Overlooking the bow of the ship
With nary a thing in sight but the lake they call Gitche Gumee
The waves crashing against the hull with a thunderous roar
Winds howling like the sound of a jet engine taking off
Nothing I have not seen before all these years at sea

My thoughts turn to home
A wife, a son, friends and family
Celebrating yet another birthday without me
Below I can hear the men at dinner equally jubilant
Soon another lake crossing will be met with pay checks

How did I get here all alone at the helm
Responsible for so many heading into yet another storm
Riding in and out like tides on the ocean of life
Highs and lows each day rippling through the hours of a journey
The aroma of my coffee brings me back to the present

Radar indicates others are around me but what are they up to
Racing to cover like we are or hunkered down already
In a safe cove readying for bed, dreams about to be launched
Like this ship when she was shiny and new and held out great hopes
For both crew and owners

Now my fears mount as does the heaving of the ship
Listing from side to side the fateful sounding of the alarm
Despite their best effort the engines are fighting a losing battle
For the first time my thoughts turn to failure
What if she actually went down to the ragged sea bed below

Sinking to the bottom like a stone tossed into a pond
My men scurry to ready the life rafts
We all know this will be in vain the seas too rough to set them adrift
Through their silence they too communicate our doom
It is now only a matter of time

And so we wait.

Andreas Simic©

Went to get a card for my loved one
There it was all shiny and new
Held together with paper and glue

Looked at the price which made me hesitate
Got me thinking hold on and wait
When did paper get this expensive?
Making me quite apprehensive

What did it say that I couldn’t my bride tell
In a poem written by me just as well
For words can never express how I feel
About the woman that is the real deal

The one who I still adore
No matter on land or shore
Whether on the Canyon floor
Or just next door

Though age has moved us along
There are still words to be written for our song
Every day I awake I pinch myself that you’re right there
In the bed we both share

To say I’m lucky
Would be rather plucky
Though I am so blessed
I can hold you close to my chest

Through a life of challenge and many a tear
Losing you is my greatest fear
For you are all I’ve ever wanted in a mate
Someone like you to whom I could relate

There are no words on a card bought
That express to the one I had long sought
How I feel each day
For having you in my life in every way

Happy Valentine’s Day

Andreas Simic©

I sit here and ponder
As I let my mind wander

To the girl that makes my heart race
Who shows me her every grace

The one who has stolen the show
Erased the others who I did know

It’s not her beauty that leads the way
But what’s inside that shines every day

She can make my heart sing
Even when I am not listening

The smile that can light up a room
All the while holding a broom

Amidst these thoughts that stir
Another Valentine’s is here for sure

How to make this one special I plead
Ideas from a magazine I ought to read

Then my mind begins to click
What a great idea to woe this chick

So a call on the phone is made
Hope on a sunny day they have a shade

A knock on the door brings my dear near
Hope I’m right I fear

For the horse drawn carriage awaits
To take us on this very important date

To a place where we can dine
And her smile will shine

When I drop down on one knee
For a future for you and me

Andreas Simic©

What an amazing thing it is
the center of the highways and byways of humanness

A rhythmic beating that stirs the soul
the ultimate example of the word dichotomy

It can survive attacks with incredible resilience
yet be shattered by mere words

Lobbed in your direction to inflict pain and suffering
these powerful weapons wielded like a sword

Leaving it in shreds like shards of glass
strewn carelessly about each crystal abandoned unto itself

The results can be deep incisions leading to permanent scars
picking up the pieces far easier said than done

Some say it is akin to a stab wound with a twisted blade
that literally and figuratively can invoke fatal damage

Often; time, space and love encourage healing
While a touch, hug or kiss can re-ignite its flame

Occasionally it requires the talents of a skilled surgeon
To bring it back to life using ordinary means sans heroics

Hope, trust and faith the elixir aligned with patience
A potent cure commingled with a mix of prescriptions

The combination of memories and senses
Delivering messages for it to act upon

Call it heart break or heart ache or any other name
The result can end up being the same.

In the end it is not a matter of whether science
can complete a successful transplant
But whether a broken heart can be mended at all

Andreas Simic©

I am the symbol of pride for a nation
Decked out in paint and decoration

Though I have colors of my own
Artistry of others I have shown

Representing endurance and strength
Taking you on journeys that vary in length

Subject for a photo or picture to behold
Witness to many stories left untold

Equal abilities to work or play
Whether ridden for fun or transport this day

My worth is immeasurable to those in need
Even when they speak the tongue of a different creed

Equally adept in peace or war
I can swim from shore to shore

We have lived both wild and tamed
******* and saddled even been lamed

Ability to stir many an emotion
Returning the favor through dedication and devotion

So write the message you need to spill
I’ll carry it up any given hill

Andreas Simic©

It is like there are two parts, the watched and the watcher
The watcher seeing a struggle to find love
An essential ingredient to happiness and self fulfillment

You have constructed a wall impenetrable by most everyone
Built for protection to keep others out, but why
Like a bird with an injured wing I observe you flapping about

Flailing at some unknown enemy or force in defiance or defense
A look of utter scorn scowling across such a delicate tender face
One that could be touched gently like a light breeze by a suitor

Oh they have tried, your outer beauty a draw like honey
I too know the inner beauty you harbor safely in the bay of hope
Away from the rough seas of life where hurt and pain lurk

Alas frustration mounts as the dueling enigmas duke it out
Like a ring with two combatants competing to best the other
A hard fought battle that may see neither a winner, a draw no less

Leaving pugilists exhausted and feeling no less loved or cared about
An outsider peeping into a window to the soul of a future lover
That can be seen but not touched like in a dream

Hope

What a kind and yet cruel concept

You hope for the best and …
Hope is eternal and…
We can always hope and…

Thank goodness for hope and…
When all else fails there is always hope and…
Hope is elusive and…

Hope for the better and…
Give hope time and…
Hope you get…and…

Hope is blind and…
Hope things work out and…
Hope you get well soon and…

When no one else is around
You can always count on hope
It is like a companion who never leaves your side

Hope is a great gift and…
It is free to give to those in need
And remember when all else fails there is always hope

Andreas Simic

Chuck

There once was a show named “Chuck”
It didn’t have much luck

After five seasons it was gone
Oh it felt so wrong

For Chuck was about a nerd
Who ran with the herd

A fun loving guy in a comedy no less
Always making life a mess

Each episode an adventure or a quest
Making it fun to watch as a guest

It had all the right things
Even a girl with “talent” it brings

More bumbling than a bee
He reminded me of me

Sometimes hero and sometimes goat
Made him feel real and not remote

With a side kick and a crew
Each week your addiction grew

More laughs than a barrel of monkeys
Was the trigger that turned the keys

To my heart
Right from the start

Adieu I say to cast and show
If there is a movie or spinoff let me know.

Andreas Simic©

I enjoyed your winning poem. Congrats.      R.L.

Advice on Women

A woman can be fragile thing
What you need to know is they’re like a bee that can sting

In your arms gentle and kind they may feel
What’s inside to be feared is also real

When you have that first kiss
Your mind goes instantly to future bliss

And that’s where the games begin
The moment that intellect kicks in

You think that you are on equal ground
Until those thoughts are proven unsound

For in a contest of wills
She'll give you more than just the chills

Long before the conversation is over you’re be worn out
Making you want to scream and shout

Every point made receives a counter punch
It is far better to end it now and have lunch

For women travel in a pack
Are you ready for a group attack

Though your ego will take a blow
It is your manhood that must now show

Once scorned it is better to go into retreat
Revenge is not something to repeat

For in the end you will lose it all
From their graces you shall fall

Better to live another day
Than to end it some other way

So there you have my advice at best
Realizing I say all this in jest

Andreas Simic©

A Flower and a book

Saw the picture and had a second look
A flower and a book

What can you say about those two things
A flurry of thoughts it brings

When I think of a flower it is beauty I see
A book brings words of who I may want to be

The smell of petals bring joy
Page after page brings wisdom for me to employ

How are they the same you may ask
This is where I put myself to the task

Both are there to amuse our minds
Even if it is of varying kinds

Is it a stretch to say
Each brings wisdom your way

Texture is found by your fingers
Impressions made live long and lingers

There are feelings evoked galore
By reading into what is in store

Memories tweaked and new ones made
Though some may one day fade

No matter what the occasion or circumstance
They can deliver even in the case of romance

Under the covers they do bring
The possibility of inspiration for songs to sing

Stories yet to be told lay in wait
Whatever you imagine will be great

Andreas Simic©

Forbidden Foolishness
They were prisoners
not of walls but of words
words of threats and alienation
walls none the less

But destiny would intervene
a chance encounter at a shop
eyes meeting in a fateful dance
unspoken thoughts exchanged

Notes were passed
through clandestine means
hidden from watchful eyes
little by little trysts ensued

At first with conversation
then, that kiss
the one that opened the prison gates
to a world unknown

Of freedom of the heart
hands began to meander
exploring the inner reaches
of parts unknown

He climbing past mountains of doubt
she guiding his hands
to her Garden of Eden
both searching in the shadow of darkness

Like unleashed primal beasts
theirs was a passion in a fertile land
breath taking and breathless
the planting of seeds

Would soon bear fruit
the chains that once held them
now kept them close
the escape complete

Andreas Simic©

The Truth or Something Like It

Aah, the truth and nothing but the truth
Who do we believe in this day and age

Where a guy named Donald spouts about fake news
And always seems to be in a rage

Who do you trust if it’s not your president
How do you get information if not from this sage

If the FBI cannot be trusted according to him
What else are we to surmise at this stage

Is there anyone left in who we can trust
Or are we permanently ****** in this cage

And just when we thought we’re as low as we can sink
Some women come forward in a display of courage

In a world so harsh and critical at best
They took a stand to spill their baggage

For the abuse from years long ago
Can be silenced no longer is their message

To all those who hide the truth
Know that we all come from the same village

The time has come to seek the truth
From those that took advantage

Hurting one of us is to hurt us all
It is time to write a new passage

(For a poetry contest entry based on this quote.  “Cherish those who seek the truth but beware of those who find it.”)

How do you know me just from the color of my skin
Not accepting that which is deep within

How do you know me from looking into my eyes
My heart could be filled with deception and lies

How do you know me from the way I look
My intelligence will often be mistook

How do you know me from the way I talk
An accent or a twang or lisp why mock

How do you know me from the way I walk
A strut, sashay, limp taken ad hoc

How do you know me from what people say
Maybe they’re just have a bad day

How do you know me from the way I dress
Can’t I express my depress

How do you know me from what you hear
Maybe I’m not really queer

How do you know me from what you read
Words can often mislead

How do you know me if you don’t ask
Leaving it to your imagination is not its task

How do you know me or my dreams
You already have an opinion it seems

How do you know I won’t make the world glow
Given the chance to put on a show

Andreas Simic©

The Lone Wolf©

Exiting the cabin I instinctively look up
Maybe it is out of habit now
I spy you perched atop the distant ridge
How different are you and I

What do you see when you look down at my humble abode
Nestled amongst the trees the smoke wafting from the chimney
My home in the wilds of the woods; alone
How different are you and I

When you are not there I wonder where you are
Foraging for food, a drink by the fast flowing river,
Seeking solitude
How different are you and I

Do you see a man with a broken heart
One that has been cut so deeply it will never mend
Relegated to healing the wounds through nature
How different are you and I

Each day is a new day
One filled with wonderment
Of opportunity found or lost
How different are you and I

Time has inevitability
Someday one of us will not be there and I wonder
Will this be the last time I see your grace
How different are you and I

Andreas Simic©

Confessions of a Happy Person©

Standing at the kitchen sink
My wife quips “you are one happy person”

It is right there and then I realized
I have been found out

Time to confess

I am one of “those” “happy people”
And a morning person to boot

I admit I am an ice –cream-aholic
Hooked on chocolate Rocky road, 2 scoops

Left to my own devices I play hooky
My favorite vice mid day movies

Yes chick flicks
And I buy the ludicrously priced pop corn

Next up on the list a get away at the spa
Even if I fall asleep during the deep massage

Cruise ships are my Achilles heel
Where else do they make your bed

Feed you 24 hours a day
And you can hide from the world

My flexible job schedule allows for daytime bike rides
Who doesn’t want to be a kid again wind blowing through your hair

The bane of my existence, poetry writing
Anytime, anywhere at the drop of a hat or spur of the moment

To espouse words of wisdom or not
And connect with family, friends and complete strangers

Yes, there are up and down days but as the saying goes
“Be Happy”

Andreas Simic©

You Know You’re Getting Older When…©

The scroll bar for an online application
takes forever to get to your year of birth

The creaks you hear are your bones
not the floor boards

Younger people take the time to hold the door
open even without asking

Taking an escalator or elevator instead of stairs
is the only option

Switching the phone from ear to ear
doesn’t make hearing any easier

Can openers and jars become the enemy

You swear your arms are getting shorter
making tying your shoe laces a challenge

“Say again” are the most commonly used
words in your vocabulary

You save money on haircuts and shampoo
as there is less to work with

Grey becomes your new favorite color

Slow now feels fast

Cat naps are mandatory

The right lane on a highway becomes your domain

You need eye glasses to find your eye glasses

The remote is an extension of your hand

“Skip to the lou my darling” are
more than words to a song

And that’s just the short list

Don’t laugh, someday you’ll be there

Andreas Simic©

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree
How I love thee

Where’s thy pine cone I want to see
That fills me with so much glee

And has me plead
Where is thy seed

That will spring forth future generations
And hence bring great tribulations

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree
How I love thee

For now and evermore
You bring happiness to my shore

They vibrant colors I behold
If the truth doth be told

Thy aroma in my nose
Brings me to a close

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree
How I love thee

Andreas Simic©

Take My Hand©

When you are
lonely
sad
unhappy

No matter
where you are
the place you’re in now
or how deep you have sunk

Know that
there is always a tomorrow
those who lead sometimes follow
success is measured by you

I will be there
to hold you up
give you strength
embrace your soul

Life is
lived one day at a time
each moment counting on its own
from blessing to blessing

Hear
my voice to guide you
through times that are tough
for you are never truly alone

Let your
thoughts be bright
even when it doesn’t seem all right
all the while remembering I am holding your hand

Andreas Simic

Zack and Camill went up the hill
Oh what a thrill

With pail in hand
The trip would be far from bland

As the class clown
He wasn’t entitled to a crown

But was prone to tumbling down
Camill was his peach with eyes a brown

Was this the day to plant that first kiss
Or another for remiss

Only time and a climb would tell
If he would finally ring her bell

He was surely under her spell
One she had cast and for which he befell

Was today finally it
His heart long ago being lit

His biggest fear of all
That he would suffer another fall

And have to race home
All alone

To his bed
Where he would tears shed

Andreas Simic

How to describe the era we live in today
one filled with a constant diatribe
of those beliefs that were once treasured

Now it seems the more bellicose one appears
the more they are held in high regard
with those that are voluble taking center stage

Being peaceable is now a quality to endear
with the denunciation of the common good
replaced with boisterous chest beating

Antagonism is the order of the this time
using social media to be pugnacious
and argumentative the norm

One can only shake ones head
to the contriving that has infected our humanity
with machinations too wild to believe

We are besieged by the need to be superior
to the people that share our streets
is this because our voices have been drown out

We vilify those who dare denounce
this way of being with venom
like that of a deadly snake

Hoping to silence those that oppose them
with a tyranny of fake news claims
neither verifiable nor accurate

Into this world our children are being born
what will they learn
that belligerence is the way to get ahead

Pity us all for we will all rue the day
that we collectively chose leaders
who embody these qualities

Andreas Simic©

My Modern Age Reality©

The daily commute a daily grind
Bumper to bumper you will find
Asking “are you out of your mind”
Hoping to spot someone that is kind

Road rage is now the new adage
To get where you’re going at this stage
Maybe this can be forestalled with courage
Though that is wishful thinking at this age

My child in the back seat
She’s my daily joy when I do pick her up and we meet
Her arms outstretched as if to greet
Though the morning drop off isn’t so neat

A woman in a job no less
That a man used to do my guess
Why does it feel so thankless
Although that paycheck is a bliss

At the end of a long day I just want to rest
But hubby dear has announced a guest
Shopping, cooking, cleaning is now my quest
After all we want to show our best

The closing of the door and a big sigh
Tells me that bedtime is nigh
But first tidy up both low and high
Maybe it’s worth a hug from my big guy

My head comes to rest on the pillow
A last glance out the window at the willow
And a snuggle with mine bedfellow
Leads to a day’s afterglow

That’s all I have for today’s sideshow

Andreas Simic©

She is a Vulcan
Part Seductress
Part Enigma

She will lure you into her sphere
The sound of her music a trap
You’re unaware of its allure

Like a kiss that captivates your heart
Leaving you wondering is this madness
Until caught in its entanglement

You ask how did I get here
Why was I such easy prey
When will I learn

Yet again shopping around
The fractals have led you wrong
Is this self sacrifice you ponder

Led down a garden path
Betrayed by yearnings thought pure
Her crown like a shiny object reels you in

Her lipstick captivates you
Her eyes like a gravitational pull
Her horns pierce your heart

Like a cigarette burn left unattended
The wound festers like an assassin
Until it feels like a lobotomy

It is only as the poison spreads that you realize
It was all a game to bring on a revolution
Vengeance the end goal

She is an artist vying for your love
Throwing gasoline on our passion
As if struck by lightning the reverberation hits

There is a lesson to be learned
But what
And is it too late

Andreas Simic©

Eternal Fantasy©

Crossing the bridge I hear the roar
Instinctively my head turns

And there it is
A red Ferrari

The driver shifting through the gears
One day I will have a car like that

As I mesmerize myself with those thoughts
A tall blonde statuesque woman approaches

The kind of look a model in a magazine would have
One day a woman like her will be attracted to me

My mind imagines her and I in that Ferrari
Me shifting gears like a race car professional

What kind of income would I need for that car
And to attract that kind of rare beauty

Larger and larger numbers come to mind
One day I would make that kind of money

With the car, girl, and money would come prestige
People would know who I am, maybe I would be famous

We would live on a private island
Our home an estate worthy of my success

One day I could have all that
Then reality sets in

My age, wage and stage of life
Make this a fantasy

Only a lottery ticket away
Could make this real one day

Hope is eternal as is fantasy

Andreas Simic©

What is Success©

Is it being selfless
Even during moments of duress
Where I don’t try to impress

Or those times where I don’t make a mess
Which is often I confess
For wisdom I don’t profess

These thoughts coalesce
In my mind like a fortress
Sometimes seemingly useless

Difficult to access
During moments of stress
Or worry in excess

Do they reveal my lack of  classiness
Or skills at chess
Over which I obsess

Is it about the way I dress
Or a life lacking fullness
Without much to bless

Shame arrives during idleness or
After periods where I am win less
It is these I try to suppress

My parents believe I am aimless
But still show their fondness
And support with kindness

My life at times senseless
Revealing all this is just a guess
So I egress

Andreas Simic©

My One Day Bucket List©

When I was young life was tough enough
As I sat behind that old wooden school desk I would dare to dream

I had a dream that…

One day I would fly a plane and soar like the birds in the sky away from the pain

One day I would find someone to love and be loved back just because they wanted to

One day I would have friends and feel like I belonged and not be different

One day I would own a home, a house to call my own because it looked like everyone else

One day I would sail the oceans to know what it would be like to be totally surrounded by water and feel like no one could find me to hurt me anymore

One day I would make money so no one would know I was poor

One day I would move a thousand miles away to an island so
No one would know I was not okay

One day I would own a business so that I could control my destiny

One day I would travel, to see what made the Panama possible and
Learn how deep the Grand Canyon is, see why people go to Las Vegas and experience what it would be like in Alaska

One day I would return to my father’s place of birth and see where it all began on that small family farm in the middle of seemingly nowhere and how he got to be so far away to escape a war

One day I would be there when Mom and Dad were passing on
So that they would not feel alone as they made that last human transition

One day I realized how my dreams had turned into reality that
Those early beginnings became an incredible life
Filled with family and friends

One day aspiration had turned into inspiration and inspiration into reality.

One day looks like inspiring others both young and not so young to hold on during those dark moments for the light to shine through and the opportunity for dreams to come true

One day

Andreas Simic©

Wave of Emotion©

Where doth it begin, this wave that cometh over me
That leaves me at times in great overwhelm
Unable to respond
Frozen in time and space

It seems as though one day the seas of my mind are calm
All is well at the helm of life
Clear sailing as it were
But underneath...

Like an undertow or undercurrent
Swells are forming that will one day reveal themselves
Maybe it starts like a ripple on a body of water
Building up steam

Hence I do not know that which is coming
Lurking, slowly building up
Underneath the tranquility
Waiting to erupt or burst forth

If one were able to see the tides shifting
Maybe one could get a sense of the impending storm brewing
Something like a light keeper
Warning Captains of impending ill wind

But alas it is not so
The waves come rolling in
On an unsuspecting shoreline
Crashing unto its midst

Growing stronger from some unseen source
Wreaking havoc and intensifying as it goes
The storm unleashed with great impotence
Inflicting the desired impact

The groundswell of emotion now set free
Erupts in its various forms, anger and disgust
Fear and sadness arise sometimes
Disguised as surprise and happiness

This co-mingling of human outlets
Can plunge us into the depths of despair
Into the caverns of our vessel and sink us
To depths undiscovered and fraught with danger

Yet like all hurricanes above the waterline
They too shall weaken, wear themselves out
And over time they lose power
Once again we will feel like we are in control

Calmness is the order of the day; after all
We are “emotional beings” living through a human existence.
And it is so and
So it is.

Andreas Simic©

At the Top©
I often think as the crest of the hill appears
That I am at the top
The top of this game

It is my dream it seems
To go out on top
To be the best me when I flee
To the other side
With a great measure of pride
Knowing I have tried and tried

So what does the top look like for me
Holding hands with my honey
Knowing she will have enough money

That I have lived a full life
Even if that includes all that strife
After all nothings perfect

Even for those of us who like to direct
The path we have chosen
For the long journey to get to the other side

Will have traveled far and wide
And won’t have anything to hide
I will have kissed and hugged a lot

Even enjoyed all those things we bought
With many friends and family too
My hope is to be the glue

That you see me too
At the top
The top of my game

Andreas Simic©

The Funny White Stuff©

It is hard to believe
That there is a part of the world

Where no funny white stuff exists at all
This thing that can create great pleasure

Or be seen as a plague or aggravation
Which some will never experience

How something so good can also be so bad
In one moment a plaything

And in another a quagmire to escape
A symbol for the chills and cold

Or that which can bring a warm glow to our hearts
Those that love to slide cherish it

While those that drive oft curse it
Yet it is made of the same thing

You can throw or fling it for fun
Build a fort or igloo too

If need be it’s a water source
And hence a precious resource

Floating from the sky above
It can create quite a scene

Leading people to dream
Especially those that have not seen

The magic and wonder
Of the season and the funny white stuff

Andreas Simic©

My Plight in Sight©

I find myself alone
I was once with many
Dwindled to a few
Now a sole survivor

I am huddled here
In the cold
In this ditch
That now serves as shelter

It is not my fault
I did my very best
To help them survive
To keep them alive

Now I am freezing
My hands shake
And quiver
As I hold my metal defense

They are all around me now
It is just a matter of time
My thoughts are of home
Of family and that tree in the yard

The odds are not good
I know they are not
That I will hold your hand
For now it is just a thought

To have and to hold is just a dream
Our baby in my hands
Something I glean
What happens now is unforeseen

The din of earlier in the day
Gives way to an eerie silence
And here I have to stay
To see if I will live another day

This is war
And I am a soldier

Andreas Simic©

Journey to Tranquility©

As I nestle into the seat of my
Far from new mode of transport
I steel myself for the journey ahead
In my mind I plan out the route for this day

I'm sure bumper to bumper was invented here
There will be that slow crawl up the parkway
This will turn into the raceway as we hit the expressway
Where I let her go

Road rage is the new adage
So one must be aware not to stare or glare
This gauntlet must be run to arrive alive
Success here brings relief as we turn,

Turn onto a highway of only two lanes
Gains can be made here though watch for deer
Home after home turns into farm land
As the lights of the city disappear

Another left, then one more with pavement
Becomes gravel for many a mile
Don’t go too far there it is on the right
A smile appears as it comes into sight

The scurry of a fox across the driveway
The chirp of birds as you exit the car
The smell of a lake and its shore
You are at the cottage and tranquility galore

It is worth the drive every time.

Andreas Simic©

My Plight in Sight©

I find myself alone
I was once with many
Dwindled to a few
Now a sole survivor

I am huddled here
In the cold
In this ditch
That now serves as shelter

It is not my fault
I did my very best
To help them survive
To keep them alive

Now I am freezing
My hands shake
And quiver
As I hold my metal defense

They are all around me now
It is just a matter of time
My thoughts are of home
Of family and that tree in the yard

The odds are not good
I know they are not
That I will hold your hand
For now it is just a thought

To have and to hold is just a dream
Our baby in my hands
Something I glean
What happens now is unforeseen

The din of earlier in the day
Gives way to an eerie silence
And here I have to stay
To see if I will live another day

This is war
And I am a soldier

Andreas Simic©

Prince Charming©

I know he is out there somewhere
Living a life without a care

He’s the guy that will fill my dreams
Maybe end all my screams

The one that will my problems solve
That’s why I play a game I call revolve

In and out they go
Hoping the right one will show

It seems like it is an endless chain
One day one will remain

The few have become the many
Life passes by with nary a penny

They come they go
Yet I have little to show

Years pass on by and still I date
Hoping to find someone to relate

They move in for just a while
Till I realize they are not my style

To the curb they do go
When the next will show I don’t know

It’s not you it’s me
If I could only see

Andreas Simic©

Smitten©

If I was a kitten
Maybe I wouldn’t be so smitten
It’s as though I’ve been bitten

There is no chance
Of romance
Maybe under a different circumstance

Though it seems she was heaven sent
And I feel an urge to relent
It would likely lead me to repent

Don’t know why the attraction
Am I looking for some sort of satisfaction
Help me Lord to inaction

For I know not why there is this thing
Leading me to ponder a fling
Knowing it will only grief bring

Yet there it is this temptation
Is it there as some sort of revelation
Providing a piece of education

But alas with all my will
I bring a chill
To that part of me seeking a thrill

Andreas Simic©

Inspiration©

In moments of reflection
I ponder, what inspires us

What makes one human being
Happy, delighted, having fun

And another sad, less enthusiastic,
Dreary, down trodden, seemingly on the run

Why do those impelled to change the world
Live alongside those that seem to be along for a ride

How can we have an Einstein
In amongst the sublime

What pip or kernel separates
The inspired from the tired

Does it arrive through some gene
Or something else not foreseen

Can it be developed through age and wisdom
Allowing us to become sage

Is it a seed or
A need

I scratch my head
Time for bed

Another day I will revive this quest
For now I just need some rest

Andreas Simic©

The ONE©

You were meant to be it
The One
That would give meaning to my life

Others are blessed with your being-ness
Not I
Why?

In all my childhood dreams
You would be there
To hold you

To make you feel safe
To cuddle you when you cried
To cradle you when you are hurt

We would play together
I would teach you about life and the world
Take you places far and wide

One day you would have some of your own
And they would grow so you too would be blessed
As I held them in my arms

Yet life never brought you along
Some sort of physical defect
And now I miss you all the more

You were meant to be the one
A child to love and treasure
But you never came

Andreas Simic©

Ponderance©

As the waves come crashing into the shore
And the gulls fly overhead
And the sounds fill my ears

I am reminded

Of the frailty of life
Of nature’s cycle
Of destiny for all of us that inhabit this planet

Is life fair
Is life just
Is life a must

Or a journey to be endured
Or a lifetime of highs and lows
Or something to see as we go

Sometimes I do wonder why we are all here
Sometimes I am amazed of all the fear
Sometimes I can’t resist to insist

A prayer for those near and dear
A prayer for those unknown to me
A prayer for those I have yet to see

And as I dose myself to sleep
And my eyelids become heavy and deep
Another day awaits for me to greet

Andreas Simic©

Who Am I 2©

I sit on the park bench
Watching the world pass by

It feels like I have been here a while
I do not know where home is

Nor what my name is
Somewhere out there someone loves me, I think

Be it a spouse, a sibling, a child or grandchild
Yet I am not sure

So I wait,
For what I am not fully aware

Could it possibly be to take some medication
That will clear the fog away

Or possibly needed to save my life
Maybe…or maybe not

Someplace deep inside the recesses of my mind
I hear these words

“Stay where you are, we will find you”
And so I wait

Andreas Simic©

Life is ...©
Life is ...
... A journey
... A process
... Time travel

Life is ...
... Seconds, minutes, hours
... Days, weeks, months
... Years, decades, a century

Life is ...
... Spring, summer, fall, winter
... Flowers, plants, trees
... Nature, stars, the universe

Life is...
... Seeing, hearing, touching
... Tasting, smelling, speaking
... Doing, participating, accomplishing

Life is...
... Hope, inspiration, aspiration
... Laughter, joy, jubilation
... Disappointment, tears, sadness

Life is...
... Family, friends, neighbors
... Friendships, relationships, marriage
... Classmates, teammates, workmates

Life is...
... Working, playing, human development
... Dreams, goals, plans
... Self-awareness, reflection, refinement

Life is... Birth, living, death

Life is... Remembering we are human beings, not human doings.
Every once in a while we need to stop and smell the roses,
hear what is really being said, taste the essences of life,
touch someone’s heart and see life for what it truly is,
“a journey with rest areas”
Andreas Simic©

Kiss My…©

Morning people,
Those people up at the crack of dawn

With more energy than a ball of fire
All done up like they haven’t even slept

It is in those moments I want to say
Kiss my sass

Looking at them through my bleary eyes
Me feeling like something off a scrapheap

Their exuberance like a cup runneth over
Excitement exuding everywhere

It is in those moments I want to say
Kiss my sass

My rear glued to the bed
Unable to muster the motivation to get up

I listen to them espouse great plans for the day
Bubbling with sheer excitement

It is in those moments I want to say
Kiss my sass

We all have our place and so do they
I have to admit with some dismay

Andreas Simic©

Tour of Duty©
I awaken from a fitful sleep
One where slumber was not very deep
The night before after counting many a sheep
My eyes closed and they did meet

A dream was had that made me sneep
You and I were there in a jeep
As I mentioned another tour you said nary a peep
But in your eyes I capture “what the bleep”
We both know the long stay at an outkeep
The enemy would be nearby and they are prone to creep

The sacrifice again would require a big leap
Is this a mistake or am I being wheep
Once again into our love my duty does seep
For a promise I knew I could not keep

Is the price for going to war really this cheap
The returns not guaranteed and the climb out steep

Or maybe we need to stop and make a clean sweep
And throw our relationship onto the scrapheap

Hearing those words make us both weep
For a promise I knew I could not keep

Andreas Simic©

Who Am I…©

Am I a biological cocktail
Of atoms and genes

A being of enlightenment
From another cosmos

A melding of time and experiences
Twisted into a known identity

A confluence of memories
That will one day fade into thin air

A figment of my imagination
Or yours

A spiritual being going through a human existence
“We are human beings, not human doings.

Every once in a while we need to stop and smell the roses,
Hear what is really being said, taste the essence of life,
Touch someone’s heart and see life for what it truly is,
A journey with rest areas.”

Andreas Simic©

Trump-ED©

There once was a man named Trump
Whose hair looked like a clump

A little bit plump
Never caught looking like a frump

He lived in a home that was no dump
It didn’t even need a sump pump

For some he was a pain in the ****
Yet you would never call him a schlump

Some thought he was a grump
Others said he was no chump

He did like to make people jump
Causing people’s throat to have a lump

Rules didn’t apply to him, no need for an ump
Even when his business was in a slump

Like most he did have the odd bump
For everyone runs into a slump

While there were those that did want him to flump
So along the way he could see a thump

Still others did relay you were a mump
I say so long old friend, Mr. T. Trump

Trump (Ted) 1925-2005

Andreas Simic©

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses,
places, events and incidents are either the products of
the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner.
Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or
actual events is purely coincidental.

Are the Five Alive©

Can you see it through...
The fog
The smog
The mist

Can you smell it through...
The fear
The odors
The stench

Can you hear it through...
The noise
The racket
The chatter

Can you taste it through...
The spices
The flavors
The bland

Can you touch it through...
The pain
The sorrow
The concessions

If you’ve made it this far through
The gauntlet known as life

Take a bow  for you are alive with the big five
Sight, smell, hearing, taste and feel are for real

Andreas Simic©

From the Back of the Bus©

The journey to school via that yellow tin can
They call it a bus at least where I come from, man

Long and narrow it transports it’s precious cargo
And delivers daily where we must show to grow

My favorite destination of that vehicle not of choice
Was the back of the bus so I could hide inside and rejoice

Many lessons were learned on the way to school
Observing life from that back of that melting *** pool

One learned about friendship between two friends
The shy kid whose ride was a means to an end

The bully that would run amok
Those were the ones that would have me duck

There were smiles and frowns alike
Most days I would rather ride my bike

Some days were up but most days were down
In the midst of the crowd and the class clown

Intersperse that beautiful girl
And the kids that made you want to hurl

Some were kind and some were tough
Seeing some of both was enough

Not realizing at that young age
This was preparing us for a different life stage

The ride was a daily grind
While I was looking for something else to find

From the back of the bus

Andreas Simic©

From the Back of the Bus©

The journey to school via that yellow tin can
They call it a bus at least where I come from, man

Long and narrow it transports it’s precious cargo
And delivers daily where we must show to grow

My favorite destination of that vehicle not of choice
Was the back of the bus so I could hide inside and rejoice

Many lessons were learned on the way to school
Observing life from that back of that melting *** pool

One learned about friendship between two friends
The shy kid whose ride was a means to an end

The bully that would run amok
Those were the ones that would have me duck

There were smiles and frowns alike
Most days I would rather ride my bike

Some days were up but most days were down
In the midst of the crowd and the class clown

Intersperse that beautiful girl
And the kids that made you want to hurl

Some were kind and some were tough
Seeing some of both was enough

Not realizing at that young age
This was preparing us for a different life stage

The ride was a daily grind
While I was looking for something else to find

From the back of the bus

Andreas Simic©

The Craving©
Until now I have never really FELT the meaning of craving
Yet here I am doing exactly that

I crave to write
For some unknown
Unexplained reason

The words
And ideas
Are pouring out of me

Like a faucet
That cannot
Be turned off

Why now
Why here
Why at all

It doesn’t make sense
Is it mere pretense
Or heaven sent

Do the words
Have meaning or
Is it me just screaming

My goal is inspiration
For others or
So I think

What if what I write
Readers see as
Something that stinks

So back to
Where it
All began

Why am I craving
This particular
Fall or at all

Andreas Simic©

Growing up country...A day in the life ©
I lay on my bed awake staring at the ceiling
No need for an alarm cause I have two
One is brooster the rooster and the is
A holler I call “father”

And then there it is the shout from below
“Get up you slugs we have things to do and places to go”
I leap out of bed toss on some clothes no need to be picky
For we ain’t likely to see nobody this way today

The race down the stairs is on, only three brothers to beat
Getting to the kitchen table to get a seat and grub to eat
The smell of bacon permeates the air
And mom is at the bottom stair to give a hug right there

As we chow down we all look around at each other
Knowing full well the list and which one we druthers
There’s tillin the garden with a ***, muckin the pens with its stench,
Fence mendin with barb wire or ridein that metal steed named Deere

And on this day through luck of the draw or Dad’s decision
I create furrow after furrow with precision and after awhile
And many circles complete the mind tends to wander into a haze
As you slide from side to side on that hard seat amidst a glaze

What will this fall harvest bring after the chores are complete
A trip to the fair and rodeo to compete and there I will be the winner
In that girl’s blue eyes as I lift up that grand prize
She’ll notice me then, that pretty little thing and proudly wear my ring

The old John Deere will transform from a metal steed to a pickup I will need
For those kids who will be taught to heed, respect their elders and lay seed
We’ll live on a farm just like this one built on strong backs from generation
To generation hoping to build a better nation

Andreas Simic©

The Balancing Act©

It is as though I am constantly in a balancing act
I envy those that seemingly do not go through
This process of weighing things in my mind

Those like poker players that can go “all in”
Shove their chips into the middle of the table
As if there wasn’t even a fore thought involved

No, my mind has to go through “the process”
Is this a good decision or bad
What will be the consequences

Why am I doing this
What are the odds of something bad happening
How will the results affect my life

I look at the homeless who wander my streets
Judgment floods my mind
But is there jealousy at the heart of it

Is theirs a conscious choice
To have no bosses, no one to account to
Are they free from the balancing act

What of the daredevils that navigate Niagara falls
Who leap to peril do they juggle their decision
Or is there absolute clarity of the mind

Pros and cons
Ins and outs
Good or bad

Happy or sad
Mad or glad
The balancing act

Andreas Simic©

Lost Words©

It was only later
After seeing him hooked up to a ventilator

That I realized what he had said
And a reflection came that I would later retread

For deep down inside I always knew
That my dad was there for me as I grew

He was harsh and intense on occasion
Some would even call it abrasion

But there was that other side
When we were alone me along for the ride

He did his duty as a father
Bringing home the bacon with little bother

But the lessons taught
Were what I bought

How to strive
To stay alive

To be the best I can be
For all to see

Have kindness for my fellow man
Help wherever I can

Be a father to a son
Be there to protect everyone

Give a care
If you dare

That tomorrow will be a better day
When you get ego out of the way

As I sit here to lament
I recall those lost words he had repent

After waiting all those long years
And though he is long gone they still bring me tears

Those lost words you ask “I love you…”

Andreas Simic©

The Glimpse©

As he rode down the escalator
Eyes upon the next step
Caution on his mind
The throng of people
Surrounding him like a fence
Something told him to look up
Was it an inkling
Was it intuition
Was it a premonition
Was it fate
But look up he did
And in that moment their eyes met
It was a mere seconds of a lifetime
But they were both transfixed
He going down
She coming up
A passing of two strangers
Eyes locked
Was this a flight of fancy
Or the real thing
He would never know
For she was gone around the corner
And he was on his way to work
Destiny would have to prevail
Someday but not today

Andreas Simic©