Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl6 Comments

Around Here


Welcome! Have you visited the park before?

Oh, yes. I grew up around here.

Well, welcome back!

Kind words, friendly smiles.
Surrounded by nature.
Glass walls for viewing.
Birds flitting from tree to tree.
Squirrels scurrying across rocks.
Giant pines swaying, drawing eyes
toward slabs of slate lining the mountain.
I remember the views from above.
The world below seemed smaller
and bigger at the same time.
Perhaps I need to experience
that view again. An observer,
with added wisdom?
But for today, I’ll simply
enjoy the memory of
growing up around here.

Pinnacle Mountain State Park 💚

Straight Ahead

On By Piano girl5 Comments

It wasn’t supposed to rain.
But when I stepped outside,
raindrops landed on my head,
my face and my arms.
They dried almost as quickly as they fell.
Strange, no gray clouds in sight.
Looking straight ahead, while
turning a 360-degree radius,
there was a mix of
bright blue,
fluffy white,
and daylight.
Where was the gray?
Directly overhead.
I suddenly felt like a cartoon character.
You know the one.
Aimlessly lumbering across a happy scene,
accompanied by a single rain cloud.
It’s curious, today is clear and sunny.
And I miss the raindrops.

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl5 Comments

Constantly interrupted sleep,
a cycle of words and phrases
repeating and evolving
between quiet moments.
When morning came,
the words were gone.
As if they’d never crossed my mind.
Just as I’d put aside
any attempt at recovery,
a beautiful blank slate appeared.
Its location? A pleasant surprise.
A page of blue surrounded
by white clouds and sunshine
I think my day just wrote itself.

A rectangle in the sky. 💙😉

Whispering Blue

On By Piano girl2 Comments


A little patch of pale blue
Whispered my name
After the storm.
Rain had fallen
So hard, the sky was
No longer visible.
I could barely see
The road in front of me.
My shoulders tensed.
My chest tightened.
My heart grew heavy.
As the storm passed,
My body relaxed, tired.
But the heaviness
In my heart remained.
Even the little patch of blue
Couldn’t lighten the weight.
But that’s okay.
That wasn’t its purpose.
The little patch of blue
Whispered my name to
Shift my gaze and remind me-
Look for the good.
Trust that the storm will pass.

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girlLeave a comment

Light and Shadow

I sat with
The heaviness
All-day-long
My heart wrapped
In a blanket of grief
The day wrapped
In weeping clouds

A peak of the sun
Broke my stillness
Only a glance
Out the window
Surely, I should not soak it in
How could I?
Amid so much suffering

That sweet sunshine
Not to be ignored
Determined to draw me out
Shone a little brighter
Bravely displaying
Light and shadow
Simultaneously

I couldn’t help
Whispering
Thank you
Even as my heart
Continued to cry

Today, I am sharing a poem from my recent collection, When the Glass Breaks. Once again, the day, the world, feels anything but simple. And I know there are no simple answers. But I am reminded of the following quote.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

Fourth of July

On By Piano girl10 Comments

I decided to revisit a poem I wrote several years ago. Made a few changes, but the story remains the same. It just felt like the right one to share this year.

Grandpa

Grandpa worked hard
his entire life.
He married young.
He and Grandma
raised nine kids
in the country.

Strong and stubborn,
but loved to laugh.
Mellowed over time.
Without a doubt,
dealt with struggles
I never knew.

I can see him
wearing overalls
after a long day.
Promising to dance
at my wedding, if
I’d fetch what he needed.

Liked to argue.
Loved his family.
He was always ready to
welcome them home.
Looking forward to a
Family gathering that very day.

But in the morning,
while everyone slept,
He woke early.
Put the coffee on.
Then sat down in
his favorite chair.

At the young age of sixty-seven,
Grandpa died.
It was the Fourth of July.

Considering Blue

On By Piano girlLeave a comment


Have you considered
how many shades of blue
grace the sky in a single day?
Some are so deep and mysterious,
my eyes can hardly look away.
Reminds me of the truth
that there is always
another storm somewhere
in the distance.
And then there is a blue
so soft and pale, it must be
the reflection of a blanket
gently wrapped around
a brand new baby.
I can’t forget the bright
patches of clear-sky-blue.
Like pages from a storybook,
transporting me to childhood memories
of running and playing outside.
I’m beginning to understand
why blue is my favorite color.

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl3 Comments

We’ve spent the last several days caring for our two-year-old granddaughter. I was reminded of the times our parents did the same for us, and they were taking care of three! 

The following describes most evenings as it got close to bedtime. 

Wallow: to roll oneself about in a lazy, relaxed, or ungainly manner. Would you please use it in a sentence? The tired toddler wallowed back and forth, all over the couch, between her Gigi and Papa. 

Seriously though, she is funny, imaginative, sassy, and sweet. And we are grateful. Oh, and tired. We are a little tired. 😉🩷

Fear and Hope

On By Piano girlLeave a comment

The Unknown

Thought of with excitement,
or overwhelming fear.
For me, the fear part usually
rises in the middle of the night.
Like waking up from a dream
with a sudden Gasp!
Except, this kind of fear is not a dream.
Dream or no dream, I have
no control over the outcome.
And worrying about all that remains unseen,
does nothing to enhance my state of being.
Not to say it is easy to push the fear away, but I keep trying…
Breathe.
Look out the window.
Find that glimmer of hope
calling to your soul, ready and waiting
to swallow up your fears.

Her Song

I know her song,
though it changes often.
Depends on the day’s path.
Does she choose her own?
I wonder.
When traveling through
A grove of Aspens,
her melody is gentle and sweet.
Each glistening leaf
adds a note of color.
When coursing over rough rocks
on the shoreline, her melody
grows stronger, driving forward
with each pulse of the current.
Both melodies, both paths,
inspire awe and wonder.
Listen. What is she singing for you today?

Poems from the poetry circle. ❤️