24 Poems ~ 24 Hours
The downstairs closet is our haven,
When storms blow fiercely through the town.
When the sirens sound so loudly,
It’s time to hunker down.
Thankfully my fur babies,
Like to follow me all the time.
We wait it out together, until things are clear and fine.
“Follow me!” wafted on the breeze,
then laughter like a melody.
I ran towards the sound floating in the air,
A friendly sprite perhaps with little care.
The trees were dark then parted to light,
A secret pathway to my delight.
“Follow me!” wafted once again,
and off I went to find my new friend.
The mountains are majestic, the cow mooed as to agree,
I could not ask on vacation for better company.
A photo to remember when our gaze did meet,
A vacation in the mountains, it really can’t be beat.
Photo by Andrew Shaughnessy
A bucket in the cellar held the beet crop from last week.
Grandma was going to can them with cinnamon, a favorite family treat.
The house tremored as a gang of elks roamed near,
kicking grandma’s worry into high gear.
“This wouldn’t happen on the bayou, back home.”
She cried out, as her elbow jabbed my side.
beet *
jacket
tremor *
bayou *
elbow *
lightbulb
cinnamon*
bucket *
elk*
carport
Away from the cars, the trucks, the airplanes overhead,
The lights, the noise, the electronics keeping us fueled with dread.
Deep breath in and exhale out, turning gaze up to the sky.
A small piece of the galaxy am I.
Words can come out easily,
They can be cruel or can be kind.
They can fill pages of a story,
Or a poem filled with rhyme.
When thoughts are racing through our heads.
Words can come out easily.
Filters fall away.
Words come out that we regret each day.
Words can freeze upon the tongue,
We can find what needs to be said,
Words can come out easily,
What will we choose to say.
The names fill the white board,
A tombstone drawn in jest.
Those who moved to other places,
This office no longer the best.
Picking up the pieces.
New hires are moving in.
There’s training and much
work left to begin.
Work from home, work from the office,
What helps people want to stay?
Retirements starting,
Who is next?
Anyone the lottery want to play?
The puppy likes to play in water,
including eating it from the hose,
Watering the garden is interesting,
He’ll interrupt where the water goes.
The adult dog enjoys soaking up the sun,
where there’s water she’ll run away.
They are a crazy pair, different as night and day.
It’s fun to watch them play.
The puppy likes to wrestle wildly, to pin his sister to the ground.
The adult dog likes to race, running round and round.
The puppy is a vacuum, inhaling everything he can,
The adult dog likes to graze, leaving kibble in her pan.
One cuddles closely, the other independent through and through,
One was a challenge, so I got crazy and now have two.
They were thirteen years a part,
Introduced by a mutual acquaintance from the church,
Corresponding long distance was how they dated at first.
Traveling to meet family, her brothers pranked my dad,
The laughter, the marriage, then the kids,
First brother, then ’twas me.
Then a dog to round it out, a full house family.
They didn’t age like fine wine,
More like spoiled milk upon the shelf.
Divorced, a part, in the middle,
No once upon a time.
My full house is quite different,
but it’s treating me quite fine.
Two dogs, two cats, and me,
Never a dull moment to be found.
Who do we look past, when we scurry about our day.
Looking at our phones, or lost in thoughts along the way.
Who do we talk to, when running to and from,
Do we notice anything in the places we do go?
Please and thank you,
have a nice day.
Simple words oft left unsaid.
Look up, look out, take a moment,
Share kindness, it’s okay.