Patriotism

Patriotism

Embrace our country
its imperfections and virtues
side by side good outweighs flaws
its imperfect people so often first
to find a solution, to discover a cure
to offer help, to give refuge
still land of the free, home of the brave
America, sweet land of liberty.

Perfect Moment

Updated for Poets United Poetry Pantry, in honor of the birth
of my 5th grandchild,
Arianna Noelle (above), on December 11, 2011

Perfect Moment

Moment of birth
what was to be now is
potential now existent
dream is reality
tiny hands clasp
toes squirm
eyes open
voice cries out
to greet the world
perfect moment.

Walk

Walk

Walk ten miles a day in Hawaii
difficult, but not impossible
a goal I will strive for, work toward
but I will cut myself slack
if I don't quite make it,
if I miss a day of walking,
or don't walk quite as far.

Nothing good comes from
berating myself for failures
real or only in my mind
so I'll merely commit to try
and that will be good enough.

Rain

Rain

Warm gentle shower
bathes garden with tenderness
soothes and restores
flowers bloom in joy
robins twitter search for worms.

Torrential deluge
pounds flowers to the ground
devastates and soaks
seedlings flood away
even the robins hide.

* * *

On a Day of Rain

Umbrellas dance on sidewalks
shoppers splash from cars
farmers delight as crop grows
roofers face a payless day
museums are crowded
no one plays in the park
road construction stops
baseball games are cancelled
taxicabs dart through the city
teachers bemoan an indoor recess
firefighters of wildfires rejoice
on a day of rain.

Fear of Flying

Fear of Flying

I sit in the plane
wait for takeoff
fidget, distract myself
watch people as they board
study the safety diagram
read the in-flight magazine
page through my book
smile, but the truth is
I am afraid,

The doors close and
the flight attendants
smile, discuss safety
demonstrate equipment
I watch, most don't
I study the plane diagram
plan for a fast exit.

The plane taxis
prepares for takeoff
my hands grip the arm rest.
I glance outside, pray
as the plane's nose rises.
We begin our ascent
slowly, above the airport
the trees, highways, water
everyone is still
most people look relaxed
read or sleep, not me.

The plane levels out
seatbelt signs turn off
I breathe a sigh of relief
hope for non-turbulence
escape into the movie
enjoy my beverage
try to read a book
study my watch
feel powerless each
minute closer to landing.

The pilot's voice announces
Flight attendants prepare
for landing, they take
one more walk through
the cabin, landing gears
crank down, comforting.
We're almost there now
slight turbulence, the plane
bounces its way down, I
hold on, look outside,
pray again, study others,
no one shows fear,
I grip the armrest,' inhale
and hold, we're coming in
to land. Ground, at last.

Movement

(1)

I cannot be still.
always must move something
foot, fingers, legs, mouth.
Movement is life when I'm awake,
exercise of mind is not enough.
If I do not move, I sleep.

(2)

Tulip walks with me
almost three miles a day
powerhouse of energy
loves to walk just to walk
to move just like me.

(3)

It is easy for people to forget
last September I couldn't
turn over in bed, could hardly
get out of bed to move from
bed to bathroom, could not
walk up three steps to the kitchen.
Movement is often taken for
granted but should not be. I know!

Mayonnaise / Hotdogs / Oysters

Mayonnaise


Cold, slippery, slimy creamy addition
oozes out of the jar innocently enough
insidious oily ruination of good food
renders hamburgers inedible
if spread on the bun as they do in Canada.
sickening anywhere if I sense its presence
tolerable in miniscule amounts in egg salad
but please don't add it if you don't have to.
Thank you, I prefer plain.



Hot Dog

Hot dog, I remember the taste
haven't had one in years
meat byproducts do not interest me
no matter how good the taste.



Oysters

Oysters
I bit into one once, unwittingly, at a buffet,
breaded, I thought it was something else,
had it in my mouth, began to chew.
Someone told me it was an oyster
I gagged, spat it on my plate in horror.
Who would voluntarily eat something
that contains every single internal organ?
Not me!

Walker Among Runners

Walker Among Runners


Walker Among Runners,
I stride over the starting mat,
chip activates, half marathon begins
caught in runners' energy I break into a run
my feet pound city streets, hard part first
uphill three blocks my heart pounds
I can't keep this up but I will for now
my knees throb, calves ache, adrenalin flows
I remember last year, thought I'd never finish
if it kept on like this, but I did and I will
keep moving with the swarm, well practiced
alive, I am swept upward past homes on left
lake on the right, then the incline ends
on a county highway farms and fields
not yet planted, I'm walking now
at a fast clip mile after mile watch the gps
keep my pace, walk then run
people ahead of me, people behind me
watch the time, maintain position
maintain pace, drink water, faster now
head downhill, harder than uphill, knees
hurt with each step, don't slow down
two miles to go, residential area again
breathe deep, I'm almost there,
a mile to go, harbor in sight, I can do it
my body feels strong, I, Walker Among Runners,
break into a final run, and finish the race.

Hope

In the absence of hope
there can only be dread
no motivation to arise
nothing to look forward to
nothing to care about
no goal to attain
no future, no dream
only when there is hope
is there a reason
to greet another season.

A Word

A Word

A word seems to be a small thing
sounds captured by a few letters
but its significance is momentous
its influence powerful and lasting.

A word can warm a heart, encourage
make a person glow, try harder,
feel important, loved, appreciated,
and that her presence matters.

A word can devastate beyond repair,
cut deeper than a knife, destroy faith,
shred confidence, deplete ambition.
A word spoken in a second can live forever.

Color of Life / Absence

A Color of Life

Spring leaves burst out on trees
perennials arise from the earth
new lawn ready to mow
hummingbird flutters among blooms
fresh mint tingles the tongue
buds for tart apples form on trees
moss grows, streams flow
life has returned again


Two Short Poems on Absence

*
Absence of words
Absence of thoughts
Absence of spirit
Mind sucked clean
Emptiness remains.

*
Rain today numbs my spirit
dampens motivation
provokes lethargy
I sit, absent, stare
at nothing.

Scar

The Scar

To open a stubborn milk carton
I took a kitchen knife, inserted
blade to pry, but it wouldn't pry
so I took the blunt knife again,
tried to stab the carton open.
It didn't work, so I stabbed even
harder,and it stabbed all right,
ricocheted off the carton and right
into the flesh of my left index finger.

Today I can still feel the unexpected pain
I felt as the knife pierced my flesh, finger burned
throbbed. I looked at it, saw blood and bone,
felt light-headed. It couldn't be my finger.
I acted fast, shocked, put ice in a plastic bag,
a robot, not thinking, held it with a towel,
told my daughters I was going to lie down
but if I passed out they should get a neighbor.

Eventually the ice numbed my finger enough
I felt I could drive without fainting, so I drove
myself to the emergency room where
they stitched my finger and the scar still
exists today; and if I close my eyes to remember
it is hard to believe it happened twenty years ago.