REMEMBERING

Florida I love . . .

Palm Trees and Palmetto. Sand Pines and Coonti. Myriad shades of green.

Purple, red and yellow hues of the Crepe Myrtle and Hibiscus

Majestic Live Oaks dressed elegantly with hanging moss and supporting on its limbs

The amazing Resurrection Fern which lives & dies & lives again, perpetually

The Mockingbird’s amazing repertoire and the wake-up call of the Sandhill Crane

flying over on the way to the pond with it’s family

The spicy fragrance of Confederate Jasmine and the sweet smell of orange blossoms

The taste of Red Grapefruit harvested from my own tree

A walk on the beach to taste the salt sea air and feel the sand between my toes

The hypnotic sound of the waves rolling in, rolling in, rolling in

To meet the foraging sandpipers . . . and me

Sunshine on my face everyday warming my body and lifting my spirit

But I remember . . .

Trillium and Jack-in-the-Pulpit. The exquisite fragrance of the delicate Lily of the Valley

I remember searching under ancient hardwoods and along old railroad ties

for the elusive, highly prized, Morel Mushroom with it’s incredible taste.

I remember walking on a thick carpet of pine needles

through a silent forest of Magnificent old Pine trees and feeling the urge to pray.

I remember the beauty of God’s Autumn Spectacular.

Color so brilliant it can take your breath away.

Vibrant reds, shimmering golds, deep purples, bright oranges.

And yes, I remember snow, softening the landscape

with a profound hush and slowing the pace on a busy morning.

I remember yellow grosbeaks, and cardinals,

and black-capped chickadees brushing away the snow

to uncover the seed.

And I remember Grape Hyacynths and Tulips

pushing their way through the cold earth to fill our hearts

with hope that winter would finally end.

And Daffodils . . . beautiful Daffodils.

And I will never, ever forget the astounding, incomparable fragrance of Lilacs

Florida, I love . . . But I remember Michigan

Writing Assignment

Following is a poem that I'm working on for a group assignment. If you have suggestion to improve it, please let me know . . . I welcome all criticism. (But be nice, please)

THE MELODY

Barely discernable above the garbled voices,

Breaking through the static

A melody

A voice, tremulous and elusive

Losing strength in the cacophony

Then growing more insistent

Like the ebb and flow of the tide

inching closer with each wave

Now and then I hear it

Clear and pure and painfully honest

Now and then

I don't

Maybe you would like to hear it

Or not?

If I can tune out the static

and listen to the song

Will it be too familiar?

I fear

The melody is me

BAKED IN A CAKE

Pretty Persian Pussycat, attitude unchecked

Crawled into a cake pan, whereupon she slept

In comfort so complete, she failed to wake before

her Mistress entered on the scene and shouted No; No more!

So distraught was her maniacal mistress to see such impudence

This was perhaps not the first such show of feline insolence

"Withdraw infernal feline or I may lose my cool,

And bake your silly silky self until you shed your wool.

Then I shall name you Persian Pound Cake

And serve you at the school.