An Acquired Patina

The years
               have
rough run over me
face bowed bent knee
earth bound
               corners ruffled
binding loose       am i
a papyrus seeker
                ink  thirsty
creative word      hungry
search for      sustenance


fill my pages
                wrinkled rough
read hard  tear washed
passionate
                purpose


       patina acquired








Patina~ The surface appearance of an object grown
                               Beautiful
                     especially with age or time.                           


                                                        

In Praise of the Map Maker

in
your
paths
only
I
seek
to
walk
timid
toe
tender
heel
in
prints
of 
foot
that
life
reveal
in
this
light
only
I
seek
and 
find
roads
made 
mine
this
map
divine.






Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a lamp unto my path.
Psalm 119:105

In This Family

In

this family

                we love listen

and action-speak it to life.

In this

 Family

we see one another through

                faith-colored glasses

then inspire with hug-words

                and love-verbs.

In this family we live value

                I dream your

dream  in this

                                Family

as you have become

                  my dream

In this family.

Give Me.

Give me
this
a gratitude heart bursting dancing leaps
arms stretched twirls
Give me
eyes to see pure little girl seeking freedom
sighs so heavy released relenting 
now
smiles light luminous
her am I little girl long loved
the daughter wandering
now
hunger gone
sweet sensation raspberry red
am I
I am
Beloved
my Lover soft said


Redeemed.

Fruits of My Salvation

They say
an
apple
today
tomorrow
yesterday
keeps
me
                from the voices
                       in
                         my
                             head
                from   the   cliff
                       i
                        stand
                                upon
                from   the    whir
                       that
                            stirs
                              the brain


an apple a day keeps his needle
                                   at bay...
the doctor
                 or perhaps


a  pomegranate  will  do.

Yes (wo)Man: Living in the Poop-Free Zone

As my adopted Chinese-Crested lies at my feet, and my epileptic highly-allergic blind in one eye bought her in a grocery store parking lot purebred Cocker Spaniel wanders the house probably trying to decide if she should pee inside or outside, I want to whisper some truth to you about my dogs. I am whispering you see, because if I say it loudly enough, I might begin to realize that I am really telling you some very private and otherwise unknown information about


myself


So shhh!


 Now here it is: I realized this morning, as I was dressed in my super-hero cape, and proudly performing my duties as the Yes Woman, that my dogs were happy to follow me around the yard as I cleaned up their stink and didn't even mind taking a sniff or two of it's delicate aroma. Not only did they act as if they had no idea that it was di-sgust-ing, but they seemed to think that the spots I had just cleaned were designed for taking a perfectly public squat in AGAIN. There they were, butt poised for action, ignoring the prominence of my cape, and for that matter my presence, sullying up my poop-free zone. I mean no shame, none, Nada, No Sirree! 


Anyway, I want you to know, I am good for my word, and I cleaned up that doody, and even managed not to step in it. That is until my husband called mid-way through my treadmill extravaganza to ask me if I could do a kindness for TheOneWhoDoesNotLikeME. Yes Woman had stowed her cape so as to not get it caught in the gears of the incline, and Ms.Reticent-to-do-anything-kind started to publicly, well you know...


A wrestling match ensued between Ms. Reticent and our ever amazing Pooper Scooper, and eventually, after some flatulence, a little time change, and an inner scream, the super-hero won out.


Ah, the Italian just called and said his key broke and now he can not start the car. The burly tow man or the Yes Woman? We shall see.


Hope I don't step in it.

Yes (wo)Man: I Could Have had a Pony Ride and Other Lessons in Listening

It is interesting the mystical change that takes place inside of the human mind, when genuinely you think that you have learned at least in some small way to listen, to love, to let someone else lead, or even to allow them to have an opinion, and then all at once you realize that you have just been writing the script in your own thoughts and missing the greater portion of what those you love are trying to communicate. 


And this leads me to the adventure of Day One as the amazing and often hard-of-hearing Yes Woman.


I missed my first two opportunities to say Yes entirely. The words passed through my ear lobes and technically my ear drums worked perfectly, but then mysteriously his words ricocheted off the grey matter numbing it in the process. It was done, over, finis before I even realized I had rebuffed the man once again! And I could have had a pony ride, I mean literally, he wanted me to go for a ride in his classic 66 red mustang convertible. I know, I hear you! Nave. Rube. Call me what you will, but just don't call me quitter.


 I am excited to tell you that another opportunity came my way, and being that my husband must meet with associates from the great state of Kentucky in the early morn, I had the proud and joyful honor of saying YES, YES, YES! 


Yes, I will pick up the dog pooh tomorrow morning.


Now to just remember to follow through, and perhaps sign up for a course in the fine art of listening!