poems_promises

My Armor

My Family is the shelter from all of life's scary & sometimes evil elements.

They keep me sane in this insane & troubling time we live in.

My "Critters" are my friends and they too bring me comfort and peace, when life gets mean and ugly.

Outside the walls of my home and my gardens are things and thoughts that do not belong in my life.

I choose to ignore most of them, as I am seeking the good, fair and beautiful things in life. For the ones I need protection from...I fight.

I wear the armor of my family. I carry the sword (trust) and shield (love) that they have given to me. These are good strong weapons...and I am skilled at using them.

I write because I need to....simple as that!

I do not write to receive accolades or awards

(though those things are nice)

and I do not write to be famous.

I simply have thoughts that need to get out

...so I write them down.

I have done this for as long as I can remember.

Hardly ever do I write the sing along rhyming stuff.

I prefer to just write it as I think it.

Works best for me that way.

1995 - D

If I dance a lot or sing too loud

or make funny noises,

it is because I am a happy child.

Don't try to stifle my energy and imagination

when I act silly and have fun with my life.

It is because I have a loving family

and a good life

that I can do these things without reservation.

Don't try to extinguish my feelings.

Come join me...and we can laugh till we cry!

Back When

Back when we were much younger,

to be together, alone, was at the top

of our "Things To Do" list.

Somehow over the years the list grew longer

and the responsibilities

and agendas changed so much

that not much is left from the old priorities.

Like walks at night, along the creek or by the river,

listening to crickets and night whispers.

Or kissing because of passion rather than just

ritual goodnights and hellos or goodbyes.

And autumn rides just to

go somewhere and be outside.

Drinking in our surroundings and each other.

We become detached from the little things

because they are not paramount in size

or emegency urgent things...

but they are important all the same.

In the great (or small) scheme of things,

though the big ticket or catastrophic times

are remembered, it is the uneventful simple

times in our lives that become the most

precious keepsakes in our memories.

Justin Hayward (Moody Blues) Sings

"Nights in White Satin"

and I am taken back

to another time.

A time of innocence and wonder.

Those were years of reckless love

and tomorrow was

but a dream to us.

We didn't have much money

but we were rich in life.

Up to our ears in it.

Hell, we were up to

all five of our senses in it.

We sat atop the world

and never wondered about

twenty years down the road.

It didn't matter.

It was something to let our

parents worry about...but not us.

Not us.

We sang along with the Grassroots

"Live for Today" (Dennis)

It was our way of life...our motto.

And we meant just that.

I Don't Travel Backwards Anymore

Loneliness is a disease of the mind.

There is plenty to do, if I want something to do.

Drawers to clean out, old memories to throw away.

Plans and events to be erased from my calendar.

Letters to write, knowing there would be no return letter.

But never mind that.

When I was younger, the men were as plentiful

as the Boones Farm and Jack Daniels.

But I don't drink wine anymore,

and not much whiskey at all, really.

Besides, I picked up all the bread crumbs that

I had dropped over the years.

And I don't travel backwards anymore.

There are no signs or landmarks

that lead to my door.

No one could find me, even if they wanted to.

It's time I left my dreams up to me,

and not some bread crumb finder

that I hardly remember. 1979

AN AIRPLANE

I took my children to see the

airplanes take off today.

The sound, almost deafening

made my heart pound.

TWA and United headed west.

Don't I wish I were on one,

on my way to you.

But here I sit alone again tonight.

I don't mind the quiet...it's safe.

Alone is ok for a while.

I love you more than I loved you

when you left.

But the feelings get pushed around

in my day to day life.

And today it took an airplane

to put the tears back in my eyes.

April 1978

Smoot Lumber Company

At the far end of Alexandria,

before you get to the National Airport

just off Pitt Street, at the roads bend

there was an old lumber yard.

Just a small place with a huge barn,

that had a hayloft, with hay, way up high.

My dear friend Kenny C. worked there.

He and I took advantage of Mr. Smoot's

trusting nature and we decided to

climb up there and christen that hayloft

on one hot lazy summer day.

Actually it was Kenny's idea.

I just willingly went along with it.

I had only stopped by to bring

him lunch...and to visit a while.

Of course back then I would have

done anything for him, with him.

I used to wonder if anyone else

went up there and, well, went up there.

I always liked to think that we were

the only ones...and maybe we were.

It seemed like an exciting and risky

thing to do, at the time.

Risky is probably why we did it anyway.

Now it's just one of the sweet memories

that I carry around in my pocket.

Jack's House

I have some good memories

of that house on Beacon Hill.

More than once I went there

to be with or see someone in particular,

but most times it didn't even matter.

There was always something going on

inside and outside the house.

Michael was usually my reason for going

though now it seems silly because

I think that was just an excuse to go.

Mooch (John Vineyard) was another reason, sometimes.

But he usually came to my house

when the partying was over anyway.

Often I just stayed home,

played my guitar and waited.

Sometimes he brought

the party with him.

Long after I moved away,

even to this day,

if I have to be anywhere near there,

I drive by that house...just to see it.

It's not the same and

Jack doesn't live there anymore,

but

the ghosts of our yesterdays do.

Camels....Unfiltered

Yes, I smoke!

I know it's seems like the world is divided.

It's those of us that do and those of us that don't.

Back in the 70's (yes I am that old)

nobody seemed to notice.

It was a part of the culture. It was accepted.

It was not a given, nor was it even thought about.

It just was. Some people smoked, some didn't.

Today, however, we are lepers in our society.

Well not exactly, but close.

Not only are we hazardous to ourselves but

to everyone around us.

We're told this everyday, by somebody.

We are, of course, a dying (literally) breed.

Hopefully someday soon I will give them up!

I used to smoke Camels. Unfiltered Camels.

Always picking tobacco shreds from my lips

(how ladylike huh?)

And spitting little shreds too

(oh, that was real ladylike!)

I have my own reasons for smoking them.

Silly reasons, but that's my business I suppose.

Nasty habit, yes it is.

I can't argue their merits...they have none.

I am addicted, not unlike any other drug out there.

But you know what?

I thought it was cool back then.

Now it's just a drag!

PS (passenger side) UNLOCKED

Sometimes when I look at him,

and he is looking back at me,

so intense and curious,

I get a flashback from long ago.

My senses jump for just that moment.

There is, in that instant,

the feeling that I knew him back then.

But that could not be.

I am much older than he.

I laugh then, thinking how silly of me!

I think it's the innocence and wonder.

And it's the sparkle I see in his eyes.

Not for me, of course, but the shear

mystery of youth that he personifies.

He will lose those wonderful qualities

soon enough. Life will see to it.

That's a sad thought.

I remember those years... it was awesome.

I was, back then, in awe of life.

Everything was new and exciting.

I was compelled to reach

for things I shouldn't have.

Curiosity nearly killed me a few times.

I also took things for granted,

as if I could always go back for them,

if I wanted or needed to.

This is what I see in him.

He is totally eye candy and he knows it.

But his playful side

dissolves any ego that he may have.

This is what highlights my day.

He does not need to know this.

It matters only that he is my friend.

I have to remember to tell him that.

My Friend A.

She is stronger and wiser than even she knows.

And much smarter than people think.

I see those qualities quite clearly.

She is young so the "adults" assume (in their adult way)

that she has no experience and certainly cannot know

anything of value or importance.

But they are wrong.

She knows much more than they could imagine.

And though she could just skate by living at home,

going to school and hanging out

and wouldn't have to be confronted

with all the "work" and responsibility stuff,

she is eager to learn and be useful.

She chooses to work...and has for a few years.

She is not scared to work and she tries hard to do right,

be helpful and learn what needs to be learned...

but it becomes scary and unfair when

the adults that are supposed to be helping her

learn fairness, honesty and concern for others

are the same ones that try to trip her up

or make her feel stupid and belittle her because

she doesn't know or hasn't learned something.

She is my friend. I don't like seeing her sad

because someone has stepped on her feelings.

I don't want her to learn meanness from such people.

She will learn soon enough that most adults simply forget that they were young. And some lose tolerance and patience along the way.

She is my friend.

I feel compelled to protect her because I care about her feelings, as one human being to another...and because she is my friend.

So Far Away - Alicia

It was October when my young friend moved away.

I think of her often!

Her picture, above me, with the rest of my family

Smiling down as if to say "Let's go somewhere"

:Let's do something....anything"

But she is there, and I am here so it's impossible.

I miss her a bunch. We had lots of fun together just hanging out!

Good friends, I mean really good friends

are hard to come by.

You may have aquaintences along the way.

People you work with, People you see often,

and some may become a friend.

Mostly though it takes quite a while

to develop a strong, lasting friendship

and longer still to cherish and count on that friendship.

Trusting someone with your secrets or deepest thoughts

is hard to do.

Knowing you can trust someone is a precious gift.

VPM102058 June 13 3AM

He almost consumes my thoughts of late

A Flight of Unbridled Fantasy

My inspiration, my discontent, my curiosity, my....

Watching his eyes...Hearing his voice

Waiting for his smile

Wondering about his next "character"

Distance is a balm of sorts...it's a good thing

like an antiseptic or pain killer

Things are more in perspective with a continent between us.

Mountains, rivers, trees and deserts all seem

as a big void...so many empty miles from here to there.

Renaissance Reflections

Like expressions in a still lake

Now here, now gone

by tossing stones carelessly into the watery images

I think I see, or imagine I see things...maybe just "bluntly"

My mind plays tricks on me, could be the chocolate.

Makes me think of silly, girl things...70's Free Spirit Things.

I laugh at me, creating something imaginary, in my mind

My guitar with dusty and nearly rusty strings

shrugs at me from the corner she quietly occupies.

Once obedient, now oblivious to my pains of the heart.

If I wrote songs before, it's because I couldn't control

those feelings...now I can...but I don't write much anymore.

Time heals everything, even the deepest darkest wounds.

For V. Mortenson - King Aragorn

David R.

HIgh School...Yes it was a long time ago!

He was only in one of my classes, that I remember. Shame - because I certainly enjoyed looking at him.

I remember everything about him though.

His hair, his eyes, his build, his mischevious grin

and his Oh-So-Sweet kisses!

When he spoke....It was enchanting!!

I was so much in love with him...and

at Sixteen that was paramount...and real!

Twice while babysitting he came to visit me.

Once at Christmas he brought me a gift -

A can of what? Oh Lord!! I graciously accepted it - Black Label Beer - It was the thought that counted!

And another time - A second story balcony escape into the bushes below.

I felt like Juliet parting with her Romeo.

Yes, it was certainly romantic and a bit risky

but mostly innocent!

It was thrilling to even talk with him but he never

really knew how I felt...not really!

Besides....He was a teenage boy...trying out his wings! I'm sure I was just something to do on a Saturday night! Maybe Get Lucky...Maybe Not!.

Funny how certain times in our lives stand out so vividly...even today. Like little notes of the Heart!

I think of him from time to time and wonder how and where he is. I hope he is well! 1988