Tuesday, April 30, 2019

PAD 4-3 Poem Away Badger's Hexastitch


Monet

Outdoors
Light on detail
He painted what he saw
Boats, rivers, bridges, lakes
Castles, Beaches
Brilliant

Sunday, April 28, 2019

PAD 4-1 artist


Connie L. Peters

I painted a frog on my wall,
not just a frog, a whole mural
complete with pond,
cat-of-nine-tails,
lily pads and dragonflies.

It wasn’t about the frog.
I don’t care much for them.
It was the dragonflies,
reminding me of Evinrude,
a hero on The Rescuers.

But that’s a different story.
Seven years later, we took in
a thirty-something lanky man
with developmental disabilities.
His nickname happened to be Froggy.

Froggy lived with us ten years.
With his cute quirks, he delighted us.
When I was away from my family.
I missed Froggy first. Due to health
reasons, we had to give him up.

Now, when I exercise in that room,
I stare at that big frog on the wall.
I’m thinking about painting over it.
Perhaps, a lovely island scene,
in case it, too, is prophetic.




Saturday, April 27, 2019

PAD 3-3 animal


Morris and Monique

There once was a donkey name Morris
Who wanted to sing in a chorus
He heed and he hawed
And sounded so odd
They banished him to the forest

There once was a donkey named Monique
Who had a stubborn streak
When they pushed her to go
She soundly said no
She was sent to the woods for a week

And then the donkey named Morris
Met Monique in the forest
And now their offspring
All like to sing
So now they make music for us

Friday, April 26, 2019

PAD 3-2 animal



Neighborly Pets

They say grandchildren are best, because you can love on them and then turn them over to their parents and get a good night’s sleep. I don’t know about grandchildren, yet, but it works that way with pets. Since our cat Snickers died, we vowed no more pets, not being worth the time, hassle and expense. However, a big black dog (perhaps a pit bull), and a fluffy orange cat have won my heart. Fortunately, they don’t belong to me.

No more pets for me
Except the neighbors’ black dog
And fluffy orange cat.

The big black dog seems wiser than most, with his square head and alert eyes. He rarely barks at me through the wire fence. Instead, when I make the trek up the hill to throw the trash in the ally container, he walks with me along the fence line. He gives me that look like he wants me to pet him, but I haven’t been brave enough, thinking he might get territorial all of a sudden. Once, as I was trimming bushes along the property line with my clippers, he began chewing the branches on his side of the fence, like he was trying to help me.

We have become friends
The neighbors’ big dog and me
Though not the neighbors.

I don’t know who the fluffy orange cat belongs to, but just about every time I’m outside, the cat comes to greet me. He tries to get in the house, but there’s that no-pets rule. When I go get the mail, he gets underfoot. He used to have a treasure bush in our yard. There he’d stash toys he had swiped from the neighborhood children, such as a rubber duck, a hair brush, and a My Little Pony. One day, I spied the neighbor girl absconding with all the toys from the cat. I’m not sure if they were hers to begin with or not. The cat must have found a safer place to stash his goodies, because he doesn’t use that particular bush anymore.

Big, fluffy orange cat
Busy about neighborhood
I like his visits

I wanted to put a privacy fence up between the neighbor’s and our property. They have a habit of throwing things in my yard, like crab shells, an old pepper and a rotted board. But now I’m thinking twice about it. The neighbors haven’t done much to win my affection, but their dog has.

Sometimes animals
Are easier to befriend
Than some people are

Thursday, April 25, 2019

PAD 3-1 animal


The Dormouse

A dormouse is a tiny chap
with button eyes and rounded ears.
His little life may last five years.
He hibernates-a six-month nap.

His nickname is “the sleepy one.”
He sleeps at day and up at night.
With sibling mice, they play and fight,
And snuggle, rolled up like a bun.

His tail is fluffy, oh, so cute.
They’re agile, little acrobats.
Can climb up trees so very fast.
They like to eat bugs, nuts and fruit.

Like butterflies and bumble bees,
They’re helpful in pollination.
They live in varied location—
Among grasslands, and rocks and trees.

With creamy, orange or golden coat,
They’d make fine pets on which to dote.

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

PAD 2-3 best and worse case scenario


Checking In

She checks in every night, by email.
A single senior, a rancher.
“What would happen to my alpacas
If I broke my leg out there
or got trapped in a snow slide?"

When she forgets to check in,
my heart races a little bit,
picturing her under a snow pile.
I call her and sigh with relief
at the sound of her voice.

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

PAD 2-2 best or worst case scenarios


Kayaking at My Age

Meg and I
went kayaking in Ireland
I thought perhaps I would die

Didn’t think
I’d die from sharks, lost at sea,
Or drown myself in the drink

Being bent
Too stiff to climb out, I thought
I’d die of embarrassment

Monday, April 22, 2019

PAD 2-1 Best or worse case scenarios


Loco Motion

The best case scenario
of my continual doing this exercise video
will be losing all this extra weight
and fitting in my clothes once again.

The worst case scenario
would be to pull every muscle in my body
and hubby and I will race up and
down sidewalks in our power chairs.

Sunday, April 21, 2019

PAD 1-3 morning, Poem Away purple


My Purple Socks

Sometimes when I begin my day
And things don’t seem to go my way
I try to think outside the box
And put on my bright purple socks

Spring often spits out a surprise
Dark clouds, cold winds and snow-filled skies
When colors seem as dull as rocks
I put on my bright purple socks

Life is a complicated test
And simple pleasures are the best
Because of this great paradox
I put on my bright purple socks






Saturday, April 20, 2019

PAD 1-2 morning, Poem Away ABC


Morning ABC’s

Arise and try to smile
Be a friend
Craft a poem
Do devotions
Exercise
Finish planning
Grab a breakfast
Help each other
Intervene in any catastrophes
Join in singing
Keep on keeping on
Let praises flow
Make up your mind
Nurture others
Open doors and windows
Practice what needs practicing
Quit worrying
Reach up
Stir up enthusiasm
Take time for tea
Understand each other
Vibrantly love
Wonder over the mysteries
EXclude worry
Youthfully dream
Zestfully live




Friday, April 19, 2019

PAD 1 morning


Possibilities
(a zejel)

O, morning you are here so fast
Night time has fallen to the past
I’m hoping now to have a blast

I wonder what this day will bring
A joke, a task, a song to sing         
To see some tulips come for spring
The possibilities are vast

A tasty dish of food I like
A friend who wants to take a hike
Or take a spin upon my bike
Oh, how will this day’s die be cast?

It may bring trouble of its own
A coldness felt down to the bone
A time to be sad and alone
The trick’s, I think, to grow steadfast

To thank the Lord through bad and good
Take joy when things be as they should
Be glad that He has understood
And know He answers if He’s asked



Thursday, April 18, 2019

Poetic Bloomings Adventure


Adventurous Souls

It takes a little faith, courage,
and a sense of adventure
to explore nooks and crannies,
deep caverns, bogs, forests,
rugged mountains, vast oceans
infinite outer space and even
sunny flowered-filled fields
of the mind. So go forth brave poets.

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Tuesday, April 16, 2019

PA Strombotto, PB harmony


Harmony
(a strombotto)

When I write there is a stirring in my soul,
Struggling to have ears to hear and eyes to see.
Drawing near to the One who can make me whole,
Causing dysfunction, distress and doubts to flee.
To write something helpful and true is my goal.
And sometimes my words will surprise even me.
As His Holy Spirit gently takes control,
We create together in sweet harmony.

Monday, April 15, 2019

Poetic Bloomings Nurture


Avalanche!

Be creative
Be creative
Be creative
My hubby always said
after we were first married.

He didn’t know
he was setting off
an avalanche.

Sunday, April 14, 2019

Poetic Asides spring, Poem Away La Tuin


Springtime Memories

In Pennsylvania country home
Footloose feelings tantalize me still
When weather becomes warm and mild            

Buttercups and violets popped up wild
Fragrant blooms wherever we’d roam
Of new sights and sounds we had our fill
Greening grass tempted and beguiled

Flung off our shoes and joyfully smiled
Toes in earth like a garden gnome
Raindrops and puddles gave us a thrill
Formed cakes and pies from mud we piled

Stocking the creek made fishermen riled
Bubbling water frothing like foam
Bicycles out and flying downhill
High kites among memories filed

Springtime when I was a little child
In Pennsylvania country  home
Footloose feelings tantalize me still
When weather becomes warm and mild

Saturday, April 13, 2019

Poetic Asides travel


Off in My Dreams

Every time I fold my clothes
And they’re laid out across the bed
I always think that I should be
Packing my suitcases instead

I think of where I’d fly off to
Australia, New Zealand, or Wales
I’d like to see Niagara Falls
Or return to Wisconsin Dells

Cruise along Panama Canal
See a friend in San Salvador
Ireland and Scotland, I love
I’d like to go there a lot more

Canada’s calling, so is Greece
Hear the Bahamas whisper, too.
Yes, I’d travel the world over
Before my wandering was through

I tuck my clothes back in the drawers
And go about my day at home
Till laundry day comes once again
And then I dream of where I’ll roam

Friday, April 12, 2019

Poetic Bloomings challenge


Diet Challenge

I have this overeating habit.
I gave up eating like a rabbit.

Some tell me carbohydrates must go.
And others say fat grams are my woe.

Not too much protein, some advise me.
And some say I must go gluten free.

Fruit, sugars and dairy cause defeat.
So someone tell me, what’s left to eat?

Thursday, April 11, 2019

poetic bloomings perspective


Saving the Frog

One day, as children
my cousins and I were playing
in their garden and spied
a snake swallowing a frog.

We felt sorry for the frog
and chased the snake away,
by dousing it with a bucket
of water. But as we played,
we returned to the frog
to see how it was doing
and noticed that is was
covering itself up with dirt.

Throughout the afternoon,
the frog slowly buried itself.
We not only caused the snake
to skip a meal, but we
didn’t help the frog.

People struggle with poverty.
Let’s help them by pooling our money
with greater taxes.

 Many of the employed see the unemployed
have better benefits, so they quit working.
This phenomena increases as workers
pay more and more for nonworkers.

Let’s control what people receive and buy and sell,
so everyone gets something,
plus make sure we get our fair share.

The practice of not feeding wild animals
to prevent them from becoming accustomed to handouts
and not learning to fend for themselves applies to humans.
It’s important to be contributors rather than takers.

People from other countries flee terrible conditions.
We have plenty. Let’s have compassion and share.
Let’s tear down the borders, abolish the rules,
and pay refuges to come up without discrimination.

By destroying our own laws,
we destroy our own people.  
Instead of immigrants being helped,  
many bring their problems with them such as
drug abuse, crime, poverty and violence
turning their new homes so generously given
into replicas of the places they fled.

Children are being abused.
Women who are unable to raise children
should be allowed to abort them.

Abortion devalues life.
Those who abuse now have a greater reason
and less inhibitions to abuse.

Children are getting killed by shootings.
Let’s take away everyone’s guns.

Shootings only increase because
now there are no good guys with guns
defending the innocent.

The climate is changing.
The world is ending.
Let’s try to save it
by changing all our uses of energy.

Frogs, people the earth
are all temporary. The bigger question
is, do we have eternal souls?
Where do we go after we die?
Can we be sure? Are our sources reliable?

If only someone would prove their reliability
by fulfilling over three hundred prophecies,
performing miracles, coming back from the dead,
and predicting future events
more accurately than reporters
record the morning news!

Many leaders are becoming like soft-hearted
children trying to save the frog.
If they  get their way
with abortion, infanticide,
Illegal immigration, climate change,
socialism and gun confiscation,
I hope these compassionate people
don’t have to sit back
and watch us bury ourselves.

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Poetic Asides Gift


A Gift

Snowshoeing on top of three feet of snow.
The scrunch, scrunch sounds accompanied
by the whistling of tall, swaying pines.
Breathing in the fresh air under a gray sky
with Colorado blue breaking through.
The deliberate lifting of our feet,
the effort of muscles, and steadying
ourselves with slender ski poles.
The occasional fall as snow shoes tangle
with each other. The feel of the cold snow.
The laughter and the struggles to get up.
More laughter between friends. It’s all a gift.