Sheila's Dribs 'n Drabs

I don’t know where time goes, Only it flows Like rain. I think I lost your photograph Left it in a book I gave away. Water washes pictures from the page While ages pass and lemon grass Grows sepia with age. Don’t know where time went But we grew old. Giving thanks for time to grow older

Step forward; Futures beckon you But stir and twitch uncertainly Till wretched stop; stand still. Step back Where memories tangle steps That wrangle angered thoughts until The path before is filled. So step aside, See different paths, And ones not taken yet. Step forward Set your eyes on God again. Giving thanks for opportunities yet to come

Dad made me jump; I dropped my knife And splattered gravy Far and wide; It splashed my brother Who tipped his chair Bumped into mother Who tripped the cat Which jumped and scratched The dog who bit The table-leg And made the baby cry; So that’s what really happened Honestly! Giving thanks for childhood innocence

They’re blaming need on want, forgetting greed; Blaming war on peace, then closing doors On hoped-for conversation. They blame computer games for fights And music for their sleepless nights And books for cruel looks Pictures for lies. They’re blaming dreams. It’s time to fly Away. Let celebrations’ thanks be mine. Giving thanks for festivals and joy

Run rabbit run; Follow winds to the sun; Never end ‘til the story’s begun. Fly turkey fly Or they’ll eat rabbit pie; Watch the leftovers pile to the sky. Flow with the wine Drinking grapes from the vine Taking walks round the field when there’s time. Then run rabbit fly. Giving thanks for exercise

The scent of cooking, Sweet and savory; Sounds surround A scrap, a bubble Gravy. Clattering pans, A smattering of something Splats the floor. Alone no more There’s pattering feet And paws Where scent of cooking, Glorious cause, Imbues the pup with Glorious applause. Your chatter draws A lapping, happy tongue. Giving thanks for Thanksgiving dinner

The truth lies in-between, A frozen leaf that clings, ice-rimed Bejeweled, its amber hidden deep inside. Beneath the silvered sky Attached to heaven’s bough by frailest Web, wind-whispered promises don’t lie. The truth is then and now And when and how and ever tries To tell eternal thanks, well-prayed, well-signed. Giving thanks for faith and truth

The turkey paper’s giving me ideas for turkey day And says It’s quite okay to not eat meat Just bring your own dish Sweet or savory. The page is full of turkey deals and ads For turkeys free with this week’s shopping Still I plan To give my thanks Thankgiving-turkey-free. Giving thanks for Thanksgiving dinner: Poem inspired by vegetarian son and today’s newspaper insert.

Between the rocks of ages stand And watch the imprint of his hand That formed the sundry creatures and Their wonder on the land. Between the science and faithful stand Above their worries, open hand To each, by both uplifted, planned His love, their plunder. Hand In hand together stand. Giving thanks for argument

Did I ask before I bought it? Did I think before I thought it? Did I wonder? But he caught it And he asked me why instead. Didn’t watch the checkbook’s number Simply wrote it unencumbered By the knowing, thumbed my nose at plans. The blame lands on my head. Giving thanks for financial planning.

Was it wrong to cry? Wrong to whisper my goodbye To you? I don’t know why But somehow it felt right And still I cried. Was it right to make An end to it, agree and say Okay and let them let you sleep. I weep remembering Keep wondering why. Giving thanks for the comfort of pets.

There’s holes in the insulation under the door Where wind blows in. Its whistle calls and thundering voices echo in the hall While leaves of fall have clattered Worn and battered underground. I shiver but remember more The children’s tread, Small voices echoing all through my head Warm sounds instead. Giving thanks for home and family

Not lost; just hiding, Sliding the words between pages White space defines me. Not lost; unheard though Wondering if she’ll be there Remembering she’s gone. Not lost; preparing Warily checking the beat While she’s waiting to dance. Not lost; emboldened Enfolded in symbol and sound The muse and the chance. Giving thanks for the muse and the words

Tell me why the wind blows Winter whispering so coldly Ancient shadows make me old? Why are leaves like aging Bitter rain falling like time that’s Painting wrinkles on the rhyme? Why are squirrels hiding Birds are silent, kittens gliding Into comfort While the windblown branches frown. Why’s it fall? Giving thanks for seasons

Stacking dishes, plates Empty the dishwasher. They’re waiting Still for dinner, sitting watching The TV. Stacking football scores on notepads On their knees. I’m stacking dreams Under the magnets On the fridge. Stacking all those pictures there From kids; they’ve grown to adults. Dinners stacked their muscles Set them free. Giving thanks for housework

’Tisn’t raining Ground is almost dry, disdaining Leaf-mold’s cruel slide. Strains to peek From side to side, small kitten wearing Water in her fur. It isn’t wet The kitten ventures out and yet There’s raindrops in the air. Kitten despairs Of ever being warm again ’Til door is opened there. Thankful for comfort and warmth

Sometimes the road seems more a sign than choice. I know which way I’ll go And dreaming, hope for good. Star-crossed adventure calls me on. Rejoice But drawing breath I stand Beyond this land lie dragons. Awaken now and listen to the voice That says “I am.” Reply I can. Giving thanks for opportunities

I spent my day at a Christmas bazaar selling books and bookmarks etc... Can I give you a flyer About my books; There’s no obligation to buy’em. I do quite agree The necklaces look Very nice and beside’em The hand-creams are scenting The season. A little boy reads And his smile Is the reason for writing; It makes all the salesmanship seem Worthwhile. Giving thanks for reading

They say you’re independent, free To find your own way, choose your own Path. See, they’re watching, waiting while You fall. My independent rose Was quelled by weeds that ever-grow From ever-flowing seeds. They tell how war and warming’s only Politics they say while clock ticks Faster than their needs. Giving thanks for lessons learned

No one wants to turn the summer sun to graying fall To watch the flowers die and all The memories lie still. No one wanted to climb that hill, to face the battle all Encumbered, but they took the call And fell. So we, we will Tell all, remember them. Giving thanks for veterans of war

She’s not for you. He ran away to war. She isn’t yours. He kept her face before His weeping eyes while colleagues died. He’s not for you. Don’t care she said. I’ll marry my American she said. Then he was dead. So one true love of two survived, and I. Giving thanks for my grandparents’ love.

They said don’t run; you’ll breathe the gas too deep. He ran with mustard seeping dark inside Too far, too fast, and weeping till he stopped. They said he’d begun to die that day. Instead He slowed to watch new wars begin and end Again, praying forgiveness till he dropped. Giving thanks for peace

They told him the earth was flat, four-cornered, square. He walked and wondered where The end is. They told him the earth was round, anchored on pillars Eternally bound, unmoved by Any trending. They told him creatures were born fully formed. He Yawned, his earth still orbiting; Still friends though. Giving thanks for faith and science

They poured, exploded from their rest From anthill’s quiet domain now pressed By child’s unwieldy eagerness To know. But silence pours its life with tears As strangers probe her childhood fears And nothing changes there or here She knows. Forgiveness pours a precious balm And frees a soul from harm. Giving thanks for healing and hope.

Looking for her in the fields evergreen in the leaves going brown in the gray olden town in the way that you frown at me. Looking for you under memories of words That you say. You’re not her See you’re looking for me but she’s gone and the memory fades. Giving thanks for memory

It's Guy Fawkes night in England--remember the 5th of November... One day he fought Strange guy He failed of course. One day he tried To blow up parliament. Today we all Recall Wonder as well How once he tried To change the way things went. Today we burn Our guy With blazing spell And wisdom well Replays the lesson meant. Giving thanks for history

On a chair In a house On a lot Nothing’s there And the mouse In the yard’s Gone away. Hear the dots And the dashes The painter Is splashing And slashing The old paint Away. I wonder Perhaps Does the paint Hold the walls Altogether. The mouse says I’ll stay. Giving thanks for our homes

Sometimes the leaf-fall whispers, Maybe calling windblown promises From trees. Sometimes the autumn chatters Raindrops splatter in the dust of Fallen leaves. Sometimes the children scatter More like needles from the pine than leaves To please. But motherhood remembers Like the trees of Oregon and bends Her knees To Thanksgiving. Giving thanks for absent family and friends.

D’you remember halting teetering steps One foot, another, falling Calling me? D’you remember sweet and lost at school Your silent eyes were watching Stalling me? D’you remember I still left you there In time you left me too Enthralls me now To see how your grown life is started new. Giving thanks for children growing up.

She still looks round that corner Behind me Still waits though I mourn her. She’ll find me Some curious dawn where I’m crying And nudge me, forlorn fur Abiding In memory. I’ve torn her From dreams But she’s mourning me still And each pup fills my Longing to see her. Giving thanks for dogs.