a week's portrait

dogwood tree
detail

on Monday color my day in dreamy pastel;
on Tuesday pair me some lively colors;
on Wednesday mix them all frantically;
on Thursday try to sort out the meaning
of the painting you should finish by Friday;
on Saturday drink black coffee and break
so you can finish the week with magic
touches on Sunday - and sign it.

rain

rain falls on your head
choose to protect it or be
grateful for the rain

the loop

spring sprouts green shoots up
hungry soil feeds the shoots now
next will be their turn

(soil will feed later)

what are stones for

stones are for being rounded
by water flowing
persistently among them

goal

set your priorities right while life is here to be lived.
there will always be problems to solve, work to be done,
kids who get sick then better, and ready to run
which ones come first is your pick.

some chose a crazy busy life style and since then have tried
hard to do multiple tasks at one time, or at least most of them in a day
while the length of the same day stayed stuck
at 24 hours - no more than that

they got somehow forgetful while doing their best
to keep on track. some have lost objects, some memories,
and some even the idea that life is still here to be lived,
walks are to be walked, while your legs are still strong

meals are to be cooked, souls to be nourished,
love to be shared, hugs to be exchanged, mountains to be climbed,
seas to be tried wave after wave - so many things to be done
while life is still here, strongly desiring to be lived.

can't do them all at once, we have to chose wisely,
we have to stay calm, cause rush is burning the time
we have to just set our priorities right,
while still keeping the right to change them - later.

azaleas and dogwoods

photo Andrea Allison

these are the days when the colors spring
from the azalea bushes
from deep red to white through all hues of pink
to the level of our hearts

they are bursting with joy from expectations
of good weather days
of running and jumping on wide open fields
worry free blessed moments

dogwoods rise higher and calmer offering their
cross shaped flowers
to remind us at Easter time of the suffering
of the purest cross bearer

no Ps allowed

One can read this sign as: no Ps allowed!
how about these: passion, perseverance, progress, peace?

(bicycle) days on the hills

photo credit:Maarten van der Burgt


when times run slower I would use my bicycle
to go to school, to work, pretty much everywhere
on those hills that I used to call home;
on the smooth roads that would lead to a beach
at sunset and the end of a day.
the fields and the bushes, daring bougainvilleas and trees
I learned to know, and even the bees that were visiting these.
the people at the corner store, and the old women
in charge of the house where they were growing their nephews,
I would see from the road going about routine life.
the light and the breeze were my friends, the hills themselves
had become part of me, after many days of living together so close.
the bicycle resembled a horse and all I had to do was
look for the windmills Don Quijote had missed.

Now that I am awake and no longer live within dreams
I still miss the light and the breeze, and the effort
I was able to put in traversing those hills;
I miss their little noises like the the buzz of the bees .
Silent cars have replaced many of the bicycles
my friends and I used on a bumpier street.
I think rushing people have promised themselves more time
to to what they want once they reach their destination at the beach.
On the same road old people still used to walking and talking
head in peace towards the same beach at the end of the day.
As for me I continue to see : less from the seat of my bike
more through the car's window new windmills Don Quijote has missed;
look hard - they're real if you only can see them,
they disappear when you don't think of them.

science fair and feegles

Yesterday was Hope Valley Elementary first Science Fair. Got to view interesting projects, some involving more some less the parents. Liked the project where one whole class had contribued to building a roller coaster. Some projects needed a little "filtration" - like the one on aliens, or the one presenting a Rumba. Overall a great experience and well deserved congratulations to the science teacher and the contributors.
Meanwhile I am introduced fast to the world of the Feegles. Good & fun reading for young girls and boys - from Terry Pratchett.

http://www.playergallery.com/cv.html

rain, rain come again

today the rain came as a friend
to help me clean the deck of pollen.
to spare me the need
to wash the car hybrid;
tonight I hope the rain
she will visit us again
else the carpet of pollen
would have grown to my nose
make it itch and ready to sneeze
with every little bit of a breeze