Tag: life

Colorful Cover

On By Piano girl12 Comments

Listening to hear
Not simply respond
Speaking to connect
Not simply inform
Linked by
An unseen thread
Of hopefulness-
It can happen
Sitting together
On the couch
During a phone call from
The next state over
Or a chat from
Across the world-
Each new stitch
Creating
A colorful cover
Of understanding-
Your heart beats
Inside your chest
The same as mine
Carefully carrying
Thoughts worth sewing

Last week I had the opportunity to be interviewed on the podcast, Hello Sunday, hosted by Lokeish Umak. Someone else wanted to talk about poetry and ask me about my writing. Can you imagine? I nervously agreed. It was such a fun experience!

Here is the link in case you’d like to listen. ❤️ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hello-sunday-with-lokeish-umak/id1506356343?i=1000640801504 It is also available on Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/episode/0VrTdke71Tgp4fADpvCo8u?si=raRHAwKETB-4fjwGbYuQGw

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl5 Comments

Our Voices

Strange to think
My voice sounds
Different to your ears
Than to mine-
An awareness
Only realized
When recorded
And played back-
Like listening
To a stranger
Nothing at all
Like the voice
Inside my head-
Sounds odd to me
But you don’t
Seem to mind-
I guess all that
Truly matters
Is for the voice
Inside my head
To match the one
Inside my heart

Two Sisters–Written and read by Kelley Morris

The recorded poem is from my latest collection, Quiet Embers: Poetry of Faith. Available here: https://a.co/d/89QGhz8 💜

Feathery Flock

On By Piano girl4 Comments

Gray clouds soared
Across the sky
Like a flock of birds
Their feathery wings
Perfectly spaced
Providing each
An opportunity
For brief rest
While taking in
Blue ocean waves
Rising and falling below-
If not for the airy
Space in between
Those same clouds
May have appeared
The menacing type-
But, oh my!
How working
In Harmony
With the wind
Gave reason for
Imaginations to soar
Right alongside
Like a flock of birds
Their feathery wings
Perfectly spaced

For Old Time’s Sake

On By Piano girl11 Comments

A childhood photo
Favorite song
Cherished tradition
Competitive game
Of cousin kickball
Why would we attempt to recreate such things?
Because memories fade
Some we hope
To never forget
Others we wish
We could forget
But time is a teacher
Showing us where
Each puzzle piece belongs
And that our personal picture
Unlike the puzzle in a box
Has no straight edges
Always leaving room
For new connections

 Auld Lang Syne Kelley Morris, piano

Happy New Year, Friends! ❤️

Momentary Stops

On By Piano girl10 Comments

Happily sitting
Soaking
In the smiles
An observer
Of the ones
Who make me
What I am
And fill me
To my core
Precious days
Marked by traditions
And Celebration
Momentary stops
On this continuing
Path called
Carrying Grief
Where the hellos
Grow sweeter
And the goodbyes
Last longer-
A temptation
To hold on too tight
Tries to sneak in
But letting go
Through the tears
Is the only way
To feel fresh air
Enter my lungs
Clear my head
And heal my heart

This Christmas holiday season has been sweet. So much laughter and thoughtful gifts, surrounded by my family. Not to mention the yummy food!

But I was not prepared for the goodbyes.

Goodbyes are reminders of missing. And we are all missing Dad. The goodbyes brought tears and swells of grief. But they also left behind gratitude. A reminder that the depth of missing matches the depth of love.

Morning’s Shadows

On By Piano girl6 Comments

I took a step
Into the cold
Where heavy
Shadows held
The quiet morning
In stillness-
One more step
And the motion
Of sunbeams
Began to light
The tiptop
Of the day-
A few more steps
Morning’s shadows
Were left behind
As affectionate
Sunlight reached
The ground below
And I walked
Into the day
Thankful for
The Love that
Creates the shade
While pushing
The darkness away

Christmas Eve Smiles

On By Piano girl9 Comments

Since Dad passed, Mom has asked several times if there was anything of his I wanted. Initially, I took a couple of his sweater vests. I knew how much he liked wearing them. My mother-in-law made a sweet teddy bear from them that now sits in my studio.

When Mom would ask again, I really couldn’t think of anything else. That is, until this past weekend.

While in Little Rock picking up Mom for Christmas, I noticed my niece wearing one of Dad’s Razorback sweatshirts. It made me smile. And it helped us talk about him and how much we miss him. So, I asked about his other Razorback shirts.

Mom brought out two long-sleeve T-shirts and a jacket for me. I wasn’t sure if I’d wear them, but having them seemed right. If you know my dad, you know he loved to cheer on the Razorbacks. If they happened to be playing on network TV, he would watch. Otherwise, he had his radio nearby and tuned in to listen.

Well, today is Christmas Eve. And I decided to try on one of the shirts with some black leggings. Turned out to be the perfect choice. I miss him so much. But today, I am smiling as I remember.

Happy Christmas Eve! ❤️

Lessons in Unity

On By Piano girl2 Comments 
Colors fly past
My periphery
Golden browns
And burnt oranges
Sewn together 
With threads of
Yellow and green
A heavy quilt 
Covering the cold
Winter ground-
Tiny feathered creatures 
Rest within the soft
Patchwork 
Until ready
To announce 
Their presence 
Rising and falling 
A mesmerizing 
Magic carpet
Murmuration
All moving 
Together as one

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl4 Comments

Have a Seat

One last sit
On the couch
Walk around the
Neighborhood
Swing on the swing
Slide down the slide-
Cleaning out
Packing up
Off on a new
Adventure-
Life’s changes
Don’t always
Provide opportunity
To savor the lasts
But when it does
May I suggest
Sitting on that
Old couch
Just a little bit longer-

Our daughter moved this weekend. Not far away, thankfully. 😉 As we talked about the specifics of loading and unloading, she reminded me of an earlier move.

The kids were young. We were preparing for a big move, and had a moving sale. Our things displayed in the front yard. I will never forget one request from the kids. Can we please have one last sit on the couch?

After all these years, I think I’m beginning to understand the wisdom in their request. ❤️