Goodbye, Hello

On By Piano girl3 Comments

Leafless, yet not lifeless
Able to feel
The sun’s rays
Warming the core of
Bare, gray branches-
Smiling contently while
Sharing the sun’s warmth
With young evergreens
Standing close behind-
Wisdom gained with
The passing of time
Wisdom intertwined with
Roots buried deep
Wisdom acknowledging
The continuous
Changing of seasons-
One year, waving goodbye
As a new one says hello-
Grateful for the
Warmth of the sun
Reaching the core of
Bare, gray branches-
Understanding the space
Created by fallen leaves
Allowed for the sharing

Auld Lang Syne- Kelley Morris, piano

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl11 Comments

Dear Sunshine

I’d almost forgotten
The way you instantly
Lift my spirits
How, even before
Coming into view
I feel your warmth on my face-
Such a gift-
I’m sorry for sometimes
Taking you for granted
Especially in the summertime-
Thanks for visiting today
Hope to see you again tomorrow

Thankful to feel the sun on my face today! 💛

Smiling Blue

On By Piano girl7 Comments

A patch of baby blue
Cheerfully smiled, Good morning
A welcomed greeting
Following recent gray
Heavy-mist days-
Even the sun
Attempted a greeting
But its rays produced only
A white glow behind
The lingering clouds-
An overcast day lay ahead
But one glance in the rearview
And there was that smiling
Patch of baby blue-
Reminded me of you
Your brief smile in passing
Always a welcomed sight
Remains close by-
Whether the day is long
Whether the day is gloomy
Whether I’m simply wishing
For more time with you

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl4 Comments

Wrapping and Unwrapping

Bright colored paper
Covered in pretty designs
Artfully placed around gifts
With the help of sticky tape, of course-
Shiny bows, perfectly placed
The recipient’s name, neatly written
Waiting to be opened
As soon as we are together

Recollections, clear and faint
Covered with faces and places
Interlaced around my heart
With the help of time, of course-
A name, sweetly spoken for each face
A feeling taking me back to each place-
Waiting to be shared
Whenever we are together

An endless supply exists
For these instances of
Wrapping and unwrapping-
Joy linked with grief
Love bound to loss
Sealed with mercy and grace of course-
Working to create
An entire lifetime

Personal Preference

On By Piano girl3 Comments

Which do I prefer?

Remaining on the inside
Hiding, peeking out-
Seeing, imagining
Yet, in a way,
Falsely protected-
-Or-
Stepping outside myself
Away from the walls
Originally placed
To keep out pain
And uncertainty-

Hiding may sound
Like a safer choice
Stepping out, a bit scary-

In which frame of reference
Do I see myself as an integral
Part of the world?
Not simply a bystander
But one ready to explore
Or at least willing to invite you
To climb over the walls-

I think I know the answer

Fill in the Blank

On By Piano girl4 Comments

World’s Greatest ___________
Chocolate comes to mind
Though I’m not sure that contest
Will ever have a unanimous winner
And it’s certainly not one I can enter-
Let’s keep brainstorming
Mom? Wife? Daughter? Friend?
Each of these is a tall order
And let’s face it, any trophy awarded
Can be instantly taken away
Over one sideways look-
I suppose some things should
Not be a competition
But, instead, a journey
Filled with love, joy, regrets, mistakes,
Forgiveness, grace, dirty diapers, and sleepless nights-
The list and the lessons are endless

Dear Grief

On By Piano girl5 Comments

My attempts to ignore you
These past few days were futile
You just kept knocking –
I should have expected your visit
After all, It’s Christmas time
Dad loved Christmas
Baking pies, giving gifts, helping others
I miss him–
That’s why I opened the door
And let you in
To remember how much I miss him-
At first, your visit caused panic
Sending me on a fruitless search
Through old voicemails
Somehow, the resulting tears
Cleared space for sweet memories-
One year, when I was grown
Dad gave me a tiny doll for Christmas
I would always be his little girl-
What I’m trying to say is
Keep Knocking, Grief
I may not answer right away
Still, I promise I won’t forget

Mountaintop

On By Piano girl3 Comments


Though the incline is great
My steps must remain small-
Looking too far ahead
Will tempt my feet
To move faster
Hindering any chance
Of reaching the summit-
Yes, the mountaintop calls
Its majestic views providing
Inspiration and opportunity
But it is not the place
For putting down roots-
Besides, the powerful effects
Of a higher altitude
Allow only for short visits-
Time enough to gather
Images and lessons
Meant to carry me
Back down into the valley
Where rich soil waits
And love continues to grow

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl5 Comments

The Earth is still
Cold and quiet
Not frozen to the core
Yet, longing to
Soak in and reflect
Any ray of sunlight
Able to reach the surface-
What about my heart?
Is it cold, quiet, frozen?
Or simply longing-
Longing to remember
The love sent long ago-
A precious baby
Held close by His mother
Greeted by cattle and sheep
While angels filled the sky

In the Bleak Midwinter-Kelley Morris, piano

An Incomplete List

On By Piano girl9 Comments


Christmas lights before sunrise
Deer grazing on a frost-covered hill
Purring cat on my lap
Sweet birthday wishes
A cute new coffee mug
Lunch with a friend
Warm cookies
Christmas lights during the day
Early gray tea with cream and vanilla
Arrival of a special new book
Enjoying a new restaurant with my husband
Facetiming with my granddaughter
Texting with my children
Talking to my Mom
Christmas lights on my drive home
What made you happy this week?

Joy Mining by Mary Lester Mary was my favorite teacher in high school. She taught us so much more than calculus and computers. I’m so excited about her book. Check it out! 🩷