Real Autumn

Margaret who was grieving
Over autumn trees unleaving
This is your season, this is mine.

Winter follows after
Autumn's lingering laughter
And no, I go not softly to the night.

Though roads diverge I yet will go
On icy trail, through paths of snow.
Look up! I dance with Northern lights.

never say never

never get excited and make grandiose plans,
no matter how fun, no matter how grand,
no matter how much you want to make them
because the more effort you put into these plans,
the more they will come to naught.

never make small and happy plans
because your head will use them for an alarm
and start the headache, right on schedule.

never think of things you really want to do,
just for fun,
because something else will happen,
prohibiting the spontaneous moment.

if you insist on optimism, on dreaming, on planning;
if you think it will all work out,
it may,
but not the way you planned it.

be ready for the derogatory comment
if you continue to hope,
continue to plan,
continue to look forward.
be ready for people who never.

the truth about rain

often prayer is answered
when the blessed prayed for rain
and the land is gladly greener
where is found Longfellow's bane

he who finds rain dark and dreary
has not farmed in desert soil
had not stood in fields less watered
and with faith remained to toil

the poet said correctly
into each life some rain must fall
I hope it falls in my life
I don't find it sad at all

spring cleaning

If all my faults were obvious to view
A voice proclaiming all these faults were true
If by epiphany I knew them, not a few,
And others knew, and others knew
Would I find strength to bear ignoble fame
To shed each imperfection and its shame
To persist until I could at last proclaim
I overcame, I overcame.

there is a season...

In January there is snow.
The sun is weak and winds oft blow.
February lives inside
and in a comfy blanket hides.
The March winds blow both rain and snow
and warm the seeds unseen below
till April calls the sun to stay
a little longer every day.
May brings the blossoms and the greens
that color leaves and songbird wings.
Then June comes warm and bright and new -
with hills to climb and things to do -
with skies of blue all summer long
till August and July have gone.
September sends the children in
to start their lessons once again.
October sorrows for the day
when children went outside to play.
Memories waft all through November
with pumpkin pie and pre-December
purchases. With cold.
And feelings that I'm getting old.
The winter days call forth December.
days too short that still remember
summer sun and freedom's glow
and people that I used to know.
And then again...the snow, the snow.