Monday, July 31, 2017

Poetic Asides useful item

A long, round, pink sponge
fits on the end of a spoon
to help my husband use his left hand,
since now his right hand is useless.

A care giver has become a care-givee.

Sunday, July 30, 2017

elegy almost

Miracle on June 11th 2017

I would write an elegy but, you see, you didn’t stay dead.
Your wife and daughters cried and moaned in church
when they saw your blank eyes and greenish-gray skin.
They touched your wrist, your neck—no pulse.

I left the church with some others, thinking you were gone.
I thought about how your homecoming would be sweet.
I’d go home and put your wife on my widows prayer list,
but no, I’d wait for confirmation. There were people praying.

Then the amazing news that you visited heaven and returned.
You saw a dusty road, Jesus and millions of children,
We serve an awesome God. May others receive Him
because of your testimony of the things you’ve seen.

Happy 63rd Anniversary! 

Saturday, July 29, 2017

Couplet

I ponder as he splishes, splashes in his bath
Allowing my muse to emerge from the waters

Friday, July 28, 2017

Cinquain

Bath
Warm bubbles
Relaxing, soaking, contemplating
Relieved, peaceful, hopeful, cheerful
Water

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Devotional prayer

My Everything

It’s taking me awhile
to focus on You
and not be so distracted
by so many things.  
Sorry it takes me that long.

You make my life worth living.
You are what I have going for me.
Not my family and friends.
Not my church. Not my writing.
Not my money. Not my travels.

You are IT for me. I love You.
You are my strength and life.
You are the lover of my soul.
You promise me eternity.
Thank You this life isn’t all there is.


Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Prayer from devotions

Partnership Prayer

Sometimes when I feel sluggish,
it feels like I’ve always been this way  
and always will be.
Thank You, that’s not true.
Thank you for energy, motivation
and for when I can think clearly.

Lord, I want to partner with You.
I want to write what’s on Your heart
with words that will glorify Your name.
Help me be sensitive to Your Voice.
Please forgive me for all the times
I tarnish Your name with my words.
.
I get nervous about spending my time.
I’m so afraid I’ll waste it.
Lord, help me rest in You and be grateful
for time to spend in prayer and Bible Study.
If I don’t get anything else done today,
I know I chose the best part.

I give You this time back
and trust that You will let Your peace
and hope flood my soul
and that things will work out
 much better today
than if I hadn’t spent time with You.

So today, I eagerly look forward
to what You will work out for my good
 because I love You
and am called to Your purpose.
Please carry out Your purpose in me,
my family, my town, state, country, world.

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Poetic Asides form poem

Sweet Sixteen
(Quatern)

Was sweet sixteen so long ago
A high school junior with long hair
A date who drove like A. J. Foyt
No clue to what would lie ahead

I had my friends and Jesus, too
Was sweet sixteen so long ago
The moods that went so up and down
And having fun my main delight

The memories are jumbled now
The speeding car on PA turns
Was sweet sixteen so long ago
The many kisses in the night

The A. J. Foyt guy’s still alive
But he’s so far back in the past
I’m married now with two grown kids
Was sweet sixteen so long ago



Monday, July 24, 2017

From morning devotions

Thank You, God, Anyway

Yesterday—lazy and lethargic. Thank You
for an encouraging note from a friend,  
an invitation to a birthday lunch,
and a grocery trip with the family.  

Even though, when I went to the lunch
I was so rushed and stressed and cloudy
I wrote out the birthday card
to the wrong friend.

Sunday, July 23, 2017

From morning devotions

Thank You, God

Thank You for this wonderful day.
An early start. An early a nap,
 A friend in need of a ride.
Prayer time with other friends.
A quiet time with You.
Crossing to-dos off my list.
Making plans for fun days.
Thank You for loving me.

Saturday, July 22, 2017

From morning devotions

Foggy Morning Prayer

I’m feeling very foggy at 7AM.
Thankfully not 5 AM like yesterday.
Lord, please guide me as I make my plans.
You have a much better perspective than I have.
Sometimes when I get up in the morning,
 it seems I’ve forgotten how to live.

If I could do anything I want to do,
I don’t know what that would be.
Nothing appeals to me right now.
Lord, remind me to focus on You.
Please, help me wake up
and get more enthused about living. 

Friday, July 21, 2017

SCWA entry wordle

No Greater Love

The lonely woman dreamed illusive dreams
Her bitterness engulfed her like a flood
Her sordid past did hammer her with screams  
And fenced her off with memories of blood

The storm of guilt condemned her without end
It crackled through her veins like burning fire
It bugged her that she didn’t have a friend
She went full tilt into the mental mire

Her neighbors thrived on each exciting scoop
Her finger hesitated on the dial
She wouldn’t call that gossipy vile group
One golden thought did bring about a smile

With speed, she fell upon her knees in prayer
Beneath the moon, she met His loving care 

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Oahu

A plume of white water
Waved from the azure ocean
Against the indigo sky

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Oahu photo

Tall slender palms
Silhouetted against an amethyst sky
Looking like giant whirligigs 

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

PA repair

Through the Fog

A stirring in her heart and mind, a cry
A nudge, a poke, a groping through the fog
A search, a hope for a repair, a sigh
The flow of thoughts come jammed like stream with log

A quiver and a try to find her way
A wrinkle grows impossible to fix
The crushing weight of time’s demanding sway
Patchwork of light and darkness in a mix

She goes full steam ahead and gathers strength
So like a blasting rocket, she won’t stop
The charm compels her swiftly go the length
She plugs along and pushes for the top

Her hands grasp other hands in simple peace
At last she breathes and laughs in sweet release 

Monday, July 17, 2017

Poetic Asides Betrayal



Cell Phone Betrayal

I hadn’t seen her for a year.
We settled in to a Scrabble game,
as our custom. Then her cell phone rang.
She answered. A couple more turns.
The cell phone rang and she answered.
Mid game and guess what.
Several more times the cell phone rang
and she answered. We finished the game.
and then the next. Talked little.
As I listened to one-sided conversations,
I felt betrayed.

Sunday, July 16, 2017

PA bug

What Bug Is This?

What bug is this, it’s such a pest
Up my arm is creeping
On tiny feet, looks for a treat
I swat it and it’s leaping

This, this, a nasty flea
From my dog, a gift to me
Haste, haste and bring the spray
Spay rugs, the couch, and pillows

Saturday, July 15, 2017

PA Land of...

Land of Host Home for Developmentally Disabled Adults

It’s a strange land
where common rules
don’t necessarily apply.

It’s a land
most don’t visit,
let alone live there.

It’s a land where people
think you’re a saint
or insane.

Some days you think,
Why me?
The other, why me!

With inspections
you feel like
you live in a fishbowl.

But other times,
you feel forgotten
and alone.

Sometimes you wish
you could be
forgotten and alone.

Sometime you experience
great joy, sometimes
you would like to see it end.

Sometime it’s easy.
Sometime in the wee hours
it’s impossible.

It’s always relentless.

Friday, July 14, 2017

PA historical persona

Great-grandfather Matthew

Lovely Mary said I do
to the preacher, before God,
committing her love to me
for better or worse
till death do us part.
I know she means it.

We’ve been driving
up the Pennsylvania mountainside
in my creaky wagon
pulled by my trusty horse.
My little cabin’s in sight.

What will she think
when she realizes,
for better or for worse,
I already have nine children?

When they meet,
I'll say, 
"There's your kids."


Lovely Mary, what will you do
when nine pair of eyes


are looking at you? 

Thursday, July 13, 2017

PA snap judgment

Stand Closer
Ae Freisligh

Brushing skittish alpaca
Stand closer others told me
It hurts less when they’ll kick ya
As they attempt to bolt free

Though I had this truth in-head
As their back legs came rushing
I’d leap like a youth instead
Then I’d continue brushing 

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

PAD 23 Last Blank

Last Days

Faith grows cold
Persecution grows
Disasters
Poverty
Plus wars and rumors of war
Watch for His return

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

PA repair

Daddy Can

My four-year-old
brought me her burst balloon.
“Fix it,” she said.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I can’t.”
With confidence, she proclaimed,
“Daddy can!”

Reminding me to bring
impossibly broken things
to God, knowing,

“Daddy can!” 

Monday, July 10, 2017

PA pieces

Jigsaw Patience

Life in fragments
Waiting on God
to bless in His timing.
Fitting pieces together.
Making a beautiful picture.

Sunday, July 9, 2017

PA forever

Love, Grace, Joy
Smiles, Laughter, Singing
Cool colors
Fresh fragrance
Tears and sickness washed away
No need for the sun

Saturday, July 8, 2017

PA reconnect

Reconnect

For the last two and one half years,
I’ve been taking college classes,
one after the other, back to back
except for Christmas vacation.

Somehow at the end Shakespeare,  
in mid-May, I have two weeks off
to do whatever I want and need to do,
during warm weather and longer days.

It will give me a glimpse of what
it will be like when I have no more school,
when I’ll have a chance to reconnect
with my life as I once knew it.

Visit friends in another town on Saturday,
Work on my writing projects and submit them.
Take a long walk without a timer in my pocket.
Take a day to shop and lunch with a friend.

I know it will go fast and I’m thinking
how to best use those two weeks.
Clean the house? Landscape the yard?
Take a trip? Or absolutely nothing?

Or maybe a little bit of everything. 

Friday, July 7, 2017

PAD 30 The Blank

The Snow Outside

The snow outside confuses me.
I must remind myself what month it is
So I won’t break out the Christmas decorations

My lilacs are afraid to bloom
The mower’s in the garage
The AC unit is still wrapped, waiting

April showers bring May flowers
April snow brings sighs.

Thursday, July 6, 2017

PAD 30 The blank

The Snore

My snore
Shakes rafters
Calls to creatures
Drives hubby out of the room

But my childlike client
Likes to imitate my snore
And it makes me laugh
It makes the snore worth it

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

PAD 30 The Blank

The Last Day of the April Challenge

I approach it with some relief
A little sorrow, a pinch of grief
It’s fun to have poets with whom to play
I wish poem-a-day was here to stay 

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

PAD 29 metric

New Tricks

They say the metric system is simple as can be
Just learn the basic units, but it sounds so hard to me
And learning the prefixes can set my mind a-jumble
Putting it all together makes my confidence crumble

But my heart’s desire is to travel far and wide
And to learn the world’s science on the side
And at home to bake with liter and gram
So set to learn metric is what I am.  

Monday, July 3, 2017

PAD 29 metric

Meet Her

The poetess marks time with words.
She taps out all the stresses and
she smiles and autographs her books
for those who want to shake her hand.

Sunday, July 2, 2017

PAD 29 metric

Catching Up

I remember when one of my elementary teachers
taught us about the metric system
and she said that someday the United States
would catch up with the rest of the world
and go to meters, liters and grams.

So I figured that when I became really old,
maybe twenty-five or thirty,
we’d be using the metric system.
Now, I’m about as old as Grandma was then
and we’re still speaking feet, quarts and pounds.

Saturday, July 1, 2017

PAD 28 smell

Lilacs

To me, nothing smells better than lilacs.
Their fragrance reminds me of large bushes
growing in my Pennsylvania neighborhood
where I grew up, their smell signaling
the end of school and time to run barefoot
for the next three months, until school again.