Little birds
And bows
Snowflakes
And icicles
Packed away
Carefully
Until next year…
Next year
I’m still
Thinking about
This year
At least for
One more day
Well, actually
Longer than that
I would imagine-
People, places
And things
Sprinkled thru
The days, weeks
And months
Mostly the people
And their impact
On my life-
Memories
Unlike the
Little birds
And bows
Snowflakes
And icicles
Have no need
Of being
Carefully
Packed away
Another year
To celebrate
Family
Friends
Goodwill
And cheer
Mercy
Grace
Forgiveness
And hope
A precious gift
Tiny baby born
Lying in a manger
Sleeping among
The animals
Listening to
The Lullaby
Of angels
When I consider Christmas past, some gifts stand out. The jewelry box from mom and dad that was also a music box! Dolls of the World from my Aunt Sharon. A voice print of my kids saying Mama from Gart. How my Granny Mahar always had a gift for each of her twenty-six grandchildren. ❤️
Great or small, each gift was given in love. And each giver holds a place in my heart.
I’ve been called sentimental more than once. There’s no denying it. But the older I get, the more my sentiments rest on people, not on things. Each memory is a gift held in the heart. Tied together by an unending ribbon of affection, six-inch curls in between. 😉
Silent Night, arranged by Phillip Everen Kelley Morris, piano
Christmas Time is Here by Vince Guaraldi Kelley Morris, piano
Merry Christmas!
Snowflakes
Circling
Round and round
Falling toward
Frozen grass
Too cold out
For human hands
Tiny birds
Swooping
Up and down
Trees to feeder
Feeder to ground
Feathers puffed
White bellies shining
In contrast with
Gray skies
Gray bark
All but one…
Its red feathers
Radiant against
The wintry scene
Its red crest
Held high thru
The winter storm
The temperature in my little corner of Oklahoma today is a whopping 5 degrees. The windchill is -16. Winds are howling, and snow is blowing. But the birds still flit in the backyard. Our feeders are full, thanks to my sweetie. 💙❄️🌬
Even when needed and sought, change can be challenging. Tears over making the right decision. A lot of emotions to process. And when it means leaving the classroom…a whole new layer is added. Colleagues become friends. Students wiggle their way into your heart.
I have cried a lot over the past few weeks. Just ask my patient husband. 😉 But last week, things fell into place. And although saying goodbyes is hard, I’m excited about new opportunities. I will be sharing more in the coming weeks.
For now, I want to say Thank you! and I love you! to my Union Public School and Ochoa Elementary families. I will miss you! ❤️
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
Strength and Beauty
Were present
From the start
Kindness and
Consideration
Toward those
Different from her
Emerged early on
The intrinsic notion
That different
Does not translate
Into less than
That we all
Have a place
In this world
And sometimes
An advocate is needed
To help others
Realize their abilities-
Compassion
Turned to passion
Passion to action
Goals set
Challenges
Accepted-
A bright light
In my life since
The day she was born
And to countless others
Throughout her journey
Our sweet daughter, Rachel, graduated from KU today with her Master’s Degree! She is a high school special education teacher, specializing in transition services. We are so proud! ❤️
Colors of Fall
Were slow
To appear
On certain trees
Dry conditions
Threatened
To hinder
The beauty
Of the season
But the leaves
Clung tightly
Waiting for
Rain to come
It was a cold rain
That fashioned
These delayed
Bursts of color
Just as others were
Beginning to wane
Yet even the faded
Appeared vibrant
Standing beside
The evergreens
Against the gray
And white backdrop
Painted on recent skies-
Everything in its time
Not competing
But complementing
In my not yet
Ready for Winter
Surroundings
The deer had been
Absent from
Their usual field
Concerning
Colder weather
Blustery winds
They couldn’t
Have gone far
Wait! What was that?
There they are
Walking a path
Through the brush
To nearby water
I suppose it was there all along
A hidden path
Grass pressed down
Between the rows
Where others walked
In seasons past
Imprints remain
Though kept
Out of view
Until a concerned
Passerby needed
Reassurance
She was headed
The right direction
What makes a year?
Logic says
Seconds, minutes, hours
Days, weeks, months
Equally spaced
To help us keep track-
Of what, I’m not sure
Oh, there’s no denying
The answer when
My birth year
Is subtracted
From the current year
But the larger
That number grows
The less it represents
Anything equally spaced
What makes a year?
My heart says
The love of others
The beauty of nature
Grief, heartache, and loss
Faith, hope, and love
None of which
Fit into any calendar
All of which
Even the torn edges
Can be transformed
Into a much-cherished
Collage of memories
It’s too quiet
Something my mom
Used to say after
Our holiday visits
Well, actually
After any visit
Once their nest
Was empty
And although
Our nest is
Not quite empty
I’m beginning
To understand
The sentiment
A flurry of activity
The aroma of food
Being prepared
But mostly, the voices-
Once they return
To their own homes
The quiet leaves space
For melancholy
And missing
But mostly, the quiet
Leaves space
For memories
And a grateful heart
Piano Girl 