End of the Month

As the last day slips away

Like a monkey

Swinging to the top

Of the next calendar page,

A leap of faith

That the next month

With its variable dates

Will offer more...

More beautiful sunrises

More unseasonable weather

More chances to finish work

And time to play

More opportunities

To savor the weekend

More options in wardrobe

More nights

Of clear skies

And moon rises

More dates.

So much to do...

Buzzing here

Buzzing there

Hopping from one project

To another.

At least a fly

Has an excuse

With its mutant eyes

It's hard to focus.

My only excuse is

That it's August.

Happy Birthday to Me!

I love birthday

Especially mine!

It's a day to celebrate

All the wonder

That brought you

To where you are today.

Whether 10 or 110

Each candle represents

The details of your years.

The sunny days of smiles.

The hard cold winter of a frown.

The tears, like candle wax

Dotting the frosting.

The warm blaze,

Like friendship's embrace.

Make a wish

And blow out the candles

Still bright inside

With warm memories

Of this year's growth.

End of August

No regrets

Just wishes.

I wish I had more time

To spend with you.

I wish every night

Had such beautiful sunsets.

I wish we could see

The Northern Lights again.

I wish the weather was

Hot enough for me

And cool enough for you.

I wish the sky

Was always Parrish Blue.

I wish each day

Had its own festival.

I wish I could sit here forever

With a cat in my lap

And you next to me.

I wish the summer would never end.

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Worry

Sits in your stomach

Like a piranha

And nibbles away at your insides.

Did I remember to lock the door?

A bite of liver.

Will someone break in?

A taste of spleen.

Is everything OK?

A bit of kidney.

What if they let the cats out?

A helping of heart.

Why do I worry so much?

Maybe a big chomp of brain

Would slow the worrying

And keep it from devouring me.

Something else to worry about!

Opening Day at the Fair

Once a year for 12 days,

Like Brigadoon,

Como and Snelling becomes a fantasy land.

All the grease you can inhale

And anything you can think of

On a stick.

A sea of people

Wade down the Avenue;

A baby stroller parade,

Toddlers running on sugar,

Parents following with weary smiles,

Teenagers being cool,

And old folks trying to keep up.

10 days to do it all-

From cattle barns to horse shows

From side shows to art shows.

And then just as suddenly

It disappears.

Summer's over.

It's back to school.

Still the memories linger

Like the sweet smell

Of Tom Thumb Donuts.

The Journey

Through childhood's path

Each pebble a story

Mosaics pieced together

Forming stepping stones to adulthood.

End of Summer

A fresh breeze blows through August

Dispersing the heat.

Cool waves of wind dance like whitecaps

On a summer day.

A timid sun peeks out

To gently nudge the clouds.

An Autumn preview in August.

Encore!

The Community Reporter Minutes

Was my writing for today.

Check out the Communty Reporter.

Flocks of Phlox

My Garden abounds with purple

Like Lilacs in August.

The tall stems

Offer up their flowers

Like goblets of wine.

Butterflies and bees

Hearing August's "Last call"

Seek solace in the sweet nectar.

Lighting tripping home

With an end of summer hangover.

Dog days of Summer

Dogs lie in the sun

Waiting for you to throw the ball

For a game of fetch.

Cats lie in the sun

Waiting for you

To fetch a bowl of water.

Dogs seek the shade

At your feet

To protect you.

Cat seek the shade

In your lap

To get petted.

Dogs treat you as the Alpha

Cats know who's boss.

Our pets love us

And fill an important place

In our lives.

Seeing summer

Through our pets' eyes.

Vacation

Doesn't matter what you do

The point is

It's up to you.

You get to choose.

Eat when you're hungry.

Sleep when you're tired.

Do what you want,

Even if you choose to do nothing.

Migraine

Eyes tight shut

To keep out the light.

Inside my head

A metal pin ball

Is bouncing off the nerves

Sending neurons careening

Into bumpers

Pulsating and pounding.

Flick the flippers

To keep the pain at bay.

Tilt the machine

In an attempt

To avoid it.

Noise, lights

Hammering through consciousness

Temporary distractions

From the silver ball

Rampaging in my head.

Our thoughts and prayers are with our friend Joe Vinar

Workshop Hauku

Can't sit anymore

How can anyone stand it

8 hours in a chair

Teacher Workout

Providing students with the opportunities

To stretch their brains

Like pushup for the mind.

Giving students the tools

To create and explore

Like weights for bench pressing.

Asking students to ask questions

Like isometric resistance

Building strong muscles.

Getting students excited

Like an aerobic workout

Pushing to its peak.

Opportunities

Equipment

Challenges

And Encouragement

Exercises for a good workout.

DIY

Brains and brawn

Beauty and the beast.

Sometime a little forethought

Can prevent a lot of work.

Sometimes a BFH is all you need

Sometimes a better plan is necessary.

As dad use to say

"It ain't goin to the fair."

Then have a beer and think about it.

Mesmerising Moments at Irish Fest

Clapping with the bodran

Pogoing to the beat

The crowd sings along,

Many accents in harmony.

Arcadian roots

Snaking through the crowd

Joining the patchwork plaid

Of the Irish Kilt.

Friday the 13th

Celebrating 56 years of life

For another Joe

Freedom on the Highway

Sturgis in August

Feeling invincible

At one with the wind.

We pray Angels broke your fall

Tucked you safely in their wings

And carry you back to us soon.

Celebrating The Wonder of 10 Years of Life.

A smile brighter than the candles

Warming our hearts.

Kindness and thoughtfulness

Well beyond your years.

Empathy and humor

You were born with.

Talents and ideas

You grew into.

A beautiful night to celebrate

With family and friends.

Happy Birthday Joe!

My "Eat, Pray, Love" Word

I am a seeker.

Seek the truth

The elusive goal of detective novels.

Seek to learn new things

The sign of a good teacher.

Seek to be helpful

As a citizen of the world.

Seek knowledge

As a hunter in life's library.

Seek comfort

Not fearing the unknown but expanding into it.

Seek passion

Aggressively embracing opportunities of joy.

Seek fun

Taking time to laugh.

Seek balance

Putting all the pieces together.

Seek Peace

Reconciling the restlessness of the search.

Greatest Generation @ the History Center

The lense of childhood

Recreates its own history.

The days were longer

The snow deeper

The sun hotter

And the stars

Actually may have appeared brighter

Due to less city glare.

The walk to school

Seemed to go on for miles.

Between the blocks

Was such an adventure.

Imagining what was behind

Lace curtains.

Chasing through hedge shortcuts.

Hopscotching down the sidewalk.

It seemed forever between houses.

Nine blocks included

All the laughs, secrets and dreams

We shared

In the short space and time

Of our nine year old history.

Summer in the City

Seeking shade

Under August's jungle canopy

Garden overgrown,

Like a Gauguin painting.

Feel the heat bake the bark

And wring the sweat from the leaves.

Squirrels, with bellies pressed flat to the limbs,

Too hot to scurry

Just trying to catch a summer breeze.

Gary's Poem

Sharing your thoughts through your writing

Making each day's poetry exciting.

Your optimistic outlook on life

Finding beauty in every day strife.

I enjoy your honesty and compassion

You do understand your feelings.

Thanks for letting me into your world.

You are passionate, playful, loving and caring.

All who you touch,

Enjoy your friendship and love,

Your wisdom as a teacher.

We are all students.

Mom's Anniversary

I replaced the curtains today.

The ones you gave me

after you got new hand me downs

From Uncle Joe.

They were a golden pleated texture

So basic they never went out of style.

You got them from Auntie Bea

Who knew good quality,

And you nearly had to remake them

To fit your living room,

Using your trusty sewing machine.

But the seams were fraying

And they couldn't take another washing.

Though you cared for them carefully

Always making things last,

Like the ugly blue carpeting.

It was time for them to come down.

I put up cheap curtains from Tuesday Morning.

They're the same color

And no one will notice

But it's not quite the same.

Your drapes had history

A bit of you woven through the golden strands.

It's been 5 years since you died

But it was still hard to take down those curtains.

My Experience as a Judge

@ Poetry Slam 2010

Words slam onto the page

And out of the mouth.

Reverberating off the walls

And into your heart.

Rhythm of its beat pulsating

Through the room.

Connecting the world with poetry.

An Armchair Observer

Watching the world go by my window

Parade of people wind past my door.

The grey haired gentleman with

His nose in a book.

The harried mom with stroller

And toddler in tow.

The labrador retriever

Leading the young couple.

My family stopping by

To visit.

Observing the details of daily life

Charm Bracelet

A pattern set

In the naive days

Of childhood.

Events like silver charms

Marking the family circle.

But chains

Bound to be broken

As we outgrow the mold.

More links, more charms

Need to be added

Before it's clasped.

St Paul Poetry Slam

Take the things you

See, hear and feel

And put them into motion.

Like a blender

Full of words

Whirling inside your head.

Top off,

Ready to pour

A brand new flavor of poetry.

Back to School Dreams

Pencils

Just waiting to be broken in.

That first line on the page,

The crooked letters

Branding the paper

Followed by

Endless possibilities.

Crayons

Sharp and bright

Lined up in increments of color.

The facinating decision

Of first out of the box.

Contrast on the pure white paper

Of a line

Leading to

Endless possibilities.

Books

Pristine covers

Covering adventures,

Spine unbroken.

Words promising

Endless possibilities.

Students

Fresh new faces

Neatly scrubbed

Smiling at each other

In anticipation and trepidation of

Endless possibilities.

Beginning of August

Or as Gary calls it

A Corny Poem

Each day is a kernel

On a cob of corn,

Chomp into it with gusto

And relish each buttery bite.

Savor the sweet lazy days;

Picnics in the park

Walks by the water

Stars at night.

Chew over the memories;

Family gatherings

And the intimate conversations

Only lounging at the beach can bring.

Taste the excitement

Of the state Fair,

Back to school shopping

Birthdays!

August has no time for regrets

Swallow resentments

And digest each moment.

Savor the Day!