Day 134, ignorant things we say...

Here was my facebook post January 1, 2010...

"2009 was a "vitamin" year, fortifying and good for me but I never really liked the taste of it... here is to 2010 and at the very least a "Flintstone vitamin" year!

let's just say I should have seen 2010 coming... It was no Flintstone vitamin!  Why do we take our vitamins? To get stronger of course, to protect ourselves from bad stuff.

I will not be saying anything ignorant about 2011. What I can say is that 2010 was that disgusting thing on a french menu that you would have never eaten, but you had to, and it wasn't as bad as you thought. You'd NEVER order it but it wasn't as horrible as all that. We have had more blessings than challenges but oh boy what a ride! So here is my poem about 2010. Godd riddance and thanks for the ride :)


2010

Do you remember the row
about your name?
Two thousand and ten.
Twenty Ten.
Ten.
your even numbered possibilities
lured me right to the hook
a decade ended and begun
I bought it, hook. line.
and sinker.

We didn't even make it a week
did we? One doctors appointment
after another, fear, fear, fear.
But Dr. Good Guy
with the turban kept it under wraps
and we will wait on that, thank you!

And we won't talk about the house
or the sewer. I'm not going there with
you. Needless to say I'm at the tail end of
you Twenty-Ten. You won't be missed.
I will not long for you. You're like the teacher
I had junior year in high school.
good gravy what a cruel thing she could be
but I learned so much, I grew so much,
and that is me and you Ten. Good to go.

And go you must, but please spread the word
to Eleven or whatever the heck we're going to
call your odd little friend... I'm all shook up,
ready baked, whipped and whooped.
Thanks for nothing and thanks for everything
2010, Happy New Year!

Day 133, to Father Time

Dear Father Time
Slow down
Unless I am waiting in a line
Speed up then, please
I wish you weren't so illusive
So hard to befriend
In two days a new year, another year
Will begin. Ceste la vie
They say. So be it. Me and you
The turtle and the hare.
May the race begin.

PS I've had enough wrinkles in time so far please take me off your delivery route, thanks!

Day 132, words make more than words

I'm not writing a poem but sharing one. Words make thoughts, directions, emotions, memories, confessions. Pick your favorite words (a song, a quote from a movie, funny thing your kids say). What words do it for you? Share them in the comments.

My favorite words are usually from songs. Like this one from Natalie Grant called The Real Me

foolish heart looks like we're here again
same old game of plastic smile
don't let anybody in
hiding my heartache, will this glass house break
how much will they take before i'm empty
do i let it show, does anybody know?

CHORUS:
but you see the real me
hiding my skin, broken from within
unveil me completely
i'm loosening my grasp
there's no need to mask my frailty
cause you see the real me

painted on, life is behind the mask
self-inflicted circus clown
i'm tired of the song and dance
living a charade, always on parade
what a mess i've made of my existence
but you love me even now
and still i see somehow

CHORUS

wonderful, beautiful is what you see
when you look at me
you're turning the tattered fabric of my life into
a perfect tapestry
i just wanna be me

CHORUS

and you love me just as i am

wonderful, beautiful is what you see
when you look at me

Day 131, suppertime

I forgot to eat lunch because I was in a rush to see a dear friend! Needless to say I am starving.
Suppertime
It's the onions simmering slowly
butter soft and golden
the smell of flame and fat
melting into one.
The gentle warmth of fireside
the lull of cornflower blue skies
deepened to a navy hue
laughter from the kids
water running
the burst of sensation in your
olfactory that says something
new has been added to the pot
and the seldom luxury of sitting
back and waiting, watching this
fabulous dance of preperation
that turns longing to craving
and craving to sustenance
and sustenance to a sweet
sort of peace.
Suppertime.

the hubs is cooking some gumbo WITH okra,
gonna look like this :P

Day 130, Brothers

Cowboys and Indians
Cowboys and Indians
friend and foe
butterball puppies
nipping each others ears
tumbling to the ground
the warm scent of little boys
warm cookies, lemonade and
good clean dirt
shrieking in laughter or pain
always a deviant joy
born partners in
an unsuccesful coup
brothers.

Day 129, Just becasue I do, doesn't mean I want to...

I don't feel like writing. I am simply enjoying my day. Soaking up this little bit of holiday that is left. Avoiding the cleaning and thinking as best I can.
A Spongy Day
This day is a soak it up day
leisure dribbles itself all over the place
and my spongy soul wants to suck it all up
into every crevice. Becasue leisure isn't leisure
unless you absorb it.

Day 128, spiritual britches

Here's hoping Christmas was the blessing it was meant to me. No matter that you didn't get to do... the yearly traditions, that you didn't buy as many gifts, that you didn't send your Christmas cards for the first time in 16 years... that it was a time of reflection and joy. Here is praying that the losening up after the Holidays is only in our pants :) Merry Christmas!
Spiritual Britches
It's a feast, a gluttenous gorging
of silent this and Holy that
Full to bursting from all of those
good Christian calories. So
we do what any celebratory diner does
and secretly unbutton, unzip
because we've found
we are quite literally too big
for our spiritual britches.

Day 127, No Room in the Inn

No Room in the Inn
There was no room that night
the Inn's where filled to brim
as is our days, our task,
our whims.
Will there ever really be
a room in the Inn
for Him?

Day 126, The Eve of the Eve

To busy for poetry today but I must, I suppose, stick to my own silly commitment and put something out there, even if it isn't any good :(

Eve of the EveIt's the eve of the Eve
all of the excitement
nerves and anxiety
come spilling forth
its the eve of the Eve
that's just the way it is
of course.

Day 125, Joy continued

Because it keeps coming up... I can't say the last two months have been fun but oh my word have my eyes been opened!
Joy
Joy is weathered pine branches
arched above your head
a frisky wind to toss your hair
and carry laughters threads

Joy is a cold metal swing
layered with straw
the prickly warmth of covering
lovingly placed by an amber Fall

Joy is the distant cold
nudging out the unwelcome warmth
chimneys exhaling reverantly
at Mother Nature's performance

Joy is the symphony
of the fiercest give and take
a seasonal concerto
of the elated alto and the grieving bass

Day 124, Joy

So Joy seems to be the theme this year, the thing that won't dissapear, that won't leave me alone, the word that literally keeps popping up everywhere...
Joy
Bliss
snuggly
tucked
in its
fortress
of trust,
despite
the battle
waged
around it.

Day 123, When in doubt, Kool Aid

Kool Aid

When in doubt
don't speak a word
keep your heart
all to yourself
because doubting
says that readiness
has not arrived
unless you doubt yourself
and your ability
to discern between
an honest fear
and a truthful doubt
doubt and fear are
sugar and water
two separate taste
one viscous mess.

Do not drink that

Kool Aid

Day 122, 2 am surprise

Sometimes you gotta see if anyone is paying attention. This is all tongue in cheek of course. I'm gonna keep Sean, no worries :)

Two a.m. Surprise
At 2 am I am not a happy girl.
I fell asleep, with a crooked neck
awoke, shook the old man, told him
to come to bed and turned to shut off the TV
and what to my wondering eyes should appear
on the boring old FOOD Network?
but my favorite Matt.
Now that was YUMMO!
a midnight snack for the eyes :)



He's quirky, bongos no less! but still better
than Iron Chef any day of the week!



Day 121, By the Tree

By the Tree
Somewhere by the tree
are little eyes
dazzled, hopeful
wishing
bright white bows
would unravel
revealing little boy dreams
somewhere by the tree
sits a mamma,
whose dreams gaze at the tree.

By Heidi Lamott

You can buy this painting here

Day 120, Ho-Ho

Ho-Ho. it's a jolly shame
all your adoration
all your fame
You give and give
slave away
boss thousands of elves
ride a chilly sleigh
work a whole year
in a single day
You seem a figment
of our imagintations
and yet, you are everywhere
all over God's creation.
The kids either worship you,
revere you and smile
or scream like banchees
the second they spy you.

You don't get wrapped up
in Hollywood fame,
don't own your own network
or star in a reality show
but dang if I know who you
got for retail, Martha Stewart herself
pales when compared.

You bring it dude! You make those
kids listen. You have the staying power
of Elvis I bet you. But here is my question
my day in and out doubt...
When I leave you the cookies
why must you leave me the pounds?!

Day 119, Lights

Saw some Christmas lights and took a wagon ride to celebrate the season. Beautiful night!
This Little Light

Little twinkle lights
you brighten up my mind
warm and glowing
your steady vigililance
inspires me to smile
to wish and hope
for such a little bit
of brightness is
such a little bit
of bliss.

Day 118, irked

I'm irked that I can't have what I want
I have spent a large portion of my day being peeved.
I'm too much of a hypocrite to speak of anger
At God. But I am irked and irritated that I or those I
Love most have to suffer, which is the most thoughtless
Type of idolatry. Asking God, why do you not worship me?
When I have not stopped to bend one single irritated knee.

Day 117, Impatient

Sometimes I don't say much ahead of the poem because it says enough on its own.

Impatient
I am impatient.
No, wait.
Don't wait!
I hate waiting.
Impatience is an
ugly stepsister.
I'm the other one.
And we snicker at
the calm and cool.
Stupid fool, stupid fool!
And yet the slipper never
fits my foot. Never fits my foot!
Even though I'm quite impatient
and demand that it does, I can not
squeeze my fat hoof into it and
therefore it winds up often and most snug
inside my large impatient mouth!

Day 116, Toothy grin

Toothy Grin

Yeah you! and your toothy grin.
You think your cute, huh?
Not me. I'm not one bit tempted
to worship you. Your butter fat cheeks
do not cause my heart to slobber
carniverously. Uh-uh. I am so not
falling for your "Me love mama." line.
It won't cut it. I know your gonna
love me and leave me.
You'll hang around for eighteen years or so,
take all my money, run and find another girl!
Keep the cheeks and the toothy grin.
I'm unimpressed.
But don't forget my kiss goodnight.
Don't ever forget to kiss me goodnight.
I'm your mama after all.

Day 115, hello and goodbye

What's hello but some sort of goodbye
What's hope but a bittersweet cry
For mercy, for love, for
Forgiveness given. All to balance providence
In a world whose odds are never even.

Day 114, one small day

One Small Day
Dawn is the creamy yolk of hope
before the tell all fumes of sunrise
waft into your dreams.
Midday is an eager madness
racing to complete, attain.
And dusk is the pale,
dusty midnight hue of
a sullen peace that overides
the frenzy of the sunlit day.
The moon then rises, a peaceful
conqueror, a steady reminder
of day's bright goodness and
night's ceaseless and quiet mercy.

Day 113, The Grinch Didn't Steal Christmas

Practicality did. I'm a little Grinchy about Christmas, I will admit it. I like the carols and the gifts but all the stress?! nope. It makes me want to not participate. It makes me want to tell Jesus Happy Birthday with a belated e-card. Problem is I married Clark Griswald. He finds nothing too much trouble to make Christmas special. I'm learning that maybe it's worth it sometimes even if my practical thinking fights it at first.

The Practicality of Christmas

The Grinch's middle name was practical.

Practical thinking produces practical things,

and Christmas isn't practical.

There is nothing practical about it.

Santa is not practical.

Virgin births are not practical.

Gifts in general, are not practical and

if they are, they are not well received.

Eggnog, not practical.

Gingerbread houses.

Lights on a tree.

Lights on a house.

Mistletoe.

Not practical.

After all of it is over you are not

practically worn out, you are totally done,

and sad that it's gone.

Practically mourning the loss of the very

thing your practical brain bemoaned.

Day 112, choosing joy

Christmas can be a happy time or a really sad time depending on your circumstances. Choosing joy in times of pain is difficult.

Joy

Burnt umber sorrow
polished to bronze
a smile in the face
of mourning
because
grief will not
bring the birth of
what was.

You are like Bruce Lee to me if you are
grieving this Christmas and are choosing joy.
Bruce Lee!

Day 111, Old and Wise

The Elder Lady

An elderly lady walked
into my sight
with the cautious uncertainty
of someone who knows
what it's like to fall


She posessed a wise glimmer
to her eyes


 And I wouldn't be
surprised if she did fall
but her knowing glance said,
"Honey,
you will too."

Day 110, The Seed

A little poem I sing to myself when I am feeling challenged. I've worn it out lately :) I sorta. Stole it straight out of scripture :)

The Seed


Don't let me be the seed
trampled on the path.
Don't let me be the seed
growing in dry ground.
Don't let me be the seed
that's completely overwhelmed.
I want to be planted.
I want to be planted in You.

Day 109, What's a Prayer?

I've been praying a lot, that isn't necessarily different but how I pray is completely new and good I might add.

Prayer


What's a prayer,
but a wish?
A fervent expression
Of our own desire.
Isn't that what we do?
Isn't that how we pray?
What a merciful God to bless
us in our tepid pose.
but what a mighty God we find
when the floor does meet our nose.

Day 106, perspective

Perspective

Like a tilt-a-whirl
My eyes can't find a spot
To hold in focus
Too much spinning
My perspective is always changing
And I No longer see which way is what

Day 107, Saturday is my BFF

Well sort of...

Saturday

You are my BFF
from years ago
I'm always excited
to see you but
you don't always live
up to the hype.

You're all me, me, me.
We have fun, I admit it
and sure, I miss
the old times but
I have other days
that understand me better.
Friday is my soul mate.
I'm just not the same girl
you remember me being.

I've changed, but don't
worry, you'll always be
my best friend from yesterday.

Day 106, Friday, oh Friday!

I think it might be my favorite day, I'm discovering that through this week's post. :) Happy Friday!

Friday
My harbinger, my Hero!
I hear your name and my
pulse quickens. You promise
deliverance and respite, you are
my weekend Romeo.
Kneeling below my balcony
you whisper promises
the other days of the week
can only stutter through.
You are silver tongued
and I don't mind it.
Friday, oh Friday
Here you are my Friday!

Day 105, Thursday, Thursday. THURSDAY!

Thursday is fun to say. Stop and repeat it several times in your head. It just feels good. I've always loved a Thursday. Even if it's a bad one there is a weekend right next to it to recoup! I had a wonderful visit with a great friend and so she inspired me to write this. I think I'll just nickname her "Thursday"!

Thursday


Thursday is a thoughtful friend
who listens as well as she shares
a give and take day
a no holds barred day
a stop and make a wish day
an anything can happen
but let's pray it don't day


She stops to have a cup of coffee
let you catch up on things
and she is never overbearing
She's a downhill race day.
That's what's so thoughtful 
about Thursday.

Day 104, Wednesday is not my favorite day...

Wednesday

Like laps in the ocean
It's effect is largely
Dependent on the swimmers stance
Poised to frolic
Or paranoid of it's
liquid persistence
Thus Wednesday is altogether
At the mercy of ones whims
And whims are rarely merciful.

Day 103, Tuesday

Tuesday
Your a rebound romance
A welcome embrace from an
Abusive predecessor
But it always ends the same
I've got straying eyes
Friday is such a hunk after all
It's not you
It's me, Tuesday.
Your too good for me.
It was good while it lasted.
I'll remember you fondly
But I have to move on.
I really did love you, you know.

Day 102, Monday deserves a poem too!

FYI, there is no proper way to explain how appropriate this poem is for this Monday...

Monday

Must you Monday?
You are not a people pleaser
You do not seem concerned
That your reputation is sullied
With whiny children and no possible way
To accomplish, nay, conquer you.
You are a sleepy barbArian
Poised for attack even in your slumber
Merciless Monday, must you war with me?
My white flag is hoisted!
And I simply want a nap.

Day 101, day of the week poetry

I needed a theme. I figure why not give each day it's own poem? So what's your favorite day of the week and why?

Sunday

The heathens brunch and sip mimosa
It's their enticing way
But I prefer the hustle
of the sanctuary
The smiles of friendly faces
And the tears of children new, unsure
Their first smiles an afternoon buzz all my own.
And then there is a too long lunch
Followed by a too short nap
Football echoes in the background
The to do list tries to crawl
Into the foreground but I willfully
Reject it for an easy brunch of forgotten ease.

Day 100, so 100 is the theme of my poem!

I can't believe I've been doing this for 100 days! Only 265 more to go and that doesn't intimidate me at all... [eyes dart side to side] I'm learning that it is okay to cry and maybe that I have been avoiding it. 

A Hundred Ways to Cry

When someone dies

when someone cries

when you hurt yourself

and no one tries to help you

newborn eyes

sleepy sighs

fear of someone leaving

frustration when they don't

a mean thing said

a hard thing heard

a sleazy line

a dirty word

a golden band

secured on hands

paper thin with age

laughter unobscured

hallmark

hormones

testosterone

ego

letting go

victory

defeat

unable to eat

unable to sleep

your child's first day of school

your child's last day of school

the glow of a Christmas tree

a timely compliment

tears brimming up and spilling over

red rimmed eyes fatigued

or gently falling from the crinkles of a smile

there's a hundred ways to cry

and I haven't lived till I've cried them all.

Day 99, what was the best part of your Thanksgiving?

Mine was the way it was so different from every other. We dressed up as pilgrims and indians, we ate a little less than most but still plenty and then when we came home we sat down and started a Christmas puzzle with Jack and that was just special. right now I am wondering and wandering through life because I am in a unique position to see things from slightly different angles. When you take art classes that is one of the first things you learn is to step back from the piece and look at it from a new angle, even turn it upside down. That would be the positive way to spin our circumstances right now, a new angle, a chance to see what we like and don't...

Ornamental Reasoning

The years hand me trinkets, 

small baubles of wisdom
to twirl up towards the sun.
Glimmers of light and warmth
crystal rainbows
burnt umber shadows
floating on the ground,
ornaments dangling from
thin velvet ribbons.

We decorate our thinking
with these ideas until one day one tumbles
from its branch, shattering fragile little
pieces of our understanding
underfoot, invisibly slicing through
the flesh of our reasoning

And this is when our truth is most
apparent. For the bauble that falls,
that cuts the skin either disappears
or sinks so far in that we've no
way to deny the verity of its mark.
A little piece of absolute
that glitters in the dark.

Day 98, On a quest for... ala Jan Ericson

Okay, Jan is my best friend's mom which makes her a special lady for raising such a special girl :) Thanks Mrs. Ericson! My quest this Thanksgiving is finding extra and different things to be thankful for, maybe even being thankful for the stuff that hurts the worst, and that's a hard thing to do...
On a Quest
On a quest for thankfullness
I've lost so many dreams
living inside of days that
march ahead of me
always chasing, clinging
savoring.

It's a tornadic bliss
that leaves me swirling
inside a vortex of love
and that means being
slung from place to place
the blunt force of broken heartedness
my steady guide
on a quest for thankfulness.

Day 97, But does mom know...

This is Shirley's line that she sent and my current lack of kitchen and home to do the Holidays in had me really realizing what a blessing even the stress of the holiday season is. And I cheated as it is not my first line in the poem...

But Does Mom?

She's all sage and pumpkin spice
"Honey can you?"
and "Kids, be nice!"
Cleaning this and wiping that
buying one turkey, big and fat.

But does mom see?
The blessing in this madness
the really best thing in this spree
is the having and the giving
and the thankful way she's living.

Day 95, josh's turn!

In honor of Josh on his birthday, as always thanks for the welcome sarcasm :)

I AM NOT CRANKY! and I do not need a nap.

I am not cranky!
And I do not want a nap!
I simply want the gravity
Of my being to change
Your orbit. Yes,
I would like you
And everyone else
To revolve around me.
ME! But I am not cranky...
And I do not need a nap!
Are we clear?

Day 95, Silence is NOT golden

Erika, Thanks for the lovely opener! I was driving by the full moon on the lake last night and was inspired to write it this way. I am learning right now to be more quiet but not the daylight quiet that requires motion but the silver quiet that requires stopping to rest.

Silence is Not Golden.

Silence is not golden
it is silver moonbeams
on midnight waters.
the gentlest light a sheath
for the hidden things underneath.

Day 94, The Hubs is the poet today.

I'll start with my opening lines on Monday. For today I am going to give Sean the stage. He wrote me a poem for our anniversary that is today. He stepped outside of his comfort zone to do so, very, very sweet. (Like don't tell anybody but I teared up kind of sweet) I love you Sean! 

Anniversary

Twelve twelves

Six hundred and twenty four sevens

Long Saturdays embraces loosing ourselves in the other

The bright lights and rolling expressways far away

a sonogram a son into the world 

joy kindness cowboy boots baseball diamonds

armed with a glimmer in his eyes dark as coal 

wit and charm holding our hearts

a home 

moving home family 

our God

a cat

a fish a fish a fish 

a dog

joy joy joy joy

our hearts

birthday cakes Christmas trees and cookies

camping fishing catch the ball

friends friends friends friends 

kitchens caseroles pies

smiles laughs hugs tables

friends

leaving going moving byes

hugs

our hearts

tears let go 

death

letting go

life death 

our hearts

three now four

a son to our world 

laughter cunning laughter lungs bo laughter ("bo" is not a typo it is what Charlie says all of the time!)

balls bats throw catch hit

laughter

hide hide hide hide

Anniversary

love love love love

Day 93, I don't wanna!

Here is your poem Eileen. Thanks for the opener :) When I read your line I instantly thought of all the stuff I don't want to do but then that made me think about how childish I get and how eager we all are to go without, disobey, just to have our freedom, just to do what we "want" for a minute. That led me to think about who is taking care of me and who I give a hard time to and why they don't give up on me.

I Don't Wanna

Finish your food

I don't wanna!

Clean your room

I don't wanna!

Go do your homework.

I don't wanna!

We sigh collectively,

perturbed at the resistance

of a little soul so ready

to be independent, so ready to 

make their own mistakes. 

They want us to let them go, but

We. Do. Not. Want. To.

We don't wanna!

Day 92, I need a volunteer!

Send me an opening line for tomorrow's poem! 3-7 words that you come up with or that you found in a FB post you liked...

As for today... let's rock the limerick. It's contrary to the tone of my day but that's the whole point!

The Tantrum

A screaming boy will wear you out.

He'll make you cry, he'll make you pout

his tears will drive you mad

when his little heart is sad

strong willed little boy, your spirit is too stout!

the ABC's of this day

Today was just one of those not so stellar days that ends up better than it begins thanks to really, really good people in my life :) I love my friends and family. I don't think there is a way to let any of you know how much I mean that! Let me see you describe your day in ABC form, come on, please!

Affixing my desires to a purpose
Bringing praise to the mundane
Cleaning my thoughts of cobwebs
Drowning in the most fabulous words
Effortlessly hoping
For more, for
Goodness to overflow
Heeding warnings
Instituting change
Joyful in my affliction

Day 90!!! and a quick challenge for you!

SO in 1-3 sentences describe your day. Write it out and then take all of the prepositions and such out only leaving noun, verb and adjective. You have a poem! It goes like this.

My day has been slightly trying and slighty pleasant. I went to Jack's school and we hung out at the library, pleasant then I went to my house, met with folks, unpleasant! I am melancholy.
.
Day pleasant, trying.
School, library,
pleasant.
House, people,
unpleasant.
Melancholy.

Day 89, Sugar Sweet

Watched my two year old meltdown as he was allowed to eat three giant sugar cookies. Sugar does funny things to us, makes people insatiable, it makes people cranky and it makes us fat, yet we worship the stuff! 

Sugar Sweet
It makes everything taste better
a filter for the bitterness
a guise for the unwanted
sugar sweet living

We get high, we get low
we pour it on our day
we go crazy wanting more
never, never satisfied

never, ever satisfied.

While the fruit on the vine rots
within our reach,
while the fruit on the vine rots,
we crave sweet.

Day 88, Potiphar's Chic

So this is Eileen's fault. :) When Potiphar sent Joseph to jail it wasn't to death. Interesting... and what happened to her afterwards? I'm betting she got herself tangled into something but if I'm being optimistic maybe ole' P realized he was taking her for granted. Because one thing my gut tells me is that Mrs. Potiphar was lonely.

Potiphar's Lady

She savored her defeat,
but loneliness grabbed her feet
and drug her to her knees,
Begging once again.
Confusing touch with feeling.
Forsaking her heart's healing.
Potiphar's bride
left kneeling.