Just For You and Me

Do you ever feel like the clouds
Are moving across the sky
Just for you?
A chance at amazement
An opportunity for imagination
Do you ever think the morning birds
Are singing their sweet melody
Just for you?
I’m certain I heard a song
Meant just for me
The other morning-
Floating clouds, singing birds
Pulling me away from outside worries
Into their world –
A place of safety between my thoughts
And all the noise around me-
A place not easily seen, but felt
In the same breeze that carries the clouds
And the bird’s song right into
The middle of my soul

I wrote the above poem in a recent writing circle. Another one of those sweet, safe places. 🩷 A huge thank you to Ali Grimshaw for facilitating.

Simply Sunday

Happily Lost

I’ve sensed rhythm
In the rain before
But this time was different-
The raindrops seemed
To create patterns of
Threes and fours
Triplets and sixteenths
Alternating, gently pulling
And pushing the tempo
Of the song playing
On the radio-
How was this possible?
I crinkled my forehead
As if a deeper focus might
Answer my question-
But then the patterns were gone
Whirled away with the wind
Leaving my mind to rest-
No matter-
For just a moment
I was happily lost
Between the rain and a song

Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain
Kelley Morris, piano

Snow Travelers

A cold morning mystery
Footprints in the snow –
Perfect indentations of tiny talons
Two by two by two
Hopping a playful path
With no apparent beginning or ending-
Perhaps they flew in from
The nearby row of Loblollies-
A frequent layover for traveling
Families of cardinals, doves, and finches-
A peaceful place to refuel and rest
If only for a season-
A cold morning mystery
Footprints in the snow
Though not a mystery
Requiring a Holmes-like sleuth
One that created curiosity and smiles

Observations

New every morning
Ready and waiting to greet us-
One day, a gracefully
Blended watercolor
The next, child-like
Sponge-painted clouds
On bright blue
Construction paper-
Certain summer afternoons
Perfectly uniform shapes
Stenciled onto an
Azure backdrop-
And on not-so-happy days
A blank gray slate
Hovering in agreement
With the tears below-
Only a few from
An infinite list-
Simple descriptions
Of the sky above-
Once seen, never
To be seen again
Except in memory
If we remember
It is new every morning
Ready and waiting to greet us
Hoping for a greeting in return

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Cause to Wonder


Present my entire life
All the years prior
And will hold its place
Long after I’m gone
Freely lending itself
To spark a child’s imagination
On a big-sky night
Look! It’s following me!
A peaceful protector
Freely lending itself
To ease a grown-up’s worries
Just be still and breathe
A picture-perfect perspective
And timely reminder
Comfort and joy
Can come from far away

Worth Repeating


Their design was clear
Visual perspective
Undeniable
High to low
Largest to smallest
Right in front of me
Moving in the same direction-
Of course, their presence was
Fleeting, as we were
Traveling at different speeds-
Me, driving down a
Straight-shot highway
Speed controlled by my foot
On the gas pedal
The clouds, stair-stepping
Their way from the heavens
Down toward the Earth
Speed controlled by the wind
Their design was clear
Visual perspective
Undeniable

Who is She?

Some might say
She’s too bright
For her own good
Perhaps a bit bossy
Would take up
The whole sky
If she could-
But right away
I noticed her ability
To shine light through
The darkest of clouds
Providing pockets of joy
For anyone taking time
To look her way-
The last time I saw her
She coaxed me into
A giggly game of hide-n-seek
And I was happy for
The chance to play
I felt like a kid again
But then I had to
Get on with my day-
Hope we can visit again soon
Let me know if you see her around 😉

The Flower Shop

Perhaps because it was
My thirty-first
Wedding anniversary 
Perhaps because your 
Silvery white hair
Brought memories of Dad
And the anniversaries 
He and Mom celebrated-
I don’t know why
I noticed you walking
Into the flower shop
While sitting in
The drive-thru line
Next door, waiting
For my lunch
But I wondered
Why you were there-
You looked distinguished 
In your dark navy slacks
Light blue button-down
And silvery white hair
So many possibilities 
For your stop at
The flower shop-
If only I could wait
To see what flowers
You purchased-
But I couldn’t wait
There were cars behind
And work ahead-
I chose to picture you
And your lovely wife
Celebrating your anniversary
Fifty or sixty years, perhaps?
I guess I’ll never know
But I’m thankful
My thoughts had
The chance to wander

Forty-Five Degrees

A morning cloud bank
Rose from the horizon
At such an angle
About forty-five degrees
In my estimation

Shades of blue grew
Incrementally brighter
With the expanding
Length of the rays
Fluffy white clouds
Still floating above-
A bit confused
I tilted my head
First to the right
Then the left
Wondering
If perhaps the Earth
Was off-kilter
Or if maybe it was me?
Traveling closer
The angle became
Less pronounced
And a sense of balance
Gently returned
While the feeling of awe
Continued to multiply

Circle Poems

Sharing two poems from a recent poetry circle. ❤️

Listen

Do you ever feel like
No one is listening?
And I don’t mean
A simple nod of the head
Acknowledging
That your voice
Filled some space
I mean the listening
That reaches right
Into your heart
And pulls out
The words you are
Unable to say
No need to speak-
In the same way
The wind gently
Moves through
A row of pines
Pulling hellos from
Their frail needles
Carrying the greetings
Carefully to my ears
And I listen
No need to speak

Don’t Listen

I saw feathers
In the clouds today
White and wispy
Beautiful against the blue
I couldn’t stop
Looking at them
Wondering where
They came from
A lovely swan
Gliding on the water
The wings of an angel
Offering comfort
All these lovely thoughts
And then…the voice

What is wrong with you?
Those are just clouds
With scientific names
Perhaps you should
Do some research…

Hmmph-no, thank you!
I think I’ll keep
Looking for more
White, wispy feathers
Floating against the blue