~Dark Dreams~

Deep in the recess of a shattered dream sleep

There arises a memory I try hidden to keep

I locked it away so my mind could be free

But sometimes late at night it comes out to haunt me

It’s from so long ago, perhaps it’s not real

But the pain that it causes I continue to feel

I wake covered in sweat, don’t know where I am

But the dream closes fast like the shell of a clam

Perhaps it’s a story I was long ago told

That still haunts me now as my brain becomes old

Or pieces of things o’er the years I have seen

That have jumbled together in ways less serene

As quick as it happens, it fades out of sight

Like a dark twisted shadow in the midst of the night

I only can hope for that wonderful day

When that nightmare that haunts me at last goes away

~A Note From A Feline~

If you give me a home, I won’t ask for much

Some food for my belly, an occasional touch

Maybe a toy to chase ‘cross the floor

And an old empty box you would otherwise store

I’ll be your companion and pay you with love

Perhaps sit on a shelf and observe from above

When you sit down, I’ll rest on your lap

You’re welcome to pet me as I take a nap

You’ll find it’s relaxing as you pet my fur

And even more calming when you hear me purr

I’m sure there’ll be times on your nerves I will get

And I’ll knock down a few things on the table you set

But we’re all far from perfect, human or beast

And I’ll love you forever, or until dinner at least

That’s just a joke from your four legged friend

I’ll love you until my last moments end

~The Meaning of Life~

Life is a gift that’s meant for the living

A subtle ballet between taking and giving

I have a few rules that help me get by

I’ll openly share them with those who will try

This one’s quite simple I’m sure you’ll agree

There’s no one to blame for anything save me

I am in charge of everything I feel

My joy is my own, for no one to steal

Eat every meal as if it’s your last

When your time here is done, your number comes fast

On the same note, dessert never skip

In case that last journey becomes a long trip

Be kind to your friends and others you meet

Share a nice smile as you walk down the street

That small piece of joy that you share with someone

Doesn’t cost you a dime when all’s said and done

Spend a few moments from each passing day

Doing something you like to keep boredom away

Smell a few flowers, read a book, perhaps write

Sit out on the lawn watch the stars rise at night

Don’t fear for the future, on the past never dwell

Take care of the present, and the rest will be well

Don’t carry hatred, it’s a cumbersome load

It only can lead down a long dead end road

Make sure to choose friends who bring out your best

Let go of the people who you they will test

Always be moderate in all that you do

But remember moderation you should moderate, too

When faced with decisions that weigh on your brow

Ask how will this affect me, in five years from now

Find a job where your happy and the work is fulfilling

The peace you will feel is worth more than a shilling

Take a look at your thoughts and possessions you keep

Are they really important or just cause lost sleep?

If anything around you just makes you feel stressed

Perhaps some spring cleaning is really what’s best

One final thought, when you’re given advice

Although the ones giving it are trying to be nice

They walk on a path that’s uniquely their own

And have their own set of sins for which they atone

At the end of each day know you did what you could

To bring to the world something that made it good

And share a few moments with those close to your heart

When you wake in the morning, there’s another fresh start

Living a More Simple Life

I was asked a question recently I had to ponder over. “How do you let stress go”. I forget my own advice sometimes, but for the most part, I’m not usually stressed. I made some changes in my life years ago to avoid stress. I live each day as if it were my last, some day I’ll be right. I eat fairly healthy, but I enjoy a greasy burger or slice of pizza here and there. Everything in moderation, even moderation. Have dessert, again, it may be the last chance, you never know. I’ll… sometimes have pancakes, eggs and bacon for dinner, breakfast IS the most important meal of the day after all. Choose friends wisely. Examine what’s really important. It’s probably not the new car, the 60 inch TV, or whatever else advertising says you should finance and own to make you feel better. Enjoy nature, even if you only have a moment to do it. Smell the pretty flower you walk past. When faced with a decision of any kind, ask yourself, “how will this affect me in 5 years?”. Surprisingly, it probably won’t matter in 5 years, it rarely does, look back your last 5 years and see what’s changed. Do what makes you happy, truly happy, not what others say should make you happy. They aren’t in your shoes or walking your path. At the end of the day, accept that you did the best you could do… Be kind to others, be kind to animals. Be tolerant of other people’s lifestyles. It may not be your cup of tea and you may not agree with it, but you aren’t in their shoes walking their path.

~Retiring Winter~

I keep getting weary of the day to day grind

I dig deep in my heart for some solace to find

The winter’s been long and taken a toll

Made a sad weary traveller of my broken soul

Spring is arriving though not quite as fast

And I wish it would hurry and stay here at last

A little warm sunshine and a nice gentle rain

Would help me to shed off the long winter’s pain

My eyes sure would love to see those daffodils

My ears crave the song of the soft whiporwils

The feel of the grass on my old tired feet

Would certainly be a much welcome treat

To sit by the brook ‘neath the old willow tree

Sip on a big cup of warm Earl Grey tea

That is my heart and my soul’s deep desire

To let all the worries of winter retire

~Fear~

~Fear~

I noticed you looking but I was afraid

I wouldn’t fit into the life that you made

You were outgoing, I was quite shy

I was afraid of the spark when we met eye to eye

Something about you in the way that you walked

You seemed to be confident each time you talked

You carried yourself like the world was all yours

The mountains and prairies and both shining shores

The world was your oyster and you were its pearl

It’s a moment I cherished as I watched it unfurl

I lived a whole lifetime in that quick interchange

I was free of life’s bondage, I’m sure that seems strange

I had to hold back for my own piece of mind

I feared getting lost, no way back I would find

To my own place of safety in my head that I made

I noticed you looking but I was afraid

Where Do You Go

~Where Do You Go~

Where do you go when you leave my dreams

Do you visit me there as a way to escape

Or maybe my life is not as it seems

What I think is real is only a drape

Could it be that my dreams are really my life

That I’m trapped in my head and trying to get free

What I know as real is a cage that’s been made

And every so often I escape and can see

Perhaps I am haunted by ghosts from the past

Where a fork in life’s road forced me to choose

But that unchosen path in my mind I still ponder

Did I gain something better or did I ground lose

I suppose that my life is as it appears

For if I’m a prisoner there’s no open door

Save those fleeting quick moments while I’m asleep

To get back to that life that I had before

All I can do

Accepting my life as it seems

And ponder that question

Where do you go when you leave my dreams

What is poetry?

I have read countless poems over the years. I belong to several groups and read other people’s works and have read quite a few classics as well. Not all poetry rhymes. Personally, when I write, I prefer it to rhyme. It could be that I have a certain admiration for mathematics. I enjoy reading poems that don’t rhyme, I just don’t feel as comfortable writing it, with the exception of Haiku. As I write, I count off beats in my head and if I miss a beat, something doesn’t feel right and I’m obligated to correct it. I still write what I feel, I believe one has to feel something to be able to write. Does it mean it happened to me or directly pertains to me? Not always. It may be something I see that touches me, or something I hear in a passing conversation. Not that I’m qualified to give advice, but if I were asked for advice about writing, I would say just do it if it strikes your fancy. With any art form, there will always be critics who dislike it, just as there will be people who enjoy it. Develop a thick skin, if it means something to you, it doesn’t matter what others think of it. As an example, look at opera. There are people who absolutely love it and those who don’t. Sometimes a person can learn to appreciate it, but they may never become a lover of the style. It’s ok, because the world would be a rather boring place if we all had the same views, likes and dislikes.

Silently Pondering

 

The sun sets on another day

The last of the rays fading away

I long to feel your touch

And miss you so much

To sit down and talk

Or go silently for a walk

Look into your eyes

Or stare at the skies

Is what I’d really like to do

But as of yet, I haven’t met you

Hello world!

It seems to be the in thing these days to have a blog, so I’ll jump on the bandwagon a few years late. I’ll post some poetry, perhaps a movie review or a memory as I have them. Although, I’ll admit, I follow Mark Twain’s philosophy – “I remember everything, whether it happened or not”.