Saturday, April 30, 2016

PAD 30 dead end

Thanks

Thank you Robert for another month of poeming
To set our poems free and catch thoughts aroaming.
It seemed the Haphazard prompt was a dead end,
But the site came back to write one more with friends.
But poeming hasn’t come completely to a stop.
Many look forward to the regular Wednesday prompt.
Thank you poets who encouraged me in my writing
Somehow you made poeming much more exciting.
Thank you to those who made me gasp and laugh
Not commenting on your work is my regretful gaffe

Friday, April 29, 2016

PAD 29 Haphazard

Haphazard

H it or miss, not giving it a thought
A rbitrary not caring what you ought
P roving that slapdash can do it
H ow messy can see you through it
A nd a jumbled heap can be inspiring.
Z ones of chaos can get those synapses firing
A careless effort here and there
R andom thoughts beyond compare. 
D isorganized desk shows a creative mind.
An organized creative is hard to find.

Thursday, April 28, 2016

PAD 28 Important

(To the tune of Buffalo Gals)

Important Advice: Just Add Sugar

You’ll have some days when things goes wrong
Things go wrong, things go wrong
And then it’s time to sing this song
To help your day go well

Add some sugar to the lemons in your life
Lemons in your life, lemons in your life
Add some sugar to the lemons in your life
And sweeten your sour day

At times you’ll have a bad hair day
Bad hair day, bad hair day
When nothing seems to go your way
When all seems so insane

Add some sugar to the lemons in your life
Lemons in your life, lemons in your life
Add some sugar to the lemons in your life
And sweeten up your sour day

So think of favorite things you like
Things you like, things you like
Write a poem or take a hike
And have a little fun

Add some sugar to the lemons in your life
Lemons in your life, lemons in your life
Add some sugar to the lemons in your life
And sweeten up your sour day

You drive to your job and your car keeps a stoppin’
And you hair keeps a floppin’ and your back keeps a poppin’
You drive to your job and your car keeps a stoppin’
You need to sweeten up your sour day


Add some sugar to the lemons in your life
Lemons in your life, lemons in your life
Add some sugar to the lemons in your life
And sweeten up your sour day 

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

PAD 27 take off

Young Mother

She feels like a school kid
playing hooky
when she’s able to shop
at the department store
alone.

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

PAD 26 love/anti love

Flavors

We each bring
a bag of jellybeans
into a relationship

Spicy, cherry, licorice, pear
Marshmallow, apple, cinnamon, plum
Coconut, mango, lemon, punch
Sour grape, root beer, bubble gum

It would be nice
to pick out our favorite flavors.
But in marriage,
they’re all in one bag.

Monday, April 25, 2016

PAD 25 exercise

A poem a day
Exercises creative muscles
Stop after thirty days?
Don’t be silly

Sunday, April 24, 2016

PAD 24 regained

Clarity

How fragile
a mind can be.
One day the world
is just like anyone else’s—
the sky is blue, trees grow tall,
the sun rises in the east.
The next day, “The Twilight Zone” seems reasonable.
When sanity returns—such relief, such peace. 

Saturday, April 23, 2016

PAD 23 footwear

Early Memory

My red plastic boots
dangled as Dad
lifted me up
to peer down
at Grandma asleep
in her casket.

Friday, April 22, 2016

PAD 22 Star blank

Star Shine

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. Philippians 2:14-15

We can be stars shining in the night skies
We can be storm clouds, dismal and gray
We can angrily complain and criticize
We can be stars shining in the night skies
We can encourage, be thankful, tell no lies
Words can darken or brighten someone’s day
We can be stars shining in the night skies
We can be storm clouds, dismal and gray 

PAD 21 Response to another poem

Wastebasket Brother
Shell Silverstein

Someone put their baby brother
Under this basket- -
The question is exactly why,
But I'm not going to ask it.
But someone, I ain't sayin' who,
Has got a guilty face,
Ashamed for lettin' such a lovely brother
Go to waste. 


My response: Wastebasket Sister

If I were to put my sister
Under a basket
The question is exactly which one
You can ask it
Because I have four lovely sisters
I don’t have that many baskets
So I guess my sisters are safe
I don’t want to let my basket go to waste.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

PAD 20 Unsaid


I’m Sorry

The words of wisdom tipped her tongue
She didn’t know what made her stall
She could have ended it right there
She didn’t say them after all

Insults flew fast, feelings intense
And soon it ended in a brawl
She could have spoken words of hope
She didn’t say them after all

From that time on she knew the score
Her silence ended in their fall
Though she rehearsed them in her head
She didn’t say them after all

She held the words of peace within
Her reticence made her feel small
Apologies can mend and heal
She didn’t say them after all

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

PAD 19 cool

Is it Cool?

When you get to a certain age
You’re not sure what to name
A person, place, or thing you like.
It’s a confusing game.

Is it neat, keen, neato-keeno?
Far-out, groovy or cool?
Or gnarly, awesome, bad or phat?
Start feeling like a fool.

Or is it fine, all that, or hot?
Oh, what word will suffice?
I think that I will settle for
Just good old-fashioned nice.

Monday, April 18, 2016

PAD 18 office

My Office

My office? It’s in the garage.
Who wants to go out there?
Instead, I use the living room,
In my recliner chair.

If family makes too much noise,
I head back to my room.
I sit on bed with my laptop
Like weaver at his loom.

Sometimes on bright and sunny days
I tire of work inside.
It’s out to the front porch I go
And type while cars go by.

At times, I’m off to see the world
While words I unravel.
So far as my own office goes,
Have laptop will travel.

Sunday, April 17, 2016

PAD 17 haiku

Headed for mountains
Slate gray skies, flashing road sign
Blizzard. Turn around. 

Saturday, April 16, 2016

PAD 16 Food Establishment

Dad’s Favorite Restaurant

I forget the name of the place.
It was between two tiny towns  
in rural Pennsylvania.
Dad didn’t like crowds
so it was his favorite spot,
since it was usually empty.
There’s a reason for that.

One time I ordered a chef salad.
Long after Mom and Dad were served,
we got our waitresses attention
who had disappeared in back
to read a novel or something,
and she said they were out of lettuce
so Jimmy went to get some at the local market.

My chef salad finally arrived,
fresh lettuce soaked in French dressing
with a few things sprinkled on top.
Mom and Dad waited patiently
while I ate the edible parts.
It has since gone out of business.
I wonder why.

Now, when I’m eating out and the order’s slow,
I say, “Jimmy must have gone out for the lettuce.”

Friday, April 15, 2016

PAD 15 wordle: ring, flat, lavish, tooth

This I Know

Just like an old telephone ring
The jingle of a friendship past
I knew that it would never last

His voice, to me, memories bring
A mixture of both good and bad
The flat out best I’ve ever had

I think of how we used to sing
With lavish joy seasoned with grace
I felt like I had found my place

And with those thoughts, there comes a sting
A pain like an infected tooth
But needful so to live in truth

To faith I must desperately cling
Through years, my friends will come and go
But You will stay, yes, this I know\\




Thursday, April 14, 2016

PAD 14 Time Out

Time Out

I remember
when my kids were small
and, at times, naughty.

I’d point to the corner
and I’d say,
“Do you want a time out?”

And inwardly I’d be saying,
“Yes! Yes!
I desperately need a time out!”

My kids are grown
and out of the house,
but still, at times,

I wish someone would stick
me in the corner
with nothing to do,
except look at walls. 

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

PAD 13 Last...

Last April 13th

I was with my son and daughter
in Phoenix. Betwixt writing and
school work, we had a fun day
of games, movies, and eating out.

Here I am again with writing and
school work, not much difference,
except they are there and I am here
in Colorado, merely missing them,

longing for another fun day. 

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

PAD 12 silly serious

Silly
Goofy, daft
Joking, clowning, cavorting
Giggles, guffaws, tears, frowns
Fearing, scolding, weeping
Stern, critical
Serious

Monday, April 11, 2016

PAD 11 Defensive

Defensive

D istrustful of those around, he
E ffectively hid, protecting himself
F rom barbed remarks. Fortifying
E ach of his defense mechanisms.
N urturing high hedges blocking
S hifty companions. Tucked away
I n his dark inner world. Invisible,
V ery cautious, apprehensive and
E ver cynical. With no way out. 

Sunday, April 10, 2016

PAD 10 Emotion

Indifference

Hate
is not the opposite of love.
For if you hate something
you love something else.

The opposite
of love is indifference,
which causes the most hurt.
Indifference lets bad happen.

Saturday, April 9, 2016

PAD 9 Hideout

Reading

Like Mary in her secret garden
I would hide away in books.
Everyone learned to ignore me
as I disappeared into other worlds.

Friday, April 8, 2016

PAD 8 Doodle, something nearby

Coat Closet

When we built this house,
we chose a double closet
in the front bedroom,
rather than a coat closet
in the hallway. Now,
in the changing of weather,
on the back of our couch,
for a family of four, lies
gray windbreaker,
pink jacket, red cape,
light pink winter coat,
dark pink wind breaker,
gray skull-patterned hoodie,
fuzzy gray jacket, gray sweater
a thick black winter coat,
a brown leather jacket
and a tattered hat my hubby
will not give up. Sometimes,
I wish I chose the coat closet.

Thursday, April 7, 2016

PAD 7 urban

City Driving

Run a red light
Look in rearview
Three cars coming after

Hear sirens
No place to pull over
Share a lane

Where’s the exit
There’s the exit
Take the next one

Zipping along at 70
Cars everywhere
Rollercoaster feeling

Stop and go traffic
At least this way
You won’t get killed

He said, she said

Record Holder

He said, “God could never forgive me.”
She said, “Congratulations!
You’re the first person God can’t forgive.

Shall we call Guinness?” 

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

PAD 6 Ekphrastic

I’d like to see myself as myself,
But beneath the surface
I’m just a tangle of roots
Soil, sunshine, and water.

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

PA 5 Experience

Experience

“Chalk it up to experience,” they say,
when things aren’t going quite their way.
When things go wrong wherever I roam,
I say, “Cheer up, it will make a good poem.”

Monday, April 4, 2016

PAD 4 Distance

Dancing with Will
(Bref Double)

A rocker and a roller she
Would dance the night away until
Her laughter changed to yawns and then
She’d kiss Will bye and head for home

Around a curve there stood a tree
She doubted as she sped downhill
She braked and slid and lost her course
And stopped to smashing of the chrome

She heard a distant timid voice
Man shape appeared before the moon
Sweet trail of blood ran down her face
And then her mind began to roam

To thunderous cacophony
She danced the dance of life with will 

Sunday, April 3, 2016

PAD 3 Three Blank

Three of My Favorite Things,
Besides Jesus, Family and Friends

Hiking: particularly on an autumn day
when colors are at their peak—
golden aspens, purplish-red brush oak,
yellow-orange cottonwoods, evergreens
beneath a brilliant blue Colorado sky,
making me feel a part of creation
specially designed by a wise Creator.

Traveling: planning and preparing,
rolling my clothes into tight bundles,
listening to books on tape on long rides
or flying high over ridges and patchwork,
visiting turquoise water, thick rainforests,
geysers, towers, boulders, or sandy beaches,
feeling stretched, eager, excited, and alive.

Writing: allowing words to flow from my fingertips
frustrating, scaring, surprising, inspiring me,
giving me joy or making me laugh, creating hope
that my words will cause others to feel the same.
The rhythm of poems, the intricacies of plot,
inspiration of devotions, learning, remembering,  
meeting interesting characters, connecting with God.

Saturday, April 2, 2016

PAD 2 he said or she said

Unfaithful. That was the buzz.
Yes, she said that he was.
He said he wasn’t.
She’d visit her cousin,
Whether he wasn’t or was.