Things That Make Me Happy

Yogurt from Kevin
Talking to my daughters
BSWC (B Street Writers Collective)
Having my own space
Having enough money to pay my bills
Going to church
Getting published
Publishing
Getting paid
Clean clothes
Flowers
Arnold Palmers
My cat
Quilts- anything
            making buying quilt shows
            gifts to me and from me
Buying fabric for quilts
My silly TV shows
Reading my poetry
Planning Readings

No Applause

It starts with 
Phantom X
no applause
All the kinsmen clad in tartan plaid
no applause
building a wall from here to nowhere
no applause
Climbing up the down staircase
no applause 
Copper hair or magenta instead of blonde
no applause
My heart bleeds beads of glistening salt water tears
no applause
The broken clock is right two times a day
no applause
not quite making the grade
no applause
Everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten 
no applause
It always don't work out the way you want it to
no applause 
                               Am I worthy

Poem #1

Quilts 
      make 
          me happy. 😊

Went Looking For You

Went looking for you at the farmer’s market

amongst the vendors with fruits and 

vegetables, peddling every edible imaginable

Yearned for a slice from our favorite pizza place 

near the market. But now it is closed.

Drinking a glass of pinot noir

The mix of berry and combination 

of flavors infusing my brain but still no bite 

at the end Left a blah taste in my mouth

Traveling down a country lane

spotting for deer and wild pigs

under the mist of a full moon

Only to perceive the permeance 

of a wandering skunk

Searching in traffic for every Prius whizzing 

by or maybe a cyclist, remembering the day 

I saw your backend in the same turn lane

with us arriving home from work in tandem

In bed snuggling your pillow unwilling to 

change the sheets, trying to soak up the 

remnants of the DNA you left behind Sad

that our last sleepover was unremarkable

In the flames of the fire

Wondering what you were searching for

amid the embers Afraid you didn’t find me

My beating heart burning for you

Listening to NPR which you brought into my life 

filling a void I didn’t know needed to be filled 

News Words Music Interviews Podcasts

Relishing the jazz music we seldomly listened to

Taking a shower with the water beating down on

my body alone Don’t have to share the

water which turned cold too soon

Miss brushing against the 

cold tile with our pas de deux 

Opening the refrigerator I am at a loss

you left your eggs which are now expired 

the truffle cheese now hardened At least 

the can of Coke or bottle of beer don’t spoil

Not lucky enough to find a half bottle of Chardonnay

Scrolling through Facebook I find memes to share

Which you never acknowledged

I miss your existential postings because I unfriended you

Hoping your friends did not.

I went looking for you at eko Coffee.

Saw a gay couple so tenderly holding hands I was 

jealous of their young love and somber because 

ours grew old. Miss your hand holding mine 

which is how you stole my heart.

I went looking for you at The Bistro where we met

when you came up to me and said, “I like your poetry.”

On open mic night afraid you would be there. Didn’t 

know what I’d do if you were, not willing to read this poem.

I could expose my heart to the barflies, but not to you.

I’m trying to be brave

At the marina where we had so many dates

I went looking for you in the sunset

Found you in my tears

Went home comforted

LOVE

Love is simple

Love is kind

Love forgives every time

Love means being open to what

the world sets in front

of us

Knowing love will prevail in 

all circumstances

Stay alert

Eyes open

Capture the signs

Observe the lowly

Find the specs of love dust

prevailing to make our

hearts and minds 

whole

~ The collective words of the B Streeters

Emotion

Lonely face of anger

Beneath eyes of blue

Bluebird coasts on the setting sun

Round and fat

Majestic head

Held high

Chirping upon naked trees

Holding nothing but a smile,

Outside 

Hiding anger 

Hiding loneliness, 

Within

Bright sky

Luminous sky 

Looming sunset 

Foreboding sunset

Break free

 Heavy loads released

Like blossoms gently

Fluttering free from

Burdened trees

Flying away

Escaping 

Searching for cover in 

Grey cotton clouds

The Respite Not Taken

Going down a snowy road

Really it was a blizzard in the mountains

Forging ahead to my destination 

Windshield wiper whipping 

How was I to know I shouldn’t have been there

Pushing ahead

Despite the darkness 

Pushing ahead 

Where are the white lane markers

Pushing ahead

Slow crawl up the mountain

Then the next

Afraid to coast to the next incline

How do you know there is black ice

Trudging along the way

How much time has past

If my car failed me,

Would anyone know in the darkness

Illuminated snow specs from my headlights

And the lights on the dashboard 

Beam enough light to see 10 feet in front of me

After many miles of darkness

A town appears

I finally stop at Starbucks

A grande hot chocolate to keep me awake

Another customer trudges in

“What a blizzard!”

Starbucks barrista, “I heard it is bad up there.”

Through the pass where I just came?

I didn’t know I should be afraid.

I swore and prayed intermittently

But here I was

After a respite not taken

How was I to know I shouldn’t have been up there

Sipping hot chocolate

Whip cream mustache