You are magic
A magician
Like Merlin
Years ago you cast a spell
It still remains

A real magician
Everything you touch has wonder
Your smile is bright like sunshine
Your laughter is generous
You make the world better

Your walk is melodic
Your eyes are kind twinkling with mischief
You enchant anyone you meet
Children adore you

Everything you do is magical
Everything you touch is golden
You seem to almost float
Your spirit is light
You are magic
In every way
There is no doubt you
cast a spell on me

Sometimes there’s a reprise
Of something
Could be anything
An event
An illness
A song
A relationship

Sometimes life repeats itself
With a person
A feeling
A situation

The world is in a reprise
Of sorts
It was trying
To escape last year
The horror of it
The illness
Sadness
And death
Yet destiny
Had another idea
A reprise

Sometimes we may fail
We may even feel like a failure
We may fall down or not meet expectations
Ours or others
But if we try, including new things are we?
As long as we get up and try again

People judge others all the time
Holding them up to their standards
Whether they are appropriate or not
How can one truly know about another
Without being in their shoes

If we take a risk and try something
If we reach beyond our means
If we find our own way
Even if different and unique
If we define ourselves based on our choices
Are we a failure?
It’s in the eye of the beholder
Especially ours
Failure

I live among ghost
Phantoms
They keep calling me
I walk by memories
Old haunts
I touch them ever so slightly
Carved through year’s of life
There are spirits
Vapors of life
I feel them touch me
They hover above
They watch
They listen
They are always there
I see remnants of where they were

I live among ghosts
I feel them
I can’t escape them
Every where I turn
Everywhere I look
I feel them
Echoes of them embedded

I feel them in the air
I feel them in thoughts
I feel them in faces
I live among ghosts and memories
Of another time

What happens after the new normal
When we try to become just normal
When we try to put life back
Can we recreate some semblance of order
When is it the right time to even try
Or do we continue as we have been
Until the hidden enemy is at bay

What happens after the new normal
Is there yet another one
Do we continue to wait
For the rescue
Or does patience get the best of us
Does the world take on another new look
Does it become a quieter, more solitary time

What happens to the new normal
When it becomes just normal

We all have a chance every day in how we will be with each other

We can be pleasant or not
We can bring light or darkness
A laugh or a frown

One of the most joyous things is to bring a smile to someone

It doesn't take much to do that

You never know when someone might bring one to you as well

Smile

At this time of year
Winter is coming
A fresh new start is on the way

At this time of year

Holiday trappings are everywhere
Trees are waiting for a home
Children are anticipating Santa
Presents are wrapped

At this time of year

Choirs are singing
Churches are full
People are feeling good cheer
Smiles are bigger
Special meals being served

At this time of year

Let’s be more kind
Let’s be more positive
Let’s laugh more and criticize less
Let’s be grateful

At this time of year

Let’s remember what’s about
Let’s come together
Let’s love harder
Let’s assume the best
Let’s forgive more

Let’s remember we are all one

At this time of year

She is speaking to us
Pleading
Warning us
Advising us
Comforting us
Helping us
We just have to listen
We are all her children

She’s been telling us about the planet
Warning what will come
Showing us
With storms
Droughts
Fires
Extreme heat
We just have to listen
We must listen

She’s been crying for us
For all the creatures that live here
For the forests
Plants
She’s been begging us
To change
To stop
To respect what’s here
The planet
The boundaries between us
And them
All we have to do is listen
Then change our ways
Mother knows best

There’s only one like you
You

There’s only one for me
You

You are my puzzle piece
There’s only one who makes me smile

You
There’s only one
Who touches my heart
You

There’s only one in the world
You

There’s only one with a melodic walk
You

You were chosen by the universe
There’s only one with merlot lips

You

There’s only one with that Humphrey Bogart look

You

In all the world there is only one

You

A warm summer wind whips through the air and the trees
Causing them to move to the rhythm and the beat
Lightning dabbles the sky
Like the quick stroke of a paint brush
Tree limbs bend as the wind darts through them
The sky lightens up from the electric charge
The air fills with the loud sound of thunder
A summer storm is fast approaching
Playing the wind chimes outside
Like a musical instrument
As they move back and forth
To the rhythm of the wind
Mother Nature has arrived

Fall breezes blowing
Dark gray skies
Decorate
The sun hides
For a late entrance
Bright colored leaves
Red, orange and yellow
Tease the senses
Smells of fallen leaves abound
Rustling in the wind
Some clinging to their branches

Chimes ringing in the wind faintly
Playing their own muted tune
Warming up the heart

Tea and apple cider brewing
Pies in the oven
As the temperature drops winter is not far behind
It’s a glorious season

Whenever I touch your hands
They are warm
Their feeling takes me to a special place
They exude a calmness
Whenever I touch your fingers
They offer kindness and care

Whenever I touch your hands
I am struck by their warmth
As I hold them
They touch my spirit deeply
With care and love

Whenever I touch your hands
I touch my heart
I touch my spirit
With your kindness and care

Memories come flooding back
When I first held your hand
When I first looked into your eyes
When I first hugged you

Hands carry memories
They never forget

Like I never forgot you

Search your heart
Find the meaning of love

Search your heart
Find your destiny

Search your heart
Find comfort and care

Search your heart
Find where you belong

Search your heart
Find kindness

Search your heart
Find tolerance

Search your heart
Find what you were looking for

Search your heart
Find the best in people

Search your heart
Find beauty

Search your heart
Find why you are here

Search your heart

Try a Little Kindness
In this rough world
Try a little kindness
Instead of being harsh
Try a little kindness
Instead of complaining
Try a little kindness
Instead of a frown
Try a smile
Try a little kindness

Instead of unhappiness
Be happy
Try a little kindness
Instead of darkness and pain
Walk towards the light
Try a little kindness

Instead of clouds and rain
See the sun
Try a little kindness

I live far away from where I am from
I am in a different land
Across the waters
I came for someone special
To start a new journey with him
Today I start another new journey
Unplanned for
To stay healthy
To live
There’s a new enemy a foot
Across the world
In some places it is everywhere
All the nooks and crannies
We have been lucky so far
Not much is here yet
Let’s hope that holds
Yet slowly the numbers climb
I sit and watch the news where I came from
The numbers increasing each day
Thousands now
Feeling so helpless
Watching
Yet during this dark time
Which feels like a nightmare
The planet is healing
The skies are cleaner
The water becoming clearer
Animals walking about
Free of their human bonds
Dolphins and whales return to the canals of Venice
Going where they used to go
In a way it’s like a movie
Except it’s very real
Where I hope and pray for a positive ending
For us all
For the world

Afar

Tonight there’s a half moon
It’s silvery white
Hanging by a golden thread in a
dark painted sky
Around the moon is a delicate halo
It looks incandescent to the eye
The vision is almost hypnotic

It’s a half moon night
The air is warm
Heavy and thick
Not refreshing

Summer is in the beginning of its final throes
Breathing fire into the day and night
Making it hard to live and concentrate
Fall is waiting in the wings

It’s a half moon night

We all need to belong

To have a special someone
Have a place to hang our hat
To put our feet up and call home
Where friends and family are

We all need to belong

Somewhere
Somehow
To something
To be loved and love

Without it we feel lost
Untethered
Like a balloon loose in the sky

We all need to belong

Somewhere
Somehow
To something greater than ourselves
We need to matter
We need to have a purpose

We need to feel a place in this world

We all need to belong

I am sitting in a café by the street
I am scene watching
People coming to and fro
Coats and hats on
Scarves around necks
It’s cold outside
Winter

Seeing what is going on outside
Watching the people inside
Sipping coffee
Eating breakfast
Smiling and laughing

People from all over
Different languages in the air
Baked goods on display
Like valuable jewels

Trees full of oranges decorate
Fountains nearby against pink
Crisp day
Sun brightly shining

I am scene watching

Misty mornings wake me with their beauty
From my deep within my slumber they greet me
They cover the earth like a warm blanket

Glimmers of sun can be seen from underneath the mist as it struggles to get free
Green trees pop up their heads
searching for the sun

Misty mornings wakes me
From my deep slumber
Where dreams rule over me
Imagination is king and logic takes a break

Hypnotic mist rises up
Covering the ground with a thick blanket
Like a Sherlock Holmes movie
Entrancing me with its beauty

Warm spring breezes move through the air
Wind chimes gently playing a quiet melody
Branches swaying slowly
Sun shining down on the flowers and flowering trees
Bright colors abound
Green everywhere
A fragrant scent of the season in the air like light perfume

It’s the little things in life
That make all the difference
Like saying good morning
Smiling at someone
Saying thank you
Offering a hug
That brighten up a mood

That sweeten a day
Lift someone up
Lighten the world just a bit

Like saying good morning
Offering a compliment
Sharing a joke
Laughing
That make all the difference

It’s the little things in life
That make the difference

Are you real?
Are you just a dream of my imagination?
You seem too good to be true
I can hardly believe it
Imagination

Are you really here?
You are perfect in every way
The way you look
The way you walk
Your handsome face
You seem to good to be true
Imagination

Are you real or a dream?
You are like a melody
The sweetest of music
The finest piece of art
Imagination

She always stood in the shadows
Quiet and invisible
Yet watching and listening
Looking at the sky, the people
Everything
Observing

Wherever she went she noticed things
Little details
Colors
Smells
She watched how people moved
How they talked
Observing

Sometimes something would strike her
Trigger an idea or a poem
Other times, she would store it away for another time
She almost lived in two worlds
One as a participant
The other, observing

When she sat in a cafe she usually sat alone
She preferred it that way
It was her time just for her
To watch, create, ponder
Write
Observing

Sitting on the train
In a country not my own
Riding to another city
Casablanca
It’s known for its intrigue
Mystery
History
A famous movie
My husband at my side
As we ride
Listening to the sounds
As we move along
Looking at the scenery
It changes as we go
More greenery north
Some seagulls fly by
We will be close to the sea
The car is quiet
People on their phones
Or sleeping
The rhythm is
Hypnotic
Coaxing sleep
Peaceful
In many ways
It’s no different
Than any other place
With trains
Finally we arrive
Seeking a taxi
To take us to our destination
Once we are done
The mission completed
We will head back
On another train
Happy we finished
Resting as we travel
Tired
But peaceful

I am in a reminiscent mood
Thinking back to a time in my childhood
When I lived overseas
In Brazil
Seems like eons ago
Such a different time
A warm, welcoming place
Especially for children
Full of joy and laughter
The music was intoxicating
The beauty stunning
Remembering the visiting of friends
Whose houses were adorned
With birds of paradise flowers
Visiting the bird sanctuary
With my mother
Seeing every kind of parrot
In a rainbow of colors
Walking the beach in Rio
The Ipanema Beach
Famous for its black and white
mosaic tile
Sitting on the beach
Listening to the waves
While people flew their bird kites
Traveling around with my parents
Seeing the country
North and South
Struck with the humanity and beauty
Those memories never left me
They still haunt the inner recesses
Of my heart

Dark cloudy gray day
Coolness to the air
Dankness permeates
Birds on the roof eating
Chirping sounds in the air
Creates stillness and quiet
A cat cozied up sleeping
Looks like rain is possible
Good day for coffee or tea
Inside
Safe and warm
Offers needed respite
Doing quiet things
It offers comfort

It was quiet and still. Not a sound could be heard.
A couple of birds flew through the air in the distance almost invisible.
The trees laid out a dark rich green carpet underneath the trees.  It looked luxurious.
The sky was a pale blue grey with pillows of clouds.
They broke up the sky with their placement and streaks.
The sky was highlighted by a light which had a shadow resembling a renaissance painting. Perhaps Monet.
As I looked at the clouds, they became brighter, and started to turn to a light pink color.
It was so beautiful and indescribable.

At this time of year
Winter is coming
A fresh new start is on the way

At this time of year

Holiday trappings are everywhere
Trees are waiting for a home
Children are anticipating Santa
Presents are wrapped

At this time of year

Choirs are singing
Churches are full
People are feeling good cheer
Smiles are bigger
People are brighter
Special meals being served

At this time of year

Let’s be more kind
Let’s be more positive
Let’s laugh more and criticize less
Let’s be grateful

At this time of year

Let’s remember what this is about
Let’s come together
Let’s love harder
Let’s assume the best
Let’s forgive more

Let’s remember we are all one

At this time of year

Brrrr  
Baby it’s cold outside
Jackets and scarves required
The air is crisp and clear
The sky is clear
The sun is out in it’s full regalia
The city is awake
Traffic moving
The café is almost empty
Too cold to come out
People huddled with their coffee
The steam offering warmth
Baby it’s cold outside
Hard to go out
Bed sounds nice where it’s warm
Winter is here and
Brrrr Wednesday

Soft, lilting sounds
Almost hypnotic in their tone
Laugher rolling down green hills covered with grass
Giggles and the Wizard of Oz
Magic everywhere one looks

Times with a friend playing cards
Traveling down the yellow brick road to other places
Different places, new adventures

Spring is warm and soft like Primavera
Flowers perfume the air with their scent and perfume

The time of season has started where the air is clear
Nights are cool and nature wakes up once again to the start of a new year after the cold dark winter

Primavera
Time of renewal

Purple with pink bands streak across the sky

The purple has a hint of gray
It looks like a Monet painting which sets the stage for the coming night

The streaks in the sky create a look that is almost unreal in its beauty

Nature is an absolute artist second to none

Don’t grudge
Like
Don’t hate
Love
Don’t judge
Accept
Don’t isolate
Join
Don’t despair
Hope
Don’t see smallness
See grandness
Don’t offer darkness
Offer light
Light up the world
With your special light

Open your eyes
Abre sus ojos
See what you can see
Feel what you can feel
Touch what you can touch
Take in all the fragrances
See the wonder of life
See me for who and what I am

Abre sus ojos
Open your eyes
Take it all in
Look everywhere
See Mother Nature
In all her glory
See the oceans
See the forests and mountains
See the animals
See me for who and what I am

Abre sus ojos
Open your eyes
See the woman before you
See her heart and spirit
Where she has been

Abre sus ojos
Open your eyes
The world is waiting

In our hardest times
The darkest times
When there seems to be no hope
Never give up
Keep trying
Always walk towards the light
Away from darkness
As it will protect you
And keep you safe
Believe
Light up the world
With your own special light

Purple with pink bands streak across the sky

The purple has a hint of gray
It resembles a Monet painting which sets the stage for the coming night

The streaks create a look that is almost unreal in its beauty
It is pure art

Nature is an absolute artist second to none

What is it?
A number?
An address
A password
A birth year?
Expiration date?
A seat on a ticket?
An age?
Of wine
Whiskey
Bourbon
A person
What does it mean?
Aged?
Elderly?
Feeble?
Or is it just a number
Defined by the situation
And person

After the high heat
The burning sun
When it finally cools down
Even just slightly
It’s a big relief

When the air clears
And the morning cool comes
Once again
So one can sit outside
And breathe freely
Not feeling repressed
It’s a relief

When the sky is blue
With a few clouds
Actually visible to the eye
It’s a relief

There’s a feeling of refreshment
A reprieve has been granted
From the worst of heat
Just for a moment
We are so very grateful

After the vaccine
Now what?
A new normal
What is it?
Are we safe?
Can we go back in time
Or are things now different
Forever

After the vaccine
Will we wear masks
No hugging
No hand shakes
Keeping our distance
Limited travel

After the vaccine
What does it mean
Can we see friends
Can we see family
Can we go home
Can we go back to our life
After the vaccine

A quiet time
A time of reflection
Some people sleep in
When things slow down
Before the start of a new week
Some practice their faith
Others spend time with family
Some walk through nature
Cities are emptier
Less traffic and honking horns
There’s a stillness in the air
It’s peaceful

Even when it looks like it there is no hope. Don’t give up

Believe

Even when there is darkness all around, light will always find a way through

Believe

Even when things seem difficult and impossible, things will get done

Believe

Because in the end everything will work out. The impossible becomes possible and light wins over darkness

Believe
Never lose hope
It lights up the world

If you hurt me I will not hurt you
I will walk away

If you love me
I will love you back

If you offer a chair
I will sit with you

If you offer peace
I will join you

If you hurt me I will not hurt you
I will walk away

If you love me
I will love you back

I live among ghosts
Phantoms
They keep calling me
I walk by memories
Old haunts
I touch them ever so slightly
Carved through years of life
There are spirits
Vapors of life
I feel them touch me gently
They hover above
They watch everything
They listen to everything
They know everything
They are always there
I see remnants of where they were

I live among ghosts
I feel them
I can’t escape them
Everywhere I turn
Everywhere I look
I feel them
Echoes of them

I feel them in the air
I feel them in thoughts
I feel them in faces I see
I live among ghosts and memories
I am in spirit land

There are cliques everywhere
Some are in school
Others at work and life
Some people belong
They are part of it
Others are on the outside
Perhaps by their choice
Perhaps not
Some accept others
Some don’t
Some are exclusive
Some are intended
Some are not

Cliques

Others are on the outside
Perhaps by their choice
Perhaps not

Smiles are everything
They can warm the heart
They brighten up a room
They can touch the spirit
They reach the sun
They are the difference
between light and dark
Start the day
They are magic
They can make friendships
Resolve differences
Warm the world
Bridge issues
Heal wounds
Smiles are everything

It was a warm summers day
The sky was a bright blue
He was walking in a field of grasses
Some flowers were around
All colors
Blues, reds, pink, yellow and orange
Amongst them were butterflies
Going around the flowers
Some larger and some smaller
Multi colored ones
As he walked he stopped to admire them
At one point a group of them surrounded him and flew around in a circle
They then left and flew away

As they left he continued to walk coming across a small pond
A heron was standing on the other side of it watching the small fish
He sat down on a wood log to watch
As he sat watching the bird lifted off and flew over the water diving down to catch a fish
When the bird lifted its head it had a fish in its mouth
It swallowed the fish and flew off

The man got up and continued to walk
He came to a forest of tall trees
They hovered over him like giants
He felt so small against them
As the light breeze blew they swayed back and forth ever so slightly
He was awed by their size and beauty

He continued to walk until he came across a small log cabin
It looked well made
There was smoke coming out of the chimney
He looked in the window but didn't see anyone
He knocked on the door but no one answered
Eventually he opened the door and went inside
He noticed soup cooking on the stove and fresh coffee in a ***

There was a living room to the side with a fire burning in the fireplace
A rug was in front of it with a comfortable couch and a rocking chair
No one was there

He noticed stairs leading up to another floor with rooms
While the cabin looked small from the outside it was quite large inside
He sat at the kitchen table for a while waiting to see if anyone came
When they didn't he decided to eat as he was hungry
He helped himself to some coffee and soup

When he was finished he cleaned up
He sat in the living room still waiting
No one came
It was getting late, too late to walk back
So he got ready for bed using the blanket by the couch
As he readied himself a cat appeared and lay down by the fire
By then he was sleepy craving sleep
He put his head down and fell into a deep sleep
The cat watched over him all night as if standing guard

When he woke in the early morning there was still no one there
After making some coffee and breakfast the man cleaned things up and got ready to leave

As he opened the front door to go out he noticed a note pinned to the door
The note had his name on it
He opened the note and read it
It said "welcome home" it has been a long time
The man couldn't believe it
The cabin was his
He was actually home after all this time

You are standing on a beach
The waves move rhythmically
Back and forth.
The sound is soothing to the ear.
The sun is out, the sky is a clear crystal blue
There are a few white clouds in the sky -- very delicate
The sun is not hot, the air is not cool. It is just right.
There is a light breeze.
As you look out into the water, you see the color, a light turquoise.
The water dances as it moves-- looking like diamonds.
As you walk into the water, you do not feel wet.
Your color changes to the same as that of the water.
As you walk further into the water, your shape
and consistency change.
You melt and meld into the sea.
You feel warm, safe and at peace.
You are finally back home.
You are at peace and safe.
Finally.

Some of us are lucky
To be by a golden bucket of peace
It’s calming
It brings a feeling of beatitude
When we immerse ourselves
We can lose our daily troubles
Slipping into a special place
Of safety
Of belonging
Of familiarity
It’s a place one doesn’t want to leave
Ever
Have you found yours?
Treasure it
It’s precious
It’s rare
Believe
In possibilities
Light up the world

We all start life the same way
But once we arrive
We all have our own journey
Some call it a path
Others our destiny
As we each start out
We encounter experiences
Both good and bad
Some are beautiful
Beyond words to describe
Others are dark, painful and ugly
But they are all part of our journey
Along the way we meet people
Many of them
Some become husbands
Or wives
Relatives
Friends
Coworkers
Others are just in passing
But they are all part of our journey
We may go to different places
In and out of our country
We may speak different languages
Dress differently
Look different
But in the end
Our journeys
All take us to the same place
Because we may think we are different
But we really aren’t
We all share something
Humanity

When you are sleeping
Do you dream of me

When you are sleeping
Do you want me

When you are sleeping
Do you miss me

When you are sleeping
What do you think about

When you are sleeping
Where do you go

When you are sleeping
Do you visit beautiful places

When you are sleeping
Do you dream of me
As I do of you

A summer wind whips through the air and trees
Lightning dabbles the sky like a quick paint brush against a canvas
Creating a Monet like painting
Tree limbs bend as the wind moves through them

The sky lightens up from the electric charge moving through it
The air fills with the sound of thunder
Tapping its drums and cymbals
The sky turns a greenish color
Trouble is on the move

A summer storm is fast approaching
Playing the wind chimes outside like a musical instrument
As they clang back and forth to the rhythm of the wind

Announcing the arrival of a storm
Heavy rain starts offering a soothing drink to the earth

Summer storm