Little Things

little hands will find their business

little eyes will see the good, the bad

little ears will hear it all

and repeat it all as well

take care to show the love you feel

give goodness over hurts

speak positively of all things

and let actions reflect words

little ones need to see your heart in action

to hear your love for them, indeed

then hold them in your loving arms

and let them know you’re there for them

praying, praising, leading, uniting

the little things that mean so much

Picnic

stepping stones in the water

keep my balance as I go

one hop, two hop, three splash!

into the water I slip on the moss

the water rushes over me

it is cold and bubbling over the rocks

I swim to the shore with confidence

happily getting to the other side

what a nice place to have a picnic

Fresh Air

gentle winds flow past the grasslands

tire ruts make their way through

leaving two tracks everywhere they go

I follow them, wandering, whispering

a sweet thought passing in my mind

I go into the woodlands then

and see the burrows of woodchucks

the nests of birds will hold their eggs soon enough

a raccoon crosses the path before me

and whitetails whistle and jump away as I pass by

so delightful to find my way

as I amble through the natural places

and find myself as I sit on a tree stump

breathing in the scent of fresh air

Dementia

things seen are not always truly there

the mind plays tricks one day or another

momentarily blind, some things seen

the wretched ailments of old age rear up

and memories of the moment turn and churn

making childhood seem real again, yet,

the last five minutes escapes awareness

so sad to know familiar faces are foreign now

the bitter rival of true desires

eeks out the beauty of a lucid moment

and a brief happiness embraces the day

yet, the day becomes the morning

and the morning gives way to the hour

and finally minutes before the body fails

there is no greater time to give joy

to our loved ones for life is so fleeting

Beyond

watching the circles of ripples in the pond

from the reeds in the shallow water

dragonflies buzz and dart round my head

a fish jumps to catch a beetle flying by

and the sunlight cascades through the trees

what goes on beneath the water’s surface

many fish sit and look for dinner to come by

crabs or crayfish crawl along the bottom

looking likewise for what may become dinner

all this and more comes in the heat of summer

and while there is snow on the ground right now

I can dream of the warmth and comfort beyond

The Coming Day

we are sitting alone watching

the clouds move silently across the sky

in the realm of dreams

where tomorrow brings a new chance

we hold out our hands

to catch the light as it pours from above

and we let it bathe us

taking away the doubts, the fears

so that it melts our challenges

and we open our eyes wider

and breathe deeply of the clear air

ready for the coming day

Wave and Wind

the rage of wave and wind

comes closer than you might think

our emotions tie us to the storm

our anger takes it to the brink

of washing away the layers of life

where what we do costs so much

the grandeur we build to rise

falls flat by Mother Nature’s touch

we think we can outsmart her

if we’re loyal, we understand

that what we do has little value

her ways are the mystery of the land

give sway to her charm, her destiny

is in our hands, now, you see

Winter Settles

winter settles on trees and driveways

the grass is frosty and crunchy

the sky sends snowflakes our way

making the air look like lace

the cold slips into your bones

and the days become dark and short

the wind picks up, making drifts

the roads get icy and slick

we come into a state of rest

like Mother Nature who sleeps

but the Light will come again

surely as a friend we long to see

and the earth will soften

the rains will soak the ground

and we will rise to see it anew