Poem Away Ekphrastc

Red Earth

In Alabama, on a church choir trip,

thirty-some of us youth from P-A,

I saw red earth for the first time.

Crammed on an old school bus,

we napped leaning on our arms

and we stayed in people’s homes.

We sang “Lightshine,” the girls

 in long green checked dresses,

the boys in jeans, shirts and bowties.

It was the first time many of us

traveled that far south and red earth

made us feel we had landed on Mars.

I live in Colorado now, “color red.”

I saw a a river turn red after a storm.

I’ve been to fifty states and a few countries.

My world has expanded. New places

and experiences don’t seem so foreign.

Aging may have its advantages.

Poetic Asdies Droigneach

Carnival

Can’t wait to spend some time at the carnival.

The perfect place that is my favorite.

We will have unending fun. The animal

with an amusing face is the  elephant.

Poetic Bloomings, flower, Vers Beaucoup

A Rose 

A rose grows tempting nose to

toes to dance and prance

in fanciful delight and might
in the night cause you to fly high.

Poetic Bloomings flower

Lilacs

In Colorado, out my front door,

purple lilacs take me back

to my Pennsylvania childhood

where huge bushes graced country roads

and paths with exhilarating fragrance,

as I ran past, with wisps of appreciation,

to play with cousins and friends

Poetic Asides Negative

Starting Over

I learned about starting over

after negative circumstances,

from putting together jigsaw puzzles.

Start with the frame.

Make sure the important corners are in place.

Sort into categories.

Begin with the easy sections.

When it gets difficult be satisfied

with getting one piece of the puzzle that day.

Enjoy the talents of the artist

in the individual pieces.

Keep moving forward.

Accept reworking some sections

as part of the process.

Don’t give up.

Celebrate accomplishments.

Poetic Bloomings bringing back something good from the past

The Running

I remember running outdoors and playing hard.

One time in particular, a vacation in Delaware,

as I was running by in the sand, I heard an adult

wistfully say, “O to have that energy again!”

I wondered why adults liked to sit so much.

I ran everywhere around my country P-A home.

Through large yards, up and down hills, over creeks,

Through the woods, and in the summer—barefoot.

I volunteer at a Nature Center now and am amazed

how many kids have never been in a forest before.

I miss the energy, the being outdoors, the running.

Poem Away Mother's Day Quintilla

Passing it On

My mother was uniquely she

Smart, strong, and given to good works

But had her oddities and quirks

No matter I tried not to be

I often see those quirks in me

Poetic Asides Rondelet

Hurrah for Spring!

Hurrah for spring!

When snow gives up and sun smiles warm

Hurrah for spring!

When flowers bloom and birds take wing

When I relax and watch a storm

When lilac fragrance is the norm

Hurrah for spring!

Poetic Asides weapon, strombotto

Self-help Books

Diet books to battle overeating food

Visionary books to give me eyes to see

Anti-depression books to help with my mood

Steps to success books to win me victory

Good manner books to prevent being rude

Upbeat books to defeat negativity

Self-esteem books to adjust my attitude

Armed with self-help books to fight the faults of me

Poetic Bloomings Catena Rondo, Poem Away Child care day

Full Circle

I have come full circle.

I started watching him when he was two.

Autistic, and sweet, joy the whole way through.

I have come full circle.

I started watching him when he was two.

We rejoiced when we would meet.

Caring for him was tiring but a treat

I started watching him when he was two.

We rejoiced when we would meet.

But over the years our families parted.

That’s when fulltime caregiving started.

We rejoiced when we would meet.

But over the years our families parted.

We took in adults with special needs

For twenty years we did these deeds

But over the years our families parted.

We took in adults with special needs.

For health reasons host home ended.

But the first family we refriended

We took in adults with special needs.

For health reasons host home ended.

The little boy is now a man.

And I watch him when I can.

For health reasons host home ended.

I have come full circle.

I started watching him when he was two.

Autistic, and sweet, joy the whole way through.

I have come full circle.

Poetic Asides Strombotto, Poem Away reunion

Family Reunion at Friday Harbor

Watching killer whales along craggy coastline

Searching for souvenirs in quaint, artsy shops

Biking on curvy roads, sniffing scent of pine

Discovering beauty in views from hilltops

Boating with family, feeling cool spray of brine

Snug in a cute cottage waiting out raindrops

Watching seaplanes land, while on fresh fish we dine

Taking lots of pics to put on our desktops

Poetic Blooming May, Poem Away motorcycle, pensee

May ride

Motorcycle

Zipping along curvy roads

Through the hills of Pennsylvania

Wish I could go back there

Poetic Bloomings faith, Poem Away Rondine

It Takes Faith

It takes faith to face the blank page and write

And trust that bits of impressions and thought

Will take shape and  some substance will be caught

To go against doubt when nothing’s in sight

To feel earthbound but let musings take flight

Knowing that somehow it will come out right

It takes faith.

It’s true that process itself can bring light

But I’ve learned that a writer can be taught

By the Great One above who knows a lot

It is He who causes words to ignite

It takes faith.

Poetic Asides impossible, Poem Away Stanzaic

Impossible

Some things seem impossible

Makes you feel a fool at loss

Then something pulls at you

You’ll show it who’s boss and see it through

So you struggle on with it

Wanting so to quit and yawn

Feels like you just sit and flail

It’s night before dawn, you just may fail      

Then you dig up your chutzpa

You let go of the if/ buts    

And then you think-huh-it’s done

Impossible? Nuts! You won!

Poetic Asides impossible

That Feeling

I love that feeling

after a long struggle with the impossible,

when you look at the accomplishment

and realize it was possible after all.

It’s akin to what David of the Bible must have felt

when he defeated the lion, giant and bear.

Oh, my!

PAD 30-1, stop

Stop Stopping

Stop stopping and start starting, lazy me.

I just can’t seem to get going today.

I sit here and fritter my time away.

Don’t  know what happened to my energy.

Today it has become an absentee.

I try to get going, but here I stay.

I cannot even get myself to pray.

Maybe giving myself a break is key.

Take a siesta or chat with a friend.

Work on my jigsaw puzzle, piece by piece.

Watch horse and cat videos to no end.

Trust that this mood will eventually cease.

Well, now, at least my last PAD poem is done.

Now, I’ll see if I can get on the run.

PAD 29-3 ...Again

Coming Again

Disasters

Earthquakes

Wars and rumors of wars

Technology for the mark

Jesus is coming again.

PAD 29-2 ...Again

On the Road Again

Soon we’ll be on the road again,

making our way up to Seattle

and the San Juan Islands

to our Shannon family reunion.

I’ll see a new great niece I’ve never met.

Then on to Vancouver and Shannon Falls.

I’ve been to Shannon River in Ireland,

now I want to see Shannon Falls.

Like Willie Nelson sings,

“I can’t wait to get on the road again.”

PAD 29-1 ...Again

Blank Again

After helping

three groups

of eleven first graders

make baby owls

by stuffing alpaca fiber

into pine cones

and sticking jiggle eyes

and orange paper beaks

on them with glue,

lots of stick-to-little-fingers glue.

My mind’s blank again.

PAD 28-1 remix

Boaters rescued whale.

Untangled, whale leapt for joy.

Rescuers rejoiced.

PAD 27-3 directions

East

P-A

Lots of trees

I grew up there

Visit relatives

I miss the lightning bugs

Share laughter and memories

Catch up on years of past events

Once so familiar and now so strange

Our house is gone and so are some loved ones.

PAD 27-2 Direction

Detour on the Directions

I found a chicken, bacon casserole recipe.

It sounded good, so I tried it out.

It called for sour cream, I had yogurt.

It called for parsley, I put in chives.

It called for cheddar, I had the processed kind.

It called for bacon. I used sausage.

It called for chicken. I substituted turkey.

I made a turkey, sausage casserole tonight.

It tasted good, despite the detour from the recipe.

PAD 27-1 Directions

A Promise

In the cool of the evening, I walk

along the sidewalk towards the quiet north.

All the shops are closed, not many about.

The sky’s a mix of blue, white and gray clouds.

I’ve been inside all day with indoor things,

though it’s one of the first nice days this spring.

I promised myself I’d spend time outdoors.

In the cool of the evening, I walk.

As I pass budding and blossoming trees,

I make myself another spring promise.

I’ll visit my kids next April. I walk

along the sidewalk toward the quiet north.

Arizona when it’s not deathly hot,

and Colorado won’t give up snowing,

I’ll make my escape each year, I promise.

All the shops are closed, not many about.           

Firm in resolve, I head back to the house.

Not quite ready to go inside and write,

I sit on the porch breathing in fresh air.

The sky’s a mix of blue, white and gray clouds.

PAD 26-3 evening, catena rondo

Like a Hidden Treasure

My heart seeks You, like a pirate a hidden treasure

I search in the stillness of twilight

I listen in the darkness of night

My heart seeks You, like a pirate a hidden treasure

I search in the stillness of twilight

I recall Your loving ways

Your blessing all my days

I search in the stillness of twilight

I recall Your loving ways

I feel Your smile on me

In You I am free

I recall Your loving ways

I feel Your smile on me.

In You is great peace.

In You is release

I feel Your smile on me

My heart seeks You, like a pirate a hidden treasure

I search in the stillness of twilight

I listen in the darkness of night

My heart seeks You, like a pirate a hidden treasure

PAD 26-2 evening, than bauk

Than bauk

Lights turning on

I am yawning

Upon my chair

PAD 26-1 evening, strombotto

Winding Down

As the evening light softens, I rest and write.

My fingers tap, tap on plastic lettered keys.

Many cluttered items are within my sight.

Photos, phones, books, knick-knacks, wheel chairs, all of these

Coats lie on the couch back, from heavy to light.

From the window, a warm (finally) spring breeze.

Cars roar by as they go off into the night.

I think, soon, I will fall asleep with ease.

PAD 25-3 Exile

Exiled

Banished from home

Heinous acts of violence

Ultimatums, persecution

Tragic

PAD 25-2 Exile

Self-Imposed Exile

E xiting a familiar place

eX pecting life will take hold

I ntrigued by adventures

L et bygones be bygones

E xcited about the new start

PAD 25-1 Exile, Poem Away Pushkin sonnet

Exiled from my Peers

I’m sixty years of age with children—grown.

They’re happily unmarried—my complaint.

Will I be blessed with grandkids of my own?

To have this patience takes complete restraint.

While others smile with glee and show their pics,

I caregive some to get my grandma fix.

This has been going on for many years.

I’m feeling like I’m exiled from my peers.

I try to be content, not down and blue.

I’m thankful for my family and friends.

I have so many blessings without end.

But I’ve a case of grandma envy, too.

I’m sixty years of age with children—grown.

Will I be blessed with grandkids of my own?

PAD 24-4 complete...

There once was a man from Mesquite

Who only had one shoe for his feet

Then out of the blue

Someone gave him a shoe

And now the pair are complete

PAD 24-3 complete...

Completely Coincidental?

One day I went to a yard sale

and bought a set of books,

complete all except for one.

I went across town to another yard sale

and found the book missing from the set.

What were the chances of that?

Made me wonder if the two families were friends

and one borrowed a book from the other.