Simply Sunday

Surprise Greeting

Standing tall behind
A concrete barrier
Not the place
I would expect to see you-
Your face turns left, then right
Back and forth with the breeze
While your palms wave
A friendly hello-
Your sudden appearance
Brings to mind a puppet
Popping up from behind
A carefully constructed stage-
A giggling child, your audience-
But you are no puppet
And I am not a child-
You are a happy little Sunflower
Not standing in a field, amongst
A family of sunflowers-
You are a happy little Sunflower
Smiling and waving, standing tall
Behind a concrete barrier
And I, a searcher, thankful
For your glimmer of hope

Lingering Light

A heart-shaped cloud
Usually prompts a smile
But not that day-
That day, the cloud was gray-
A symbol of grief
A reflection of the hurt
Many suffer, often in silence-

The sky was silent, too
Unlike recent days of rain,
Thunder, and lightning-
As if now holding
Its breath while
The grieving heart
Cautiously passed by

Light remained-
Not bright, but soft and warm-
Like a lamp lit
In the corner of a room
Quietly lingering
Offering comfort
Holding space for healing

Simply Sunday

I didn’t write the following poem for Father’s Day. However, as I continued to read and edit, the themes of kindness and sharing kept reminding me of Dad. I am grateful for the example he set. Oh, how I miss him.

Second-Hand Rain

When long-standing trees
On two sides of a road
Meet in the middle
A canopy of peaceful shade
Calls travelers to pass underneath

On rainy days, water filters
Through the layers
Of branches and leaves-
They drink only what is needed
Before sharing what remains

Leftover droplets, somehow
Bigger than the originals,
Land on all who
Travel underneath
The welcoming canopy

Leaves wave and smile
Happy to share
What they received-
Understanding the rain
Was never theirs alone

Knowing the rainfall
Would only be able
To quench the most
Parched hearts
Once freely shared

Happy Father’s Day!

Polka Dots

A familiar sound
Caught my attention
Repetitive, but in no
Predictable pattern-
What is that?
Familiar, yet, a mystery-
I looked ahead
I looked behind
Still, the sound repeated in
Unmeasured Intervals-
Walking along the sidewalk
Looking down, I noticed
Large, gray polka dots randomly
Decorating the concrete –
Appearing and disappearing
Along with the sounds-
Suddenly, a cool splat
Touched my arm-
Raindrops! Big, fat Raindrops!
How is it possible?
Such a lengthy, lovely journey
Occurring in a matter of minutes
While taking a few steps
Along an ordinary sidewalk

Simply Sunday

When you are two
The whole world
Is yours-
And you know it!
You hear your name
Over and over
Understanding
It belongs to you-
Once you can say it
The word my
Quickly follows-
My Mama
My Dada
My toy
My everything!
Sass and confidence
In such small packages-
As it should be
When you are two

Remembering how fast time passes…learning to celebrate the small moments.

Steady

The entire sky was white
A covering of wisdom
Over travelers below-
I can’t speak for others,
But I was hoping for sunshine-
Not a lesson
In patience
While driving to work
In the rain-
It wasn’t a heavy rain
Just steady, and I must admit,
Peaceful-
For a moment, I pictured
Myself happily walking
In the gentle rain-
The thought made me chuckle
Suddenly, I felt calm
Thankful for rainy lessons
Sent from the wisest of clouds
On a cool Spring morning-
Perhaps the Sun will shine tomorrow

Simply Sunday



If only I could remember
What it was like
Being two-
Then perhaps I would know
What you’re thinking
When you look at me
With those curious blue eyes-
Oh, sometimes it’s obvious-
Sit here, Gigi!
Come on, Gigi!
No, Gigi!

It’s those other times
In your own little world
Playing, pretending
Quietly talking-
I wish I knew-
I’m sure the day will come
When you tell me exactly
What you’re thinking-
And I will listen because
I still have a lot to learn



Past the Haze

The air is thick
Like molasses
So heavy, I
Can barely breathe

Wishing the gray sky
Would release its weight
And ease the tension
If only for a moment

But relief remains
Quietly hidden
Providing no clue
As to its arrival-

Perhaps it waits
For me, for you
To push through
And greet the day

Take my hand
Together, we’ll walk
In and out of the haze
Into light on the other side






Simply Sunday

In the Clouds

Posed on a calm
Quiet breeze or
Shouted in frantic storms-
The question remains the same-
Do you see me?
My soul longs
To slow down
To stop
To be still
Locking my eyes on
The whole of you-
Recognizing the lessons
Provided in your design
And in your purpose,
Whether serene or inclement-
Answering your question
As you answer mine

Marriage

I can’t say there’s
A set recipe
For thirty-two years-
Only that laughter
Eases many tensions
Creating lasting memories-
Patience and understanding
Cover a multitude of
Life’s challenges-
And commitment is
A bond that carries
Far beyond feelings-
All of these ingredients
Leave me with a grateful heart
Looking back and looking ahead