New Year's Eve

Shedding old habits

Like a snake's skin.

Leaving discarded dreams

Like crumpled cigarette packs.

Finding new life

In waking dreams.

Lost in the moment

Between December 31st

And January 1st.

Shot out of a chrysalis cannon

Straight into the New Year.

Despondent dreams

Taking their toll

Treading water.

Race around the clock

Catching your tail

Completing the circle.

Ring around the calendar

We all fall down.

Dark Day

Rain on top of

Snow covered roofs.

Dirty brown tracks

Through the formerly

Pristine snowscape.

Salt encrusted drifts

Blinding the view.

Grey clouds

Like dust bunnies

Squeeze the rain

Smothering anything

But a sigh.

Cosmic Memories

Moments of intimacy

Feeling of communion

The connectedness

Of all life

Strung like diamonds

On the defining thread

Spiraling across

The bosom of the universe

Reflecting the warmth

Of stars.

Icicles

Winter's daggers

Piercing the soft flesh

Surrounding the season's cold heart.

Drops of winter's white blood

Dripping from its tip

Feeding the spirit below.

On guard.

Christmas Hangover

Too much food

And making merry.

Experiencing withdrawal

From the festivities.

Overdosed on games and gossip.

Craving the New Years fix.

Magic Moments

I remember

Opening presents as a child,

That magical moment

When the gift

Is revealed.

The hiccup of pleasure

Bubbling up

And escaping in a squeal

Of excitement.

If we could only capture

That moment

And keep it in our hearts

To feed

The dull and disappointed days

We grind through as adults.

Wrap it up

In tissue and tinsel

And keep it close.

The feeling is the gift.

Merry Christmas

As Tiny Tim would say;

God Bless us everyone!

Christmas Eve

Family and friends

Around the fireplace

Provide their own warmth.

Generations sharing stories

Generates its own heat.

Faces bubbling with

Laughter and excitement

Reflect the crackling fire.

Even in the frigid north

Memories thaw the heart.

Last Day on the Beach

A gentle breeze

Tickles the back of my mind

A vague memory

Hidden under white sugar sand

Of another winter white.

Bury the thought

Deep in the sand

With my toes.

I'll remember snow soon enough.

Cancun Moon

A romantic dinner

Accompanied by soft music.

A full moon

Over the water

Moon lite path

To the Stars.

Another day in paradise

Solstice

Storing up the memories
Like energy.
Fuel for the future.

Breathe in the warm
Tropic air
Exhale the cold
Frigid north.

Soak in the hot Cancun sun
Expunge the Arctic snow.

Feel the vibrant
Celebration of color
Let go of the
Dull Winter white.

Cancun Prayer

Sun gods

Rain down your blessings

Fill me with your warmth

Bring me your light

Banish from me

The thought of winter

Spare me from the snow gods.

Aquamarine

A magical place

Between green and blue

Filled with ocean waves

And refreshing breezes

Topped off with

A clear blue sky.

Plane through the clouds like footprints in the snow. Leaving Minnesota. Sent from my Kindle

The Joy of Presents

Mystery inside.
Imagining
Your best wishes,
All wrapped up
In glittery paper
And excitement.
Wondering
If it could really be...
Hoping it is...
Dreaming maybe...
The anticipation
Is half the gift.

Lights

Christmas lights;
Twinkle on tinsel
Sparkle on snow
Blue and white of winter
Red and green stop and go
The magic of Christmas
A colorful rainbow.

Little Things

Little Things
Nag at the back of your mind
Rippling the perfect picture
Nibbling away at the corners.

Little thing
Pile up like snow drifts
Seemingly insurmountable
But melt when the sun shines.

Little things
Let them go
Drift away
Like chimney smoke
Insubstantial puffs
On the breeze.

Little things
Are only as big
As we let them be.

Fear of Snow

Who would've thought

Snow could be so scary?

Not kids

Jumping in snow piles

No worries about getting back out

Or hitting something on the way in.

Throwing snowballs

No experience with ER

Or stitches.

Sliding on the snow

No casts or broken bones to heal.

Snow on the roof tops

A beautiful sight

Till Gary gets on his ladder,

Then I fear snow.

A gift from the Snow gods

Snow day schedule;

Wake up early and listen to school closings.

Pet the cats.

Go back to bed and sleep late.

Eat a leisurely second breakfast

Pet the cats

Read the whole newspaper

Not just the headlines.

Sit by the window and watch the traffic.

Feel the warm sun through the window

Pretend it's not 8 degrees.

Pet the cats.

Check my emails to feel connected.

Read my book till it's finished.

Sit until I feel like getting up

Eat when I'm hungry

Sleep if I want

Make my own schedule

Pet the cats.

Memories of Winters past

I remember

Snow piles way taller

Than my head,

Although it may have been

Because of my third grade height.

I remember cold so bitter

Your breath froze up

On the wool scarf

Hiding your face.

I remember

Wind so strong

It pushed you along

On your way to school.

I remember walking miles

Uphill both ways

To school and back.

Well, maybe our memories

Are colored by the years.

Winter Dreams

Sugar sand.

Snow like powdered sugar

White sandy beaches

White snowy lawns

Burying my toes in warm sand

Burying my feet in warm boots

Layering on the suntan lotion

Layering on the sweaters

Dancing with the waves

Dancing with a shovel

Hot sauce and cold Margaritas

Hot chocolate and cold hands

Sunburn

Windburn

Outside

Inside

A quiet expanse

A beautiful work of nature

On a beach in Cancun

Or a snowstorm in Minnesota.

Weather or Not

Blizzard forecast for tomorrow.

Cancun predicted for the week after.

Sub zero temperatures expected.

Above average hopes longed for.

I need 80 and sunny!

John Lennon

We didn't just want the Beatles

For our boyfriends

We wanted to be the Beatles.

To us teenagers

Their lives seemed to be

everything we wanted;

The fun and camaraderie

The social relevance

The amazing music.

We loved them then

We appreciate them now.

John said he thought

There would be "Plenty of time."

Unfortunately not enough.

The Immaculate Conception

(Not to Be Confused With the Virgin Birth)

Clean as the December snow

A beautiful image

Of purity.

A lovely prequel

To the Christmas Story.

A celebration

Of the oft neglected women

In the bible.

Life Has Issues

Like People Magazine
January is the New Year's issue
Criticizing all our bad habits.
February covers our love issues.
Fear of intimacy
Fear of no intimacy
March can handle the rest of our fears.
April is a heavy issue
With springtime, Resurrection
And life and death issues.
May and June are all
About our Mothers and Fathers.
July's body issues fit in nicely.
The Dog Day of August
Are depressing issues.
September Back to School
With separation anxiety.
October, arachnophobia
For Halloween anyone?
November's family issue
Is all dysfunctional.
Then December wraps it all
With a nice bow
As we pause to reflect
And renew our subscription.

St Nicholas Day

Christmas trees
Are my favorite Holiday tradition.
I love the magical colored lights
Like a rainbow on every branch,
Shining off glass beads
And silvery strands of tinsel.
Sparkling ornaments
Catching the reflected glow
Of smiling faces
Gathered round
Reflecting on the story
Of each decoration
And topped with a star.

Recipe for Winter

Oreo cookie rooftops

Covered in snow.

Frosting licked branches

Bending under the weight.

Shredded coconut shrubberies

Peeking out from under snowdrifts.

It's a powdered sugar world

After a fresh snowfall.

Angela's Birthday

Big blue eyes

Wide open

Like your heart.

The center of every picture,

The heart of every moment

You were there

With arms wide open.

Compassion for lost souls

Filled your heart.

Empathy for other

Covered your own needs.

Now a mother

Passing on all the things

In your own heart.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road.

Gym

Racing up the stairs
Shedding sweatshirts on the way
Two steps at a time
As they near
The hallowed halls of
The gymnasium.
Children's kingdom
Of fun and excitement.
Teacher's relief
A break at last!

Countdown

25 days till Christmas
25 days to cook and clean
Shop and decorate
Do errands and commitments
So much to do
So little time.

25 days till Christmas
25 days for the kids
To contain their excitement
Ponder their wish list
Dream of sugar plums
And wait for Santa.
So much time
So hard to wait.

Christmas Cards

Those once a year missives
That keep us in touch.
All the love
And events of our lives
Wrapped up like presents
And sealed with a kiss!