Friday, June 30, 2017

PAD 28 Smell

Skunked

Our St. Bernard/Golden retriever mix
loved the smells of skunk.
She must have because she liked to chase them
and we’d often smell that sweet aroma.
She only chased a porcupine once.

Thursday, June 29, 2017

PAD 28 smell

Pappap

Pappap smelled of saw dust, cologne and hand lotion
Sawdust because he was a carpenter
Retired, he’d help all the little old ladies in town
Building porches, repairing wooden items, making picture frames
Lotion because all that wood dried his hands out.
Cologne because he had a lady friend
and after his work was done
he’d drive the fourteen miles to her home
and be gone till the wee hours
waking up early the next morning
ready for a new day of work
and entertaining his grandkids.

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

PAD 27 wordle

Gum Cracking

The little boy became a pest
He cracked his gum, only in jest.

He idly rambled about the place.
Folks winced when they saw his face.

He made a festoon of gum wrappers and hung them around.
He laughed till he hiccupped and fell to the ground.

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

PAD 27 wordle

Hiccup Cure

He made a pest of himself
with one hiccup too many.
Someone cracked him on the head,
so he wouldn’t have any.

He winced in pain
then rambled out the door.
Nobody’s bothered
by his hiccups any more.

Monday, June 26, 2017

PAD 27 wordle

The Pest

The spider
came from a crack in the wall.
It rambled about back and forth,
but there came a hiccup in its plan.

I wince to think about it.
Its web hung like a festoon from the ceiling,
but then sucked up
into the vacuum cleaner.

Sunday, June 25, 2017

PAD 26 regret

Gesso

Making mistakes in paintings
is what artists call happy accidents.
That blob of blue can turn into a bird.
That smear of yellow can blend
into the grasses like sunlight.
Regrets are like those blobs.
Sometimes the regrets get too much
for the mind’s canvas
and you must get a tube of gesso
and begin again.

Saturday, June 24, 2017

PAD 26 Regret

Unique

Regrets-The things you wish you could do differently.
We all like to be different, right?
So why do we feel bad about it when we are?
Unique sometimes stinks,
but it’s always good to experiment,
discover, and finally make something beautiful. 

Friday, June 23, 2017

PAD 26 regret

Lemons

It would be nice
to live life without regrets,
but I don’t know how to do that.
I’m always sorry for the mistakes I’ve made,
the multitudes of social blunders,
the intentional sludge of apathy.

When you grow your own lemons,
make lemonade, right?  
All those little glitches in my life
make for good poem and story ingredients.
Sometimes the sweetest cakes
call for a little lemon.

Thursday, June 22, 2017

PAD 26 Regret

The Point

I’m chock full of regrets.
But I could be full of something worse.
For better or worse.
That’s what we said when we got married.
We didn’t know how worse it could be.
But it’s getting better now.
Do I regret marrying you?

Sometimes.
But that’s besides the point.
The point is that I made a vow to God
and as much as lies within me
I’ll keep it.
It’s been almost 38 years now
and we’re going for the gold.


Wednesday, June 21, 2017

PAD 25 love-anti-love

John 3:16 Means Love

For God—creator of the universe
so loved—did His best for the worst
the world—all the people in it
that he gavesins He will freely remit
his one and only Son—conceived by His Spirit
that whoever—anyone who receives it
believes in him— obeys His son
shall not perish—the soul lives on
but have eternal life—live forever and ever.


Tuesday, June 20, 2017

PAD 25 love/anti-love

I came home from vacation
and my glass teapot sparkles.
Yes, hubby loves me.

Monday, June 19, 2017

PAD 25 love/anti-love

Feelings

Basing a relationship
on feelings of love
is like the tail
wagging the dog.

When a dog
gets so excited
the tail actually
does wag the dog,
the hapless pup

walks off kilter. 

Sunday, June 18, 2017

PAD 24 faith

Faith

Sometimes my faith’s wobbly,
like Peter on the waves,
but deep down for certain
I know that Jesus saves.

When I’m all alone
and the task’s too big for me,
I can only trust
my God whom I can’t see.

You may wonder about
where I put my faith.
but I have learned through the years
by His Word, Spirit and Grace.

Saturday, June 17, 2017

PAD 24 faith

Faith in Christ

Unseen steel
Bridging the gap
Between heaven and earth

Friday, June 16, 2017

PAD 24 faith

Faith

Faith is only as valuable
as what you have faith in.
Faith for faith’s sake
is like a wispy cloud,
looking substantial
but won’t hold anything up.

Faith in science
does wonderful things,
but it can only go so far.
For the realm of the eternal and unseen,
science has little value, except for knowing
that a design must have a designer.

Thursday, June 15, 2017

PAD 23 last blank

Last Class

August 21,st
I will begin
my last college class,
then I can quit beating myself up
for not completing my degree.
I’ll be all smartified
and continue on with my life.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Birthday Blessing

June 14th

T oday, Lord, I pray for a terrific birthday celebration.
R emind President Trump how much You love him. Grant him
U nderstanding and wisdom as he makes decisions for the USA.
M ay he know Your peace and loving presence day by day.
P rotect him and his family and bless them as they serve.

                                                            In the name of Jesus. 

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

PAD 23 last blank

Last Visit

She knew it was the last time
she’d see him, laying pale
in his bed. She could picture
him in a casket. She had said
her good byes over the past
several years as she lost him
bit by bit to Alzheimer’s.
She looked forward to
seeing him again when he
would remember her name.

Monday, June 12, 2017

PAD 22 Fable

There once was a cat named Kent
Who never said where he went
He wandered off
Others just scoffed
He died since no one was sent. 

Sunday, June 11, 2017

PAD 22 fable

A squirrel named Greedy
Thought he was needy
And kept all the food to himself
He ate till quite fat
Said, “How good is that?”
Until he started to ralph.

Saturday, June 10, 2017

PAD 22 Fable

There once was a moose named Morose
His head hung clear to his toes
His bottom lip quivered
He sighed and he shivered
None of his moose friends came close

Friday, June 9, 2017

PAD 21 object

Suitcase

It’s big and I fill it.
Multiple shirts, skirts, pants
unmentionables, socks and shoes.
I could get by with half the size,
but when you’re traveling alone,
it’s nice to have the luxury of space.



Thursday, June 8, 2017

PAD 21 object

Fan

This fan of mine
goes back and forth
humming and whirring
for all it’s worth.

It cools me off,
when days are hot.
I’d rather be cool,
than not.


Wednesday, June 7, 2017

PAD 21 object

Belt

The woven kind
Black, brown, cream, gold
It can match anything.
It can be fastened anywhere,
so adjusts from ideal to not-so ideal.
It doesn’t care about yoyo weight.
I like my belt.


Tuesday, June 6, 2017

PAD 20 task

Tasks

Today’s to-dos
And tomorrow’s too
Simply
Keep piling up
So on and on it goes 

Monday, June 5, 2017

PAD 20 task

Desires

Sometime it seems
as if I don’t like anything I do.
I must talk myself into
making meals, writing an essay,
or putting my host home client to bed.

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like
to do what you want when you want to do it.
At times, I have a hard time wanting to do anything.
If I could do anything I want to do right now,
what would it be? Probably write a poem or take a nap.

Sunday, June 4, 2017

PAD 20 task

Birthday Celebration

The task at hand is strange indeed
To celebrate the birthday son
In need of nothing, this he says
To live life simply is his aim
Two of each clothing is enough

I guess at something he might need
Perhaps we’ll have a little fun
I’ll only be here three more days
To make him feel loved is our aim
A movie and a meal till stuffed 

Saturday, June 3, 2017

PAD memory

Pappap


He was the greatest grandfather of all
We would run to keep up with his strides
He cheerily whistled a bob-white call
He was the greatest grandfather of all
He had a trace of a southern drawl
With tractor and wagon, he gave us hay rides
He was the greatest grandfather of all
We would run to keep up with his strides 

Friday, June 2, 2017

PAD 19 memory

Childhood Home

To me, it was idyllic—
my childhood home
set in the P-A countryside
with pine, shade, apple and nut trees
and several large gardens

Acres of grass
which we weren’t all too happy to mow
surrounded by hills and woods
creeks, relatives, friends
along a curvy country road.

The distinct seasons provided entertainment
Vibrant springs, puddles to splash and play in.
Toasty summers, cold creeks to wade barefoot
Crisp autumns, brightly colored leaves to jump in
Cold winters, snow for sled riding and snow forts 
To kids, our neighborhood was a giant playground.

Thursday, June 1, 2017

PAD 19 memory

Memory

When I was a child
at Christmas time,
we had a farm set
to put under the tree.

I’m not sure what a farm
had to do with Christmas,
but it grabbed our attention
during the holidays, every year.

We’d set up the red metal,
two-story barn with all the
light yellow plastic fence
and figures all around.

The yellow plastic farmer
carried a yellow plastic bucket
to feed the yellow plastic cows,
chickens, sheep, pigs and ducks.

There were even yellow plastic cats
to put in the barn to chase away
the imaginary mice amongst
the yellow plastic hay bales.

I don’t know what happened
to the farm set.
Probably tossed on the trash heap
like so many things of the past.