This Thing We Call Hope

One bird hops across the yard

A robin, with a bright red breast

And blue-grey feathers that match the dull sky.

And as I watch it, it’s hard not to think,

Even though the ground is hard,

Even though the grass is stiff with frost,

Even though dead leaves tumble,

Even though the air is still and cold,

Even though the trees are silent,

Even though the sun has hidden its face,

Even though the streams are frozen,

Spring is on the way.

- 1/16/12

Strawberry Clouds

I step outside onto the deck

Of peeling paint in blue

My hands tucked into my coat pockets

I gaze out at the park view

Where blankets of white cover the grass

And every branch on the trees

And the air is thin with sharp jeweled frost

Lacking even a single breeze.

The towering pines are weighed

By thick soft piles of snow.

And every now and then a cloud

Of the sugar powder will blow

Whirl around, and down

To the ground

But mostly, it is still

So still, so unmoving

Every hill the silence proving.

Nature untouched

The solitary quiet

Stretches through the trees

Down the winding path,

The clear fields

Streams of icy slush

And shady brush.

Snowflakes hang from the tips of my hair

Where they slowly melt

And my cheeks are bright red

As if someone had rubbed oil pastel onto them.

I do not move a muscle, and

I watch the colors

The rays that are stretching from behind the mountains

The sunset is rosy pink

Like a beautiful maiden

Like ripe peaches, slowly melting

Their juices trickling down your shirt

Inevitably staining the soft cotton.

The billowing strawberry clouds

That can now just be seen

Behind the rocky horizon

Make my heart well up

I do not want to forget this beautiful sight

That, surely, I will never see again-

At least, never exactly like this moment-

With the cold air heavy with the smell of wood smoke

And the tips of the pointed evergreens shining silver from snow.

-October 27th, 2011

A Full Moon

The moon is full and white,

Surrounded by a milky glow.

It rises in the night

For its splendor to show.

Surrounded by stars

Like candles in the sky,

It seems to smile down at me

Its grin, so calm, yet sly.

High over the trees,

Large, pearly and round,

I look one last time

Then go sleep safe and sound.

-10/13/11

Hollyhocks

The pink and red and white

Blooms of hollyhocks

Have faded;

Their tall once-green stalks

Have grown crumbly and brown.

Summer is ending.

Fewer flowers are found

In the fields, and gardens

And the hollyhocks

On their tall, straight stalks

Are dead,

Leaving behind

A gift the fairies will find:

Little brown packets

Of little black seeds-

A gift that next summer

Surely it needs.

Pluck the packets, one and all

From the hollyhocks so tall

Sprinkle their seeds here and there

Throw them up, high in the air

In hopes that in the place you sow

Nature nurtures them, and helps them grow

So that next year, too, and years to come

More hollyhocks will bloom.  

About Me

I prefer a camp T-shirt and jeans

To a fancy blouse and skirt.

I prefer a bag full of books

To a stylish leather purse.

I prefer the smell of an Autumn breeze

To the smell of fancy perfume.

I prefer the taste of chocolate

To something boring and bland.

I like reading, writing, I want adventures

I want to travel the land.

-9/27/2010

Red Chair

Red folding chair sits

Warm from the sun’s summer rays

Casts a shadow here.

Baby Days

Wake up, babies!

Time to eat!

Bananna strawberry yogurt

Crawling little feet.

Run around, up and down

Babies everywhere!

Green eyes, blue eyes,

Bald and lots of hair!

Babies go outside

Swing and slide and sandbox

Uh-oh! Hose!

Wet babies, shoes and socks!

Back inside for lunch:

Sandwiches to munch

Lemonade to slurp

Icky! Babies burp!

Balls and blocks in playroom, wow!

Babies come through

What to do?

The toybox is empty now.

Shirts and pants go on

Babies go out

Balloons! Balloons! But not today-

Waah! Babies pout.

For dinner, mac n’ cheese

And sweet green peas.

Oops… baby spilled.

Jeese!

Pajamas and pillows,

Teddy bears and dolls.

In their cribs

Asleep babies fall.

The busy day

Will drift away.

The silence keeps…

Shhh!

Babies sleep.

Candy Shop

Rows of sweet candy

Jellybeans and chocolate

Color everywhere.  

Fireworks

It’s nine o’ clock

The sky is dark

And sprinkled with stars.

We sit on the grass

In anticipation

Until the first firework roars.

It shoots into the sky

Showering sparks

Making a high pitched noise

Then explodes into sparkles

And drowns out our voice

And another soon follows

Sending purple into the air

Our eyes grow wide

Explosions are everywhere!

Silver stars and

Bright blue swirls

Some make big bangs

Some spin in curls

Red, orange, and yellow

Shining silver and gold

A delight, are these fireworks,

For those both young and old.

And when the show is over

We whoop and clap and cheer-

We love seeing those fireworks

And they’ll be back next year!