Lies peacefully
Pain is an illusion
Silent Spirit
Reality rules
Soul controls
Heart nourishes
Falling expectation
Lost arrogance
Lies suppressed
Reality confues
Soul understands
Heart endears
Falling egos
Lost pride
Lies exposed
Pain vanishes
Truthful Love
Reality confounds
Soul revives
Heart nourishes
Falling away
Lost hatred
Lies dormant
Reality inspires
Soul creates
Heart encourages
Falling barriers
Lost confusion
Lies restless
Pain softened
Echoes
Reality ignores
Soul wonders
Heart aches
Falling arches
Lost connection
Lies deceive
Reality recalls
Soul learns
Heart throbs
Falling scheme
Lost identity
Lies quietly
Pain inspires
Always Forever
Reality lasts
Soul renews
Heart recalls
Falling memories
Lost dreams
Lies peacefully
Reality sees
Soul understands
Heart beats
Falling gently
Lost pretense
Lies abandoned
Pain forgives
Little Angel
Reality smiles
Soul sings
Heart warms
Falling fears
Lost worries
Lies forgotten
Reality cheers
Soul sighs
Heart embraces
Falling barriers
Lost sorrows
Lies asunder
Pain escapes
Angel's Hope
Reality inspires
Soul generates
Heart cares
Falling softly
Lost regrets
Lies untold
Reality changes
Soul anchors
Heart sustains
Falling away
Lost egos
Lies unspoken
Pain ignored
Reality's Reality
Reality scorches
Soul burning
Heart renders
Falling into
Lost memories
Lies forgotten
Reality renewed
Soul recalls
Heart beats
Falling faintly
Lost forever,
Lies evaporate
Pain heals
Holiday Dreams
Reality mimicks
Soul games
Heart whispers
Falling snow
Lost key
Lies hidden
Reality redeems
Soul burdens
Heart brightens
Falling asleep
Lost slippers
Lies scattered
Pain fulfills
Yesterday's Tomorrow
Reality accepts
Soul enlightenment
Heart murmurs
Falling softly
Lost fears
Lies discarded
Reality creates
Soul beauty
Heart flutters
Falling leaves
Lost memories
Lies abandoned
Pain lingers
Yuletide Cheer
Reality makes yuletide warm
Soul unites with loving
Heart glows with friendsip
Falling snow brightens
Lost traditions revieved
Lies forgotten
Reality is sharing gifts
Soul smiles so sweetly
Heart warming memories
Falling away of anger
Lost love remembered
Lies have no meaning
Pain ecohes faintly
Comforting The Dying
When family or friend faces their death
We never know those right words to offer
Comfort, sympathy, and some understanding
If sincere, can there be any wrong words
Offer support, simply being there soothes
Celebrating their life, death has to wait
Do share memories from much happier times
Remind them of the reasons you love them
And the many ways they have enriched you
Bring them a flower, but also your heart
Gift then the present of your own presence
And laugh together, it'll ease their fears
Know weeping together cleanses your souls
And know that being there really is enough
Don't hide your sorrow, show that you care
Ask what's their heart's fondest of desires
Try your best to make their wish come true
Yes, sharing silence can truly be so golden
Hug them ofen when you visit, and hold hands
Help them makes plans for each new tomorrow
Facing death is the saddest reality of life
Assure them now they won't face death alone
Smile through your sorrow to ease their fear
Tell them you'll love them forever and a day
Do this and much more in person or by phone
Proving your affection continues to increase
Smallest of gifts always give them a thrill
Silliness will distract them from a reality
That is constantly weighing on their thoughts
Love is the best pain reliever that there is
Burmese Than-Bauk Challenge
You call this fun?
I might run off
Just one I'll try
I love my friends
My heart sends joy
I'll lend you care
I need a shave
But I'll save it
Till late tonight
Humming softly
A small flea flew
To be a pest
One two three four
Here's one more poem
A sore brain now
Cats all say meow
When a cow moos
A fowl chicken
Shame on the rat
Killing cat bad
A fat mean deed
This is hard work
Wipe that smirk off
This jerk likes you
Son home from war
Joy will soar high
No more worry
Her tears of joy
Has her boy home
Will toy with heart
Let's play a game
It's for fame now
The same rules here
Pineal's poems rule
He's a cool dude
I'm full of words
Hot cup of Joe * Joe is US slang for coffee
As the snow mounts
I'll go nowhere
Cats like to purr
Love their fur stroked
Held her in lap
Snow storm on way
Big one they tell
All day long show
Going offline
Will unwind some
And find a snack
Poems not easy
No sleazy work
Breezy its not
Had a leg cramp
Tried to stamp foot
Knocked lamp over
Tacos for meal
Tasted real good
I feel full now
Time to relax
Thought of flax seed
Send fax to friend
Chapped lips have healed
Paint has peeled off
A field of flowers
A rose for you
Don't be blue dear
For true is love
I don't hate short
But my sport long
I'll sort it out
A newborn child
Has just smiled now
A wild cry next
Pigs can not fly
But they try to
Don't fry them up
New paint on walls
Almost falls down
It calls for air
Your Theme Challenge
Illusions
Things aren't how they seem to be
But rather how you dream they are
Reality is hidden away in your soul
Waiting for you to discover yourself
Impossibilities
Everything is possible if you believe
Your powers resides deep within you
Unlocked when you finally understand
Your soul hasn't any impossibilities
Wisdom
Wisdom isn't something you can claim
But rather something others announce
Actions always speak even more boldly
When powered by your most inner light
Miracles
Believe that you have the hidden power
And somehow it'll become a part of you
Miracles happen every day of your life
If you'll focus inward onto your soul
Transformations
Going wherever life seems to need us
Showing others that life is for living
I can't give, I can only offer freely
And hope that you will accept my gift
Flying
Just as the bi-plane soars freely above
Inwardly, your spirit known no bounds
The answers that you have been seeking
Have always been deep inside your heart
Floating
Just as your soul's spirit can fly
You too can float among the stars
Or make your very dreams a reality
The power to believe is inside you
Disolving
Become one with the truest spirit
Know that you possess God's power
He has taught you so many lessons
Look inward and you shall remember
Peace
Drawing from deep within
A calm sense envelopes us
Knowing that God answers
All our hardest questions
Reaching
Reach beyond what you have done
To see what might be possible
Reality is what you do believe
No limit to what you'll achieve
Reality
Free will means that you're in control
Your destiny is whatever you may choose
Decide your course every single flight
Don't limit your dreams to only night
Clouds
Flying above the clouds is freeing
Your spirit soars with inspiration
While deep within, you are grounded
Firmly in your belief of the unknown
Sacred
Dreams foretell sacred memories
Of past lives, of the future too
Our soul understands our needs
Offering answers if we'll listen
Searching
Look withing to find your magic
A power that comes from spirit
Reality is whatever you belive
It's not something you can fake
Giving
The only gift you can offer
Is a piece of who you are
Money and riches will fade
Only time shall ever survive
Taking
Take what you need form the cosmos
Leave what you can offer to others
While it probably won't balance out
You won't feel like a begger thief
Understanding
Knowing yourself is life's goal
Searching inward for the answer
Listening to your souls's spirit
The echoing of a universal love
Spiritual
Sharing your soul's spirit will
Make your heart grow more freely
Giving love makes you vulnerable
Receiving love makes you human
Journeys
Travels can become very lonely
Seeking what we already possess
Looking outward instead of deep
Inside our very own heart, soul
Answers
When in doubt, ask yourself questions
You'll be surprised how much you know
The wisdom of the cosmos will provide
With the solution to most any problem
Honesty
Always be true to your inner self
You already have unlimited power
Whatever you wish you will have
If you trust your spirit enough
Rules
The only spiritual rule is to believe
Both in yourself and in a higher power
The true miracle is trusting your soul
Which is burdened with your human self
Humility
Pride can be such an ugly beast
Boasting makes us seem so shallow
Let others see who you really are
Your true worth will shine bright
Poetry
Life is much like reading poetry
You need to figure what was meant
But what the author said matters
Only if it answers your questions
Peaceful Poetry Challenge
Inner Calm
I am at my most peaceful when
I'm both empathic and sympathic
And sharing my joyous attitude
With everyone I might encounter
Offering my enthusiasm for life
So we will all become enriched
Brotherly Love
I am at my most peaceful when
I share my poetry to inspire
Others to be more spiritual
And when I turn from hatred
That might be within my heart
Extending my hand as a friend
Pondering
I am at my most peaceful when
I wonder about my spirituality
Looking inward to find a calm
That escapes me much too often
But when I focus upon goodness
Peace will always fill my heart
Focusing
I am at my most peaceful when
I have my priorities in order
Being loyal to all my friends
Caring to strangers as well
Compassionate toward everyone
Listening to my soul's spirit
Creativity
I am at my most peaceful when
I'm writing, with words flowing
From my heart to my fingertips
Forcing myself to be profound
Speaking of common experiences
Only then can I be truly peaceful
Sharing
I am at my most peaceful when
I'm reading the challenges here
Being inspired by poet friends
Who I only meet of the Internet
I feel as if we're a true family
Loving and respecting each other
Truly Free
I am at my most peaceful when
I quit trying to control others
But allow them to live freely
I will show you my path, but I
Shan't insist that you do follow
Freedom's another word for peace
Calm
I am at my most peaceful when
I forget my pride and listen
To the calmness deep within me
In thought or mediative state
I seek to find ny truest center
And refresh my soul's spirit
Moving On
I am at my most peaceful when
I accept injustice in stride
And offer forgiveness instead
It matters little I was wronged
But more what's deep in my heart
Hate the deed, love the person
Pondering
I'm at my most peaceful when
I look quietly inward to see
The honesty within my heart
Discarding the lies I speak
In order to seem important
That's not for me to judge
Inclusive
I am at my most peaceful when
I gather my friends about me
Creating a special community
Of caring, sharing, and love
Where we'll honor one another
With respect and understanding
A Mother's Love
I am at my most peaceful when
My friends are also peaceful
Wecoming home her warrior son
Months of worry finally faded
Relief reigns deep in her heart
As her spirit silently shouts
Relationships
I am at my most peaceful when
I actively care about friends
Eagerly awaiting our meetings
Either in person or if online
Following my father's example
Always living brotherly love
Yesteryear
I am at my most peaceful when
I'm recalling golden memories
Back when I was a growing boy
Not much really very special
A warm afternoon, a ball game
Just a sense that I was loved
Helping
I am at my most peaceful when
I'm sharing my writing skills
With some new, beginning writer
Who shows intersest and talent
Encouraging that creative spark
Instilling a love of word magic
Magic
I'm at my most peaceful when
When I feel magic in my heart
Thinking of a special friend
Knowing a charing connection
Sharing a few warming messages
Keeping our spirits in touch
Sharing
I'm at my most peaceful when
I'm sharing with someone else
Smiles between longish friends
Poetry with some newish folks
Hints with some budding writer
Healing wishes because I care
Thinking
I'm at my most peaceful when
I ponder the mysteries of life
And the minor role that I play
Keeping my ego close at hand
Knowing I'm not important, but
That I would be missed if gone
Reading
I'm at my most peaceful when
I'm reading a book that makes
Me ponder the mysteries I see
Deeply within my imagination
Inspiring or entertaining me
Keeping my mind acively alert
Holidays
I'm at my most peaceful when
I tell my friends that I care
For no paticular reason at all
Other than the joy of sharing
The warmth of our companionship
The happiness of knowing them
Yesterdays
I'm at my most peaceful when
I remember a day from my past
That brought me some happiness
Playing a slide whistle maybe
Or looking out an attic window
Ordinary events, ordinary days
Understanding
I'm at my most peaceful when
I simply accept what happens
Instead of having expectations
Receiving poetic gifts nicely
Offered by my forum of friends
Sharing the dreams of our souls
Gifts
I'm at my most peaceful when
I can give someone a nice gift
Usually I give books I've read
While I like getting presents
Giving is something I do enjoy
Sharing is much more satisfying
Quietude
I'm at my most peaceful when
I'm leaning back listening
To the quiet of my solitude
Wondering about life's goal
Waiting for answers to come
Silently into my soul's core
Forum Friends
I'm at my most peaceful when
Working with my fellow poets
Building a forum peacefully
Sharing our creative themes
In the hopes of inspiration
As we build webs of caring
Limerick Challenge
There was an older guy named Majic
His call for limericks makes me sick
I hate writing these
They give me the fleas
I hope this one will do the trick
Whoever invented limericks I loathe
Because the words simply don't flow
But I'm a poet
I'll give it a go
Surely mine won't win best of show
Writing limericks is hard to do
Writing limericks makes me blue
But Majic did ask
I'm up to the task
Because he's friend good and true
I'm up to the challenge of limericks
I'll write them for the man of tricks
I'm write them with cheer
I have nothing to fear
Just don't chase me with any more sticks
There was a man who repeatedly reincarnated
Who seemed to recall memories quite belated
Never focued inward
Till one day he heard
That his soul's spirit needed to be integrated
There was a man who meditated
But seemed instead vegitated
He'd never go
To his soul glow
But continued to be frustrated
There was someone who didn't accept
Reincarnation as an actual concept
Said when he died
That's where he'd lie
He came back, now it's his precept
There was a man who did hate
Who thoguht that was his fate
He had a cold heart
Until he did start
To know he would reincarnate
Creativity has evaded our friend
So he's repeating his old trend
The middle lines change
It seems a bit strange
But somehow they do sort of blend
The man who started this challenge
Has somehow ran out of inspiration
But don't give up
Change the rules
Forget the rhyme rule for the rhythm
I'm not so much for breaking the rules
But sometimes rules just make us fools
Glad you're back Majic
My poem did the trick
Inspiration should make us all drool
Majic's book is full of food for thought
With many insights that can't be bought
Many ideas are unique
Opinions we all seek
And theories that've seldom been taught
I'm simply a funny fat old man
Who lives without any real plan
I do overeat
But I'm sweet
Even if I am just a bit bland
I went to my doctor's office today
Had to get on a scale to be weighed
I was 20 pounds lighter
Made me feel brighter
Only 150 pounds more to lose I'd say
Enjoy your trip dear friend of mine
Spend quilty time with your sons
We'll miss you ever so
Have fun in the snow
We'll have poetic gifts for your return
Dad's Lucky Parakeet
Dad won a parakeet at a festival
Back when I was just a young boy
He named the greenish bird Lucky
Lucky talked like a toddler does
Chattering away oh so cheerfully
Singing songs like an old radio
Hey Mable, Black Label, and more
Imitating everything he's heard
Dad's parakeet was like a clown
Entertaining us and our visitors
As it sat on my dad's eyeglasses
We were upset when it flew away
After the people renting upsatirs
Set fire to our family's house
Lucky, who seldom was caged up
Escaped from our downstairs unit
Lucky ended up perched in a tree
Just outside of our 3rd floor attic
And dad, who never seemed too brave
Climbed out and edged ever closer
To the edge of the roof for Lucky
Only concerned about his parakeet
I don't recall if Lucky returned
But I always knew my father's love
To Expectant Parents
May this precious life you'll soon receive
Bring you joy far beyond your every dream
And when you gaze into your new child's eyes
May the love you feel never leave your heart
And may your patience be limitless, so that
You never voice either anger or judgment
May your child never doubt that you care
Scold only to protect, but never to punish
And if you have more than just one child
May they all feel they are your favorite
Always speak softly, and with affection
Suffer disappointment as calmly as can be
Guide your child as gently as possible
While allowing them to learn from errors
Be secure enough in your our way of life
So as not to live vicariously through them
Learn to say No, as hard as it might be
Do your best to learn from your mistakes
Children don't care if you're not perfect
As long as they never doubt your love
For you alone are their entire universe
Give not only of yourself, but your time
Cherish the quite moments of every day
For they are the memories you will share
Foster both their dream and imagination
And show them the magic of possibilities
Give them courage to reach for the stars
Realize they are yours for just a while
So give them a home that is always theirs
Treasure them for the true gifts they are
Emptiness?
For nothingness, it has so much character
A hollow feeling that can drain your spirit
A gray dullness that chases away every joy
A bitterness that tastes like echoing defeat
A sense that life may never be right again
But you alone could change my emptiness
With a few gentle words, a knowing smile
With you there is only the fullness of hope
For you do offer the rarest of perfect gifts
Quite simply, you are a true, caring friend.
It's Been A Good Life So Far
As I've grown older I've often taken inventory
Trying to decide what kind of life I have had
I've thought and pondered may nights and days
And I've discovered something truly astonishing
Good times are easier to recall than those hurts
My few victories outweigh all the disappointments
And while there's hardly ever been enough money
I've been quite rich in so very many other ways
All my best friendships have endured the decades
And the jobs I so hated are now pleasant memories
My few romances are enjoyable to reflect on now
And I've liked myself enough never to be lonely
Even all these aches and pains are merely pesky
When I'm able to keep a positive state of mind
But best of all has been the magic World Wide Web
Where I've met new friends from around the globe
Helping to erase those troubling misconceptions
About nameless peoples who were total strangers
But now are usernames who I've come to care about
So yes, there have been more struggles than needed
And more failures than I shall even honestly admit
Too few triumphs to properly fill some scrape book
But all in all, I've had a wonderful life so far
And eagerly look forward to the mysteries to come.
In An Ideal World
In an ideal world, or at least what
Would be my version of that fantasy
Besides the expected bliss & harmony
Of course no one would ever go hunrgy
Nor would most of us gorge ourselves
Into the horrors of mortal obesity
There would of course be real peace
In spite of all our many differences
And maybe at long last, finally, we
Would celebrate what makes us unique
In this make belive world of ours
Each of us would toil in jobs of joy
Appreciated for our intrinsic worth
And our bills would be paid on time
Doors would never need to be locked
Since crime would be only a memory
Sad to say, there is no such place
As want and worry surrond us all
Until we've all become prisoners
Locked inside fears that are reality
But with each new life comes new hope
That this insanity will somehow end
If only it were within my power, I'd
Assure that toddles were forever safe
And every parent would be nurturing
Infants would never experience fear
And would be loved and cherished for
The special individuals that they are
Just maybe such a world isn't possible
But can we ever dare stop dreaming?
I Love . . . Challenge
I love poetry
Stringing my words together
In way that inspire
Combined with other poets
We've built a community
I love history
Reading of Henry VIII
Next I'll read about slavery
But all people interest me
Especially those I know now
I love who I am
Which I didn't always do
Wasn't likeable
Until I finally aged
And discovered my spirit
I love editing
Making manuscripts shine bright
Correcting grammar
Molding someone else's thoughts
Into the best it can be
I love Blues music
It speaks to my very soul
Draining my tensions
The small stories that unfold
Calm the problems of my day
I love my solitude
Being alone just feels right
I still like my friends
But they sometime can intrude
I'd much rather be online
I love who I am
For many years I didn't
But over time I changed
Wore away the rough edges
And become more mellow
I love being creative
Helps to keep my mind active
Makes me interesting
Which isn't always easy
But always is surprising
I love a good joke
Though I can't remember them
Always make me laugh
Either now or much later
Delayed reactions are fun
I love word puzzles
Although I'm not good at them
They keep me alert
And sharpen my language skills
Broader vocabulary
I love it cozy
Cold and wet rough on old bones
I tend to relax
Spending all my time online
Or with my feet up reading
I love old movies
Anything in black and white
A friend lends me them
He must have many thousands
A lot of good ones unknown
I love this life now
Wouldn't mind repeating it
If given the chance
While it hasn't been ideal
The memories have been great
I love confusion
Keeps my aging mind fine tuned
A bump in the road
Makes me think in a new way
Sort of a mental jig saw
I love my friends, but
Not the part they have planned
Don't like attention
Hope they get presents I like
Maybe some good books to read
I love peaceful bliss
Feeling warm satisfaction
Of a job well done
A sense of accomplishment
The pride of my workmanship
I love giving gifts
Much better than giving them
Though I like that too
Can't afford as many now
But still try to give the best
I love household pets
Enriching our lives with love
That knows no limit
Giving much more than they ask
They're heaven's angels who purr
I love the indoors
When it's cold and wintery
All cozy and warm
Much easier on old bones
I'm just a couch potato
I love the night time
There's less noise from my neighbors
I can concentrate
I get more work done that way
As I spend all night online
I love morning naps
After a long night online
Only a few hours
Refreshes me for the day
Of visiting my favorite sites
I love couponing
Cutting them out of newspapers
Saving me money
Stores here double the discount
I just hate paying full price
I love Zydco
Which is sort of cajun Blues
It touches my soul
Even more than the best Soul
Think I'll listen to some now
Ancient Echoes
When our physical bodies begin to wear
And our mental alertness starts fading
We'll often receive those ancient echoes
That we have ignored during a lifetime
As if our inner being was an intrusion
Rather than the foundation of ourselves
But if we pause and listen ever closely
To the wisdom blossoming deeply within
We can summon comfort from those fears
That worry us during our declining days
The sleep of death we struggle against
Is really a doorway leading to forever
The tragedies and woes we have traveled
Have some purpose beyond suffering's pain
Preparing us for those undefined glories
Awaiting for us across an unspoken void
The echoing memories of those we've lost
Whisper the love that fuels our journey
So worry not, fragile children of earth
This is merely a proving ground for now
The trials we endure upon this cold orb
Will strengthen us for tomorrow's test
And if we can succeed The Master's quiz
Our reward may be a taste of perfection
Now listen closely to yesterday's echoes
As we stroll those pathways of our soul
This senseless wandering serves us well
Building us firm foundations of memories
Ponder deeply inward, confused brethren
And all the mysteries shall be explained.
Innocent Fears
In decades gone by children worried about
Monsters hiding under their beds, or else
Lurking in the dusty reaches of a closet
But nowadays, those monsters are too real
Stalking their innocent prey in the open
Hidden from sight as everyday people, but
Actually a brand new curse upon the land
Exploiting the youngest and the weakest
Stealing young lives for an evil thrill
That simply shall never be understood
Raping and killing sweet innocent babes
Within a dark vortex of sickened dreams
As we worry helpless behind locked doors
Embrace your loved ones ever tenderly
Protect them from the modern monsters
Even when those sinful fiends are found
And harshly punished within locked cells
The sorrow and sadness will continue for
Those who knew and loved their victims
So as we lay to rest another dear child
Who suffered and died silently, please
Say a prayer that the children are safe
And that their lives are not cut short
While these hideous hateful monsters
Will surely burn in the hottest hell
Their numbers seem to keep increasing
Either copy-cats or depraved loners
We now all weep as we watch the news
As impossible as it seems to believe
Reality is that our youth are at risk
Embrace them in a cocoon of safe love.
Guide You, Guide Me
If you can feel the love
My soul has for yours
You'll understand life
Or at last finally begin
To truly know the joy
Of an immortal spirit
I'm dying to guide you
On your endless journey
Through the magic maze
That leads to yourself
And since I shall forget
The lives I have known
Echoes growing dimmer
Fears of some yesterlife
May haunt my new path
Masking a new morrow
Full of the rawest hope
Come walk soul by soul
Sharing but not speaking
Guide me inward please.
The Business Of War
Everyone speaks of the evils of war
And most of us mean just what we say
But there are some who silently smile
Behind masks pretending to be somber
Merchants of war pocketing profits
Paying a ransom on humanities sorrow
Death and destruction, raising stocks
Ignoring the funerals held every day
Bomb casings and countless body bags
Enrich the values of killer companies
Politicians all strutting bloated egos
Their children are safe from harm's way
To them it's simply about saving face
To mothers it's more about saving sons
Men & women offered as daily sacrifice
Every day the victim's numbers mount
All for the sake of a hollow victory
Supposedly we have lessons to be learned
According to our beliefs in spirituality
But must the classroom be so darn bloody
More and more people insist there be peace
Those in power turn collective deaf ears
They claim they're doing what's the best
While ignoring the suffering of the world
All for the sake of some bragging rights.
The Screen Door
The house I lived in as a boy was so magical
With all of it's various nooks and crannies
And even a pull-up cellar door in the floor
Of the cavernous hall where I loved to play
Which led to the wonderful and cool basement
Where lived the breathing, belching furnace
Into which we'd feed countless chunks of coal
I'd spend the day watching the fire through
The gap running around the ill-fitting door
And then I'd run to the top of that old house
And marvel at the mysteries inside the attic
Steamer trunks and an even older kitchen stove
I'd sit at the open front window and daydream
Thinking up stories, always carried a tablet
But the best part of the house was the kitchen
With those wonderful cooking aromas of mom's
Either Irish stews or some hearty German fare
Having to clean my plate made me ever so fat
We had a wonderfully huge yard where we played
Coming and going many times throughout the day
And every single time we'd hear mom shout at us
Don't let the screen door slam; of course we did
Groovin' To The Blues
I've been a lover of Blues since my first listen
Somehow they seemed to speak my sort of language
Reaching a certain somber place deep within me
And I've wondered if everyone has that same space
Or if maybe I have been blessed, or maybe cursed
The best of sweet Blues tend to seep rather slow
Giving you more time to absorb its aching message
Than other types of music that sound more shallow
While Blues often speak in a voice tinged with woe
You need to know a real sadness to feel a true joy
And while I also groove to all those Golden Oldies
From way back during the time of my misspent youth
The sad tones of Classic Blues always stir my soul
Like those protests of Joan Biaz and Bob Dylan did
And while George, John, Paul and Ringo were great
The truth of their message has faded over the years
But the pain and agony of Blues seems to stay fresh
Since we all live days of quite, sad disappointment
And while we'll remember all the best of our lives
Blues help us recall those bittersweet moments too
As tragic as some events were at times, we coped
In overcoming them we've grown stronger in spirit
It's not the easiest times that help us survive
But the knowledge that we somehow withstood strife
Should make life's journey much easier to endure
Wisdom and understanding are born from under fire
True experience only flows from the shame of error
Watching great wizards navigate lifes twisting maze
So when I select a CD of Clapton, BB, or Chienier
I'm celebrating the countless journies I have made.
Dear Children
May your universe always be as safe
As the loving embrace from your mother
And as secure as your father's pride
May the comfort you find in your crib
Keep you from harm during every day
Letting you slumber in peace nightly
And may the simple joys of innocence
Become the building blocks of tomorrow
As your world grows by leaps and bounds
May happiness never become a stranger
Know your parents will not be perfect
Forgive them, and thank them for trying
Pay attention to the smallest details
For they're the memories you'll cherish
When your parents have embarrassed you
Realize that it does work both ways
When you wish you had different parents
Remember all those times you were sick
And they stayed up giving you comfort
Think of the last time you hugged them
Little one, so fresh and so brand new
May all your parent's dream be fulfilled
And as you begin to spread your wings
Listen to their advice, decide yourself
They honestly want what's best for you
And know you can never lose their love
As harsh as the world sometimes can be
You'll always have a home in their embrace
As impossible as they may seem at times
A parent's love is a gentle strength.
Bubble Lights
Way back when, when I was but a mere youth
Holiday celebrations had that special feel
The slower pace of life really made dreams
Actually seem that they might become true
As we began to decorate the yuletide tree
Ever slowly the magic of Santa would unfold
Hanging old-fashioned trinkets was a thrill
Exceeded only by opening gifts on Xmas morn
Popping popping corn to string into garlands
Busy making red and green craft paper chains
Gently hanging each delicate glass-blown orb
Until it was time to add those bubble lights
Which glowed and bubbled with holiday cheer
Looking like the grandest of jeweled candles
A wonderful array of bright splendid colors
Then at long last we'd add the shiny tinsel
We'd place each single strand oh so gingerly
Except for dad who simply tossed it at random
Then we watch in awe with hushed anticipation
As dad would at long last plug in that cord
Colorful lights would suddenly spring to life
We'd hold our breath for what seemed forever
Waiting for those special candles to heat up
Laughing once festive bubbles began to dance
Now, at last, yes, Christmas time had arrived.
Majic's Simile Challenge
My Soul's New Spirit
My cats have always been children to me
Their romping much like a child's play
Calm purring comforts like the laughter
Of joyous children just outside my window
And when my felines would enjoy catnip
They acted as silly as any toddler could
Since Sarah Lee has been gone from here
I've missed having a cat to call my own
Just as a mother whose child has grown
And so come Spring and its blooming buds
I'll welcome home a sweet loving kitten
The way parents celebrate a newborn girl
Spirit will be the name of my kitty cat
As I know she will enrich my inner soul
Just like a baby reenergizes any family
A Friend's Sorrow
The sadness Mirjana lives with
Without her dear wonderful dogs
Must be like the emptiest echo
A gnawing of the darkest night
As her friend I can understand
Her pain feels like an icy chill
That touches my smoldering soul
For friends share joy and sad
As if a blending of their hearts
Celebrate your memories of them
Like a neverending movie of love
And know that I also ache for you
Loveliness In Motion
Butterflys are lifes jewels
As if ever moving rainbows
Shimmer like summer's heat
As if off an alphalt surface
Watching butterflies floating
Upon the warmest of breezes
My spirits always can soar
Tracing their fluttering path
Making my ear dance joyfully
In rhythm with their flight
Another Cup Please
It's been thirty-three years
Since I've had any alchohol,
I don't miss it a single bit
Because I enjoy coffee & tea
French Vanilla is like honey
And Orange Spice is so sweet
Being sober is like a heaven
Since I gave up being drunk
I wonder why I still smoke??
My Life So Far
Up to now my journey has been
As sweet as any budding rose
As glorious as today's sunrise
As much fun as a 3-legged race
As inspiring as any setting sun
As weird as a marijauna high
And as peaceful as meditation
And the beat goes on, and on
Sometimes
At times I act a bit foolish
Just like that child inside
As silly as a carefree youth
To see how people might react
A game I play as if I'm a boy
As if my toys were still here
It's always good for a laugh
And a smile as big as a mile
A Poetic Bond
The bonds that we have forged
As strong as if we'd have met
Together to inspire and share
Others don't want to intrude
Please, feel free to join us
As we're like one big family
There still room at out table
You'd make us more complete
Memories Of Beloved Cats
Thinking of cats I've loved
Who have loved me in return
Feels like warm sunshine on
The coldest of winter days
It always lifts my spirits
Like some kite in a breeze
Yes, in my mind's eye, they
Have never left my embrace
A Lifelong Friend
She and I have known each other
For very close to half a century
It's like our silences converse
Through meaningful caring glances
As if we know one another's heart
As if maybe we've never been apart
Lucky The Parakeet
Dad won a parakeet at a festival
Back when I was just a young boy
He named the greenish bird Lucky
Lucky talked like a toddler does
Chattering away oh so cheerfully
Singing songs like an old radio
Hey Mable, Black Label, and more
Dad's parakeet was like a clown
Entertaining us and our visitors
As it sat on my dad's eyeglasses
Miss Abigail
Talking with a five year old
Is like living at full speed
She seems to talk much faster
Than my ears are able to hear
Her excited giggles bubble up
As if from some hidden fount
Her eyes as wide as outdoors
Dancing on one foot and back
As if to hurry her story out
Never fails to make me smile
Ageless Wonder
Like the young boy safe inside
I live each day in wonderment
While my routine is the same
The results always delight me
Musing
Every time I write a new poem
Is like taking my first step
I wonder where the words are
Before they magically appear
As if like some reappering ink
From some purely mythical pen
Returning Heros
While you would never say so
To me, you're each my heros
Members of a writer's club
Sharing our common purpose
As if we're of one like mind
I miss you all when you go
Celebrating your coming home
Eacn of you are special to me
Like Wow!!
Each time I visit and read poems
Offered by my fellow poet friends
My soul often shouts "Like Wow!!"
From so many parts of the world
We come together in understanding
Sharing our loving gift of words
Inspiring each other to continue
Maybe Like Wow should be Love Wow
Renewal
Seeing friends again after some time
Seems like rereading a treasured book
Know them like the back of your hand
Still you'll discover many new things
Giving you reason to love them more
Remembering
Recalling times now gone by
As if it was just yesterday
Can give us warmer insights
Than when we experienced it
Like visiting with a friend
Who's gone but still remains
Ever if the time were bitter
Distance will ease the pain
Leaving us only the memory
A lesson for soul's spirit
Wonderment
Amazement is like a surprise gift
That doesn't need to be unwrapped
Springs out like a Jack In The Box
A Loving Family
Our creative little forum, Word By Word
Has brought us together from everywhere
Strangers who would never met each other
To form a small family who deeply cares
Just as if we were a small village, and
Lived all together side by side by side
And while we'll maybe never really meet
Our hearts have grown so fondly entwined
That we truly have become a real family
Joined by real love and truest affection
This Special Time
Unlike other times I have known
Here and now had special meaning
Not so much for our poetry games
But more because of this sharing
Freely offered through our caring
As if gathered round some table
Enjoying coffee and flavored tea
We give encouragement, affection
Disruptions
Those bumps in the road of life
That twist all our plans asunder
Are so like a noisy thunderstorm
Diverting our attention's focus
From what we think is important
But we're not always in control
As if giving a slap of reality
Just when we're most comfortable
Projects
I thrive on have new projects
To ever challenge my creativity
As if a hidden but moving target
Proving again that I am worthy
It isn't something I have to do
But something that I most enjoy
As if the very essense of life
Happiness
A magical mood gives meaning to our lives
Much like rain will give birth to flowers
Without a joyful heart our dreams'll fade
Into a meaninless hodge-podge of nothing
The Phone Call
Talked to my best friend today
Which brightened both our days
As if it were warming sunshine
Instead of the winter's gloom
Utter Frustration
I bought a new spool of thread
Couldn't find where it started
Until I peeled away both labels
Just like our own spiritual life
Hidden within us, awaiting our
Surprised discovery
Dads Lap Warmer
Samantha was a special little girl
Pure black with the largest of eyes
And a skittish manner, as if scared
A near perfect white diamond chest
And unending love for dear old dad
Which gave him a reason to carry on
Struggling back from a severe stroke
When at first he had given up hope
But when dad was at adult day care
Smampy was friendly to me and Sugie
She had a fondness for people food
Unlike any other cat I have known
Cheese and crackers and pizza sauce
Were only the start of her odd menu
She's try anything at least one time
And insisted upon popcorn every day
Samantha and Sugar got along great
Just as if they were natural sisters
But when Sarah Lee arrived to stay
Smampy became a very nervous Nellie
Luckily Sarah Lee was anti-social
And ignored our little black beauty
But Sugie stood ready to defend her
Adopting Samantha as her daughter
Watching Samantha and my ill father
Was a lesson is the most pure love
That sweet kitty seldom left his lap
He petted her with such a tender touch
That never did change with his moods
When dad would retire for the night
His dear lap cat became his bed mate
Tucking dad in still he fell asleep
When my dad declined and passed away
All our cats truly mourned our loss
Were even peaceful for several days
But Smampy grieved much the same as I
Spending most of her time sadly alone
Patiently resting on dad's empty bed
Not as if she was hoping his return
More as a way to feel closer to him
The Magic Of Youth
As children, we ran and played and laughed
Enjoying each day as fully as was possible
While involved in an emotional tug-of-war
Relishing every moment to its most fullest
As we impatiently rushed to somehow grow up
Too young for the freedom we yearned for
Yet too old for the safety of innocence
Rehearsing for a starring role of adulthood
Not knowing there are only supporting parts
And that those lines cannot be memorized
Only when it's too late do we understand
How precious those carefree years were
And that the many wonders of growing up
Never shall extend beyond our childhood
It isn't simply not knowing, but not caring
For anything other than the here and now
Unaware that being a youngster is magical
A time filled with unabashed silliness
Imagination and endless possibilities
A land we'll dream of the rest of our days
Before common sense controls our lives
When friendship is the purest of all love
How wonderful the bonds that still survive
And as we glance back upon our yesterdays
Somehow the decades will simply melt away
Though we have grown older, we are young
At least on the playground of our hearts
And as we retell those stale old memories
They stir familiar longings for the past
Come, let's walk with who we once were.
Playing At The Game Of Life
Looking back over all of these years
I remember some heartache and tears
But they are mostly mere faint echoes
Of a few wrong turns that I've choose
What springs to mind much more easily
Are all the days I have lived happily
Those times I wore a smile on my face
And traveled at a nice leisurely pace
A boyhood spent in an innocent bliss
The thrill of my first teenage kiss
And while there were times of trouble
Somehow they always burst like a bubble
Replaced by some small personal victory
That would set my soul's spirit free
And just because I was able to survive
Some people think that I am really wise
But wisdom is nothing but common sense
Paying attention to years I've misspent
Now if I were to offer you any advice
I'd tell you to season life with spice
While the bad stuff seems to never end
You will bounce back quickly my friend
Winds of change blow dark clouds away
Don't let negativity lead you astray
Simply live your life a day at a time
I can't lend you any experience of mine
Bumps and bruises will heal soon enough
Awful things won't seem nearly as rough
You can't know the good without some bad
Decide you'll be happy rather than sad.
Writing Across Time
Words do come easy
I've used them for eons
Ancient times to now
From scribe to author
Using quills but now a keyboard
Thoughts noble, profound
Inspiring at times
Respected but still unknown
The words flowed freely
The power of writing
Has never lost to ego
Much pride in my craft
Fame eluded me
For want of a nobler cause
Sharing is what counts
What Is Poetry Challenge
Words march in order
Hopefully making some sense
From a poet's heart
Reflection of life
Self-contained words of wisdom
The sharing of love
Nuggets of wisdom
From a cosmic awareness
Provokers of thought
Symphony of words
Like an orderly chaos
Music to me soul
Dreams put to action
Snake slowly across a page
Delighting readers
Echoes of the soul
Given life by the spirit
Hush, can you hear them?
Whispers put to paper
Shouting a message for us
Order and mayhem
Something magical
Inspiring beyond words
Our spirits set free
Order from chaos
An organized confusion
Sweetness beyond thought
Word wonderland
Cheer for imagination
Food for the spirit
Mental gymnastics
Words chasing one another
Winner takes the prize
Spiritual musings
Dancing with your memories
Echoes from the heart
Dusty memories
Echoing from deep within
Secrets of the soul
Songbirds whispering
Voicing words of innocense
Music for the spirit
Wisdom from the heart
Inspired by the soul's spirit
Poet's receive gifts
The sound of silence
Spoken from within your heart
Soothing to your soul
An itch in your soul
That must be scratched with your words
Which will soothe your muse
Word play for the soul
Echoes from your inner place
Listen to the peace
Buffets of meaning
Selected by the poet
Enjoyed by readers
Verbal wonderment
Springing from an inner place
Ah, surprise surprise!
Spiritual echoes
Reoccuring themes of soul
Truest refeshment
Word reality
Creating a world of soul
Quiet reflection
Past Life Dreaming
Remembering dreams
That might be from a past life
Is an adventure
In meditation
I see memories of me
But they aren't today
And as I ponder
I somehow know I once was
Someone else yet me
Seek validation
As I look for timeless clues
Having lived before
Never was famous
Just an average fellow then
In another life
Art's Candy Store
Back when I was a mere wisp of a lad, just three or four
My older brother let me to tag along to the candy store
I have never seen such a magical place, before or since
Where I could trade a few lone pennies for those sweets
One of these and two of those, endless and tasty choices
In those dark ages before someone invented the candy bar
Licorice whips and root beer barrels and chocolate drops
Glass-fronted cases topped by large greenish-glass jars
Holding both iced molasses cookies & huge chewy brownies
A nickel or a thin dime bought you a bag full of dreams
That magically could last you throughout the whole day
The white-haired shop keeper offered you salty peanuts
So that you'd have to purchase a cold bottle of soda pop
Before your tongue would shrivel up and nearly disappear
My favorites were candy pies & wax bottles of sugar water
Both were so sickly sweet their memories make me shudder
Art Brestle was the name of the man who owned the store
A patient old gentleman who really loved all us children
He'd give us something extra inside each little white bag
A pretzel rod, maybe some cherry coins, or else tattoos
Or if we were really lucky, a couple of large jawbreakers
As if another grandfather to the kids in the neighborhood
While I often revisit Art's Candy Store in my mind's eye
What I wouldn't give to go there as a youngster once more.
Nostalgia
Thinking back on our pasts can be an adventure
As we remember our triumphs in all their glory
While playing down the worse of those failures
That have littered the pathways of our lifetime
But nostalgia is much more than just recalling
Various events from all those long gone decades
But more a longing, a needing for simpler days
Rehashing who and what we once thought we were
Repackaged through the filter of false memories
Until all that's left are the artificial hopes
That just maybe our lives had important meaning
Instead of being a self-contained pack of lies
What if yesterday is only a prelude of tomorrow
And our personal histories really are repeating
Does that make these quests for our lost youth
Any less valid than our mindless tasks of today
Remembering the joys of penny candy is harmless
And entertaining, as are long-forgotten friends
Who suddenly reinvade the shadows of our minds
While I'm always told to stop living in the past
It is somewhere that I plan to visit very often
And if we're lucky, maybe we can meet for lunch.
Ifs, Ands, Buts
After all these years it seems that life has changed
Almost as if our most basic instincts are rearranged
It used to be that things simply made a lot more sense
But today indecision and doubt have become our anthem
It's more than terrorism and fears of higher inflation
As if our spiritual beings have met with a stagnation
Our politicians don't seem to have a clue, & never did
And everyone under thirty is distracted by cell phones
Maybe it's simply a matter of us paying more attention
But such a common sense solution never gets a mention
It'll take a wiser mind than mine to find a solution
But I'm sure that the answer isn't in any institution
Television is cluttered with Reality shows of fantasy
While radios blare out slurred words that make me ill
Each day it becomes safer to simply hide behind doors
Doesn't matter, I can't afford rising prices in stores
Seems our so called holiest of men play hide and seek
Collecting their millions that pay for sinful parties
Rather than search frantically for your saving grace
Look inward to your angelic soul you might save face.
Really Living?
My life is mine to do with it whatever I wish
At least after meeting all those obligations
That clutter each day such as common courtesy
And hopefully an uncommon sense of fair play
But since I've never exchanged vows of wedlock
And live in a self contained world of my own
Which is mine on a month-to-month payment plan
Just maybe I truly am the master of my domain
But that said, what does that all really mean
Probably not much in these schemes of reality
We all seem to believe that life is for living
But what if there is another unknown alternate
Some sort of existence other than this of ours
If these bloated egos allowed us to understand
Could we see our lives aren't better, but maybe
Merely different from many other possibilities
Maybe a pets instincts are preferred to reason
Or gut reactions defeat human thought process
Maybe a shortened life might heighten its value
Are daydreams and boredom worth a tinkers dang
Sometimes, I wonder just how productive we are
As I think of our never, never ending landfills
All of our artificial forms of needless makework
Mother earth needs so little, returns a bounty
Butterflies ask nothing for all of their beauty
Dogs and cats run for joy, as we pay out to play
Must a vision of loveliness be modeled on a model
And are punk & rap really forms of joyful noise
Just how satisfying can this modern lifestyle be
When so many of us are drowning in unhappiness
How I long for those old fashioned day gone by
When the universe revolved around a front porch
And black and white movies had fewer special FX
We grew up and didn't need to move miles away
And neighbors knew one another, each by a name
Ball players earned respect instead of millions
Just maybe living in the past wouldn't be so bad
With two parent families, one paycheck budgets
Sometimes I really miss those golden olden days.
The Bridge To Yesterday
I don't recall the first time I noticed a memory
That meant something more than simply the past
A small remembrance that had a life of its own
That caused both a stirring and an ache inside
Somehow it evoked both a real sadness and a joy
While it felt odd, it somehow felt comfortable
And I thought, I'm not old, so why the nostalgia
Being just a youngster, I shoved it rudely aside
And continued my appointed chore of growing up
I was much too busy with life to notice the past.
But it wasn't long before another memory visited
So I took the time to examine it more closely
How surprised I was that it made me feel joyful
Although it had happened just the day before
And so I toyed with it for just a little while
Before I abandoned it as a whimsical quirk
I was only four, and didn't really understand
That reliving yesterday made today more special
I shoved the memory aside and let it wilt away
Until a playmate asked, "Do you remember when"?
And as we laughed about something meaningless
Somehow our past experienes became important
Adding a new dimension to our young friendship
Creating some unspoken bond of caring, sharing
Although more than fifty years have passed
And I no longer remember my playmate's name
I now understand how special the moment was
And while I've made many friends since then
And have a lifetime of memories to recall
I'll treasure the day I first felt the magic.
Now as I approach these tarnished golden years
Each yesterday adds spice to every tomorrow
And though I long to go back for one more day
The bridge to my memories is only in my heart
Time may have distorted some of the details
And maybe I cannot recall every person's name
I wonder about those friends who were misplaced
I cherish those with whom I've shared a lifetime
For after more than four decades of friendship
They're the treasured memories I hold most dear
Neighborhood Reunion Blues
From miles afar and quite close at hand
Invitations were sent beckoning friends
Who in their younger years shared dreams
And schemes only innocence could believe
With an excited apprehension many RSVP
And dusted off their forgotten memories
Distorted by personalized generation gaps
But sadly, many chose to keep memories
Locked away on a dusty shelf deep inside
Thinking who we are now is more important
As they gathered around and traded stories
The irony provided for blushing and tears
Of laughter, as each version was compared
And debated with these familiar strangers
In spite of the passing decades, somehow
For some of us, it seemed like yesterday
While for others, it seemed so foreign
Addresses are swapped, e-mail and snail
And promises made about keeping in touch
With handshakes and hugs sealing the deal
This festival of long ago forsaken youth
Gave a false hope that we haven't changed
From whomever it was that we all had been
Those who'd been closest still felt a bond
That time and distance shall never break
Is that feeling inside one of friendship
Simply a fear that we're growing older
Or a spark of nostalgia for those past
Lives that we somehow magically survived
As our companions made the road bearable
Friends who appear had to endure the fate
Of being reminded of embarrassing deeds, as
All the no-shows were raked over the coals
Boy, how their ears must be burning tonight
And as we salute the bonds of yesteryears
We remember the love of those who are gone
And treasure the gifts our parents gave us
Back in those most innocent of times gone by
We honor those youth that we once had been
And the carefree days that seemed so sweet
Recalling all the nights up in the circle
Laughing and joking about ordinary things
That time has somehow turned into golden
Moments that we often recall quite fondly
John's sacred radio that no one could touch
As we traded insults and sincere friendship
Those endless summers underneath carports
Where we exchanged all those teenaged lies
We never realized how fleeting time was
How precious every single day seems now
Camping out at Barry's on starlit nights
How did we survive those crab apple wars
Or the midnight rides on our trusty bikes
Those baseball games in the vacant yard
That first summer when we all were so new
Bill Day was almost like a second father
Offering us a bottomless glass of lemonade
And Dixie loved chasing after us fellows
How we missed them both when they left us
Much sooner than we would have preferred
And how we tormented all those girls, as
They danced and pranced in Pat's basement
Or took midnight swims under soft moonlight
Surely we could have found something to do
More worthwhile than simply spying on them
But the more they protested and complained
All the louder our laughter and taunting
How manly we felt in our foolish deeds
But how special they seem in retrospect
What really made it all seem so special
A precious few years was all that we had
To build memories to last throughout time
Before expanded horizons drifted us apart
Somehow we've nurtured those daily games
Unimportant slices from lives we shared
Without a hint how valuable they would be
But now that we've all become our parents
Longing to relive even one more golden day
That nothingness that we somehow created
Provides a warmth that invokes a wry grin
So as we come together for another visit
Reliving a magic that we never did notice
We chuckle at how innocent youngsters are
Pondering how the years have slipped away
For some odd reason we all really did care
About one another in that lifetime gone by
Somehow the passing years aren't so cruel
The thinning gray hair and extra pounds
Almost seem translucent in our minds eyes
As we still we the children we once were
We remember the Bear and his jug of beer
And crazy Mr. T and his daring swan dive
The baseball games, even hide and go seek
The Thompson's parties we wanted to crash
A second steamy bowl of Mil's potato soup
The mysteries hidden away in that ditch
And Pat and Peg's horse-sized hound dog
So many relics from our growing up years
Events that seemed unimportant back then
Make us long for what can never be again
The old gang was really a mixture of kids
Whose common link was called Pembina Drive
Cookie cutter houses, but original friends
Who could forget all the uninvited folks
Some who we welcomed, some who we ignored
Like Bill Green walking on his tip toes
Pat McKinney who thought he was so cool
If the truth be told were all were nerds
Who all lived within a sheltering embrace
Provided by parents who somehow understood
Most all the girls were lovely and sweet
Just a bit too bossy for their own good
Us guys secretly loved each and every one
Most of us much too shy to ever say a word
I can't believe how unfeeling we could be
As we rejected some we didn't care for
A few we pitied, others were just scorned
And though sometimes we acted quite mean
There was a certain sense of loyalty then
At least among us popular chosen few
As charter members of our exclusive club
We all pretended as if we knew the score
Although none us of really had a clue
Sitting around just joking and teasing
Mil's carport giving birth to friendship
Bragging about everyday ordinary things
That seemed important so many decades ago
If we could go back would we be so oafish
Listening to those hit songs on old WSAI
Melodies that bring a lump to our throat
Now that we're older let's admit the truth
We really didn't know what was going on
Not even Jerry who thought he was so cool
While we acted so brave we all were sure
That the others knew how confused we were
Never realizing they were in the same boat
Just boys and girls play acting at life
Hoping to be lavished with some attention
While wanting to blend into the background
Silently wishing we all could run and hide.
This Special Time
Unlike other times I have known
Here and now has special meaning
Not so much for our poetry games
But more because of this sharing
Freely offered through our caring
As if gathered round some table
Enjoying coffee and flavored tea
We give encouragement, affection
Thirty Days After
Thirty days after our peaceful facade was shattered
We stand united, battered but surely not beleaguered
Firm in our resolve to beat back any enemy challenge
From both deep within as well as all hidden enclaves
And as we struggle to reclaim our disrupted lives
We have proudly discovered many truly uncommon heros
Men, women, children, unwilling to suffer silently
Answering the call to help one another slowly heal
And though there will remain much painful scarring
We shall continue to honor all the innocent victims
And come together, blind to race, color, and origin
Somehow the guilty must pay penance for this deed
Alone, we become merely a nation of related strangers
Patriotic blood coursing through our saddened hearts
But together, we offer both compassion and loving care
An understanding rainbow of deeply grieving neighbors
Joining our spirits as one, we vow to rebuild anew
Upon the collective grave sites of our fallen martyrs
And though I-beams and bricks create a lonely shrine
We will stand solemn watch over their sacred memories
And while only thirty days have passed, it seems as if
A thousand lifetimes will not soothe our nation's angst
Each whispered prayer brings us closer to our healing
But the ache will forever be within our burdened souls
Thirty short days might as well be thirty long years
The worry we carry as a country will never fade away
The only tribute worthy of our missing beloved friends
Is for us to come together in true loving brotherhood.
The Silenced Keyboard
If it were simply this stiffness that I suffered
Just maybe there would be some way to ignore it
Or if all I had to endure was a staggering pain
I might focus inward to somehow blindly carry on
But this most evil partnership that now inflicts
My every waking moment seems to rob me of meaning
For who is a writer if he no longer can pen words
With pencil and paper nor his computer's keyboard
Because like no other profession known to society
A man of words does become his collected thoughts
As I gaze upon these trembling fingers and hands
The swollen joints and gnarled knobs haunt me so
While stanzas and ideas plead for their release
Too often they remain trapped deep within my id
A coffee drinker, spare me your tea and sympathy
I still have many ways in which to express myself
Unlike victims afflicted with dreaded Alzheimer's
And so as I bemoan these woes I have now collected
I'll remind myself to count my assorted blessings
There are still so many ways to celebrate my life
So as I lash out at the shortcomings I do possess
A spark of compassion weeps for those worse than I
For I still use this wondrous gift of imagination
While these hands may have abandoned my creativity
At least I still dream, & hope, & remember the past
Even in my agony I do shudder for those mentally ill
Who like my late father, must live in a painful void
No, it isn't wrong to regret these slings and arrows
That litter and burden the pathways of my existence
But can we offer understanding to stricken friends
I won't suffer in silence, like my underused keyboard
At least I still can hunt and peck occasional poetry
So although I might be hopeless I'm not yet helpless
While I do feel for those poor souls worse off than I
My focus of course is upon my aches & pains & woes
There are countless articles and stories left undone
Which to many folk might be a blessing in disguise
The world will hardly miss any of my unwritten wisdom
But as these creative juices of mine go unfulfilled
I can't help but feel that part of me has been lost.
These Lousy Smokes
Been hooked on smokes for some fifty years
Started long before I was a even a teenager
When all the health risks were still unknown
Back then the price of a pack was a quarter
And while people look at me as if I'm crazy
Because I still happily puff my non-filters
I've tried quitting time and time and time
Again, only to return to these coffin nails
Give me a break, I'm not committing a crime
Don't you think I'd be smoke-free if possible
You feel like a victim from second-hand smoke
But can't you see that I'm a victim myself
Still you see me as some sort of evil demon
And raise cigarette taxes higher than a kite
Which only strains my tight budget even more
You might consider my habit vile and nasty
I guess all your habits are clean and healthy
As you sit high and mighty in judgment again
What about understanding and even compassion
Smoking shouldn't make me into a social outcast
I let you live your life however you may wish
Is it really too much for me to ask the same?
Letting Go
Sometimes the decisions we've made in life
Will visit upon us late at night as doubts
Giving us pause to ponder what might've been
Especially if our actions involved others
With the weight of the world wearing us down
But are any of us really that important, so
That our personal actions might ruin lives
Doesn't one closed door open still another
And doesn't a wounded heart eventually heal
So all that remains is some distant memory?
Maybe all those hauntings that prey upon us
Are merely some sort of checks and balances
Helping us to evaluate our life's course
So that we'll know we have made a difference
And the guilt we may feel simply our regrets
For not having taken other possible pathways
Living is nothing but a series of choices
That must be made without benefit of rehearsal
So maybe our reflections are nothing more
Than wondering about that road not taken.
The older we become the more we tend to ask
Ourselves questions that have no answers
And if we should listen a bit too closely
Clouds of uncertainty gather on the horizon
But life is more than simply one-act plays
We need to review every page of our script
Realizing we get the life that we should
That there really is a reason to the rhyme
At best, life is a series of adventures
And each of us controls our own destiny.
24 Hours Challenge
The dawning of a brand-new day
Allows me to continue with my quest
Twenty four hours with which to play
And try to become my very, very best
Live life in the moment of today
Enjoying each hour to the fullest
Doesn't matter if you play or pray
Being creative is what's coolest
Every day is much the same
I have a pattern worked out
I play every challenge game
Poems never make me pout
I meditate every single day
And as I focus ever inwardly
Although I don't really pray
My spirit seem to be set free
Every day begins with a clean slate
As I try to improve upon the past
No, I would rather not tempt fate
I don't believe that my die is cast
Every day begins with a clean slate
As I try to improve upon the past
No, I would rather not tempt fate
I don't believe that my die is cast
Explore the possibilities
That a new day offers you
Expand your capabilities
And be proud what you do
There's never enough time
To do everything I'd hope
But I don't really mind
I do my very best to cope
Talked to my friend just now
I've known forty-eight years
We chatted for quite a while
We're shared joy and tears
Just one slice of life
This thing we call a day
Brings joy and strife
A game we have to play
Something different tomorrow
Have a doctors appointment
Then lunch with a friend, so
I'll really miss my apartment
Only spent a real short time
Talking with an old friend
Been like a brother of mine
Our personalities do blend
A single day can seem so long
Unless you have things to do
Activity make it like a song
And keeps you from being blue
I wish I could slow down life
So I'd have more days to live
But it doesn't cause me strife
I stll have a lot I can give
Each day is a slice of living
As tasty as a fresh-baked pie
Rewarding only if we're giving
As lovely as a clear blue sky
Have to live a day at a time
We can make to lousy or good
According to our state of mind
Life can be all that it should
Today has been a lazy day
Work has gone very slow
I've felt a need to play
Which made my heart glow
If I can share a bit of myself
And turn a frown into a smile
My heart is filled with wealth
And my day has been worthwhile
Not eating!
Heaven forbid
Food choices
Are my problem
Dieting seems a waste of time
Almost 200 pounds overweight
Depriveing myself's a crime
So I always clean my plate
I have a routine I follow
Never much changes as such
In sorrow I never do gallow
I enjoy life way too much
Every day is a brand new gift
That I share with my friends
Giving them a spiritual lift
One that I don't have to send
Treasured Friends
Ofttimes our lives consist of little more
Than some unfulfilled hopes of emptiness
Which somehow we never do believe enough
To consider more serious than as a fantasy
Now is it a matter that our dreams extend
Beyond our abilities of human achievement
Or simply that we feel life is but a game
But as children we are permitted to believe
In almost any and every single possibility
And imagination becomes our best playmate
Until it's decided that the time is proper
To embrace the seriousness of daily strife
But if instead of learning responsibility
What if we were taught the joy of daydreams
We might finally learn that what we possess
Is really of little or no importance in life
Because who we are counts much more than what
And happiness has value but never has a price
You're more important than any and all gifts
To those whom you call both nearest and dear
They'd rather have you than all of your gold
In life and strife we are given so few friends
Who will be truly both caring and supportive
The fingers of one hand can surely count them
Those who are sincerely worthy of your sharing
Whose day is always brightened by your voice
And whose memories all seem the same as yours
Such a person is a treasure for your aged soul
For they alone remember all the broken dreams
And cherish you for who you are so deep inside
It takes just a few such wonderful old friends
To realize that dreams are made from a kinship
That doesn't rely upon a common last name sake
The greatest romance to fill your every dream
Is the very special love of a life long friend.
Long-Ago Summers
Lifetimes ago when we were mere innocent children
We gathered under carports or at dead end circles
Sharing nightly celebrations of our carefree days
All struggling with the growing pains called life
Rehashing the commonplace events of summer's dream
Young hearts aching with the shy echoes of romance
Bewildered with those brand new, jumbled emotions
That felt so warm while causing us so much agony
How we wanted to reveal those deepest of feelings
But were afraid of being laughed at by one and all
Banded together, we observed the rules of strife
Thinking that we along didn't understand the game
Trying to act mature so no one would ever discover
Just how awkward and foolish we felt deep inside
Still we pretended we alone knew all the answers
Covering up our doubts with a false sense of pride
As we gathered round flexing our vivid imaginations
Between our daytime games and before part time jobs
That first summer was best since we were still new
Before long, we discovered one another's secrets
Many a time underneath that carport we shared hopes
And schemes that somehow we knew wouldn't come true
While we teased and taunted and laughed and joked
Did we really intend to be quite as cruel as we were
Or was it just a way of boosting our own frail egos
So that at least we would seem cool to one another
With just a few exceptions one and all were welcome
There really is both strength and comfort in numbers
As those younger kids grew older they were included
How we wanted to bask in their empty hero worship
Somehow we managed to survive all those stupid stunts
We pulled in the name of companionship and daring do
Most of what we did were simply harmless dumb pranks
We surely couldn't let on that we were scared to death
And our deeds did make for a lot of bragging later on
The girls must have thought us guys were foolish oafs
Though we fellows knew that they were someone special
While we sat around hoping those days would never end
With each passing summer our horizons somehow expanded
Until all those precious days had become but memories
Did every neighborhood group feel as close knit as us
Or was that special something we had really special
Even back then we always talked about the past, even
If it was just a week ago, as if we somehow understood
That our friendships would withstand the test of time
Or was that just the poet inside of me thinking aloud
Over four decades later we still celebrate the memories
That seemed so ordinary in those summers of our dreams
Those memories were special but so were those friends
Many of those bonds still remain as strong as ever
We still chuckle at those same old worn out stories
As if we haven't heard them dozens of times before
And as our bodies begin to age our hearts still sing
With that youthful spirit once born upon that street
Looking back now we select which memories to recall
Pretending that our inner pain never really did exist
And although hardly a one of us could carry a tune
There was a certain harmony in every thing we tried
Many of our youthful dreams have simply faded away
But our golden aged affection continues to blossom
And while the decades have brought lines and wrinkles
Our aging eyes still see the youthful faces of before
As we ignore those extra added pounds and graying hair
For at least one afternoon the sands of time slow down
As we celebrate the joyous bonds that bridge yesterday
The memories that we share will feed our aching souls
Which remind us ever so sadly that lives must change
And as we go our separate ways we vow to meet again
The caring we found decades ago in our shared past
Springs back to life as we recall how it used to be
So dearest friends of mine, remember what we once had
Back there when we used to share the wonders of life
For although countless days have blurred the details
The essence of those joys we shared shall never fade
And as we envision our youthful days from so long ago
Wishing that for just one day we could be teens again
Somewhere deep within we're still just boys and girls
For the memories that we lived haven't changed a bit
At least not within our most secret of hidden vaults
While we warmly embrace our beloved grandchildren
And as the decades changed we tried to stay the same
Although somehow we knew that really wasn't possible
Since there never has been a golden age of innocence
So were we sheltered from life's harsh realities, or
Were we too self-involved to notice the facts of life
Luckily, we remember the good and bury all the worst
Till we create a never never land that never never was
While our stories somehow don't always seem to agree
Deep inside we share something that never will end
Anchored to the memories from our shared yesterdays
Sometimes all the details might be just a bit hazy
And the names we knew so very well may elude us now
But that's not what has kept us friends for so long
It's more than feelings that going back can provide
Knowing our parents and neighbors really did care
Even when we'd make their lives a living headache
It's all those memories that make families strong
And what makes us lovingly cling to our friends
What disagreements we once had are now forgotten
All that remains is that warm sharing of fondness
While those growing up years were over too quickly
The caring that resulted has grown ever stronger
Those voices on the phone seem as young as before
The laughter we share seems to somehow always heal
As if in our hearts we're back there once again
And while those passing years cannot be reclaimed
Nothing can tarnish the friendship that remains
The letters that I receive from my golden friends
Are always the first I open, I read them often
Every new photo that is sent goes into my album
No, we'll never recapture those magic days gone by
And our stories are never told the same way twice
But maybe we aren't celebrating what we once had
Nearly as much as what we all somehow still possess
Time will change the way we look, not how we feel
Which is really what makes this all so special
And as much as we miss those no longer with us
It's nice to embrace those who are just beginning
Maybe some day they too will share the friendship
That we all started so long ago on Pembina Drive.
Comforting The Dying
When family or friend faces their death
We never know those right words to offer
Comfort, sympathy, and some understanding
If sincere, can there be any wrong words
Offer support, simply being there soothes
Celebrating their life, death has to wait
Do share memories from much happier times
Remind them of the reasons you love them
And the many ways they have enriched you
Bring them a flower, but also your heart
Gift then the present of your own presence
And laugh together, it'll ease their fears
Know weeping together cleanses your souls
And know that being there really is enough
Don't hide your sorrow, show that you care
Ask what's their heart's fondest of desires
Try your best to make their wish come true
Yes, sharing silence can truly be so golden
Hug them ofen when you visit, and hold hands
Help them makes plans for each new tomorrow
Facing death is the saddest reality within life
Assure them now they won't face death alone
Smile through your sorrow to ease their fear
Tell them you'll love them forever and a day
Do this and much more in person or by phone
Proving your affection continues to increase
The smallest of gifts always give them a thrill
Silliness might distract them from a reality
That is constantly weighing on their thoughts
Love is the best pain reliever that there can be
Death Is A Doorway
Death only seems truly final to us who mourn
The parting of the way of those most beloved
Not merely the closing of one single chapter
In our existence leading us toward a forever
They're still with us if we will focus inward
Seeking that quiet place residing deep within
Just because we don't see them doesn't count
Reflect a moment and you'll know they're here
Our memories are more than merely mind games
But visits from those whom we do love the most
Reminding us that there is real cause for hope
That the agonies of humanity shall be rewarded
Life is so much more than simply a waiting game
But a classroom in which we neither pass or fail
Where every single day brings us a new pop quiz
The fabric of life is like an optical delusion
While most of its lessons are hidden from view
For some reason note taking is never encouraged
We slowly become who we are seemingly by chance
Hardly noticing all the choices that we've made
Pausing when we've begun to sag a bit or gray
Never realizing we are recognizable strangers
One mystery that I have never quite figured out
Does everyone else feel this lost and confused
I have received insights in my quiet reflection
Revelations or simply maybe a wishful game play
Senseless if this all is just a one way voyage
Where our only real baggage is purely emotional
We have our countless questions with few answers
But still parade our doubts as if they're gospel
When most of our beliefs are basically the same
All that's ever needed is compassion and concern
And a few measures of kindness and brotherly love
So mourn your loss of those who were the nearest
Especially if they were also among your dearest
As you celebrate a rebirth of their spirituality
Striving For The Best Challenge
The joy of friendship
Warms my heart like nothing else
Striving for the best
In meditation
I search for a better me
Striving for the best
Overcoming flaws
Learning to be the best me
Striving for the best
Rewrite and revise
Searching for the perfect word
Striving for the best
Hobbling down life's path
Learning lessons as I go
Striving for the best
In contemplation
I fine tune my inner self
Striving for the best
Searching for answers
Borrow wisdom from others
Striving for the best
Some friendly insults
Trying to out do my pal
Striving for the best
Living by myself
I can set my own standards
Striving for the best
Friends make me better
Drawing me out of my shell
Striving for the best
Had lunch with a friend
We've been pals since forever
Striving for the best
Birthday in two weeks
Starting to slow down a bit
Striving for the best
Physically worn down
In spirit I'm still a boy
Striving for the best
As I learn lessons
I try to correct my faults
Striving for the best
Meditation
Helps me refine my spirit
Striving for the best
Sharing poetry
Hoping to inspire or soothe
Striving for the best
Enjoying my life
Improving spiritually
Striving for the best
Minor adjustments
Help keep me on the right path
Striving for the best
Never busier
Too many things to get done
Striving for the best
Daily challenges
Of working through all this pain
Striving for the best
Brighten and enlighten
Lofty goals we should all have
Striving for the best
A new beginning
Which bring brand new challenges
Striving for the best
Our Clownish Siamese
Smokey was quite a special fellow
Who seemed to be a natural clown
In spite of having been set afire
By a very mean four year old boy
While those outward scars healed
There remained gentleness in him
Accepting love just like a sponge
Although he preferred being alone
He seemed to like his cat sisters
Never chased unless playing a game
He loved to watch birds aflutter
Rushing fast from window to window
Came running when friends visited
But as gentle as Smokey really was
The sight of a dog made him react
As if his insides were set ablaze
Though he was with us a short time
He endeared himself from the start
Laying on his back with an odd look
As if sunning himself at the beach
Hated being touched near his scars
But he fell in love with belly rubs
Maybe because he had been set afire
Sometimes he yowed as if in panic
We gave him away to some older folks
Who would shower him with much love
Helping make up for his rough life
I still smile when recalling Smokey
Quietly lounging in a favorite chair
As peaceful a cat as you could meet
After that violence he had endured
Proof of the power of forgiveness
Mirjana's Poem Challenge
I think it's simpler
Than New Agers like to say
Awareness of soul
Conscience of ourselves
Helps our spiritual journey
Look ever inward
As I ponder life
Seek better understanding
Strive for inner peace
Being clear-headed
Sobriety, wonderful
Awareness is cool
A soulful spirit
Enriches a life all ways
Journey ever inward
As if cut adrift
Sometimes I am not anchored
Unaware of things
As I grow older
My appreciation blossoms
Awareness of love
Aware of who I am
Satisfied with the results
Is a good attitude
Pay attention now
Be conscious of other's needs
And you will know peace
Your inner quiet
Will guide your soul ever on
As you seek answers
Are our memories a way
For us to be conscious
Of our own life history?
Sometimes I daydream
Not paying any attention
But I'm still conscious
Adrift in a sea
Of random thoughts, ideas
Which I don't control
Love is awareness
Giving or receiving it
Touching of the heart
Conscious of absence
So happy Pineal is here again
Makes our forum whole
Our self awareness
Is what makes us all human
Joining us as one
Awareness in dreams
A gate way to all our pasts
Detours are unmarked
Aware of you all
Adds to my own awareness
Of life and of soul
Encouragement helps
Poetry needs its readers
To really come alive
Distractions rob us
Of our true purpose in life
Eye's upon the prize
Focus on your self
For better undestanding
Knowledge is power
Knowing who we are
Is a real lifetime journey
Of discovery
See beauty in life
Every person is a soul
Be kind and gentle
Many truths found here
Help to transform my outlook
Love the reminders
As I awaken
I'm aware of many things
Now to sort them out
My wakeful sleeping
Can transcend mediation
Truest awareness
Sun Theme Challenge
Brightness in my soul
As I become more aware
Sun took Northern path
In my younger days
Loved to see bathing beauties
Sun took Northern path
Enjoying life's warmth
Under the shade of a Willow
Sun took Northern path
Wear cool sunglasses
So my eyes don't get sunburned
Sun took Northern path
Sweetest warming light
Scooting across friendly skies
Sun took Northern path
Brightness bothers eyes
I always wear sunglasses
Sun took Northern path
Celebrate soltice
Meditate on the sun's warmth
Sun took Northern path
Hate daylight savings
I much perfer natures way
Sun took Northern path
Clouds filter the sun
On the brightest of my days
Sun took Northern path
Don't forget suncreen
Or you'll be cursing old Sol
Sun took Northern path
I treasure sunsets
Changing natural beauty
Sun took Northern path
Nature takes its course
In an orderly fashion
Sun took Northern path
Flowers drinking sun
Beautify all of our lives
Sun took Northern path
Sunset or sunrise
Inspiring beyond mere words
Sun took Northern path
I don't like sweating
But I do like being warm
Sun took Northern path
Good days mean good moods
Warm breezy and bright lifetimes
Sun took Northern path
You brighten my life
Sweetly warming my old heart
Sun took Northern path
Fake tans are ugly
The natural look is better
Sun took Northern path
It's warmth soothes and heals
Both body and soul's siprit
Sun took Northern path
Too cold and snowy
To think of going outside
Sun took Northern path
Freedom Theme Challenge
I'll freely chose to be your friend
Because I want to, rather than must
Free will might not cost anything
But it surely does have its price
Freedom isn't as free as it seems
It requires that we care for others
Freedom from worry is a joy
As when I was but a mere boy
Freedom is only a gift
If you have that choice
Freedom can't be caged
Just ask any parakeet
Freedom is a two-way street
I'm not free unless you are
Peace and freedom can be joined
Into the most perfect marriage
Freedom rings in slience
To those still shackled
Unless we all can live free
We will all be slaves again
I am free to do as I please
So I shall love all mankind
Freedom is a clock of colors
A patchquilt of all humanity
The only freedom that counts
Is really freedom of choice
Freedom is a butterfly
Fluttering as it wishes
Freedom's just another word
Except to those not yet free
But it's not really free
If they charge shipping
Freedom of speech can be costly
If folks don't like what you say
Doesn't freedom need action
To really be called freedom
Freedom is a nice concept
Only if you have freedom
Open your heart wider
And you'll know freedom
Freedom isn't a moving target
It's simply lack of controls
Pathways . . . Possibilities
Even though our lives sometimes seem so fleeting
Since we're always looking toward our tomorrows
Searching into our pasts can improve our vision
We see all the forks of decision there have been
Think of all the people that we might have become
Instead of the us that we've grown comfortable as
Success isn't achievements but actually survival
Maybe "let your conscience be your guide" counts
Could it be that Fate is merely some magic mirror
And believing in yourself is the ultimate prize
There have been many roads that I could've taken
And several that I have lived to regret missing
But in the long run does any of that matter a wit
Since I've overcome the worst of tragedies, while
Celebrating more than my fair share of happiness
What if we are mere puppets on a madman's string
I wonder if what we gather in wealth and riches
Measures up against who we collect as our friends
Possessions rarely have any honest lasting value
While our truest friends share our love forever
And as my twilights seem to grow ever more bright
I seek answers of who I was, of who I shall become
Soon this vessel that ages and aches and decays
Will bid farewell to the essence of who I really am
As I find answers which lead to better questions
I wonder if my soul experiences both sorrow and joy
Or if it is merely some sort of cosmic tape recorder
Without an emotional fiber to its spiritual being
I've become so accustomed to being who I have been
I sometimes fear not reaching my truest potential.
Blessed Be
Blessed be the children who remember
Lives that they could never have known
Etched softly upon their velvet souls
Telling of times history has forgotten
Visiting who they had once before been
Speaking of people and places unknown
To them and Ofttimes to their parents
Who must unravel the hidden mysteries
Held captive in the youngster's heart
Offering stories from some yesteryear
Blessed be those who seem brand new
Maybe their souls have journeyed long
From ancient times and an olden vista
Borrowing wisdom from our watching God
They understand mysteries we can't see
Just possibly the fantasies they dream
Are memories from some forgotten realm
Teaching lessons much older than time
So listen to your babbling youngsters
Speaking of events lost to any history
Blessed be the parent who listen wisely
Trusting the love of eras long passed
Helping their children's souls recall
Traumas and pains of past life voyages
Embracing warmly this returning child
Share the memories of some yesterlife
Healing the anguished hurt from before
Freeing them from their sorrow's prison
Welcoming home a cherished one's soul
Completing your cycle of family caring.
Miracles
Miracles aren't only heaven sent
But still can boost the soul's spirit
A cooing smile from a dear infant
A giggle from a shy three year old
Comforting words from a friend
The constant love from a parent
A fond embrace from your mate
A Sunday home-cooked supper
A picnic on a warm Spring day
Fresh fallen snow Christmas Eve
A handshake from your neighbor
Quiet calm at the end of the day
Earth bound miracles every one.
Journeys
The passion trapped within my inner self
Confuses and often confounds my psyches
As if somehow they had their own lives
But as I merrily visit jointed memories
I wonder if this is a three-ring circus
And I'm nothing more than the class clown
A butcher, a baker, a candle stick maker
Ordinary people, all living muddled dreams
Each famous in their own humdrum sameness
Heros in their loneliness and blandness
Proving that fame is fleeting at its best
Since who I once was has been lost in time
I'm Terminal, Not Dead
I know it's a touchy, scary topic, but
Please don't bury me while I'm living
The doctors told me, so don't whisper
And while I'm not thrilled, don't fret
I believe in reincarnation, I'll return
But hey, I've still got some living now
We can talk about death, but also life
I'm the same person I have always been
On my good days, help me celebrate more
On bad days, try to make me laugh a bit
Don't blame God, science, or lady luck
The reasons why aren't very important
Don't tell me why you'll miss me later
Remind me why we've been caring friends
Tell me a favorite memory that we share
Then I'll tell you one I treasure most
Don't worry about saying something wrong
It'd be much worse if you said nothing
We'll still be friends once I've gone
You just won't see my shadow any longer
No, I'm not in any hurry to exit my life
In review, I've been blessed with so much
Since success isn't measured by a fortune
Nor fame, no, nor any material playthings
I'll tell you a secret I've just learned
What is truly important is what's inside
Live with peace, plus real brotherly love
If you've been a friend, they'll remember
But the best secret of all, when you are
Thinking of me, I'll be remembering you.
Life's Ecstasy Challenge
Whatever you do
Enjoy every moment
Ecstasy of life
Completing a poem
That speaks to everyone's heart
Ecstasy of life
Internet forums
Friendships frozen into time
Ecstasy of life
Playing Canasta
I win more games than I lose
Ecstasy of life
A life well lived
Wonderful experience
Ecstasy of life
Caring and sharing
The essence of real friendship
Ecstasy of life
A quiet moment
Shared with your very best friend
Ecstasy of life
Dreaming peacefully
Of past lives and future hopes
Ecstasy of life
Breakfast with a friend
Chatting about everyday things
Ecstasy of life
Writing story poems
About the pets that I've loved
Ecstasy of life
Toddler telling tales
Listening but not laughing
Ecstasy of life
Watching old TV
Shows I've enjoyed in the past
Ecstasy of life
Simply waking up
From a nap is joy itself
Ecstasy of life
Renewed and refreshed
Our Haiku King has returned
Ecstasy of life
Coming together
With affection and respect
Ecstasy of life
Would be easier
If you were all homebodies
Ecstasy of life
Longer story poems
A new challenge from Pineal
Ecstasy of life
The richness of love
Makes every day so special
Ecstasy of life
New writing projects
Help keep me fresh and renewed
Ecstasy of life
Focusing forward
Gives purpose to every day
Ecstasy of life
Friendships enrich me
In ways I may never know
Ecstasy of life
Silence is a gift
Listen to your inner self
Ecstasy of life
Waking up each morn
With new challenges to face
Ecstasy of life
Life is so fleeting
We're here, gone, and here again
Ecstasy of life
Without life's purpose
Reincarnation, a sham
Ecstasy of life
Enjoying each day
Makes each lifetime precious
Ecstasy of life
Talking to my friend
Losing self in happiness
Ecstasy of life
Comfort in sameness
Life after life after life
Ecstasy of life
Poets inspiring
Each other to perfection
Ecstasy of life
January Theme Challenge
A new year in the offing
Blustery winds, bitter cold
Will have us all coughing
Twelve brand new empty pages
To see us through the months
Writing our history of the ages
Look forward with new dreams
Making plans of better days
Challenges with special themes
A time for new hopes and wishes
Rememebering those near and dear
The season for renewing dreams
Erasing the old year
Starting new again
Dreams and schemes
A time for slumbering rest
Nature conserves energy
Healing our old wounds
A warm winter so far
Enjoy January no matter
Blizzards look peaceful
Apartment is like an oven
Have to keep a window open
The curse of a mild winter
I forgot about rhyming
Winter froze my brain?
Maybe it was bad timing
Hope Pineal's New Year is brighter
Has too much class not to succeed
May all your worries become lighter
A new year, new changes
Offer challenging hope
Keep your spirits high
Brr, my feet are so icy
Although winter's mild
Blanket warms then nicely
Winter's wonderland
Blanket of snow, frosty panes
Isn't life grand?
Brand new schemes
Try to fill each page
With peaceful dreams
Looking ahead eagerly
Begin making new memories
To remember much later
Hoops season heating up now
Games are only on cable TV
Which I don't have . . . foul
Twins born in different years
Made an interesting news story
Parents must have joyful tears
Instead of Happy New Years
Maybe we should say Hopeful
That we don't shed many tears
No need for snow shovels
Umbrellas at the ready
Oddly mild, and wet too
Holidays are finally over
Now to recall the good times
Affection of my friends
You've jumped the gun Mirjana
One more day for challenge
Sure the next one will be great
Now it's time to turn that page
Thanks for a great challenge
Dear Mirjana, our sweet sage
Resolutions Challenge
As this year closes
I wonder how to improve
What all needs to change
I'll try to be flexible
I tend to be too rigid
Minor adjustments
Will assure that I'm better
Than I am today
Tucking in that foolish pride
Trimming away vain glory
I'm much too lazy
Spending too much time online
Should be more active
I vow to move about more
Walking room-to-room more often
Stop ordering in
Pizza and hoagy platters
Not on my diet
Way too many calories
And oh much too expensive
Action must be my goal
Have to finish editing
Majic's manuscript
So I can start a new job
And he can hire a printer
Must focus on love
For both my friends and the world
Sharing more of me
Stop hiding behind shyness
And be more open to all
As perfect as I am
I must fight false modesty
Acknowledge my skills
I'll help others to improve
Sharing my meager talents
I'll share my talent
Offering to edit more
Keeping my fees low
So much books can be read
Providing insights to all
I'll inspire Majic
To write some more limericks
Not sure what to do
But that's never stopped me yet
He started challenge, must end
I'll nurture my friends
Helping them to be the best
In spirit and self
We're all one big neighborhood
Embracing with truest love
I'll strive for more peace
Sharing my calm with the world
Offering much love
Hopefully my example
Will inspire true peace on earth
Live each day calmly
But with a sense of surprise
Enjoying what comes
Ignoring expectations
Savoring delightful schemes
I'll find time for me
So I'm healthy and happy
Relaxing more now
So I don't overdo things
And keep going for years more
Must keep losing weight
So I don't hurt quite so much
I've lost twenty pounds
I'll never be slim and trim
Wouldn't have such aches and pains
Twenty pounds, good start
But I have much more to lose
I'll never be trim
But I want to be healthy
So I can keep writing poems
Wish I was as sure
As you are that I'll succeed
Overweight always
But I know it can be done
It'll take a miracle
I'm on a diet
With you helping I'll succeed
Friends are supportive
I'll reduce for all of us
So our team can carry on
I will be patient
Which has never been easy
Hurry up, will you
I don't have all day you know
Though I have nothing else planned
My Journey
I've had a lifetime of adventures
Enough to fill pages of memories
Upon the bookshelves of my mind
And while those days are now past
I revisit them during quiet times
It's not their excitement I crave
But rather the warmth of knowing
Those small, everyday happenings
Someone else might think them dull
But each and every one is precious
Locked safely away within my heart
That boy I once used to have been
Is more than a distant yesterday
He lives inside me, laughing now
Blushing about his very first kiss
Remembering walking in pouring rain
I'm not escaping from today's life
As I relish every bright tomorrow
No, I don't pine away this future
I merely spice it with old dreams
Playing games with the boy inside
Reminding me how blessed I've been
As I plan for more exciting schemes
Walking hand-in-hand with who I was
Nature Haiku Challenge
Butterflies winging
Airbourne jewels
Brighten landscapes
Lightening bugs
Flickering off and on
Dancing in the night
Four-leaf clovers
Supposedly are good luck
Folklore at the best
Frosty the Snowman
Wonder what he's thinking
Notice that smirk?
The breeze in the trees
Seem like nature is laughing
Are we that funny?
Warm in November
A pleasent surprise
Enjoy it while it lasts
Indian summer lingers
Very late this year
Oh, it feels so nice
Friendly stray cats
Come visit me often
Love to cuddle, meow
Watching the sunset
Beautiful on winter's eve
Wish it were warming
Cold front approaching
Falling temperatures and snow
Brrrrrrrrr
Ants always intrigued me
Working as a team
Breadcrums on parade
I've always love honeysuckle
Remember to from my boyhood
Sweet aroma of a lifetime
I used to enjoy winters
Shoveling those sidewalks
Novelty wore off quickly
Decorating evergreens
Beautfying landscapes
Blizzard forecasted
Stars shining overhead
The vastness of life
Listen to the quiet |
