PAD Challenge 9-1 Burn

Burn Dance

Fire dances

gracefully back and forth

around what it consumes.

Beautiful and deadly

like Herodias's daughter
dancing for the king,

asking for the head

of John the Baptist.

PAD Challenge 8-3 hint

Always There

I remember the day I first

realized I’d never be alone.

I was waitressing at a restaurant.

I went back to the break room alone,

bowed my head and gave thanks.

PAD Challenge 8-2 Hint

The Artist

Open fields

Stormy clouds

Glimmer of the western sun

Tree-covered hill

Rushing river

Mountain peaks against pink sky

Attentive pines

Singing crickets

Brilliant stars in indigo night

Golden sunset

Quiet islands

High cliffs keep watch

Waterfalls

Lush valleys

Breeze carries fresh fragrance

God hints at who He is.

PAD challenge 8-1 Hint

Surprise Packages

I have no reason to hint

for what I want for Christmas

since shopping solely falls to me.

I buy what I want,

poke it in a gift bag,

and mark it from my husband.

On Christmas, I open it,

and say, “Just what I wanted!

How did you know?”

Of course, it’s a bit boring

knowing what I’ll get.

But my memory’s getting bad.

I’ll just wrap it early

and by the time I open it

I’ll truly be surprised.

PAD Challenge 7-3 Occupation

Caregiver

Our church built a ramp.

So far, on a regular basis,

up and down the ramp, I’ve taken

An elderly lady

A developmentally disabled man

A friend with a bum foot

Another friend with a bum foot

A developmentally disabled woman

And now my disabled husband

Sometimes it seems that God’s not happy

unless I’m taking someone up and down that ramp.

PAD challenge 7-2 Occupation

Poet

Painting with words

Transferring emotions

Tapping out a word tune

Vicarious giving and living

Translating in time and space

PAD challenge 7-1 occupation

Writer

What does it take to be a writer?

Giving yourself permission

Being true to your mission

And manuscript submission

To be somewhat of a fighter

What does it take to be a writer?

A lover of words

A life for the birds

Keeping away from the herds

To be an exciter

What does it take to be a writer?

To tweak and to twangle

To see from an angle

To deftly word wrangle

To always write tighter

That’s what it takes to be a writer.