Have you ever
Felt surprised
By being surprised?
It is a curious feeling
Like realizing no matter
How beautiful
The sunrise
On any given morning
It can be
Beautifully
Different
On the next–
Security may reside
In the routine
But hope radiates
From the surprising
So many things
Missing from today
Your smiling eyes
Listening as we sing
Happy Birthday to you!
Hearing your most sincere
Thank you, I love you –
But mostly, I’m just missing you
Today would have been Dad’s 80th birthday. We love and miss him so much! But remembering his life makes us smile. 💙
Look close
Now magnified
Look closer
But don’t gaze
Briefly notice
Each mark left behind
By time or by choices –
Curious what another
Might notice with
Such an up-close view-
One more glance
No longer amplified
Only me and the mirror–
Now look away
Shift focus from
My reflection
To the state
Of my heart
Leave lines of worry behind
Let them fade into the background
Beautifully blushing
In pinkish–reds
While sheepishly saying
Good morning–
Though partially hidden
Managing to draw
The attention of all who pass by
Certainly a contrast
With her wide-awake
Bright–white afternoon smile
That only grows brighter
With the approach
Of my mid-day yawns–
But she will soon be yawning, too
Slipping back into her colors –
This time muted, yet majestic
Giving me hope that
Those yawns will soon
Become sleepy eyes
Carrying me to restful dreams
You make it look so simple
Perched on a wire
With your closest friends
Perched nearby –
They may sit on a
Different wire-there may
Even be a wire
Missing from your staff
But your melodies still
Mingle to create
A sweet morning song-
And while I can’t
Physically hear your songs
Above the music currently
Playing in my head
I can feel it in my soul
A few clung tightly
To green tree leaves
Even after most of
The others had fallen-
Falling was the
Ultimate goal
Surrendering
To the ground
Patiently waiting below-
Their landing providing
Refreshing
Nourishment
The power to change
An entire landscape-
Why would some choose to hang on?
Perhaps fear
Of the unknown
Perhaps love
To fall with
A gentle touch
Teaching this passing traveler
A valuable lesson-
Though alone for a moment
Surrounded by many for a lifetime
Things to Notice When the Power is Out
The steady rhythm
Of rain falling outside
Interrupted only by
Contented purring of the cat -happy
To be your only
Distraction-
The way my eyes
Notice and adjust to
The light sneaking in
Through glass windows
And doors -
An appreciation for
A simple cup of hot tea
After patiently waiting
For water to boil
On the gas stove–
The quiet peacefulness
Possible when the
Outside world is
Temporarily blocked -
The categories are endless
And then there are
The sub-categories
We’ll skip those for now-
Strange the ways
We group ourselves
Based on things like
Where we grew up
Our age
Our interests
Our successes
And our failures
Remaining careful
Not to give away
Any unexplainable joy
Terrible moments of grief
Or frightening memories
Thought of only when
It’s time to sleep-
What if I looked past
All of the lists
Ignored the labels
What would I see?
Another set of eyes
Perhaps-
Carrying all of life
Happy, sad, all of it
And another heart
Behind those eyes
Afraid to trust
Waiting to see if my hand
Will follow my smile
A poem from a recent circle. ❤️
I see you up ahead
Peeking out from
Around a corner
Wearing a curious smile-
You used to be
Much further away
Another lifetime away
But now my sight
Is surprisingly clear
Considering the distance
My heart has already covered-
Strange, I thought it would take longer to reach you
Even the thought of it
Made me nervous
Not knowing how different
Our reflections would be
Yet, catching a glimpse
Of your curious smile
Around the corner up ahead
Assures me that it will be okay
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
Piano Girl 