Praise Acrostic

Praise God

P raise You Lord for being You, for

R adiantily shining through and through. I praise You Lord for

A ll Your graces, for being the creator of nature’s places. I praise You for Your

I magination. And being God of all the nations. I praise You for Your Holy

S pirit, so when trouble comes, I need not fear it. I praise You for being

E ternal and pure. I praise You

G od for being sound and sure. I praise You for being

O ne and three. I praise You for Your

D ivinity. 

10 30 15

Thank You, Lord

T hank You Lord for golden leaves and

H ow each day I can breathe.

A nd that You provide my daily

N eeds, including food that comes from seeds. Thank You, Lord for

K eeping me, in

Y our care so lovingly. Thank You

O ne and only God, for

U nderstanding me, though I’m odd. Thank You

L ord, for sunshine and roses and

O ranges and water hoses. Thank You Lord for

R eal friends and family, too. But most of all thank You,

D ear Lord, for being You.

Poetic Asides You Should

You Should Get Rid of That Hat

I love you dearly.

You can count on that.

But, my dear, you really

should get rid of that hat.

In the eighties, long ago,

when leggings were in style,

I got a pair with matching hat

and wore them a while.

You claimed the hat

and wore it all the time,

winter through autumn,

you know I’m not lyin’.

Cranberry and white.

Flops like a Smurf’s cap.

It’s tattered and torn,

not much more than a scrap.

It began to unravel

up there at the top.

You can put it on both ways.

When will you stop?

Some day when you’re not looking,

It will disappear.

It’s for your own good.

Really, my dear.

Sensory Impressions

Sensory Impressions

Passion looks red orange

Joy smells like lilacs

Hatred tastes bitter

Insults feel prickly

Life hums and clatters

Trip journal

Last Day of the Trip October 2015

Uneventful eight hour drive.
I’m not complaining about the uneventful part.
The leaves had changed more,
aspens quivering, golden in the sun.
Many had fallen.
Air colder.
Ate at a Chinese restaurant
That was a pleasant surprise.
We didn’t know what it was going in.
At home.
Squeals from Vanessa. Hugs from Justin.
Hugs and kisses from Loren.
Last night with Lori.
I’ll sure miss her.
Until January, our next trip.

Trip Journal

Made it Back to Colorado

Went to see Judy and Mike in Lincoln

Ate out at Perkins.

Didn’t realize that I had picked the restaurant

that my four sisters and I ate at in the early morning hours

after Mom had just passed away.

Now, sixteen years later.

Sixteen years?

How could that even be possible?

Do the math. 1999-2015. Sixteen years.

And then Dad died two months after that.

Now, we munched on eggs, bacon, pancakes

and enjoyed each other’s company.

Back at Judy’s we played Splendor

Promising this was the last game

then we’d go, about ten times.

We reserved a room in a motel

past Denver to make an easier trip the next day.

As we neared, it seemed to be getting farther away.

At last we arrived. A bed never felt that good. 

Phoenix Rising Poetry Guild famous person you've seen or met

John Green

October 2015, first StoryCon in Minnesota,

he seemed like a scrawny kid, though almost 40,

tall and thin, bespectacled, somewhat shy,

wearing jeans, plaid shirt and sneakers.

When he entered, the nerds went crazy.

Most knew him from the Vlogbrothers,

a YouTube show done with brother Hank,

that has a following of millions.

He made Time’s 2014 Top 100 influential people.

He has written four best-sellers for young adults.

One book has become a movie with another in the making.

“Don't forget to be awesome!” he says.

He sets the example

with Project for Awesome

when he raises money for worthy causes.

You never know what one person can do, 

until you try. 

Trip Journal A Paradelle

Milwaukee to Adams

We

Drove

And drove

And drove

Wisconsin  

To Nebraska.

I can’t remember

Much about that trip.

We listened to The Walk.

I wasn’t feeling well.

Ate salads most of the day,

But I ate an egg at breakfast.

Couldn’t decide which town to head for,

The sister in Adams or Lincoln.

We chose to first see Linda in Adams

And then we’d go see Judy the next day.

My sister and niece welcomed us with hot tea.

Rebecca gave us homemade gifts for those at home.

We sat in the living room with Linda’s husband Dave.

He, Becca, and Lori set about getting Skype to work.

Soon we saw pictures of Megan and Allie in Seattle,  

Allie’s fiancé in Michigan and Tom and his fiancé  

In Colorado where he lives just three hours away from our home.

After they got the glitches out, we had a four time-zone conversation. 

trip journal

Lori’s 48^th and 49^th

Left hotel in St. Paul a little late.

Pushed the speed limit.

Arrived at the dock of Lake Express
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

as last passengers boarded

the high-speed ferry.

Sat behind a young family, a baby

and a toddler who stared

between the seats as I smiled.

Made it to the bathroom feeling drunk

as I tottered and grabbed onto seatbacks

meeting other passengers unexpectedly.

Lori had to go outside for air.

I stayed in and as the waves tossed us about,

I prayed she wouldn’t fall overboard.

The kids got sick.

Made it to Muskegon, Michigan.

Now, Lori has matched my 49 states.

We will go to Hawaii someday to make 50.

Realized the time had changed.

We didn’t have the hour we thought,

so I got some tea and we got back on the boat.

The wind and waves tossed us about.

Lori went out again, but came back in pale.

She used the well-stocked barf bags.

I breathed in as the waves went up

and breathed out as the waves went down.

I never have gotten seasick.

But this trip I joined in.

At one point, all conversation ceased.

The only sound, the rocking of the boat,

and people puking.

Puke Express docked twenty minutes late.

Lori and waited until we were last in line

because when we puke we pee.

We drove to the place where we

had ordered Indian food online.

Real Indian food

from a Pakistani neighborhood.

I went into the restaurant

where the women wore hijabs

and the men stared.

As I walked out I wondered

if they thought I was so frightened

I peed my pants.

Back to the motel.

Too sick to eat the spicy food.

Stayed up till two writing

and turning in a college assignment.

Long day.  

Lori said it was worth it to get her two states.

I’ll just chalk it up to experience.

Poetic Asides prompt Movie title

It’s a Wonderful Life

If you never existed

what would my life be like now?

Would I have married someone else?

Had different children?

Lived in an exotic location?

Would I have ever become a writer?

Would have I gone to college?

Would I have been happier?

Questions like this are like the appendix.

The only thing it does is make you sore,

and has to be removed.

trip journal

Story Con

Immersed in the nerd world

where it's cool to be uncool.

Jeans and T-shirts

with slogan only nerds get

Little Bo Peep, Medieval princess,

no Darth Vader  

Gamers, givers, activists

Storytellers

Getting charged up

to tell those stories

Back to the hotel

Will miss the luxurious room

Won’t miss the creepy parking garage

or the squeaky door.

trip journal

Storiescon

Started the day with tea from McDonald’s.

Lori driving through the city,

me manning the GPS.

Weaving our way, missing, trying again.

Arriving, remember where we parked!

Hearing famous authors

describe stories, the writing life, the business, the fame.

Working on a college lesson in between classes.

Long day.

We know where the car’s parked,

but where is the parking garage?

An hour later, we find it.

Cavernous parking garage at the hotel.

To bed finally.

Squeaky door.

Where’s the WD40?

Phoenix Rising horror titles

Panic Room

Locked

in a room full of monsters,

grabbing, screaming,

threatening sanity.

Nursery duty.

10 18 15

Lincoln to Minnesota

Brunch with Judy in Lincoln,

tea with cousin Buddy and boys

in Minnesota.

Glad to have family stop by.

First time I was in Starbucks.

Dinner with Michelle

in Saint Paul.

Lamb, so good.

Felt like I knew Michelle all my life,

after writing poetry together for eight years.

Cold and windy, took pictures.

Seventh floor of hotel.

Very nice, big rooms, comfy beds.

Squeaky door. 

10 17 15

The Adams Family

Adams Nebraska is a pleasant town.

Tree lined streets. Quaint yards.

Old houses

like the one my sister lives in.

Love the wood trim throughout.

We played Splendor.

We walked, talked and laughed.

Leftovers from Olive Garden.

Went through a box of stuff

she had out for me:

stuffed dog of my Dad’s when he was sick,

prayer doll that was Lori’s when she was little,

plastic letter blocks, Little Golden books,

some jeans and tops

that get passed back and forth.

Lasagna for supper
with Linda, David, and Becca.

Took another walk.

Slept like a rock.

10 16 15

Family

I called my niece.

Michelle, are you coming to brunch?

What? I thought we were going to supper.

Supper?

Where are you?

Cheyenne. Where are you?

Minnesota.

Oh, I know what I did. I called the wrong Michelle.

Michelle, my niece, couldn’t go to brunch.

But we had a delicious omelet breakfast

with sister-in-law, Ineke.

Ineke’s like my own sister.

We have had such good times

and bad times, too.

Like the time she wrecked my bicycle

and broke her arm.

Moments are so fleeting.

We’ll never run out of time in heaven.

Soon we were on I80

About half way to Lincoln

a jeep ran us off the road.

I said the one word prayer,

“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!”

Lori drove down the median,

over the cop car rode,

and between two poles,

and stopped.

Thank You, Jesus.

It could have been much worse.

At Lincoln,

we ate pizza with Judy and Mike

and played Splendor,

an addictive game

with chips and cards.

Thank You, Lord.

Special times with family

are few and far between.

10 15 15

Cortez to Cheyenne

We drove through the fog

over the mountain pass.

Frightening.

But I knew peace,

knowing You’re with me.

Let in-laws know we made it.

Ate at the Olive Garden.

When the waiter brought my salad,

Lori said she’d take the black olives.

I said, “Don’t take all my black olives.”

When the waiter returned,

he brought Lori a dish of black olives.

I said, “You’re thinking, now girls don’t fight.”

He said, “I thought I’d prevent

It from happening.”

We laughed.

We filled up on salad and hors d’oeuvres.

We scooped up my eggplant parmesan

and her shrimp pasta,

put them in tacky Styrofoam take-out boxes,

and listened to thumping noises

all night in a cheap hotel,

imagining ghosts next door.

10 14 15

Sunday

Not quite the Sardine Express,

but close, in the Odyssey van.

Loren and Lorraine up front.

Vanessa and I in the middle.

Justin and Lori in the back.

Lori’s squished in between

the two wheels of Vanessa’s chair.

Off to church we go.

We could be on our way to many places.

Some could be really bad.

Thank You, Lord,

that we are on our way to church.

There’s no place I’d rather be.

10 13 15

Darn STM

My daughter showed me how

to do page numbers

on the computer,

for two different sections.

Over and over,

I did it

over and over

until I got it right.

That was two weeks ago.

Can I do it now? 

10 12 15

Lori

My senses on the alert

She drives up.

She’s here.

Reunited

From the day I looked into her dark eyes

I knew she’d be my friend

So much has passed between us

Good, bad, uncertainties, fears

She’ll always be my friend.

Always be my daughter. 

And soon 

I'll watch her drive off again. 

Phoenix Rising Poetry Gold autumn wordle

Autumn Leaves

Your vibrancy increased, but not for long

A month or two enjoy your current hue

The colors bursting forth and not a few

The choir of cicada sing their song

The sunny days grow shorter, nights turn cold

You tremble in the crisp and spicy air

While people drive around to stop and stare

And watch the ending of your life unfold

Detaching from the limb that gave you life

You flutter like a dancer in the wind

Your graceful pirouettes you can’t rescind

You lay beside your kin like man and wife

Then rakers sweep you in a heaped up pile

And you enjoy the leapers for awhile 

10 10 15 Phoenix Rising Wordle

Halloween Night

Whistling winds whirl leaves in the cold, crisp air

Children’s crunching footsteps sound in the dark

Laughter follows those who take a dare

Whistling winds whirl leaves in the cold, crisp air

Neighbors wait with porch lights on, candy to share

Doorbells ring, “Trick or Treat!”, dogs bark

Whistling winds whirl leaves in the cold, crisp air

Children’s crunching footsteps sound in the dark 

10 9 15

The Inn

It smelled of roses,

the inviting, comfortable inn.

They say it’s where Rose died.

In the night, you can hear her cry.

Living with ghosts

doesn’t grow old

when roses turn to gold. 

10 8 15

Rains

Anger

looks back

finding fire following

devouring people down

in one smooth gulp.

Teaching you to appreciate

quenching rains

of forgiveness.

Target

Target

Something to aim for

keeps me from living

a damp, moldy existence. 

Hiking

Hiking

Hiking is something I always enjoyed,

but shopping not so much.

The minutes tick by slowly when I shop.

Shuffling along store to store

seems like a sour reply to nature.

Outdoors, I feel I’m back home in Pennsylvania

walking hand in hand

with my memories.

Poetic Asides Watching the World Go By

Stories

I watched the world go by.

Foggy mountain passes

Dull yellow leaves waiting

for the sun to turn them into gold

Red cliffs

Broad meadows

Busy city streets

Flat prairies

Corn fields and more corn fields

Quaint towns

Cities stacked up on themselves

Lake of tossing waves

And in each car people with their own stories,

all-important to themselves.

Poetic Asides Spooky

Spooky

A moonlit swamp

swathed in eerie shadows.

A dank basement

boasting spiders and scurrying mice.

A huge house

haunted with moans

and creaky steps.

None can compare to the cavernous

parking garage with a thousand hiding places

for hoodie-wearing muggers.

current situation

Lap robe

TP

A cup of tea

Lozenges

Coughing

Sniffling

Hoping I’ll be well enough

for my trip. 

10 2 15

I push her wheelchair

My friend

I don’t want to be her caregiver

But a friend does

what a friend’s got to do.

Autumn

We drive a long

Oohing and aahing

Golden leaves light up in the sun

which sparkles in the lake

like a thousand diamonds

while stern mountains look on.