Grab Hands

My heart says rise above
Don’t be pulled down by
the weight of ugly words
and thoughtless actions

My head generates
logical responses
intended to make me
sound more intelligent

Where is the love in that?

Held back, pressed
down and further
down, tying me
to deep discontent

Where is the answer hiding?

Perhaps if I stop
thinking only of myself
and grab your hand
and we run through
a field so fast our feet
begin to hover
above the ground
before we fall into
the soft grass, laughing
and gaze at the clouds

Perhaps…

Enduring Imprint

The sky was dark
except for a few stars
and distant street lights
I watched in amazement
as the space station
flew overhead

It soared like an
undying meteorite
moving in slow motion

My eyes followed
its path until a swath
of mysterious white rays
painted on the horizon
blocked it from view

Had sun rays carved
an evening cloud bank
into evenly spaced beams?
The sun had long since
disappeared from my
little corner of the world

Long out of sight, yes
but its impact remained
quietly reminding me
of the enduring imprint
etched into my once
stilled heart by the
light of lasting Love

Simply Sunday

Returning Customers

Her quiet way and
seasoned mannerisms
eased my impatience

I watched as she wrote
each order in shorthand
on paper tickets
Waited as she entered prices
one key at a time on an
old-fashioned cash register

She was part of a well-oiled
machine concerned with
service and product, not speed

Have you been here before?
Yes, this is my second visit
We love returning customers

Right, Alex? Glancing behind me
Looking back at me, she smiled
You have a beautiful smile

An unexpected compliment
while ordering lunch
I smiled back, Thank you

Forward

Clouds could not contain
its brightness-squinting
I looked only long enough
to snap two photographs

Side by side, the difference
was slow to appear, slight
adjustment of time, seconds,
but a revelation for eternity

Closer to the light than
I could ever hope to be
flying across the sky
wings spread wide and free

Light held in clouds
yet, bright enough
to carry him forward
into the hope of his future

Simply Sunday on a Monday

I spent the last few days in Oklahoma City at Writercon https://writercon.com/. What an amazing conference! I will share more about it later. Today, my brain needs a little rest. The following is only a drop in the bucket. 😉

Stitch in Time

My heart is full
My thoughts crowded
Words are slow to arrive

Meaningful connections
Old, new, renewed-
all held together by a thread

Perhaps a smile
Hand on a shoulder
Or a sweet hug

Each silently waiting
for the next strand
to strengthen the bond

Also, a big thank you to Raw Earth Ink! https://raw-earth-ink.com/

Crisis Averted

The morning air was damp-
Did I brush my hair
before stepping outside?

The feeling of hurry wasn’t helpful-
funny what makes me frantic
Well, maybe not frantic
but slightly concerned-
A dying phone battery
being away from home
bringing the wrong charger-
Purchase made, crisis averted
Sitting quietly with my
tea and my thoughts
Hopefully my curious smile
reaches past my frazzled
brain and frizzy hair

Enjoying a weekend of being surrounded by fellow writers! Writercon

Learning, relearning, and someone even said unlearning. 🤍🩶

Unfolding

Logic would say today is gray
Tell me to move on
I take a second look, then a third
Subtle color variations appear
Lines of demarcation between
Heaven and Earth seem to ripple
within the rhythm of the wind

I keep looking until a tiny
semblance of light appears
from behind wispy layers
It doesn’t last long
Only a few seconds and a smile

Darkness covers the faded colors
Now, the sky is gray
Rain begins to fall
I smile again, grateful for those
subtle variations gracing
the morning sky-Preparing me
for the slow unfolding of today

Simply Sunday

Mysteries

A beginning so strange,
so pure and innocent.
A sweet baby
lying on its back
feet up in the air
a perfect button nose
evident in its profile-
A picture that changes
so quickly, it is like
a stretched-out cloud
that holds its shape
only until the next
breeze blows by.
Perhaps it was
a cloud I saw,
and not a baby.
Both are strange,
pure, and innocent.
And if a cloud can remind me
of a precious baby, well,
Therein lies another mystery.

Spacious

Sometimes my brain
feels overcrowded.
Like, there’s not enough space
for all my thoughts to process.
Then one word emerges
from the muck.
Spaciousness.
My busy thoughts pause-
It does exist.
Spaciousness.
Between the time you were born
and the person you’ve become.
Between the first dark cloud
of a storm and the last drop of rain.
Between each breath I take,
as I slow down to watch
clouds gracefully float past.

Simply Sunday

Have you ever noticed
how certain clouds
appear so put together?
Smooth and round,
every particle in place.
Gleaming against their
bright, blue background.
Gliding gracefully
through the day.
And then there are the others.
Honestly, I think they
outnumber the first.
Frazzled, edges a little rough.
Looks like they survived
a tornado or hurricane.
Typically draws a second look.
Color is the same, as is
their current backdrop.
Particles are the same, only shifted.
Perhaps they need a
gentle breeze, accompanied
by a genuine smile.
That is, if clouds
respond to smiles.