Home

(Undated. Found on the same paper as "Girls")

Wisconsin, the state of my birth,

    has the climate I can live in nicely.

It is not dull or humdrum,

    it changes almost every day.

I couldn't be happy with pleasant

    weather day after day, after day.

A place with no real spring, or a

    glorious fall, would be dull.

Yes, I am the first to admit,

    we sometimes get too much snow or cold.

Yes, and I'll even admit sometimes itp

    gets too damn hot.

But, I must also admit,

    I could live no where else but here. 

It's Puzzle Time Again

(Undated. Based on my recollection, I would guess sometime in the late '70s.)

Willie brought a new puzzle home

    so my troubles have just begun.

While I sit here trying to help,

    he's working it and having fun.

You see we are both jigsaw puzzle

    freaks, we both have the crazy disease.

But medical science can do nothing

    for us, nothing can make the pain ease.

The new puzzle means a new infection,

    and the best of my recollection,

It took two weeks and six days

    to chase the last nasty puzzle bug away.

I wouldn't mind this latest bout,

    if I could only be allowed to find out,

why he bought himself a new puzzle

    and sent me on a trip to Bugtussle.  

Girls

(For Joanne Mac Millan's baby shower, she is expecting a girl)

(February 2, 1985)

Little girls can be wonderful

    some even say a blessing,

But when they are older,

    they will just keep you guessing.

Who was the young man

    she was just talking about?

And who was that on the phone

    she just asked out?

By the time she's eighteen

    your nerves she will fray.

Your patience will be gone

    your hair will be grey.

Sorry to be the one to

    burst your baby bubble,

But take it from me,

    girls are pure trouble. 

Walled In

(February 25, 1979)

Have you ever felt walled in

    unable to break out?

I am feeling that way today, or to be

    more honest, I've felt that way for weeks.

The need to get out alone

    is sometimes overwhelming.

Oh! to be able to spend

    one week on my own.

To be able to forget that it is

    my job to wash the dishes.

What a joy not to be responsible

    for having to do the laundry,

If I could have my wish, what

    a simple request it would be.

One week in the sun beside a swimming

    pool, while someone else does the housework. 

A Mental Walk

(February 22, 1979)

From my comfortable chair I took 

    a mental walk today.

I walked a lonely snow packed road,

    a road of my youth. 

As I crossed the bridge I stopped

    to stare at the frozen water below.

Why had I walked the road when

    crossing the frozen river was shorter?

I ponder this point and then recalled.

    I was afraid of crossing the ice.

Continuing on I arrived at the top of

    the hill I sought.

There is a small graveyard there, and it 

    is always so peaceful.

Looking down the hill, I can recall the

    fun of my youth.

Oh! to be young again when winter

    was just fun.

Spring is Near

(February 21, 1979)

Spring is near

    I can feel it in the air

The snow is compressing

    It fell in inches and melts in centimeters.

Weeks from now

    The sun will shine daily,

It seems like years

    Since I have seen it.

And once summer arrives,

    I will long for cool weather

How fickle I am.

    I longed for the first snow.

And now I can't wait for Spring,

    I pray for the blessed sight

of those sweet fresh buds.

    I race headlong into Summer

only to proclaim it too hot and sticky.

    When Autumn arrives I love

the colors and the cool crisp air

    But all too soon I see

The naked countryside

    covered with snow.

The world has gone full cycle.

    And again I say

Spring is near

    I can feel it in the air. 

Where is Spring?

(December 18, 1978)

Snow on the groung

    Cold north winds.

Snow mixed with rain due

    Foggy tonight.

Running the furnace constantly.

    House feels drafty.

If you think this is winter,

    You are wrong.

Today is only December 18th.

    Winter is still 3 days away.

So button up tight

    Keep very warm.

If Winter is just around the corner,

    Can Spring be far away?

 

The Gospel on Christmas Stollen

(1978)

Mother sayeth unto you,

    "You shalt not cut more than one Stollen."

Furthermore, sayeth Mother,

    "You shall not take anymore slices than thou shalt be able to consumeth."

Verity, I say unto you,

"Whosoever taketh more Stollen than he can consumeth, shall be banished from the place where food is consumed, NEVER TO RETURN"

"My blessings to all who eat of this Stollen, may they enjoyeth it fully."

MOTHER 

Chire

(Undated. Was found on the same sheet as "A Disappointed Look at Christmas", which was dated 12/18/1978. Refers to a neighbor and friend of the time, who pronounced the name "Sherry".)

How can I explain Chire

    I think it is impossible.

To say I will miss a good friend

    is to say too little.

To say the neighborhood will

    be dull, is to say too much.

Having Chire move is like

    missing the end of a soap opera.

If anything can go wrong in life,

    it happens to her.

Chire makes you appreciate your

    ordinary life, and minor problems.

Watching her work through a crisis

    makes you realize you can be strong.

To fully explain her is

    to say the least, impossible

To say the most, I will miss

    a dear sweet friend. 

A Disappointed Look at Christmas

(December 18, 1978)

It's Christmas time again.

The tree is dressed in ornaments and lights.

There are flashing decorations.

That warm the cold cold nights.

The old familiar carols,

Are being played again,

The TV set is all aglow,

With Christmas shows end to end.

We send those old tired greetings,

About peace and the brotherhood of men,

And next year we will,

Send them all again.

If mankind could but learn the lesson

That the Christ Child tried to teach.

But it seems no matter how hard we try

The goals of peace and Brotherhood are hard to reach.

The New Year will be starting soon.

We will all make resolutions.

And at the end of this New Year,

We will still be searching for solutions.

The world goes on revolving,

And leaders promise to make improvements,

But year after year goes by,

With the only results being disappointments.

This year could make the difference,

If we would only bother,

To follow the Christ Child's teachings

And just truly love one another.

Ode to Daphne and Marlene

(1974)

To Daphne and Marlene,

a most remarkable pair.

To tell the truth about these two,

would not be quite fair.

But I, as their Mother,

feel it's my duty,

to tell all the world

of their charm and beauty.

I also consider it one

of my solemnness of obligations

to tell about all their

crimes which try my patience.

Daphne it, as you can see

an adorable child of only three.

But Marlene, who is four

is an impossible chore.

With only thirteen months

difference in age,

they find it quite easy

to make me enraged.

They beg and they plead

to go outside and play,

and as you would guess

they run in and out all day.

They say, "Mommy, Daddy,

give me a goodnight kiss,"

and after the lights go out they

both claim they were missed.

They clamor at the store

for a particular treat,

but after I've bought it

it's the one thing they won't eat.

These two little darlings

love to brush their teeth, it's true,

but you should see

the bathroom when they're through.

I love them both dearly

but in truth it must be said,

what I love most is when

it's time to put them to bed.

My Poetry

(1960)

My poetry must be unique

to win a prize, I know,

But I can't write good poetry,

Unless it's ten below.

The weather has a lot to do

with poetry, I'll say,

Because without a little cold

my mind will melt away.

My mind forgets so many things

when it is warm outside,

for I can't write good poetry

unless it's cold outside.