Stick to It or You Can Run But You Can't Hide

Not gonna do it
Not gonna play
I’ve had enough of these little games

I’m tired of going
I just need to rest
Since when is fun an endurance test

I should never have started
To chase a mistake
I should just give up but my pride is at stake

To learn something new
Is not much to ask
I thought it was fun now the whole day has passed

Tripping and falling
You don’t care how I sweat
You don’t know who your messing with I’ll get you yet

What am I saying
This has to stop
Why must you go can’t you just let it drop

You’re cute and you’re funny
And you don’t mean to stress
I just don’t understand dog why you can’t learn to fetch

In The Soft of The Night

No harsh darkness or shadows deep
Not quite awake and not quite asleep

Nights guiding lights unpolished by dark
Appear like warm embers awaiting a spark

A blanket of silence unfolds over all
Day Sounds are muffled and night sounds are dull

The breeze stops to rest on the tips of the leaves
Weighing each down in stillness to sleep

Time suspended in peace joining darkness and light
All life seems to whisper in the soft of the night

Side Tracked

The best laid plans – what can I say
Good intentions ruled the day
The plan was to start right away
But a new idea came my way

Then clichés came into play
Carpe Diem – Seize the Day
When opportunity came my way
How could I keep from being swayed

Even though the brass ring shone
My reach fell short and I came home
Not in defeat but with new skills honed
Plus inspiration for this poem

I love to write – with words to play
So even though I tend to stray
And chase some dreams along the way
With pen in hand I’ll end each day

 

I Know You Don't Hear a Word I Say

I know you don’t hear a word I say
But I only wish there was a way

To tell you how important it is
To heed the advice I’m about to give

On the highways and the byways
Danger lurks both night and day

Any driver can make an error
And there are some that just don’t care

You wouldn’t believe the things they’ll do
Instead of watching out for you

I wish I could communicate
And save us all from the heartache

Please look both ways and make sure it’s clear
You’ve got to be very careful - Deer

And Then I Thought

A calendar was given to me
With pics of the grandkids 1, 2, 3

I proudly hung it on the wall
To be seen by one and all

I thought I’d write my schedule there
It was meant to be useful that was clear

To maintain its future heirloom status
I changed my mind and left it as is

Then I thought how cute it would be
Seeing memories of when it was given to me

But no, the pics were from birth on up
So one year’s dates just wouldn’t match up

I wondered if I could tear the dates off
I’d just keep the pictures was my next thought

But I worried that the binding would come undone
And the pictures loose would soon be gone

And if they were scattered all over the place
Of the thoughtful gift there would be no trace

Then I thought I would never make a decision
If I calculated every what if with precision

Because at that rate it would stay on the wall
Until all of the grandkids had grown big and tall

They’d laugh when they saw it still hanging there
And suddenly I thought with clarity rare

It didn’t need additions, adjustments or change
Love frozen in time is forever the same

Summer's Eve

Hello, I posted my latest poem "Summer's Eve" on  http://www.thebarndoor.net/ today.  It is a blog about Midwest living that I think you will enjoy.  New stories and poems for Oh Lucy coming soon.  Thanks for visiting!

No One to Blame but Myself

Where in the world did you come from
How did you get in here
I was rid of you, I thought, for sure
Then I turned around and there you were

I don’t know how you do it
I’ve put certain things in place
To guard against your onslaught
And keep you in your place

Sometimes I blame myself
For being open to yet more
Of things that make you who you are
And let you in the door

But I’m tired of the battle
And I’m tempted to give in 
After all no one is perfect
And having you is not a sin

But I’m warning you right now 
There are times I won’t allow
Your presence to disrupt my plans
Some people would not understand

Why I put up with you at all
Because they’ve managed not to fall
Into the habit that makes me mutter
Under my breath – I hate you Clutter

The Cleansing Truth

I never meant for it to happen
It wasn’t something that I planned
I just went on my merry way
Not sure, even, when it began

I didn’t notice the effect on you
And how you had begun to change
And when I finally saw the truth
I couldn’t help but be ashamed

To others it was very clear
I’m sure they were appalled
They must have thought I didn’t care
Or think of you at all

Even though I’ve not been perfect
I know this time I’ve gone too far
Before we travel on together
I have to wash you dirty car

The Uninvited

OK so you’re gorgeous, I’m forced to admit
You even look good when you are soaking wet
Commanding attention wherever you go
You arrive with a flourish and put on quite a show

It’s hard to believe how some hope just to see you
I have seen all I want; to me you are old news
The entourage with you seems very nice
But their bright sparkling faces hide cold hearts of ice

You don’t worry that your welcome maybe overstayed
You party all night and into the days
And what of the cost to clean up what you do
The comfort of others means nothing to you

Am I jealous of the power that you seem to yield
Over all that I know despite how I feel
Others have run to avoid your displays
But I stand my ground and count out the days

Until you move on and there’s nothing left
But the remnants you leave in a big ugly mess
For a time someone else will be front and center
But I know you’ll be back for an encore oh Winter

Friends with Words or Vocabunerds

Biguana means a big iguana
Logically I don’t know why
When tiles are short and patience thin
You can’t accept my valiant try
To save some face and not be creamed
By those who use words such as QI
So I don’t know if that just rhymed
A dictionary might define
It’s meaning because I never heard
A single human use that word

Your perfect placements could be blamed
Four words at once, have you no shame
After all it’s just a game
You not supposed to kill or maim
My self-esteem and confidence
Just challenge me to make some sense
Of random vowels and consonants

Oh well it’s just another thing
That eats my time and makes me think
There’s more to life than Scrabbeling
OK OK that’s not a word
At least I’m not a vocabunerd

No Escape

Insidious they stalk your life

Asking you to shed some light

Their only purpose to fill the need

For the knowledge that sets you free

Some will tease and tickle you

Their purpose only to amuse

Others may just change your life

When all their pieces fit just right

They’re always there to interfere

Pushing you to make things clear

You can’t ignore, avoid or shun

The power of your own questions

Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you

                                                                                                                           Matthew 7:7 (KJV)

Pleasers

They never seem to be too busy
They’re always at your beck and call
Whatever you ask they’re at the ready
Enthusiastically giving there all

You know the kind I’m talking about
They come to you, you don’t seek them out
It’s hard not to like their cheerful demeanors
But you have to wonder what they’re really about

You start to suspect ulterior motives
Although they’re most humble when given reward
Even when only your praise if offered
They seem to be willing to do even more

They don’t seem to ask for much in return
Their cheerfulness seems contagious
You find yourself trying to please them instead
Their motive revealed is outrageous

It turns out they only want one thing
Their unwavering service a prologue
To gaining your total devotion and love
Then taking their place as your top Dog

Aftermath or Has Anybody Seen the Cat?

No room in the fridge or freezer
Towels and sheets need to be washed

Garbage cans are overflowing
The DVR remote is lost

Kids are sleeping by the TV
Pets are nowhere to be found


Every dish in the washer
Toys and videos scattered round

We all gathered round the table
To give thanks, remember, laugh


Our time together is all too short
But always worth the aftermath

Tried and Truth

T is for the timing that was all wrong
U is for the undercooked green beans
R is for the runny homemade gravy
K is for the knife that won’t carve meat
E is for the eggnog I forgot to buy
Y is for the yams that turned to mush
I sure glad that all that really matters
Is thanking God for all He’s done for us

Virtue Smirtue or I Am Not Impatient

It starts with great anticipation
Building to a fever pitch
Then stirring my imagination
Takes me on a journey rich

Through fantasies of great elation
And depths of deep despair
My expectations rise and fall
While what’s to come is still unclear

When my mind’s eye slows and stops
I’m at the mercy of the clock
Anticipation turns to dread as
Temptation rears its’ ugly head

To taunt me into doubting if
The plans I thought I made
Did not exist or even worse
Were meant for yesterday

Suddenly scheduled events
My fears and doubts deflating
Evolve into reality
And end the awful waiting

Avoiding a Catastrophe or They're Not Just Fluffy You Know

What can you say about cats
That hasn’t already been said
There are legends and myths
Even Hieroglyphics
And plenty of books to be read

Although they are not
Universally loved
And the reason for sneezing for some
Sheer numbers aside
Facts can’t be denied
To many they’re gifts from above

So why should I try to add even more
Beyond what's already been told
Compared to folklore and tales
My efforts might pale
So it might be considered quite bold

I love animals all
And I have to admit
Cats are close to the top of the list
I decided I must
Risk causing a fuss
And add my own words to the mix

As much as we love them
We must face the facts
Their finicky habits won’t keep it in check
We’ll love them to death
If we just can’t accept
Cats get Fat

Love Letters

Sometimes when you are far away
I just don’t know what to say

Sometimes I hear a melody
And we’re together as I sing

Sometimes you’re unbelievable
Outrageous and hysterical

Sometimes you are quite personal
Somehow reaching to my soul

Sometimes your dark intensity
Reveals a passion that runs deep

Sometimes it’s very clear to me
That you and I were meant to be

Sometimes when I need to be heard
I cannot live without you, words

 

 

If Time Stood Still

When the days go rushing by
And time my schedule must deny
I think that it would be a thrill
If just for once time would stand still


The bills still due would wait a while
The clothes I own would stay in style
My kids would stay both sweet and small
My hair would not turn grey at all

But then the future would not be
No goals or possibilities
Problems now would stay unsolved
My hopes and dreams would just dissolve

I guess time must continue on
And mark the seasons and the dawns
To move me through both joy and grief
And fill my heart with memories


When my life comes to an end
And all my time on earth is spent
In God’s arms I’ll find true peace
As time stands still for eternity

It's Hard To Be Humbled

They say pride goeth before the fall

I don’t know if that’s true at all

One thing I know that’s very clear

Humiliation is always near

 

There’s nothing like a healthy diet

To impress a prospective client

He left with lasting memories

Of the spinach stuck between my teeth

 

We hugged, we laughed, and we reminisced

And claimed the other looked the same

I would have enjoyed our reunion more

If I could have remembered her name

 

The screen was dark and the mouse was dead

But it wasn’t panic that turned me red

I called IT and they rushed to begin

Solving the problem by plugging it in

 

They smiled and nodded as I walked past

But it didn’t take long for my ego to crash

It wasn’t me they were happy to view

But what was stuck to the bottom of my shoe

 

It’s hard to be humbled by life’s little jokes

But sometimes my pride needs a little poke

To deflate my ego and keep it small

And hopefully keep me from that fall

It's Just a Game or What Do You Mean There Are No Directions?

Is a Comic Con a felon?

            Are two Wii a Wheeze?

Sorry, but the gaming world

            Is not my cup of tea

Don’t get me wrong I’ve played a few

            From Pong to Mario

But my gaming heart belongs

            To Scrabble and Uno

That doesn’t make me old you know

            Just a connoisseur

 I’ll stick to classics that I love

            They're cheaper that’s for sure