four strapping teens surveying a map
the adventure of a lifetime in waiting
an expedition through backcountry
10 days 4 portages backpacks at the ready
paddles yearning to be dipped into glossy waters
an excruciating two hour drive for excited trekkers
launching canoes with but a trail & compass
crackling fires stoking companionship
seeking warmth from the crisp nighttime air
tents hoisted while listening to nature’s rhythm
crawling into sleeping bags serenaded by croaking frogs
exhaustion from a day of paddling bringing deep sleep
bright sunny dawn the wakeup call for rising
roaring campfire ready for pots and pans
breakfast cooked on an open flame a treat
time to pack amidst an onslaught of mosquitoes
drizzling day a reminder to the voyageurs of the past
portages carrying canoes overhead long & arduous
standing on the shores of turbulent Lake Opeongo
her challenges
beckon us
Andreas Simic©
Jul 10, 2022
Jul 10, 2022 at 7:08 AM UTC
Like water falling over a crest
A swift rapid descent into a black hole
The paradox known as my life
Disguised as a pseudonym plunging
Ever deeper into a swirling
Of emotions into depths unknown
Cascading over cliffs at ever greater speed
Feeling out of control
Coalescing into a bottomless pit
The sheerness of the sides
Ever sharper the deeper I fall
Leaving no way out
Holding my breath
For the inevitable free fall
Into a chasm of darkness
Is this my destiny or fate
Or just another nightmare among many
That I will endure
Until...
Andreas Simic©
Jun 18, 2022
Jun 18, 2022 at 8:49 AM UTC
Laying in my cozy bed,
I oft wonder
why?
why am I here when others not?
those that make a simple mistake
and perish, yet I am here
a friend telling me
“you have more lives than cats”
not a consolation to my deliriums
The plethora of experiences too plentiful
to parlay into one poem
sixteen at last count
multiple careening crashes, a gas tank explosion,
illness, being hit by a car while standing at an ATM
the litany long and varied but one stands out
playing on a recently unfrozen pond
raft fighting as it were
young hearts being foolish
falling in backwards, a non-swimmer
it is so cold, frost bite pins & needles cold
I am going deeper and deeper
it is getting colder and colder
darker and darker
until it is totally dark
no lingering thoughts, it is over
then a pinprick of light
drawing closer
it grows and grows
until I am in the light
it is oh so warm here
the lack of sound creating
an incredulous peacefulness
for a fear filled life
can I stay forever, please
except that is not my destiny
not that day or those others
rescued by a neighbor’s father
delivered unconscious to a mother
still questioning the why
Andreas Simic©
Jun 17, 2022
Jun 17, 2022 at 7:34 AM UTC
I used to think this a term for athletes
Late in their careers
Past their prime
Yet I sit here now
Looking at the pill dispenser
Filled to the brim each day
Not long ago I didn’t even own one
Until the litany of trials and tribulations began
A never ending trail to doctors
Blood and ***** tests,
CT scan, then MRI, followed by
an endoscopy and an Ultrasound
Now four separate ailments identified
The fifth without a diagnosis
Stealth, planning an untimed attack
No grandparents, parents, uncles left
A dear high school friend gone at an early age
My buddy for many years departed
Now this
My youngest brother passing
Far before his time
A two week cold or flu sapping my energy
Then some bug decides to invade
So I curtail eating, on mostly fluids now
I feel weak
And exhausted
And washed up
Andreas Simic©
Jun 17, 2022
Jun 17, 2022 at 7:24 AM UTC
Modern Warfare
Propaganda
Misinformation
Hearts and minds won
Cyber attacks
Encirclement
Diplomacy feigned
Bullying and intimidation
The UN meeting
Pleas for peace
Sanctions
Countermeasures
Advancement
Land grab
Rigged elections
Outrage
Headlines galore
Time passes
New normal tolerated
Status quo accepted
Mission complete
Rinse and repeat
Andreas Simic©
Jun 17, 2022
Jun 17, 2022 at 7:20 AM UTC
I am awoken from a restful sleep aware of the fresh air
the open window brings as she begins to sing
it is the sound of the loon calling me to her side
I stride towards the beckoning sound and her shore
as the door swings open to a new dawn and a rising sun
the early morning mist departing to reveal her beauty
she is glass like this day, stillness the allure
her stillness belies her truth that she can be rough enough
as I stand beside her admiring the horizon she willingly displays
my ears are attune to her lapping sounds, my heart calm
launching my canoe I begin to paddle amidst her blueness
each stroke like the combing of her hair with twirls and curls
today she allows me to glide with ease yet she can also be a tease
the gentle breeze now professed can transform into a mighty storm
it is within her grace that she allows me this place of serenity
for she could as easily sweep off my serendipity with a rough sea
sounds of gulls take my eyes upwards into the clear blue sky
watching them soar all the while jealous of their ability for flight
a honking sound now has me looking to my right to catch sight
of a gaggle of geese in mid-flight her back their launching pad
and without warning there’s a splash as a fish leaps into the air
in search of its morning dish of insect and bugs, as it dives
back into the water, its sanctuary, its home I am reminded again
of her kindness that she provides in sheltering bays
her gentle waves taking me on a journey into the depths
of this lake they call Placid
Andreas Simic©
Jun 17, 2022
Jun 17, 2022 at 7:16 AM UTC
I oft wonder about thee
the flame that once shone bright
into mine life
Have thou been extinguished
by all the lies
spread by deviance for all to behold
Or have thy flourished
using deceit and manipulation
to fuel forward
Nary a thought
as to the carnage you leave behind
in the hearts of others
This I ponder
Andreas Simic©
Jun 17, 2022
Jun 17, 2022 at 7:14 AM UTC
The poem below is a satirical piece
Written by a poet with too much time on his hands
Coviditis is something created purely as an entertainment piece
Caution is advised to those that do not have a sense of humor
Coviditis is a condition brought on during a pandemic due to prolonged use of mask wearing, social distancing, constant hand washing or sanitizing, testing, self or other, as well as self-isolating, shutdowns, travel restrictions, vaccine shortages, vaccine line ups, vaccine hesitancy and antivaccers.
For those with children locked out from attending school and suddenly becoming teachers at large there maybe additional conditions of the ailment
Symptoms that you may have Coviditis include but are not limited to:
Feeling pent up and wanting to visit family and friends
High stress levels, we recommend home blood pressure kits for self-testing
The urge to put a strangle hold on children or small animals
Temper tantrums like when you were a two year old
Wanting to work from home to become a hermit and take up hoarding as a hobby
Binge watching reruns of “I Love Lucy”
For those on the edge this could lead to episodes of “Divorce Court”
Exceeding speed limits including road rage and road racing in parking lots
The need to station yourself near hospitals with your protest poster at the ready
Clock watching while waiting anxiously for the pandemic to be over
Treatments
Generally speaking a return to normal is the best cure for Coviditis
When this is not available we suggest getting normal amounts of rest
Reduce alcohol and leisure drug use (unless prescribed by a health care professional)
Counting to 100 when the urge comes to place choke holds on others
Reduce speeds especially in school zones, truckers should avoid borders or capitals
Take up yoga, Tai Chi or complete regular exercise to offset stuffing feelings with food
Constant hugging of spouses, children, parents, through fist pumps is recommended
Hugging complete strangers in desperation is a no, no
If conditions become worse we recommend zooming
your family physician, Psychologist, Psychiatrist or
Podiatrist, as you may need a good pair of shoes when you want to run away
Also have a travel agent on speed dial, booking two years in advance for you next trip may make you feel better and lead to something called “hope”
In extreme situations visit the emergency department at the hospital
Please note do not feed the pigeons or the protestors on your way in
Andreas Simic©
Jun 17, 2022
Jun 17, 2022 at 7:12 AM UTC
no one knows when it’s our time to go
none has a magnifying glass into tomorrow
do we live in joy or sorrow
or thrive on time that we borrow
yesterday we could have been at play
is our life fully on display
the present is a gift a not to delay
or are we clinging on to stay
what do you do with all your time
do we corporate ladder climb
search out every penny and dime
or write poetry that we make rhyme
have we found that tender squeeze
that turns out to be a tease
and makes our life a breeze
or try to everyone else please
is taking that child out of a cradle
the same as holding a ladle
will there be time to paddle
or do we sit on our hands idle
how else do we joy bring
striding out in nature is that our thing
watching the early morning sun rising
or are we part of a crime ring
where do we get our culture
draw a picture
think about the future
or are we hovering about like a vulture
are we divers
sitting at the side of rivers
roasting on skewers
or have too many shivers
on a long summer’s day will having a beer
bring on friendship and cheer
especially enjoyed with someone dear
or is it all about fear
Andreas Simic©
Jun 17, 2022
Jun 17, 2022 at 7:10 AM UTC
If you Google it, the search comes up as a dot it is so small
growing up years ago they said the population was 500
but that had to have included the people passing through
for we had an ESSO, Schell, Gulf, BP and Texaco gas station
Being on the way to cottage country we were that stop
far enough from the big city for cottagers to be ready
for a bathroom break and a fill up at the pumps
Crime was something we only read about in the papers
Our claim to fame the lake, and ice fishing
You could drive your car to the island in the dead of winter
passing by fish huts painted in an array of colors
The ice road delineated by trees to avoid getting lost
Sure we had the odd break in at a cottage but nothing
that got our name in the news
Oh, we also had two churches and a one room school house
we arrived when I was in grade two, Miss Mitchell was the teacher
Growing up in those days meant hours playing
If we weren’t swimming, we were future hockey stars
or baseball players, Ian and I at the back of the school
pitcher and hitter challenging each other
Hours upon hours at a time spent with kids from down the street
Sure there were the petty fights but mostly with my brothers,
but what can you expect when you have four boys growing up
each vying to become adult like
Those were, in my mind, the days of innocence
before computers and the world became larger
and the internet allowed you to see it all,
the poverty, the deadliness of war, man’s cruelty
Once a place I wanted to desperately get away from
to get lost in the city, an introvert looking for a place to hide
I now find myself reminiscing of those long lost days
where life was simple and a day could be spent daydreaming
Andreas Simic©
Jun 17, 2022
Jun 17, 2022 at 7:08 AM UTC