The Dower Flower©

It is a misty summer day, the morning rain
providing a sheen on the sidewalks
the temperature warm with the touch of a coolness

My eyes are drawn to a neatly
manicured bush with a bouquet of flowers
freshly awoken from their protective buds

I stand in awe of their beauty and the magnificence
they hold, the expression of vibrancy in their colors
The tenderness they exude softly swaying in the gentle breeze

My walk continues and our paths cross as they have many a time
She is tallish, young with usually longer blonde hair
Most would call her attractive and good looking, even statuesque

I often imagine her to be a model given the varied times of the day
that our paths have interwoven and her stylish and fashionable attire, yet in the midst of the mystique something feels asunder

There is an aloofness, a sense of unhappiness,
never a smile or a warm glow on her face
in its place I feel sadness maybe lonesomeness

My conjecture leads me to ponder and surmise
how someone so young can be so dower
she is the other flower, the dower flower

There is beauty but it is locked up inside
one day my hope is that her bud too will blossom
and she will become the flower she is meant to be

Andreas Simic©

The Flower – A Tribute ©

Thank you flower for the wonderful bouquet you present to me

Thank you flower for your fragrance
That fills the air and makes me smile

Thank you flower for allowing me touch your silkiness
And to feel beauty

Thank you flower for blessing me with your array of colors

Thank you flower being there...

On my Birthday and to count the years

On Mother’s Day to thank Mom for being Mom

On Father’s Day to be with Dad

On Valentine’s Day to let my sweetheart know I love her

On my wedding day to celebrate my relationship

To celebrate my child’s birth

At so many special occasions

Even when there wasn’t a good reason

And one last thank you,
Thank you for being there when I pass on

I know you will brighten the room
Even if it is a sad moment for those left behind

Thank you flower for making me feel better
Knowing that you will be there

Andreas Simic©

The Quandary©

Standing high on the mountain side
I take in the first breath of morning
It seems so much more refreshing here
Maybe it is the altitude that we are at

The aroma of my morning brew reaches my nostrils
The steam a reminder of the time of year
As I survey the pristine landscape my thoughts wander to home
Father would be at the farm readying for harvest

He too would be having his first cup of java
I can hear mother in the background reminding him of something
Soon he would be culling the herd for winter meat
Isn’t that what people say I do, cull

Yet for me gazing down the hillside it does not feel the same
Sure I do this with my fellow men to survive
But it feels like to me that we are taking them out in their prime
That somehow it is a travesty

Back at some headquarters they will remind that others will follow
We are only doing what needs to be done
That much good will come of what we will do today
And in that is my quandary

I see them fall some younger, some older, some not at all
Those few spared to provide seed for new generations
That last gasp is the same regardless of their age
The word “timber” signaling their death knell

That which took decades if not centuries to grow
Will be felled in a matter of minutes
The tree which has lived longer than I now dead
A seedling placed where it so proudly stood

I am a logger
But you can call me Bob

Andreas Simic©

The Natural High©

Long before there was an ***** crisis
And before we even heard of ISIS

We too were looking for that hi(gh)
It might be at church and in the choir nearby

Or just to sing a ring a ling a ding
With our friends and neighbors we would bring

High as a kite had a different meaning
Ours was on a string in the sky; in and out it was weaving

Playing in the school yard
Did not require a security guard

Using a needle and taking a chance
Sounds less fun than being at a school dance

Being out of it meant taking a seat during a game
Not your head in a cloud to stay sane

Glue was for art class and a lot of fun
Not for sniffing by anyone

A snort was something a horse did
Not a white powder up the nose to be rid

An arm was for wrestling
Not a pin cushion for testing

We didn’t need a pill to chill
We thought life was enough of a thrill

A cocktail was a drink
Not something that would make you shrink

A concoction was something you made up in class
Not a chemistry brew you grew

It just seems to me as I read this stuff
The natural high was good enough

Andreas Simic©

Aging 101, Pearls of Wisdom©

What I would tell someone young about the topic
In those moments of philanthropic

Number one would be
It will happen to you automatically you’ll see

Number two would have me say
Live life day to day it will happen anyway

Number three without a doubt
Enjoy each day with glee and feel free to shout it out

Number four is a golden rule
Stay in school and don’t be a fool

Number five you cannot skip
Sorrows will come and go though sometimes they are just a blip

Number six is all about trips
I mean those far and wide, not the kind that can end up in ticks

Number seven for those that care
Live long and prosper and always share

Number eight don’t hesitate
To see outside the box and co-create

Number nine if you have time
Leave a legacy that will shine

Number 10 to remember
Take family and friends alongside for the ride

Number 11 on your way to heaven
Express gratitude at every interlude

Number 12 will help you delve into the unknown
It is remembering that you are not alone

Number 13 is a must and goes beyond lust
It is to love till dust to dust

Andreas Simic©

Ponderings©

As life moves along its continuum
As reflection of the past becomes an increasing occurrence
As the sun rises and sets each day as before

When the hours pass just like they always have
When one day leads into the next
When time seems to be fleeting

What do we think about
What do we do to pre-occupy our minds with
What can we do to prepare for life’s eventualities

How do we justify our being
How do we look at how our life unfolded
How do we move on from here

Why, why now
Why the process and the journey
Why me

Into the abyss we move
Deeper and deeper into our own sole journey
To be remembered or forgotten

That is the question to be pondered this day

Andreas Simic©

In light of the Las Vegas attack and as a poet wrote
This to honor the victims, those injured, their friends
And relatives who need support

Dare to Compare Pen and Sword©

In days of lore a sword was held in hand
Not a vest strapped to a chest

Terror a very strong feeling of fear
How far this is to what Poets hold dear

In younger days terror was contained in a nightmare
Not a bomb or a threat carelessly sent everywhere

How different are they from you and I
Both looking upward into the sky

They have a mother and father too
Often than naught they don’t have a clue what
Their offspring is up to

We may write for many a reason
Though their cause is more likely to end in treason

All have feelings galore to share
Even if theirs seem like they don’t care

Here I sit and lament how another explosion to prevent
Looking for an answer that may be from higher up sent

So what is our role at times like this, is it to write about
Happiness and bliss or those that we will miss

Is it my task to ask you to ponder and pause
Or coach you into looking for another cause

Know that there is good in everyone whether you
Be a daughter or a son

So my request might be to pick up a pen to deliver your message
A passage or two to get you through to removing the vest from your chest

Andreas Simic©

Young Love©

She has been the twinkle in my eye
Since we were knee high

The girl next door
Who I love galore

With hair the color of straw
I have loved her since the first time I saw

The one for me
Can’t my parents see

You’re too young to engage
Is the advice so sage

But we’ve held hands for far too long
Our connection oh so strong

Playing house is no longer a game
I want her to take my name

We’ve talked a lot
About taking this shot

Since holding hands
In the stands

This is our last chance
For romance we said at the dance

We have a plan and some saving
Hoping there will be less raving

So we here are full of hope
As we head off to elope

Andreas Simic©

Missing You!©

When I am here, I miss being there
When I am there, I miss being here

When I am in solitude, I miss companionship
When I have companionship, I miss solitude

When I am single, I miss being in relationship
When I am in relationship, I miss being single

When I am working, I miss not working
When I am not working, I miss working

When I am in the city, I miss the countryside
When I am in the countryside, I miss the city

When it is winter and it is cold, I miss the summer
When it is summer and too hot, I miss the winter

When I am on the prairies, I miss the mountains
When I am in the mountains, I miss the prairies

When I am on the rim of the Grand Canyon,
I miss being at the bottom
When I am at the bottom of the Grand Canyon,
I miss the rim,

When I am on the ocean, I miss dry land
When I am on dry land, I miss the ocean

When I am flying, I miss the ground
When I am on the ground, I miss flying

When I am on the east coast, I miss the west coast
When I am on the west coast, I miss the east coast

Maybe what I am missing is the point of it all

Andreas Simic©

The Lonely Loon©

Long before my daily ritual begins
Your call as distinctive as any sound on the lake
Beckons me with your unique overture

Each day like clockwork I see you there
Bobbing like a cork on the shimmering lake
On guard like a sentry at Buckingham palace

As I meander down the long rocky spit
We eye each other like boxers in a ring
One step past the mythical line you have created

And you will take flight to your safe haven
We are so much alike seeking our solitude
Drawing lines in the sand that shall not be crossed

For now we cautiously examine each other’s presence
Respectful of the boundaries we have set
One wrong move on my part and…

There will be a flapping of wings
Like a plane making its initial ascent
Soon you will be out of sight

Until tomorrow,
See you then my friend

Andreas Simic©