the sacrifice of the mosquito detective

for very low pay
but much fun through the day
the mosquito detective
worked for the police in his special way

this morning you see
while still being sleepy
he smelled the warm blood
of a car thief starting his fraud

the thief having closed the door
the detective was left in the situation
to postpone his attack
until he had finished his act

because of his size
arresting the thief was not on his list
he used however a much more advanced
while still classical technique

the mosquito detective
bit the arm of the criminal
then gave out to sample of blood
for DNA tests - and with this his life

the human police investigator
followed with the genetic analysis to unveil the identity
of the suspect, and subsequently
honored the sacrifice of their formerly buzzing collaborator

time

time is what we have in our hands
to do what is important
for today as well as tomorrow;
the treasure within reach
how will you invest it today?

you can spend it with your friends,
parents and dear kids;
you can spend it learning
or relaxing on a beach
time is still within reach.

if today were to be
a unique gift given to me
I'd need to think
where would I rather be
what would I do differently?

love

Love this world for it is the world of your children.

prayer

in this cold and rather gray winter day
for love and patience and light I pray;
for the power and inspiration
to ask meaningful questions

I pray for the enthusiasm to get up
and help others get up and heal after a fall;
for the awaited calm after the storm
for hope and the power to keep a home warm;

I pray for strength and resilience
on battlefields of the mind when we try to bring change;
but also for forgiveness and acceptance
for dreams that can take us one step beyond revenge

into a world of peace and harmony
we shall live as brothers and sisters;
distances shall not matter
because love can sail us over any amount of water

butterfly migration

they were born at a time
when the world was aching
with pains imposed by old rules;
invisible chains were limiting dreams;
silence was a golden treasure
and words were to be shared
between trusted friends only.

they grew as the chains were breaking
they were the ones in which hope was budding;
and the old wise ones looked at them in wonder
and pushed them gently to fly out of the box
right at the time of the equinox
when night was to turn into day
and day was gonna stay longer with them

there were larvae into magical boxes
waiting to turn into beautifully winged butterflies
and they were told they had to fly
even if they themselves will not make it to the edge of the sun
the group and surely their babies will make it
the chain - they broke it!

Fanny Giraffe

- this one for a Banana-

Fanny Giraffe was a tall girl
with a long neck
and a dog for a friend
by his name Townsend

Fanny easily gets hungry
so she lengthens her neck
to grab some leaves
from the zoo trees

she bumps into a squirrel
with her soft muzzle
apologize and then goofs again
bothering her ear while munching on the leaves.

so much about manners
protests the squirels
while Fanny Giraffe burps and leaves the branch,
which snaps just as the squirrels start running for their life

Fanny then remembers about her little friend
who startled by the argument
had found shelter right behind her front legs
where Fanny cannot see since she cannot bent

where is her friend hiding?
look him up for me!
he came out yapping asking her attention
will you play with me?

hands

when times are tough
laugh needs not be rare
when times are tough
we need kindness everywhere

this is when I see hands
helping hands reaching out
helping kids stand
for themselves and move forward

this is when you need to share
think of others as your friends
how can you help them
this is your problem.

snow

photo courtesy of Kasper Rehnman

it happens as the angles shake their wings
when dusting them,
it often happens when the night maid sings
as she is combing her long hair

it happens when grandma's chicken are so happy
that they jump high in the sky
and then their feathers fall back down
lying a blanket on the ground

it happens mostly when the winter comes
and sometimes late in fall
and if it happens even after lambs are born
then we're ready to say good-bye snow.

Quote of the day

Don't give up, cause you have friends!
Peter Gabriel

the days of the yellow ginkgo

it is now when the days of the yellow ginkgo are here
it is now that we must open our eyes and feel
the last golden lights caressing the eyelids
the warmth from the red heat stored in the leaves;

before they fall, before winter and the possible snow
it is now that we live, laugh and learn
from the bugs, from the trees and the rivers
from the love we receive from others,

it is now we exchange little gestures
like the shaking of hands, and he twinkling of eyes
it is now that we must ban sorrows and be strong
and blessed in the golden days of the ginkgo.

beginning

Wake up and open the window
to let the fresh air come in
take a deep breath cause we're gonna begin
a new life despite how hard the winds blow

Now

Love when things happen
when one hour is not like another;
when without conscious effort
you immerse yourself in the passing of time;
when what you do
matters and not just for you;
when you add value to the minute you live
by being there, in the NOW simply active

selma

http://news.duke.edu/2008/10/harvestofblossoms.html

selma was herself a flower
about to bloom like any other
but in her times the lives of many men
were rather short
and not all had
the chance to bloom
as nature meant.
she planned her blooming
with a pen on paper
writing what life would be like
what it was like, and where
her dreams would take her
if they could grow wings;
and very far indeed they took her.
today we've learned abut her joyful soul
selma's who would have been a grandma now
is young, and fresh as her poems' lines
have kept her
flying brave on the wings
of her very own dreams.

(Selma was born in the city where one of the greatest romanian poets Mihai Eminescu went to School - Cernauti)

mind

mind your own business
and mind the presence of others
be a part of their day
and guide them if they go astray

take care of the youngsters
and steer them to the straight old paths
or let them walk on a new one
but warn them if they risk to get bitten

talk to your friends
and talk to your neighbors
be aware that you are not really alone
but part of the whole

if the hand hurts, the arm suffers
if the foot it strong, the leg follows
we all are at times parts of one mechanism
we want rolling wholesome

when lonely times come think
about good deeds others have done onto us,
and how we touched -carefully,
the life of others - near us and strangers

quote of the day

and in the silent, sometimes hardly moving times
when something is coming near,
I want to be with those who know secret things
or else alone.
. . .
. . . I want to unfold.
I don't want to stay folded anywhere,
because where I am folded, there I am a lie.

- Rainer Maria Rilke

gray

love old people who have good memories of the past
even if it simply because they tender to you filtered events
they preserved in their memory's sieve
as the few golden sand grains of their times

love their gray hairs for it means wisdom earned hardly
under many sunshined and an equal number of rainy days;
loved their tired legs for they have walked up and down many paths
and many a days they held their children lovingly by their hands

without their images they bring to us from the past
how would we now know where today stands;
how would we trust that tomorrow will come for most of us
no matter what were the events we've seen on the news

no matter how many mistakes, no matter how many victories
there are things that can tip the balance
and we have to accept them and start walking right
towards the future they have promised to us, most of us

so better hold hands, better make friends
and kiss the old man sweetly and ask for their stories
get better for the sake of tomorrow
when you will be the gray haired ones.

quote of the day

"when hatred with its package comes
you forbid delivery!"
L Cohen

orange

image from altese.blogspot.com, courtesy of chickpea

I am gonna wear a happy color today
it may be orange
I am gonna sing
a cheerful song as if it always were spring

I am gonna climb like a monkey
on the highest tree
I am gonna be
as happy as an orange dressed woman can be

I am gonna give thanks for all presents
life gave me
for the chance I can take
and dance till I get out of my limited self
(and dance till I am free of my limited self)

growing up

how comes the older I get
the smaller I feel?
as fast and as strong as I am
I cannot get faster than light?

and what would happen
if however I could
run as fast as light does
can you please explain?

the more I think the less I seem to know
but my brain does grow
in every possible way
if I train it well everyday

perhaps it is since I've learned
that the world is so big
we don't know its limit
that I want to be able to push it.

One thing or two
I still want from you
and eternal supply of hugs
and kiss when you tuck me in bed

blogs

blogs are like houses
with open windows;
some let you look out
and open your eyes to the world;
and some have you whirled
into a self centered hangout

somebody asked

image from ToniGCappel.com
somebody asked
how can so much love
live in such a little room
clean and airy as it is?

and he moved in
a bigger house, accompanied
by the aroma of red flowers
from the little house's windows

stormy questions to Tilly Ipswitch

how does it feel?
to storm over the seas
tormenting the waves
who sing to the moon

how does it feel riding a broom
with a cat behind your back
shrieking a tune
at Halloween?

how would it feel pumpkin
to share your light in the night
sweeten your mind
cause it's all right

ascent

(this one to CTB and AAI)

this mountain I climbed
with no horizon in sight
under a ceiling of clouds
just because you held my hand

one step after another
on a path none that I know
ever tried - being afraid it was
to steep to enjoy - so why bother

little leaps we took
on white rocks
humid with sweat
while we were burning with thirst

I was getting ready
to complain about the pain
building in my body
as it was growing stronger

when we started to see flowers
confronting the wind
with a giggle; tiny shrubs
creeping close and stable to the ground

little creatures we did see
living their live joyfully
under a sky with brave vultures
waiting for pray

if this is the way they live;
we might as well
allow ourselves all the elation
brought by thin air

once we get above the clouds
we'll calmly breath and take in
the view of the sky, and the valley,
and wondrous things the trip has taught us

bitter sea

and why should I
love you bitter sea
when all you give back
in return for the memory
I slowly build in the sand
at your feet is a quick wash
with the wave of your hand;

perhaps you stay
beautiful always
cause you have no memory
no passion, but just enough salt
to keep the rest of us thirsty
and forgive you for the days
when you are angry and mad

heroic waltz

to my many boo booed heroes
a boo boo, a bruise and a scratch
on my leg, on my hand
on my head which looks like
and egg ready to hatch

a booo boo, a bruise and a scratch
have found their way on my tummy,
the only place I though safe
from their horrible army

the hands ..it must be the trees
I was climbing with my friend Elise
the legs ... the balls I was trying to get
from under the car of our vet

but the tummy?
mine was dedicated to things that are yummy
and now it displays
the wounds from mysterious falls

there is no place on my body
without a sign to show
what a brave child I am
there's no soap to erase them

no matter how hard I try
the heroic marks are here to stay
with me for the week so I better learn how to dance
with a boo boo, a bruise and a scratch

hey mom I have found
(and I am happy to say)
there a clean spot on my back
now can I go out and play?

last night's storm

the unnamed storm has swept
the neighborhood
last night
and many trees have shed
their leaves
outright.

the kids came out this morning
gay and bright
they run
to catch the school bus
in their colored jackets
fast;

and as their shoes are stomping
in the puddles
and they splash,
their memories of the scare last night
will be dissolved in a brief discussion
by the traffic light

dance

the night is young
and they just learn to dance
as a pair to keep their balance
they are full of excitement
and sometimes fear failure
which makes them take careful steps
on a dance floor made of thin ice;

slowly their steps get smoother,
they seem to glide longer
their heart beats by no means softer
they are as beautiful
as intersecting comets on the night sky
till it dawns on them the dance is over
and they seal the magic with a bow to each other

dog tale

My dog is a mixed breed
a combination
between a poodle and a pig;
he has a fascination
with puddles
and ditches, cables and switches
and all little toys
he can fit in his mouth;
he's chewing on shoes
and he's chewing on books
he likes socks whether paired
or mismatched
and then to be forgiven
for all this sinful chewing
he'd steal a toothbrush
and use it intensely
to erase any marks
from his sparkling white teeth,
the sweet son of a pig!

image matters -draft

I am gonna pay you
and you should make me look good
cause I have learned
how image matters these days
to most folks
and you better work well
while your friend here
will build a foundation
to support a monument
to my perfect ego
of tomorrow.
do not worry about yourself
good man
I have though about you too
I will write your name
on the monument
you build for all of us,
for which I had the vision
and the means to bring it to life
and keep it
dancing
on the line of flotation
(will call it today
as a promise for tomorow).

SM post

I read a forum on selective mutism and found these interesting poems that let us glimpse inside a rich but different world. How can we reach inside and touch with warmth and give confidence?

(by rainbow)


1.
If i could talk
I would
If i wanted to
I should.

But i cant.

It's just not that
Simple.
Its not that
Easy.

I'd shout and shout
But no words would come out.

Why cant they see?
What is wrong with me?

2.
My world just aint the same
As those who can say a name.
I'm different
But nobody knows
Just how hard it is...

I want to speak like you
But you just aint got a clue.

The words are stuck.
There's no escape.
I scream, I scream
But
No sound i make.
It's true...
...I want to be like you.

3.
I'm happy being me
I cant talk
But i can see
What its like
For those like me.

Give us time
Dont shout
Just wait to see
What we're all about.

4.
Dont shout
Because we cant talk.
You wouldnt push those
Who cannot walk.

Just because you cannot see
What exactly is wrong with me.

Give me time
Give me a chance
Maybe one day
I will sing and dance...

love (again?)

love is at times
a river flowing;
sometimes
an ocean roaring;

a mountain to climb
an unavoidable valley;
a trip to make
a rest you need

on the trail you take
wherever you are headed
make sure that you walk
in harmony

among yourselves,
and the greater forest
make patience
build trust

give
forgive
dream
with the chose one

love is what you make of it
and you better take care
cause you are yourselves
part of it

spice world (working on it)

we live in a flavorful world
a mysterious world of spices
small but powerful,
tiny but able to leave memories
on a beach of bland foods
for our own tastebuds
and those of unexpected visitors
at the dinner table

I am trying to harness my dog
with the power of spices;
he just got his share
of black pepper on objects
he is not supposed to chew.
when have you though last
of the repressive powers of
spices? well trainers do :)

crooked haiku

the boss is always right
(or he just might)
I need some gin and tonic in the night
so I can write! write! write!

at the end of the day

and where is your heart my dear today
have you left it somewhere on the road,
between trains, or at the last bus stop,
mixed up by the business of the day?

and where do your dreams project
the facts of the day? did you make any plans
do you still think where you would like to go
if tomorrow will come?

are you perhaps tired today
of your daily races and would like to breath
slowly with a friend at the end of the day
telling each other stories of no matter what

for the simple joy of sharing time and mind?
would you like to wrap your arms around
me and I will support your dreams with my trunk?
We will grow together greener and higher

under the sun
will have to relearn to reflect
warmth and candor
and learn to listen to the pulse of today

summer rain

it is one of these last days of summer

when the balance did not tilt yet in the favor of fall

when the sun caresses the kids hair

and turns it for a minute to gold

it is one of these days when grapes taste best

when the smell of rotten fruit has nothing unhealthy about it

when melons still roll through the garden

in search for the joy of one more day of vacation.

it is one of these weeks when if it rains

the kids have no fear but instead want to feel it

they have no desire to get into the house 

and perhaps watch cartoons;

it is one of these days when teenagers

are busy adding a whole inch to their height;

one of these days when their bodies fill up

with warmth and energy to last them enough

through fall and at least some of winter

it is one of these magic seasons

when it's raining babies

around the neighborhood

and they all come out with their sun hats on

and their parent carry them with joy

on their breast, in their arms

in a parade of new life 

in a declaration of love

and strength - cause they have the power

to carry all

for all the trip's length

and through all seasons ahead

so help them God! 

quote of the day

"sometimes I think we're not real
we are just (playing a part) in God's dream" AKB

chess song

men maybe pawns
but they have brains of their owns
beware they can change
the rules of the game
they need to know
in their minds
that their king makes
the right moves
or else they may choose
to leave the board
and let the king
and maybe their queen
dance alone
to their tune

advice of the decade

- for a scholar-

"read (the literature) for two hours a day"
PTF

comment:
reading is still work, work that makes you grow, and you do not want to stay in place!

metro news or the good old boys

this one to the peaceful writers of our own Durham local placeblogs

where are the days
when the good old boys
who worked for the newspaper
where there all day long
and most of the night
sipping their beer and telling a tale
waiting for the next big thing to happen
while they were there.

where are the local old boys
proud to be dressed in gray suits
and dusty fast shoes
are they still waiting
by the phone, at the pub?

have they been replaced
perhaps because their rides home
took a little longer everyday
as the city grew larger;
perhaps because they were one day allowed
to start a family
and lingering at the pub
suddenly did not seem as tempting
as it used to;
or maybe because
somewhere far away
a non local guy bends hard everyday
and looks to understand what happened
in their corner of the world
and then writes a story
much cheaper.


they may have changed out of their suits
but they are still here on the field
the writers and makers of news,
our daring brothers
in sneakers and boots,
in sunshine and storms
they can say good bye to the past
and in with the news!

the forgiving plant

this one for Maria, who can write poems about food and prose about other important aspects of life

Basil
the emperor herb
spreads generously
aroma when touched

basil
too proud to ask
for much care
shines in the sun as much as it can

basil
when left unattended
in the scorcher heat
wrinkles and wilts

basil
will never complain
(in fact it is but a plant)
and will try to survive for as long as it can

basil
when finally remembered
and throughly watered
will come back to life with majestic power

when watered
and appreciated
will reward you with its wonderful smell
(and let you make good pesto as well)

disregarding

disregarding
the fact that is summer
sunny and 90 degrees in the shade
we dress with long sleeved shirts
hard pressed collars
heels and black pants.
because today it looks good
and it makes us look cool.
all it takes is turning the AC on.

we've learned to make our day
relatively comfortable.
who cares if outside
of our little enclave
the world burns a little bit faster
the river flows
a little bit slower
the ice melts a little bit faster
and seasons have forgotten
how to time their rule.
maybe, if given another chance
our kids will.

the poem

she loves poems
and she requests
to hear one every day
it has to have rhymes
and an image
to dance with it.

she loves poems
but they should be
always the same
- one of those who became
a good friends of hers;
one of those who she knows rather well

it takes time
to befriend truly and deeply
a new poem
and you know by now
that she is not
the kind who falls in love easily

tea

I suggest
you share
a cup of green tea
with a friend

sweeten it
with a cookie
made by your friend's
hands; or yours

relax
this day shall pass
good or bad
as others have

what you have
is this cup of tea
and the option to stirr it
gently

the way you want it
elegantly
if you will only relax
it is 'bout tea

heat

photo courtesy Melinama - http://pratie.blogspot.com/
this one for River Dave and Josie

a day on the Eno
we passed
where the river talks
his stories in a low voice
under the elm trees
where the river goes
in invisible swirls up to the sky
because it evaporates
while we somehow manage
to gently slide our boats
on its mirror like surface.
is it still water or is it still running?
almost effortlessly the grass sweats
blue sweat
while the strings play
along side a tuba
old music of the Carolina.

now that is monday and cloudy
we wait for another day
to go on the Eno
even if the newspapers say
it's gonna be cloudy we know
it might well be cloudy
with a chance of rainbow

sweet love

her love is so sweet
if you only could get
enough of it
sometimes it feels
like there is
more need for it
for her being sweet
so sweet

song of the day - summertime (lyrics- DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin; music -G. Gershwin)

Summertime,
And the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin'
And the cotton is high

Your daddy's rich
And your mamma's good lookin'
So hush little baby
Don't you cry

One of these mornings
You're going to rise up singing
Then you'll spread your wings
And you'll take to the sky

But till that morning
There's a'nothing can harm you
With daddy and mamma standing by

Summertime,
And the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin'
And the cotton is high

Your daddy's rich
And your mamma's good lookin'
So hush little baby
Don't you cry

summer days, water days

these are the days
when the kids move swiftly
from one stage to another
as they jump in the middle of summer

these are the days
when they still give their parents
kisses and hugs
without being afraid of their peers

these are the days when
light lingers longer and sleep
does not want to come to the eyes
cause it must be afraid of the heat

these are the days of splashes
and swimming fins
and floats and other sorts of devices
to keep them afloat

until they have really learned to swim
until they have grown wings
and the will to go away from home
and learn on their own

these are the days to cherish
and write about in our diaries of love,
save their pictures in albums of photos
and put into songs

Cape Hatteras

image courtesy of NASA
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/EFS/photoinfo.pl?PHOTO=STS034-83-69

We're back from the wonderful place of sand and water called Outer Banks. Such a fragile territory, such a powerful ocean and weather. We learned about the brave men of the sea - and some of their challenges and loneliness. We learned about the value of lighthouses and climbed to the top of the tallest brick lighthouse - Hatteras.
We learned about the wind that helped give wings to the Wright brothers.
We flew kites.
But mostly we enjoyed the waves and the sand.

"STS034-83-69 Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, U.S.A. October 1989
The famous barrier island coast of Cape Hatteras, is visible in this near vertical of the North Carolina coast. This barrier island system is protected as the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, with Pamlico Sound to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. A plume of sediment, visible off of the tip of Cape Hatteras, creates a light blue color in the Atlantic Ocean waters. This outflow is from the precipitation runoff of Hurricane Hugo (Sept. 1989) which was still evident during the STS-34 mission (Oct. 1989). This same delayed or extended runoff phenomenon was also very marked along the periphery of the Yucatan Peninsula following Hurricane Gilbert in 1988."

symbiosis

we've build our city in the forest

because we thought we love it;

now we're cutting down the trees

because we're growing

we live with the ever thinning impression

of a forest, and one should ask:

are we trying hard enough 

to keep it from disappearing in ashes at dusk?

kid quotes

I love it on the balance bean!
Let's take the alligator.
you have to say CUCUMBEARRRS!
Ana

float

today the river will flow
effortlessly
to the sound of the wind
in the trees;

today the light will shine
calmly
on the foreheads of those
who look at the sky;

today you can float
worry free
on the river of life
and let your heart shine

because baby today
your family and your friends
lend you their wings
and their fins to keep you afloat
I will keep watch carefully.
lovingly and I know
that tomorrow
you will learn to swim
gracefully in this river
of everyday's life;


anybody can
push you in the water
nobody really can
teach you how to swim
but we will cheer
send you tips
lots of information
you would have never asked for
and you will find in yourself
the skills that you need
and grow
strong and young
in the shade of old trees
ready to cut through them
to get out into the light
while the river flows
as always
effortlessly
to the sound of the wind
in the trees.

quote of the day

"I love you more than math and apple pie!"
my son's message for mother's day

the forgiving song

happy birthday to Ty
who nibbled on my pie;
happy birthday to Lila
who drank my vanilla;
happy birthday to Lucy
who drank my juicy;
happy birthday to Bob
who stole my lollipop!

I am happy today
and I am gonna forgive you all
not gonna feel small
cause it is my birthday
and I wish it was the same everyday!

alligator, want a ride?

today I will put my water shoes on
and get my feet wet
i know there is an aligator in a pond
and I will take it for a ride
we may go to the river
and I will cruise on its back
and all the fish will quietly think
"what the heck?"

wine cup

give me a cup
and I'll pour the wine
from the grapes sweetened
by the summer sun
I am sure you will not mind
the fact that their skin was wrinkled
from waiting long enough
to gather the essence of sun;
we crushed them with young feet
who did not mind getting stained;
their only joy was to extract
the essence in wine;
the truth in a golden sweet wine

empty space

somebody must have put
a balloon in my heart
or else why would I feel
pressure and emptiness
at the same time?
and all this because
you decided (or maybe
it was somebody else)
that you must leave
one day and I
must stay.

but a day will come
when I will fill
my balloon with hot air
or maybe better
with lots of oxygen
and I will fly
above oceans and land
and I might hold
a hand in my hand
or a least the memory
of a hand in my brain.

(this day I may
fill many of the empty
spaces in the world
or at least in our immediate
surrounding universe
with songs and with joy;
I am thinking to ask you today
would you care
for a ride
with a hot air balloon
and perhaps an infusion
with pure oxygen?)

girl of the sea

photo from Aradena and http://www.west-crete.com
- this one is for Trudy-

she broke her chains
the girl of the sea
and she lifted her arms
for all to see she was free

she stormed through the village
eager to find
what she left behind
before she was captured by Poseidonas

she walked carefully
in disbelief
cause it seemed
she had missed about 200 years

the old houses somehow stood up
their stones as resilient as ever
even the wood confronted time
but the people have fled

perhaps they were looking for water
perhaps they were looking for work
the people have fled
but the village had tried to freeze time

the girl of the village
stood straight for a while
then run to find paint and a camera
to capture the village in a picture

she painted the village
she painted the meadow
she brought there young children
to look the past in the eye

her ties with the past severed,
her treasured, even the painful memories
she left on the ground with the stones
and she started to dance with the sun

she broke her chains
the girl of the sea
and she lifted her arms
for all to see she was free

grateful

let us be grateful for people who love other people
grateful for the shower of light they pour onto us
with their thoughts and prayers and acts
grateful for the day we begin
knowing they share it with us.

like mirrors may we reflect back unto them
their kindness when times get rough
but also let us enjoy together the days
when sun shines in the sky and love lives
happily within our hearts.

the folkoric ensemble

image from http://natura.di.uminho.pt/ARQEVO/textospa/html/pandeiro/pandeiro.htm


the old women got together
at the request of the young
and they sung;

their voices a bit rough
raised above the ground
while they sat and sung;

like shoots ready to bloom
with much force fed
from their roots;


even the cold air of winter
started to warm up
and dance

to the rhythms of the music
the old women
sung

the young women
recorded their songs with joy
so they could be relived

outside of the village
her kids would one day unwrap
a treasure of song

quote of the day

"Don't forget to tell your loved ones that you love them" Pavel Yarmolenko

weeping willow

image by Roberto Picco from Sacile (PN), Italy
- for a young girl who left ahead of her time -

she is not in her house today
she went to the river to cry
for reasons that only a young mind
can understand.
she is not here today
she will not be here tomorrow
the river has fallen in love with her tears
and wanted to keep her nearby
forever to wash her hair in its streams.
she must have turned into a weeping willow
and lives somewhere here on the river shores
and if you really miss her voice
you should bring your guitar at sunset
go to the river and quietly seat somewhere
on the shores , cause this is where
she might decide to play a tune
with her tears on your strings

be

be here for me
when our roads will finally cross
this a chance given to us
to be there for each other

be here for me
and for anybody who will cross
your path and ask for help
or maybe not

be here for me
to look me in the eye
and get to know me
and by me I mean just anybody

I in turn
will try to listen
to your steps and learn
from you how it is to walk your path

a helping hand
I'll try to lend
if those who yesterday have crossed my path
have done like that

we'll ban indifference
out of the city
if only you'd be here for me
as I will be there for you

to say hello
and mean each other well
relearn to learn instead of judging
when we cross our paths.

a little bit of this, a little bit of that

A little bit of sea
and a little bit of beach,
at the end of the road
I learned to love to walk;

a little bit of shade
under the willow tree,
and little bitty shells
to tickle all your toes;

a little bit of time
to stay there
and live live in quiet moments
found at the edge of town

a little bit of that
and a little bit of you
is all I need today
to report that I am happy.

transition

image from Ma&Pa

it is the month of may, a month of transition
at the edge between two beautiful seasons.
the colors are shifting
from the cool green of spring
to the hot pink of rhododendrons,
smart flowers who have learned
to use their branches like hands
to delicately tip the balance of colors
towards the misty beginning of summer.

my son

my son wrote a poem today
he made it a musical game;
when he said it I caught
his eyes twinkle
with the joy of words
transformed into light
my sweet periwinkle.

1 May

the first of may
is the day when we should rest
so that the eye can see
the whole beauty of flowers
to be made into crowns
and hanged on the doors
of our houses
waiting for guests

the next day
we should return
to working in peace
from the fields
left to be wild
and pretty
to the fields that work hard
to feed feed us

3 questions awaiting answers

How can you make somebody love the world they live in?
How can you make somebody love the house they live in?
How can you make somebody love the people they live with?

spring rain

drip drop
flip flop
rains on me
rains on thee
I do not care if I get wet
but want some sun
to enjoy dawn

know that

if one day I am not here for you
know that my love always is;
once you were born it has grown
to full bloom and will stay
that way

if one day you will miss
my advice think if I would be there,
what would I say to you
what would I like to know before you go
that way?

if one day day you feel happy
I wish you will share it with me, and if
one day you feel sad I wish you will share it with me
or find a good friend who comes
your way

share yourself, build yourself, make yourself
part of the life of others
help them build, help them trust and have hope
and faith and stay on the right side
of the way

I in turn may decide one day to slowly fade away,
in a forest of grandchildren and dreams
or is a sea of quiet waves sailing towards unkown shores
but will keep an eye on you,
for you are my love that blooms everyday,
your way.
(to A&A)

treasure

this treasure I cannot keep safe
and stored, there is no box
that can contain a handshake
or a kiss from a dear friend;
it's so fragile that it can crumble
under the high pressure of time
or lack of time - it hurts it either way,
to save this treasure one can write
and share the main events of a good day.
(the current deposit in the treasure bank
is that Frank came to visit yesterday).

wisdom of the earth

photo courtesy Frank Starmer


it's been so long
that dreams and thoughts
who used to burn
have turned to stone
they settled
after many rains
and storms
and build a monument
to the collective
wisdom of the man

cupola

a thin curtain
separates us from rain
a thin glass wall
separates light from darkness.
our eyes blinded by the truths
we fabricate ourselves
warm themselves at the sight
of a large plasma screen.
it is this screen today
that squeezes tears
from tired eyelids
when the right emotions
have been projected
from the back of our brains.
and when has the screen come
as pretty as can be
to replace time
with family and bonding with friends
and when did our emotions arise
from seeing experiences of others
which remind us of ours?
and when did friends start to build walls
around imaginary cities
when have we learned to enjoy these walls
we surround ourselves with,
saying that they might protect us
against undesired invasions;
when have we drawn these beautiful curtains
to hide the fact that we like
to separate us
like these thin glass screens
that separate light from darkness.

perfect

I think the world must be perfect today
it has turned for so long that all the square heads
should have become round by now
and work together like a team in perfect shape

peace

you first learn about peace
as a baby
before you can name
your mommy
it happens when you sleep,
and care for nobody else
in the world
unless they disturb
your dream
or your feeding routine.
you have no envies
and nobody envies
or plans to invade
your territories.

as a toddler you start
to learn that achieving
the blissful state of peace
involves sometimes pain
and the strong hold of your hands
is not always enough
to hold on to what
you wish for.

as an older man
you may learn
to let go
to forgive and forget
so that you are a peace
and at ease with the world
and the people of the day
who make it spin
peace may very well mean
live and let live
and you learn
to leave some space
somewhere for love
whenever it wishes to come
home to you
bearing your grandson
in her arms.

today

today is spring
and life is busy
blossoming the trees
and filling up the creeks
with water fresh
as daybreak.

today my friends
a song is circling
high above our heads
in harmony
with the blue sky
and its white clouds

gather your hands
and pull yourselves
above the problems
winter piled
on our heads for
it is time to spring forwards

it is time to help
each other through the day
to feed each other's hunger
it is time for trust
new hope and building
happiness today

while spring
and life are busy
blossoming the trees
and filling up the creeks
with water fresh
as daybreak.

my friend

for Nasha

my friend is one
whose love grew wings
on her back so she can soar
and fly all the way
across any possible ocean
and all mountains
just to see if I do well
just to share a cup of tea
or orangeade and the latest
gossip of the day
I in turn
prepare each morning a double
cup of tea and read
carefully the newspaper
and the face of my kid
so we have what to share.
and when we meet
beyond the gates of a dream!
what a joy it will be.
one day if I too
learn to love enough
I can hope
to grow a nice and strong pair og wings
on my back
so I can soar
and return my friend's visit back.
and when we shall meet
beyond the gates of a dream
oh what a joy
will it be that day
when we meet

harmony

let the air flow
into your chest;
and from there
to the most remote cells
and back

let yourself float
on quiet waters;
in equilibrium but moving
with your very own
flow

and who are you
anyway to worry
about yourself;
when you are but a tiny piece
of the world?

let worries flow
with your breath;
from your chest to a place so remote
that they will not even attempt
to come back.

quote of the day

just do it!
NIKE

rise and shine

rise and shine
the morning looks gray
we need your smile
to save the day!

happiness

(1)

Happiness is a ride
on a rusty bike
at the edge of the sea
with a friend by your side.


(2)
happiness happens when you ride
on your rusty bike
at the edge of the sea
with a friend by your side.

fear

when fear crawls
under your bed
say it loud
that you are brave

make a plan
how you can bar
its vicious bite
I know you can

pull yourself up
above all fear
reality is what is near
and you can choose

to feel the light
to take the step
that will take you
where you need to get

someday

some day I am gonna start
a big fight
against the inequalities
of trees

some of them are simply
too tall
to let others thrive
in their shade


some of them are
rapacious
building huge hats
to capture light

all for themselves
but light
should be shared
equally

especially
since it comes free
to us
including the short ones.

don't cover the head
of little ones
with your shade
unless you want them
perhaps protected
from storms
and then it is you
tall ones
bringing a service
to the short ones
and you can only hope
for the future
they will keep making
just reasonable
demands
or else I will have to start
another fight

blue balloon

the blue balloon
had lost the kid
who led its way
thorough town today

he hopped a little
down the street
he hopped a little
up the street

then he decided
he would follow
cars who came
its way

and after hopping
to my joy
for many minutes
on my street

he must have met
somehow a nail
to make him pop
or he would still be here today.

three

image from photo.net/photos/dzchang




at about three o'clock
three graces show up
around my trillium tree
to break from work
and share a cup
of linden tea

(can I use tilia instead of linden?)

cemelias (2)

camelias push with gentle force
petal after petal against frost
their buds to open;thus they soften
the winter as perceived in our souls.