Monday Morning Mischief~

- Dinner Theatre - Le Mis -
3/11/14

~~MONDAY MORNING MISCHIEF~~

Here is an example of how I am wasting perfectly good sunshine these days. When we check into a resort the first question asked is about how we plan to spend our time, what we plan to do. And of course, we don't really plan to do anything but relax and loaf around.
-------
Q:
What are your plans while you are away? 
What will you see and do?
Where will you go and walk each day?
What does your agenda show?

A:
[with echoes of last week's Le Mis tunes still dancing in my head!]

RETIREE'S VACATION AGENDA

Soak a little sunshine daily

Sitting on our balcony
See a lotta skin
Watch the people swim
Hear the children's laughter splashing down below me

Palms are waving all around us
Music playing off and on
Books and papers still surround us
Though we're staying far from home

Talking up a storm
Writing is the norm
Words are our companions as we sit together

Some are newly born
Phrases rattle round to tumble into pieces
Forming a review soon due
Weaving smaller essays too

Cook a little food
Perk a fresher pot
Chuckle at another memory long forgotten
Settle in to watch the news hour
Hope to stay awake all through

Dance a little dance
Play a little game
Numbers man is best at scrabble
Rummikub is still my win
Happy that we have each other
Even fifty five years in

-----
John takes walks while I take flights of fancy.
While others do Disney or hike wooded trails,
This year we're content to watch the world go by from our perch
And are thankful for this luxury to loaf together.

JoMae
3/11/14

My Writer's Retreat

~Peparation of the Feather-Quill~

My Writer's Retreat

In winter I retreat for days and write. 

Lots of word mongering going on

minimal interaction with people

save for observing neighbors

walking along the sidewalk

(viewed through sheers)

calls from the kids and

online conversations

A quiet writing retreat

my silent home

my studio

Each morning I peruse the news

until words come knocking

demanding to be written

and woven into notes

from yesterday’s

and woosh the

time goes by

I truly am 

content

Inspired to

share my

tales of

hope

JoMae

3/10/18

Snowdrops

Snowdrops

All is white as I say goodnight

my snowdrops are tucked

under a blanket of snow

yesterday's springtime

was only a show - -

A reminder to hope

JoMae

3/2/18

Valentine

~ My Valentine ~

Our love, wrapped close in memory

tucked deep inside my heart

 is always near

I'll dance alone with you within 

each word and smile - unseen

Our lives live on in me

JoMae

2/13/18

Solitude

John's Zinnias

~ A Silent Gift ~

At first a deafening horror

silence has become 

a soothing friend

I swim in its calm quiet

gather my thoughts

and address them

Like a seed tunneled in the earth

I've learned to grow in solitude -

to savor the warm wrap of it

to thrive in its rejuvenating power

prepared to flower once again

into the busyness of life

JoMae

2/11/18

Grief ~~

Bent Over Antidote 

Some days I feel bent over

unsure and weighted down

by grief until I reach inside

for the young woman within

and step into her agile skin

where I can stand tall again

JoMae

1/30/18

*My friend Mary Steensma captured Franz Metzner's evocative sculpture depicting grief in this drawing she sent with words of encouragement that inspired this poem.  Thanks again, Mary.

Grief - Franz Metzner Sculpture 

Mantle of Hugs

Mantle of Hugs

A mantle of hugs this home is to me.

wrapped softly on my shoulders

a shelter each and every day

It soothes the chill of fear

reminds my heart of joy

and hands me hope 

wrapped snug in

memories

JoMae
1/30/18

Winter Night

Winter Night Window

Sit here in the rocker in the dark a few minutes before you go to bed

enjoy the still silence of the night. The snow covering everything

the old oak, arms outstretched holding heavy loads of snow

people flow, walking their dogs even in the frigid air

street lights glow, white roads and sidewalks 

driveways plowed, yet painted white

a few last cars carefully crawl

 home respectful of the ice 

all is blanketed asleep

 not a breath stirs

The soothing quiet will ease into good sleep.

I’ll leave the curtain drawn aside tonight so the light can creep in early

 and brush its hand against my cheek to wake me 

then I might sit right here another while 

before I gently start my day

JoMae
1/16/18

Blizzard

 ~ Blizzard ~ 

You’d think I lived on a country 

path for all the traffic going by

Our city street pristine in white

its trees and shrubbery encased 

in heavy loads of fluff, tufts of

which blow by in windy gusts

 on this sub zero morning too  

quiet for an urban Saturday.

Cars at the curb almost 

invisibly blending with 

landscape all buried in 

Snow

JoMae

1/6/18

Melancholy Christmas

Christmas
Mourning
~

If

grief

empties 

your season

remember this: 

suffering at Christmas

serves also to remind us that 

in time, renewal follows devastation

healing happens

spring comes

new growth

New You

JoMae

12/23/17