Tag: life

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! 💛

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

Lunch Outside

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The midday sun
Warms my face
While a cool hint-of-fall breeze
Brushes my hair gently across my eyes-
I don’t mind the combination
Sweet whispers float among the trees
As leaves that have fallen too early
Crawl across the pavement
Before resting in the dirt-
There are sirens in the distance
One after another
I don’t count-
Curious about the mixture of sounds
I wonder what happened?
Is someone hurt?
Are all the sirens headed in the same direction?
Fear begins to grow
Then the sirens suddenly stop-
I sit still, remain silent
As the mid-day sun
Warms my face
While a cool hint-of-fall breeze
Brushes my hair gently across my eyes-
I don’t mind the combination

A Little Math

On By Piano girl8 Comments

When I taught elementary school, one question from students always made for interesting conversations.

How old are you, Mrs. Morris?

I would walk to the whiteboard and write a math problem. The current year minus my birth year. Once they solved the problem, they had their answer.

I’m no longer teaching, but it feels like a new math problem is in order this year. 

Our oldest son, Robert, was born on my twenty-seventh birthday. As of today, we’ve shared thirty birthdays.

Simple addition, perhaps. But an answer accompanied by exponential joy.

Happy Birthday to us!

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl6 Comments

A Favor

Short drives
Long drives
Dropping off
Picking up
To the airport and back
Or a two-hour road trip
To a chosen halfway
Meeting spot-
Each path is an opportunity
Not simply a destination-
A choice to spend
A little extra time
Together-
Have a great trip!
We will miss you!
Welcome home!
Until next time!
A simple favor?
Perhaps
But sometimes
The simplest of gestures
Connect our hearts with
The strongest of ties

One week ago, we celebrated our daughter’s wedding. Yesterday, we picked up the newlyweds from the airport. Friday, we drove my mom halfway home after a sweet visit. Her sister met us and drove Mom the rest of the way home. Today, I will pick up my friend from the airport.

Each instance subtly reminds me of the importance and the passing of time. It is a sacred space not to be taken for granted.