A Sad Thanksgiving

December 20, 1990

 

Once again he has pulled out the plug

so fast.

He did it once before.

I'm here hurting.

I guess his feelings for someone else

are stronger.

I'm left very small

on the beach

as the waves move outward

their backs to me.

He zoomed in so fast

and now has zoomed out

so fast.

I could never really keep in step

with his dance.

But now the dance floor is empty.

Writing out my sadness

like talking to a sympathetic soul.

The paper who is there

and listens and listens

and does not do a fast dance

and step on my toes. 

Soon the day will begin

with places to go

and people to see

and things to do.

Amazing I can still do

when I hurt so bad.

Beauty melts in my hand -

He was so there

pouring love all over me

like warm yellow butterscotch sauce

warming cold ice cream.

Now he's gone.

He tossed an excuse my way yesterday.

Now today the silence mocks me.

Paper, keep being with me

and pen, keep holding my hand.

Maybe it's time to cry

the tears, rain drops

washing away gray clouds.

Paper, keep me company,

Pen, keep holding my hand.

I cry for a time I wasn't alone

and my insides didn't hurt.

A time I had comfort.

Where is my God;

my own sense of calm?

Are they behind this thicket?

Holidays are a time

people unite and are glad to be together.

Today I'm left alone

and it hurts.

The Cheese Stands Alone game

I'm in.

 

 

A SCENE IN CHICAGO

February 4, 1965

 

Roof tops look like squares

And blend into the lake behind

With its ridged waves.

 

 

A TODDLER AM I

March 22, 2022

 

A toddler am I

craving attention

and comfort.

I go to the ocean

and waves hum to me

and give me attention.

 

 

Acrobatic Waves

March 7, 2020

 

Acrobatic waves

tumbling to shore

Cartwheels

Somersaults

Boas

Flying Feathers flying.

All crashing

Into each other.

 

 

Are these slow motion churnings

June 15, 1967

 

Are these slow motion churnings

Worth recording?

Are they worth preserving,

Carrying and pinning down

Straight for all times?

Should I thank or scorn

The small enclosed areas

That cause such waves

To crash to the shore?

 

 

As A Toddler, I Loved to Run

May 3, 1997

 

As a toddler, I loved to run

to the water and welcomed waves

cozying around my feet.

I'd jump up and down and laugh.

The wave would then pull back

and rush away -

and somehow that was okay.

Off to the far horizon, it would travel

until just a sparkle in the distance.

So now I'm a grown woman.

The foam of your lovemaking comes to me,

and I feel good all over;

But then it will pull away

off to the distant horizon.

I want to be able to stand tall

and have it okay.

 

 

AS SOON AS I ARRIVE

November 13, 2023

 

As soon as I arrive,

the waves start to roll

and surf lights up

and birds gather!

I am attracting

so much attention

creates activity and glory.

 

 

AS WE PULL INTO MARINA

December 21, 2023

 

As we pull into Marina,

a seagull is waiting

to greet us.

Sky dressed up

in fancy clouds

as if going to a party.

My friend escorts me

His presence

sets tone for calm

Waves settle down

and boats take naps

and snore

as they snooze.

 

 

At Cliff House

December 11, 2019

 

Surf pulling up

Silk sheets of waves

Cozying up around cheeks

of huge round black boulders

Lazy afternoon

Just cozying up.

​

AT DEVILS SLIDE

April 1, 2021

 

Round buff-colored boulders

sticking out like teddy bear arms

reaching out to hold me

while white bedsheets of white waves

Want to tuck me in tighter

while birds sing lullabies

Wide crumpled up waves

are crumpled up bedsheets

All wanting to cozy me

 

 

At The Beach 2021 2

September 21, 2021

 

At the beach

when we get out of your car

waves get bigger

and more swollen with white.

Back into car,

the waves shrink back into being

more flat.

 

 

Away

October 23, 1998

 

Away

far away

on a smooth sandy beach

I became the sand

porus and waiting.

The sun and waves

God's loving Grace

covers and fills.

 

 

AWFUL POUNDING WORDS

March 22, 2022

 

Awful pounding words

have stopped

Now waves want to heal

reaching out with cotton

to heal

 

 

BABY RAIN TAPPING

December 6, 2023

 

Baby rain tapping

on roof of car.

Waves running

in step of tapping music.

Brown smooth

marbled beach.

 

 

BEACH AT 6:00 A M

November 26, 2005

 

Beach all to ourselves

our own domain

no one breathing

our own fresh air.

This must be what it is like

to own one's island.

Mountains reflecting the clouds,

moon pulling gray quilt of clouds

up to its ear.

Waves chattering and giggling.

Last night tide stole the driftwood.

 

 

Beach Scenes

January 7, 2022

 

Waves puckering up

their lips

as though for

applying lipstick.

Sea gull standing on tiptoe

on tall light post.

Dusty clouds hanging down

in nooks of harbor

across the bay.

Waves puckering up

their lips

as though for

applying lipstick.

Tensions I breathe out

to breeze to sweep away

and dump on top

of black rocks.

 

 

BECALMED

January 1, 1960

 

I am becalmed,

For the wind of ambition

Is not blowing

The waves of tension.

 

 

BENT OVER ROCKS

January 16, 2022

 

Bent over rocks

little waves try to jump onto their backs

for a piggyback ride

Boulders with faces up facing the surf

Hums

White waves nibble at their necks.

 

 

BESSY

January 1, 1957

 

Bessy the boat has a very brisk row.

As she saddles along through the ocean

The waves pat her cheeks

The ocean pulls her to stay

But she seems to ignore all commotion.

​

BIG BLACK ROCK

October 10, 2023

 

Big black rock

pretending to be a whale

phoenixing

and showing off.

Rock performer

in coexistence

with its visiting waves-

wave dancing.

 

 

CHARIOTS RACING IN

March 2, 2022

 

The chariots of frisky waves

Horse’s manes flying high

Chariots of waves

chasing across the water

into shore.

Waves so expressive.

 

 

CHORUS OF WAVES

January 12, 2022

 

Chorus of waves

Yodeling and singing

in great gusto.

I sit and listen

very attentively

to the chorus of waves

singing.

 

 

Cloud Nibbling on Moon

March 7, 2020

 

Cloud nibbling on moon.

and swallowing moons crumbs

community of rocks

being splashed lavishly

over sharing bolts of waves.

 

 

COMMENTARIES ON LOVE

June 22, 1963

 

Love is a favorite hymn

Sung together by two hearts.

Love is a gentle wind

That helps you over the waves.

 

 

CUTE ACROBATIC WAVES TUMBLE

March 23, 2022

 

Cute acrobatic waves

tumble to the shore

doing somersaults

Then somersaulting to the beach

Again and again.

Such energy

such stamina

I wish I could

somersault to the beach

or better still

do cartwheels

like the waves do

so effortlessly.

 

 

DAWALI - THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

October 30, 2005

 

We are all graceful water skiers

surfing the waves of life -

water and salt on our faces.

Diwali, a beautiful wave

cups us onto the beach

of fine white sand

and the sun dusts us off,

while birds sing welcome

to a new life, a new shore.

 

 

Dear Greig

August 15, 2008

 

I’m also being sucked under

by other people’s undertows.

So many undertows

and surprise huge waves

engulfing me

making me gasp for air.

It is hard to have

strong footing.

 

 

DISAPPOINTED

May 1, 1961

 

My trust carried me on the wave

That weaved in and out.

Then the wave dropped

Me into the deep sea.

The water that rushed in chocked

Grabbing for seaweed - it was slimy.

Exhausted, I staggered up the empty shore

To rest.

Perhaps tomorrow, I'll ride another wave

That will be fun

And there will be the sun and the clouds.

Then, I'll be dumped into a pile of waves.

Why not just stay on the beach

And be satisfied

With the far off cry of the gulls.

 

 

Dockside

 

My boat is in a harbor these days.

It's rocking gently

and not traveling any place.

It feels good just to be in a harbor

with the charts folded

and the compass ignored.

There aren't any train whistles

haunting me in the night.,

I'm not concerning myself

about the morning

when distant winds will call me

and far away sands will beckon.

Questions of future plans -

buzzing flies I brush away.

I'm not looking around the bend.

There are no winds pushing me to move.

It's enough for now

to be very much nestled

here in this harbor

with my sails folded

and my engine off.

Soft waves lapping

against my sides so very soothing.

My boat is in a harbor these days.

It's rocking gently

and not traveling any place.

​

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