This was a project I did basically during the pandemic. I started writing a poem a day. Once ‘real life’ started again it got harder to write everyday, which is interesting.
I have started to edit some of these mostly the kids poetry. I think there might be enough here for a book. We shall see.
I make no claim that much of this is “good” poetry. But I do make the claim that I loved doing it and I learned something and some of it makes me cry.
all things an ocean
sometimes we feel
we want to stop
take a break
sit down and plop
but once we do
we realize quick
inside and out
no thing just quits
the waves still break
our hearts still beat
the world still turns
the sun still heats
we are a part
of constant motion
inside and out
all things an ocean
a little tittle for a giggle
Chicken Little
just a tittle
that old lickspittle
a game of skittles
All these words!
So fun to say!
I learned their meanings
just today!
A box of wonder (4)
Should we close our box of wonder
Imagination dries asunder
I explore a different choice
Finding my own little voice
One that may sound like a kid
Opened my box, I’m glad I did
A box of wonder (3)
He closed his box of wonder
Wrapped it up real tight
His heart became a frozen lake
His mind fell dark as night
Both eyes dulled their twinkle
His voice carried a bite
Nothing ever pleased him now
No thing held any light
A life swollen with madness
A sorrow-filled black fright
But deep inside that box of his
Burned a thing so bright
Will he ever open it?
We can’t know…. he might…
A box of wonder (2)
I opened a box of wonder
found a note inside
the message — simply cryptic
two words — you decide
I don’t quite understand it
seems a mystery
maybe wonder is a thing
I can choose to see?
A box of wonder (1)
I put wonder in a box
It shriveled up and died
Turns out wonder’s not a thing
You tuck away and hide
in the deep winter
in the deep winter
the sun hangs his head
shadows grow stronger
all things look dead
brightness surrounds
but the light has no strength
been worn out, grown tired
stretched too far lengths
worth the cost?
what we’ve gained
what we’ve lost
has the change
been worth the cost?
some say yes
some say no
we all must
keep on going though
Wild Free Me
Study your letters!
That’s what they said
But I wanted to paint my face blue instead!
Sit in your chair
Do your homework!
But I wanted to watch the woodpeckers work!
Learn about numbers
Understand fractions
But I wanted to see some magic in action!
Read this thick book
Then write a report
But I wanted to build the floor of my fort!
Put on this cap
Wear this blue gown
But I wanted to wear a cape and a crown!
I did what they said
I got my degree
But I wanted to always be wild free me!
throw worry out
open the trash
throw out the worry
do it real fast
in a big hurry
worry won’t help
will make you feel worse
ditch it real quick
let life happen first
when you fret now
‘bout what happens next
you might be flat wrong
you must break the hex
let things evolve
open that bin
throw worry out
don’t let it win
inevitable
snow melts
rain falls
sun shines
wind squalls
fire burns
storms rage
mud slides
people age
a quiet time
sun still down
ground glows white
a frigid morn
wakes snowy night
a quiet time
listen my dear
hear what you love
see what you fear
a moment (2)
at the top of your stretch
at the end of your breath
at the farthest point you can see
at the tip of your tongue
at the last of the crumbs
at the moment we cease to be
a truer gift
she walked along the forest path
a woven basket in her grasp
she sometimes paused and would bend down
collecting treasure she had found
some might judge these trophies odd
pine cones, leaves, sticks, mud clods
but now she walks in your direction
to share her jewels, to show affection
can you allow your heart to see
piles of stars, the true beauty
of something shared from real attention
a truer gift defies invention
Horde of Hamsters
Harold heard
A gaggle of geese
Honking and hinking
And heading due east
Susie suspected
An army of ants
Had crawled up her sandals
And into her pants!
Shane stared
At a scurry of squirrels
Got so engrossed
He missed his best girl!
Can you imagine
A horde of hamsters
A drove of hogs
Or a leap of leopards!?
Animals come
In all shapes and sizes
Big groups are named
All kinds of surprises
Can you research
Impress your best friend?
In this big world
The wonders don’t end!
Gladys and Charlie
Gladys was chubby —
a real fatty cat.
She waddled around,
made dents where she sat.
Her legs were quite spindly
but somehow they held
the girth that was Gladys
and her body that swelled.
Her owner, named Charlie,
didn’t worry one bit
about Gladys’ stature
as really unfit.
Instead he just loved her,
made her feel safe.
Didn’t matter her type —
be it giant or waif.
His friends would decry him,
”You have to help her!”
But Charlie ignored them,
he knew by the purr
that Gladys was happy
and the vet said so too,
”This cat may be fat
but she’s fine through and through.”
So Charlie continues,
to the whole world’s chagrin,
to love his cat Gladys
even though she’s not thin.