I Believe In Magic

I believe in magic,

the magic of the mind.

Unleash the illusive skills and

talent that there you find.

The magic of the written word,

to make us understand.

To start with just a vague idea,

see it blossom and expand.

-

"In the beginning was the Word."

The Bible tells us so.

The Word created everything,

the heavens and earth below.

A word is just an utterance.

with its distinctive sound,

that has the power to lift one's hopes

or dash them to the ground.

-

The mind is such a precious gift,

we must use it or we lose it.

No one can take it from us.

treasure it, don't abuse it.

So, flex your mental muscles.

there is so much still unknown.

Seek out new ideas,

dare to stand alone.

Barney

He poked his head out of the hole

and saw no shadow there.

He rushed in to wake his spouse,

"Come out and smell the air!"

-

They woke the kids and ran outside

to sniff the morning breeze.

"I think springs come!" he said with glee.

"Gone is the winter freeze!"

-

And sure enough, the grass poked through

the melting ice and snow,

And all his good, fair weather friends

basked in the Sunshine's glow.

-

Who is this brilliant weather man,

predicting without fail?

Why, its Barney from Four Seasons,

beside him others pale,

Doctor Minnie

"Ellen, boil some water

and bring rags that are clean!"

Dr. Minnie said to Grandma,

"This child will soon be seen."

(Grandma took great pride

in her linen, snowy white)

she brought out her finest sheets,

which started the fight.

-

"How dare you tear my sheets?"

Grandma cried in despair.

"I asked for rags!" Minnie said,

"Something I could tear"

Mother, in hard labor,

was trying not to laugh

as Grandma watched the Doctor

tear her finest sheets in half.

-

Enter my Aunt Ethel,

her job, to hold the lamp.

She started to feel weak,

vision blurred, palms damp.

"Take the lamp, Red!" she said

to my Dad, "I'm not well!"

Daddie grabbed the lamp

as to the floor she fell.

-

"Doctor! Ethel fainted,

what shall I do?" Daddie cried,

"I'm busy! She's all yours!"

the Doctor curtly replied.

During all this madness,

my brave mother gave birth.

This story oft was told with

merriment and mirth.

-

It took a lot of courage

in nineteen-thirty-three,

then, a woman doctor

was difficult to be.

Doctor Minnie Simmons,

the person, was so good,

her fee for my delivery

was just a cord of wood.

Soothing Sounds

Popcorn popping

cartridge brass tumbling

rain on the roof

a gurgling stream

ocean waves

a kitty's purr

a crackling fire

coffee perking

the whack whack whack

of broken tire chains

on a snowy winter night.

Life

I still do not know why I am here,
to be a friend, and just lend an ear?
To cuddle a child and rid him of fear?
To always be glad to see my man appear?
And, when by a friend, I'm attacked from the rear,
should I grin and bear it, or may I shed a tear?
-
We all are a product of life's dirty tricks,
and name calling hurts more than stones or sticks.
Hurts caused by a friend, you just cannot fix.
Believe it or not, we've all had our licks,
of sorrow and joy, all of life is a mix.
I might understand when I turn ninety-six.
-
How did I get to this time and place?
On a globe that is spinning and twirling in space?
What sort of things did my memory erase?
Have I had to deal with shame and disgrace?
Or are there sorrows that I've had to face?
Could that be why I chose God, to embrace?

On Working All Night

For Most of my life

I lingered in bed,

way late in the morning

like a real sleepy head.

-

Then I got a job,

where I work all night.

I watched the sun come up,

what a glorious sight!

=

It rises in the East

with a bright pinkish glow.

And on the hills to the West

an encore if the show.

-

Its beauty takes away my breath,

makes me glad I'm alive,

and regret the mornings

when I slumbered past five.

-

It seems that now I work all night,

I'm truly double blessed.

I enjoy the work I do

and the sunrise swells my breast

The Broadway Connection

Broadway, they say, is in New York

and they're right, I must suppose.

But in D.C., I saw a group do music

from a bunch of Broadway shows.

They were young, and fresh and vibrant . . .

and full uf energy . . .

as they sang and danced in costume . . .

they brought Broadway there to me.

There was Broadway backdrop,

with all the buildings tall,

and I really had the feeling

this was not D.C. at all.

I understand Craig Stevens

was the one who planned the show.

Craig, you outdid yourself . . .

and I wanted you to know,

that you are a classy fella,

and I really like your taste . . .

especially since I understand,

it all was planned in haste.