Lighthearted

Who Was that?

I walked past
My future self
This morning
At least
She could have been-
Faded jeans
And sandals
Unassuming
Floral patterned
Cotton top with
Spaghetti straps
White hair
Pulled back
In a relaxed, but
Fashionable style
Wire-rimmed glasses-
Well, I would probably
Choose more
Colorful
Frames
They are so much fun-
As I continued
To walk into
The day ahead
I couldn’t help but smile-
I wonder if she saw me?

So Simple

Such a simple idea
Cooking dinner
Admittedly, not
Something I do often
I would rather
Bake cookies
But this thought
On this day
Brought a smile
Along with
A complete
Shopping list-
Meal and dessert!
Before you offer
Any congratulations
Just know it was
A simple meal
Tasty, healthy
But not complex
Still, I energetically
Prepared, carefully
Timing each chop
And measure
Proud of myself
Upon completion
Happy to announce
Dinner’s ready!
And share this simple joy-

Simply Sunday

What am I?

I can hold
The weight
Of worries
Right alongside
The deepest
Of joys
I’ve had lots
Of experience
Held them for
Many others
Over the years
Moms and dads
Grandmas
Grandpas
As their arms
Held the tiniest
Of beings
Overcome
With love
Responsibility
And exhaustion-
One gentle push
Of their feet
Against the floor
And fears fade
With my back
And forth rhythm
That lends itself
To lullabies-
It’s okay
Sit down
Take a breath
You can trust me

Do You Remember?

Thinking in terms
Of my life story
At this moment
Feels a bit
Daunting
Contemplating
What I know
And wish I knew
About my own
Grandmothers
Naturally shifts
My perspective
So much more
They could have
Would have said
Given more time
Asked more questions-
Motivation to
Open the book
Begin writing
One word
One sentence
One memory
One song
At a time

Row Your Boat, arrangement The Piano Guys, Kelley Morris, piano
All Good, The Piano Guys, Kelley Morris, piano

Simply Sunday

Ready to Fly

Beautifully bare
Impressions
From life’s
Encounters
Left behind as
History lessons
For anyone
Willing to give
A little time-
See the hawk
Proudly perched
On a branch
Looking back
One more time
At the empty nest
That not long ago
Held its young
Once again
Ready to fly
The past
Held close
To her heart
A catalyst
For change
A sanctuary
For reminiscing

When I Grow Up

The question
We always ask
Our children
What do you
Want to be
When you
Grow up?

It’s funny
I seem to be
Answering
That question
For myself
These days-
When I grow up
I want to hold
Your tiny hand
Watch your breath
Rise and fall
In the smallest
Of motions
Hear your cries
Comfort your fears
Feel the complete joy
Only found
In the heaviness
Of rocking
Back and forth
In our favorite chair
Reading our favorite stories
Singing our favorite songs
My heart younger
As yours grows stronger

Hello Stranger

I saw you
Ten years
From now
Or maybe
It was fifteen
My perception
Of time seems
To be changing
With its passing
In any case
It certainly could
Have been you
Or at least
The future you
I sometimes imagine…
Faded jeans
Plaid shirt
White hair
Just a little
On the sides
Perhaps a little shorter
We do eventually
Start shrinking

Purposefully walking
Into a local
Coffee shop
I smiled but refrained
From saying hello
Wonder if he’s picking up a London Fog just for me?

Simply Sunday

Yet to Know

For all the hurrying
To complete
The next task
Reach the next
Milestone
I am finding peace
In the unfinished
Relief in knowing
There is more
To become
Simple changes
In the day to day
Or transformation
Across the years
A me anyone has yet to know…
Hopefully, one who is
A bit wiser, one
Who remembers
To slow down
So as not to miss
Even the singular
Steps of growth
Requiring
The most faith
Revealing
The simplest joys

The Whole Story

I wish I knew the whole story. How your life began. The circumstances surrounding your birth. How your big sister played with you. What you were like as a toddler.

When we first met, you were bossy and tall for your age. But you had a big smile and beautiful long, dark hair. You loved flying high on the playground swings. I’m glad for those moments of joy in your life.

Schoolwork did not come easy. You worked so hard. No matter what we tried, letters and numbers couldn’t find their way into your memory banks. Not long-term, anyway.

You enjoyed listening to stories and spending time playing pretend with your friends. Somehow, unphased by the lack of remembering academic details.

Traveling between Mexico and Oklahoma seemed to be the pattern. You, your mother, and your older sister. That must have been stressful and scary. Not knowing how long you would stay in one place or where you belonged.

I wish I knew the whole story. Why the older you grew, the less care you seemed to receive. Understanding there must have been challenges in raising a child with disabilities. But still, you deserved to be cared for and loved.

What love there was somehow faded with the birth of a new baby. Slowly turning to neglect and abuse. My heart breaks over what I do know.

You are unable to tell me your whole story. Only bits and pieces. Maybe I shouldn’t wish to know it. One thing I do know is you will always wear the scars. Yet, you still manage to smile. You give and receive love. And just maybe, that is the whole story. ❤️

Our sweet friend, Marie. So glad she is part of our lives.

New Chapters

Gart and I will be married twenty-nine years in May. We have lived in seven houses and one apartment. Furniture in those early days was often passed down from family. Maybe something we could buy cheap from a friend. No matter that it was used. Once we had it, it was ours.

We recently bought a sectional for our living room. Now everyone has a place to sit when the kids visit. That left us with a leather loveseat to sell. There was just no room to keep it.

A couple inquired and set a time to come check it out. After sitting in it and propping up feet, they decided this was the one for them. The first furniture purchase for their new home. We helped them load it, threw in a couple of barstools, and wished them well. ❤️

That was us all those years ago. Such babies.

I know! We did ok.

Ghosts

Saw ourselves
In both of you
Almost like
Seeing ghosts
Young couple
Starting out
First home
Excited, nervous
Buying used furniture
Our furniture
I could not
Stop smiling
Fought the urge
To wrap you up
In a hug-Tell you
What an adventure
This life will be
But we don’t know each other
Best wishes for your new home!
Hope you enjoy the loveseat!

And you drove off
Ready for your journey
Not really ghosts
But a sweet reminder
Of where our story began
And the chapters
We have written so far…

Possibilities

Eyes witness
The moon
In darkness
Eclipsed by
The shadow
Of Earth

Feet stand
On the surface
Of the moon
Looking back
At their blue
Marble home

Children explore
Past in present
Imagining future
Moon flights
Of their own
Anything is possible!

Today’s prompt was interesting-write a poem using at least one word/concept/idea from each of two specialty dictionaries: Lempriere’s Classical Dictionary and the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction.

From the Classical Dictionary I chose the following fact: First eclipse of the moon on record 721 B.C.

From the second dictionary I chose the word moon flight.

For more info check out https://www.napowrimo.net/.