Maturity©

What is maturity?

Is it knowing that tomorrow will be a better day?
Is it having made all the mistakes until there are no more to be made,
Is it sitting in front of a computer playing games with your inner child and it being okay?
Is it a sense of knowing that the world is unfolding as it is meant to be.

Maturity is defined as development,
Is this the development of the human body?
Is this the development of intellectual matter or
Is this the development of human potential?
Is this the development of a spiritual knowing or connection?

How is maturity obtained?
Do we grow up to be mature?
Are we taught and learn to become mature,
Do we obtain maturity through experience?
Or does age provide an automatic pass to maturity.

Is maturity that stage where all is lost?
Or is maturity when the world is our oyster,
Or when there is an inner knowing of ourselves,
Or is it when we achieve all of our goals and dreams,
Or is it when we have figured out the world around us.

Maturity, let me know what it looks when you find yours,

I seem to have misplaced mine.  

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©

once you take that first step down the path
the decision has been set upon and you cannot go back

now it is up to trust, that invisible demon or angel in waiting
right or wrong the pendulum will swing in either direction

time a curse or a blessing guided by a compass
beholden to no one it has its own destiny

for love once betrayed is a vengeful enemy
setting off a cornucopia of storms of anger

unleashing the torments only goddesses can bestow
their ire ****** forth like a thunderous lighting strike

wishing to smite those that have broken her heart
there is no hiding from the maelstrom your betrayal has unleashed

bringing embarrassment to those that inhabit castles
a dire misjudgment in a moment of voluptuous temptation

is there now regret to having succumbed to human wontedness
it would appear so, hands now tied striding towards the inevitable

step by step moving closer to the sentence handed down
the walled fortress now a corral with no escape

and then I am there, she and a legion of men in waiting
a gilded sword sharp as any in the kingdom prepared

her golden hair blowing in the wind, delicate features revealed
utter beauty astonishing in the backdrop of a scorching sun

how could I have traded this for a night of passion with another
now I am pushed down to kneel before her my heart racing wildly

she is judge and jury and as she draws back the sword
I wonder if there is one morsel of sympathy in her repertoire

so I close my eyes and ponder why has my lust brought me here
all the whilst listening for the whoosh that will end my days or not

Andreas Simic©

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©

You were in the rear view mirror of my life
That one chance encounter to last a lifetime
What a wonderful day it was

Frolicking about the pool two strangers in a foreign land
The ocean waves beckoning us to foray into unknown territory
Sea urchins, star fish, and shells waiting for us to join them in dance

The heat of the day matching the rising temperatures in my heart
Overhead the sun baking our skin like a toaster set on high
Glances were exchanged but only for a moment

For any lasting looks into those deep brown eyes and…
All clean fun our laughter speaking for itself
Until the setting sun and a waiting plane ticket ended it all

Back home my thoughts would return to that day and you
Though I knew the city you lived in I didn’t know your name
Or the street you resided on but the memories remained

Like a haunting which would not go away, a ghost only imagined
On that rare occasion passing through your town
A watchful eye for the woman who now held my heart hostage

But it was for not, the years multiplying like an adding machine
Days would fade into night but not thoughts of you
Of that moment in the sun when all felt perfect

And then…it happened
A twist of fate
A phone call from a friend

A dinner
A date
And everlasting love

Andreas Simic©

Word Association 101©

Today’s word is G-R-A-T-I-T-U-D-E

Select the option you like best as there is no real solution,
and this isn't a real test

So take a position, if it is not an imposition
after all this is nothing but fiction, not a prediction

Leave your hesitation and caution at the door
and put the pedal to the floor

So without procrastination or introduction move trepidation
to elation

Take the plunge it’s not a leap,
for someone here will say throw this on a heap

It may be taken with affection or rejection and
probably needs correction

But onward we go for somehow I must make this flow
Tick the right box if there is such a thing or give it your best fling
If you can’t think of anything

Gratitude is...
Satisfaction
Appreciation
Creation

Gratitude isn’t...
Crude
Lewd
Or attitude

Gratitude leads to...
Fascination
Imagination
Intimate relations

Gratitude may bring...
Evolution
Re-action
Hug action

Gratitude is for...
A job well done
A rising sun
That special someone_

Gratitude, let’s start a revolution that leads to emotion
and maybe to a promotion

Gratitude, life’s gift that keeps on giving
and a premonition in addition

Gratitude, for brothers and sisters and others too, pass it along for all to share because we really do care

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©

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©

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©

Like thousands of soldiers in parachutes
they come out of the winter sky

One by one hitting the pavement
to claim victory for the season now unfolding

At first they are vanquished almost instantly
a price paid for those leading the charge

However as they begin to accumulate and cluster
a formidable foe is being created

Inch by inch, foot by foot, a fortress is being built
one that can be transformed into an igloo for shelter if needed

Soon the landscape will be covered by a heavy white blanket
left unattended it will run amok overwhelming all

As plummeting temperatures assault those not ready
once open lakes and river pathways no longer escape routes

A battering ram of inclement weather hampering travel
imprisoning those caught unaware of its fury

Snow drifts form obstructing passageways
entrapping those not prepared with an escape route

Waiting out the enemy a defensive strategy now in use
As it surrounds you on all sides building an oppressing presence

High winds and frostbite commingling in the air
that will dominate at the end of the day

Beauty or beast
The conflict yet to be decided.

Andreas Simic ©

Here alone
Far from my fellow kind
I stand by myself
But I am not lonely

Long ago I learned
Having more people in my life
Did not equate to
Having more friends

Being busier
Did not mean being more constructive
Or being more successful
That fulfillment comes from within

So now I gaze
Over a landscape filled with memories
Of family, friends and good times
I am alone, but not lonely

Dear Suicide
You were like my unwanted bride

Left in the rear view mirror of life
Your existence no longer a daily strife

Every once in a while
Returning as if on trial

I’m no longer waiting to end it all
Appreciating each and every “fall”

Your clutch no longer around my throat
Myself having constructed a deep enough moat

For years you were a constant companion
Now left behind with much abandon

You had me convinced I was not good enough
That my life was rough and too tough

Though I miss the mind games played
Freedom from fear has away stayed

As I appreciate each day one at a time
My life is now much more like a poetry rhyme

So don’t come back with your useless thoughts
I’m not looking for any new plots

Farewell I say unto you
You are no longer my glue

Andreas Simic©

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©

First the diagnosis
Then the prognosis
Indeed it is cirrhosis

Alongside the cancer
Is the answer
They will no longer be a dancer

First comes shock
At no longer being a chip off the old block
Wanting to throw a rock

It just can’t be they are too young
Why has it spread to the lung
Will these be the last words rung

I want to ring its neck
But we need all hands on deck
So emotions are kept in check

Then sadness comes along
Oh this is so wrong
They want us to be strong

All leading to depression
And many a session
Even a confession

Can’t they be given another chance
Couldn’t there be a different circumstance
But in the end we all end up at acceptance

The five stages of grief
In a brief
Poem is my belief

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©

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©

oscillating back and forth
head tilting from leeward and windward
an abstract puzzling my imperial gaze
a Van Gogh in waiting

      perchance a reflection illuminated
      in broad mesmerizing strokes
      some tantalizing insightfulness
      else a superficial escapade

do the color menageries
stray my mindfulness or hold attention
each vivid hue enlightenment
to soothe & provide enrichment

    is my inspiration desperation
    to find meaning in the simpleton
    gravitating and debating
    between beauty and gargoyles

does incredulous creativity scare me
or woo me into submissiveness
the artist plying servitude
into mine cavernous cavities

     Alan Scales’ exhibit of
     Turquoise Abstract Landscape II
     provides fodder for my mind
     to exponentially explode

Andreas Simic©

Everyone would call her a hero
Carrying yet another soon to be orphaned child to safety
Leading group after group destined for destruction
Down the railway track of hope
Fighting not only the threat of death
But nature’s cold frigid grasp
Her own safety in the balance every time
She returned over and over again
Man, woman or child equally saved
The risks were great the reward greater
In a time and age of war
With no regards to race, color or creed
Cruelty unbound
She plodded on
Exhaustion filling the mind with thoughts of giving up
Yet her drive and spirit refused to cave in
Each trip meant more would live
How could she stop now
One day when all was said and done
Would they remember her or her deeds
It didn’t matter because this was about them
She knew the way
And would light the path
To a life which would grow and flourish
Her reward the look of relief on their faces
When they realized they had made it to the end of the line
Freedom was waiting

Andreas Simic©

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©

Tick tock goes the clock
Sometimes fast sometimes slow
Especially Fridays ergo

With great anticipation
The game begins
When it hits five everyone wins

Until then our minds tend to wander
In that moment of reckoning
The weekend beckoning

Of the things to explore
When we head out that door
Having just finished our last chore

Will it be fun to enjoy
Or entertainment to employ
Either way jumping with joy

There’s that sense of freedom
Coming to our life
Leaving behind work strife

A big smile or a grin
Coming my way
No more din for this day

A few beers to quench my thirst
Sleeping in is the option first
Time with my honey never a curse

Leaping children in mine arms
The substitute for alarms
Bringing their delights and charms

Andreas Simic©

Passing Through

We are like two sailing ships
Passing through a narrow canal

Veteran captains standing  on our decks
We nod heads to each other

In acknowledgement as if to say
Congratulations on a job well done

The sails of our boats once taut now sag
A sign of the relics we have become

In our hey day
We were the top of our class

The envy of the fleet
Known for speed and cunningness

The scourge of the open seas
Few willing to take us on in a battle of the minds

Feared in competition
Avoided where possible

But alas like all things in life
There is decline and decay awaiting us

When you know the time has come
For navigating into the sunset for safe harbor

All that is left is to idle away time
Sitting on the sandy shore until...

Andreas Simic©

What we have lost will never be returned to us
That is the reality of life
Once love is lost can it be regained

Can you retrieve the freshness that once enticed
Do those tender moments re-appear
Loving eye to eye contact relived

What of us holding hands while on a stroll
Memories of that anticipated first date
Where have the nights of passion gone

How can we forget our dream wedding
A honeymoon set in the most exotic of places
Is that glimmer of hope our first child gave faded

Or does it slip away more and more
The warm embraces now bitter words
Hugs and kisses replaced by space in the bed

Civility replaced by cruelty
Distain there to remain
That is the question yet to be answered

Andreas Simic©

“Everything you ever wanted
Is on the other side of FEAR”
George Addais

you see fear
I see fun

you sense dread
I sense opportunity

you feel loss
I feel recovery

you hate
I love

you believe in the bad
I believe in the good

you think the end
I think the beginning

you touch sorrow
I touch enlightenment

you hear pain
I hear healing

your glass half empty
my glass half full

your life hard
mine a life of ease

your life
my life

Andreas Simic©

Lined up like soldiers

you stand tall and straight at attention

like them you guard humanity

by providing for us

through your shade and ever presence

sometimes in your dress of leaves

other times dormant, asleep but not

though no matter the season or the reason

whether as a heat source or inspiration

as a haven for insects or resting place for birds

the livelihood for a wood pecker or mushrooms

you’re there waiting to fulfill your destiny

Despite man’s insatiable hunger

to mow you down like blades of grass

yet it is the oxygen you provide

which allows us to live another day

the irony of it all

even for the tall

Andreas Simic©

You are like a magician

your hands working in stealth-like fashion

revealing little about who you are

finger prints of time have passed you by

as you honed your talents and skills

to manipulate people’s minds

so that they believe they are in control

all the while you hold the strings like

on a puppet or character named Pinocchio

obscuring or twisting the truth as you meld

our hearts and dreams into nightmares

providing dark thrills to your repertoire

while making victims of the audience

who attend these spectacles you readily compose

to entrap those weak of soul

and so it starts like someone under hypnosis

pliant to your every command

unaware of your intentions

until it is too late

Andreas Simic©

My Little Queen©

I’m not her father, but she is my daughter
I knew her when she was young,
A small girl with a twirl

Time went on we moved to the coast with the most,
My bride and I as we said goodbye

One day a bus arrived with this little princess fresh
From a three day journey by bus made with no fuss

Swollen feet and tired as could be she lay on the couch
And I realized then and there she was no slouch

During those early days she would amaze and
Watching her grow was quite a show

The more she grew the more beautiful she had become
Even if it felt like she was always on the run

Her vivid imagination would have her end up
Working at a gas station to my fascination

Then one day she would announce out of the blue
It’s time to live on her own and have a home

A new job and boyfriend would ensue as she blossomed
From princess to bride and I would profess my pride

My princess now a little queen was far from done
For she had a son that I could adore galore

But life presents many ups and downs and even frowns
Even for someone with a crown, as we all do, who knew

A move here, a move there,
yet she found her way to another day

When revelations would arrive at home, my bride
Would give me a glare and stare and say

“and who do you think she got that from”
I am not her father, but she is my daughter

Now settled in a city nor far away, a wife, a mother
But still my pretty little queen

Andreas Simic©

They say you are just an old gravel country road
lined by trees on both sides for many a mile
but for me you are the path of escape
that leads me away from here

I often fantasize about what I would discover at your ending
akin to finding out what lies at the end of a rainbow
would it be glee or disappointment

It is said there is a great city somewhere along your route
one filled with opportunity and excitement
Containing things a rural being cannot imagine
buildings taller than all the trees stood end on end

There have been whispers of ladies of the evening
and places where someone may imbibe in a drink or two
or parlors that entertain many a man through lonely nights

A young lad with big dreams can only yearn for passage of time
for when that day comes wherein I will traverse thee till the end
to witness for myself all that has been spoken about
and to dip my toe into a world of aliveness and intrigue

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©

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©

“Everything you ever wanted
Is on the other side of FEAR”
George Addais

you see fear
I see fun

you sense dread
I sense opportunity

you feel loss
I feel recovery

you hate
I love

you believe in the bad
I believe in the good

you think the end
I think the beginning

you touch sorrow
I touch enlightenment

you hear pain
I hear healing

your glass half empty
my glass half full

your life hard
mine a life of ease

your life
my life

Andreas Simic©

This poem is dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Harvey
And the people who helped during and after the storm.

An Ode to the Harvey Heroes©

Once upon a time not so long ago
Nature did spur a Harvey in the Gulf of Mexico

As the storm grew into a hurricane
Winds howled and then came the rain

Poor Texas got in the way
And it rained day after day

High water turned into floods
Leaving everyone scurrying including the blue bloods

Onto their roofs they did climb to survive the storm
With so much rain well above the norm

Little did they know a rescue mission was on the go
An impromptu navy of people they didn’t even know

Night and day their saviors were on a mission to rescue
Not knowing the dangers they faced for they didn’t have a clue

But despite the risk and the unknown
How to respond they have us shown

With a great amount of caring and daring
Many a life has been saved though some succumbed to an early grave

So what do we call the brave men and women from far and wide
A hero is what I say and I am not being snide

For they have saved the day for so many of our kin
Not saying thank you and our appreciation would be a sin

So here it is in spades “Thank you” to all who lent a helping hand
And that’s from all of us from across the land

Though things are far from over and done
Many will see a rising sun

Andreas Simic

The Dreamers©

I think oft  what it would be like to be one of them

To look at the world through rose colored glasses

Where the world is perfect according to my childhood dreams

In that dream I would be a pilot, handsome and tall
A world traveler to boot

I would be married to the girl next door
The vivacious blonde with that voluptuous figure

Somehow as if by magic I would be rich as well as famous

My model looks would have me featured in a magazine

This would be a follow up to my bestselling book which is
Now being turned into the greatest movie of all time

The movie is a documentary about my days as a rock star

It would highlight my younger years
As a pro athlete and renowned artist extraordinaire

The captivating television interview for my hit movie
Held at my countryside estate overlooking the ocean
It is prominently featured in Homes & Gardens magazine

Having won the lottery my days are filled with
Time to spend with family and friends at will
Or inventing the greatest next best thing

My ideal children seemingly raise themselves
To become childhood prodigies

When I come back to reality in my modest home
Readying myself to go to my everyday job
And writing poetry waiting to be discovered

I wonder “Is this as good as it gets”

Andreas Simic©

Life sometimes sunny, rainy or snowy
But what of those cloudy days
When we are too depressed to dress

How do we interpret that which befalls us
When it is dark above and an ill wind blows in
What do we rely upon as our barometer

There a myriad of reasons for when the weather changes
Maybe health is being a messy storm and a dichotomy of ailments
Or your relationship resembling a twisting tornado

A lost job or business failure a hurricane to the future
Droughts in our lives igniting all types of addictions
Failing grades a tsunami of disappointment

Postpartum a wall of sleet not easily navigated
Mental illness a torrent too easily dismissed
Marriage troubles a cyclone bursting forth

Loss of love resembling mesmerizing howling winds
Death a lightning rod striking into the soul
The past a swirling sandstorm blinding us

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©

you are the Ambrosia of my mind
the apple of my eye
crisp and Red delicious
a Macintosh in waiting

     Granny Smith is exuberant
     over our Gala to toast the Empire
     I see a Pink Lady in Fuji
     Honeycrisp in every way

you are the Envy of Pazzaz
playing Jazz in Cameo at the Braeburn
in front of Lady Alice in Holstein
like a Hidden Rose

     though Janagold is **** mixed with sweetness
     your Liberty embraces Gravenstein
     akin to a Pacific Rose like an Opal
     enjoying Winesap instead of Mutsu

Andreas Simic©

I feel like an antiquity
some relic from the past

crumbling at the edges
eroded over time

aging has arrived
There are fissures in my proud steel plated armor

once invincible
reality is bringing with it a heavy blow

it creeps upon you
like a stealth thief in the night

now you berate yourself
for being caught unaware

new words slip into your vocabulary
things like “possible stroke”

a litany of tests are conducted
let’s begin with a blood test

maybe a ***** sample
we can schedule an MRI

is this a heart attack
there is a CAT or CT scan as it is known

what about the C word, cancer
let’s do an ultrasound

ff that doesn’t find it there is always
an endoscopy or colonoscopy complete with biopsy

the realization that life’s destiny is prevailing
is the end nigh

the relic you have become
looking at you in the mirror of life

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©

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

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©

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©

Can you help me please
I have been born into someone else's life
how else to explain a child like me
living on the streets filled with quagmire
alone and lonely watching your children pass by
They dressed in clothes that fit not found
in an alley filled with the worlds least desirable
Their mouths having tasted a regular meal
not the hand me down scraps that provide
sustenance but not nourishment
They walk to school for education while I
pander to humanity for another day of living
idle chatter a commodity I can ill afford
laughter a luxury that evades me
smiles are for financial gain not for expressing inner joy
Yes this is not my life, but a temporary stop, is my hope

Andreas Simic©
Picture prompt and credit: https://mweiss-art.devi

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©

Another tough day in the life
Of a dog like me can’t you see

My humans are ill-trained
So waking them requires several techniques

Laying on their heads to get them up
Or pulling the covers off works most days

Then I take them out for a walk
This is annoying as I often have to go ***

They eat more meals a day than I do
This requires me to monitor them while they dine

Looking up at these beings giving them the evil eye
Sometimes guilt’s them into sharing

Getting them to play is often a task
Pretending to be interested in playing ball tedious

When napping I often keep one eye open
This ensures they don’t leave without my knowing

Upon their returning to my home
That I let them share with me

I jump up and down trying to look enthusiastic
This makes them feel good, so I do it every time

Generally speaking I have trained these two well
Mostly they behave but every once I have to bark at them

I rescued this pair at a shelter
So I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into

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©

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©

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©

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©

looking into his star struck eyes
       my heart ticking
like a grandfather clock
       is this the glorious moment
on bended knee
      or return  
the costumes to wardrobe
Andreas Simic©

Worry less
reduce stress

Let go
have love show

Hold a hand
take a stand

Lose control
shore patrol

Distemper the temper
alleviate anger

Less of a lug
more bear hugs

Take a hike
ride my bike

Get a kiss
from my Miss

Turn off the TV
just be

Count blessings
not window dressings

Volunteer
cheer

Be a friend
till the end

Andreas Simic©

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