Margaret the Clam

(no date given)

My hard outside is what everyone sees

    but the soft vulnerable inside is really me

If I open up I will get hurt again

    So I stay closed off from family and friends.

Confidence and strength is the appearance I've given

    All the 37 years I've been livin'.

But uncertainty and fear is really what

    my life has been about.

Under all the soft insides

    There is a strong center,

A pearl round and strong

    Hey, What could be better? 

 Childhood II

(no date given)

To swim and swim the whole day through

    That dream for me as a child came true.

We lived upon a river bank,

    With a swimming hole as big as a tank.

From after lunch, to just before dinner,

    I swam and swam like an Olympic swimmer.

Childhood Haunts

(no date listed)

The sun was hot, the wind was blowing,

    And, Oh, my spirits they were flowing.

My sould must go with the wind that blew,

    To my own soul I must be true.

I grabbed a sweater, blue and bright,

    And took to walking, objective in sight.

My travels took me down the road and through the trees.

    I wonder who, so long ago, had planted these.

Along the way I crossed the bridge, 

    And climbed to the top of a very low ridge.

Upon the ridge was a wooded spot,

    And in those woods I chose to stop.

A small graveyard in those woods lay,

    And there upon a stone, I sat and stayed.

The sun was warm upon my face/

    The wind blew my hair all out of place.

The sun and sky above, the grass and flowers low.

    The past here behind me, the present there below.

To that place in years gone by,

    I used to go, my future to decide.

And now, that those future times are here,

    These times that I hold so very dear.

I wonder if in times of stress,

    When I am worried or depressed,

If I could find a place like that out there,

    I fear not, and that's not fair.

HELP

(August 21, 2003)

I need some help

It's plain to see,

I'm spaced out

I'm up a tree.

At the end of my rope,

Its plan you see

I needs some time away

To set me free!

My life is just repeating

Again and again,

It's work all week and then

More work almost all weekend!

A three month Sabbatical

Would be nice,

Heck I would even take a month

To put my cares on ice.

Sanity is just a vacation away,

But I have used all my vacation days. 

The Big Bang

(June 29, 2000 5:00 p,m)

Summerfest S2K

 Opens officially today,

The Big Bang Fireworks are tonigh.

I hope they won't give anyone a fright.

The weather is perfect,

The sun is shining and it's not too hot.

It is partly cloudy

and so far the crowd is not rowdy.

People looking for places on the Rocks

Some rubberneckers, others real Jocks.

Police Search & Rescue boat cruises by.

Jets and seagulls continually fly.

 The Big Three

A tribute to Barbara, Emil, and Elmer

(No date listed)

They are all gone, but not forgotten

I'll bet today they are looking down

Watching up play, eat and interact

They are proud of us and there are no frowns.

They were all in the same First Communion Class

And went to school together at St. Charles

With Barbara driving the Buggy with a horse

That hated those newfangled cars, of course.

They had some daring rides when the horse

Was spooked and took them on a headlong run

They ended up at a school stable where he finally calmed down

All okay including the horse and Buggy. It could not have been fun.

I referred to them as the Big Three

Barbara the Big Sister and her

Two younger brothers looked out for each other

Emil was the best man at her wedding, and she doted over Elmer

I remember when she gave Emil lessons in baking

He was trying to get a better job at the Military Academy

He needed to know how to bake as well as he could cook

So Barbara's Kitchen turned into Bakery Class 101.

She fussed over these two the most

Because to them she was closer in age

She loved you all and THE BIG THREE would be delighted to see

You all here to teach the next generation about the Ketterhagen Family.

Baby's Thirty Today!!

(June 22, 2001)

Baby Daphne is thirty today.

To which I say "No way"/

It's not fair! She can't be that old.

Sneaking up on me like that is just too COLD!

Daphne has never quite grown up,

Or for that matter has never shut up.

Once she started talking, she's never quit.

She yaks and yaks quite a bit.

She's bouncy and a regular BLONDE,

But in spite of that, of her I am quite FOND.

A soloist for Church, she has a great voice.

Listening to her is a really good choice.

To be a Missionary is her greatest wish

For souls she hopes to fish.

she is of partial Irish descent,

So to Ireland she would love to be sent.

I know this poem is shorter than she would like,

But then she can always take a hike.

She can go on her favorite Parnell Tower Loop,

I don't give a hoot!

May this day bring you all you deserve,

And because it is the Lord I know you serve,

Your rewards will be many,

In this life or the next they will be plenty.

My poems are sappy,

But you asked for it, so I hope you are HAPPY!

Take care Baby Girl

I know you will be good and not hurl,

Love,

Mom 

 Daphne's Poem

(June 22, 2001)

Roses are red,

    Violets are blue

And I don't know there is just too much

    To say about you!

Love,

Mom

Has it really been a year?

(Friday, August 11, 2000)

A year, well not quite, but almost.

Eva and Ray both died on the same day,

I think of you often,

I still can't believe you've gone away.

Faith, Charity, Grant, and Chrissy

Seem to be okay.

I can't tell for sure because they

Live so far away.

Eva, I talk to Faith often,

She has the maddening habit of saying

when asked how things are going,

"Same old same old" Whatever that means. 

I know that something must have gone terribly wrong.

Ray was too good of driver to be going 75 MPH that night.

When the truck veered off the road,

You both must have been frightened.

I don't know how to come to terms with your deaths.

Help me Lord to trust in you/

If I can only let go Lord,

And let you do the rest.

I want to help Eva's children, but I don't know how.

Help me find a way to help them and myself

Cope with this loss.

I only pray that Mom was there to take you home little Sis.

??30??

(May 9, 1995)

I know, I know, what you want to say,

    Thirty today? NO WAY!!! NO WAY!!!    

But believe it or not, it really is true

    And please try not to be too blue.

Yes it is a horrible trick for life to play,

    But then I have to share my Mother's Day,

Every eight years with you,

    And I missed my first Mother's Day dinner, too.

Now that's enough of doom and gloom.

    The next one to complain leaves the room.

A party is what we will have . . . to celebrate,

    And tell the world that it has been great.

You turned out everything I hoped for,
    Intelligent, loving, thoughtful, who could ask for more,

You help with computer problems with no complaint.

    To put up with my idiotic questions makes you a Saint.

I ordered a Coconut Cream Pie, because you love coconut so,

    But it is such a popular item the bakery ran out.

I went to the store for Kidney Beans & Mushrooms just for you

    But they were out of stock too. What is a loving Mother to do?

So. “Nikki Nikki Tembo No So Rembo Oo Ma Moochi Gamma Gamma Goochi”

    You are still that little Stinker that came home with me,

Thirty years ago. Little Stinker is what I often called you,

    So thank your Grandma Riesland for making it Taboo.

Friends today call you Dominick your given name,

    But don't blame me if I still call you Nick,   

I have been doing it too long to change/

    So with Nick or Nicky I will stick.

But I am sure you will admit.

    anything is better than,

the screamed DOMINICK IRWIN RIESLAND,

    when you were on my you know what list.

Happy Birthday, and I promise I won't sing,

    May this Birthday bring,

All the best that life can give you,
    It's what you deserve that's true.

Answering Machine Message

(March 24, 1995)

You have reached [XXX]-6630/

The Reindl Residence as you know

We recently had a singing message for you to hear

But as of now it's out of here.

Spring has come and so you see

A brand new message there has to be.

One that's short and to the point,

So people will not get bent out of joint.

Hang on here comes the tone. 

52 Days 16 Hours

(February 21, 1979)

Fifty-two days and sixteen hours,

    What is that?

It's a record my friends, that

    Milwaukee can claim.

For the number of days at or

    below thirty-two degrees.

Fifty-two days and sixteen hours,

    What is that?

Too damn cold for too damn long.

    That's what it is. 

A Baby Shower Poem

(September 30, 1993)

I for one think Barney and Baby Bop are annoying but cute,

    So when I was informed that Marlene had given them

a thumbs down, my first thought was, "Oh, Shoot!

    What sort of baby shower would it be without them?"

I thought and I thought "There must be something I can do."

    And there on the shelf in Pick 'n Save was the answer.

It was brilliant. What could she do?

    Only admit that a superior mind had found a way around her.

Since Barney and Baby Bop had been given the Book

    I reasoned, What better gift for Marlene's baby Boy

Than a gift from Barney himself,

    Bags with which the little fellow could take home his Loot? 

So contained in this present are 8 Barney Loot Bags.

    On which Marlene can cheerfully gag.

She can stop being a drag and let the baby learn to shout out

    what Barney and his crazy songs are all about.

I can see a day,

    when Marlene will have to sing over & over again, 

"I Love you, you love me, we're a happy family."

    Just to put Junior to sleep without resorting to belting him.

Marlene will learn some day,

    not to wave a red flag in front of me.

Saying NO BARNEY could only make him show up today.

    I only wish I could have afforded a Barney Striptease.

Butchy Boy

(No date listed, but for Martin Riesland's 50th birthday)

I value my life too much to use the "BB' term other than in the title.

If said to his face this term could cost my life which to me is vital.

    When we were younger, the term would bring a punch in the arm.

    After which he would always claim, "Mom, I did no harm."

"It was just a gentle tap."

Oh yeah, and the permanent bruise I sustained was just a bum rap.

    Marty is a gentle soul, just don't tell him you know how to swim.

    He takes you on a raft in the middle of the river and pushes you in.

He is as graceful as a gazelle,

except when he steps on the rake then he just hollers like hell.

    With a BB gun he is quite the talented marksman,

    hell, he got me in the back with one shot and I was facing him.

Fire is his specialty, like when he burned the chicken coop.

He was mad at me 'cause I went for help, I guess I'm just a party poop.

    In his later years, he became a cowboy and smoked like Hoyt Axton,

    but then he lost weight, and then put it back on again.

As a Grandpa he is overrun with Grandkids,

There are too many to name them all, but some are Tony, Alex, and Chris.

    Now that he turns "50", I guess we have to pay our respects,

    The truth is, the old Man probably can't survive without his specks.

Fifty years old, I guess that means "Old Butchy Boy" is over the hill,

Oh heck! Now I've done it I am going to have to run like hell.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARTY, MAY YOU HAVE AT LEAST 50 MORE!!! 

Billy Boy

(February 25, 1993)

This birthday you'll be fifty-two,

    I know it's hard to believe, but it's true.

Also believe me Billy Boy,

    having you in my life is pure joy.

It is not often in life,

    you find an adult who is child like.

But you are still very grown up,

    even when you tried to ride a bike.

Even if our children don't agree,

    I am glad you decided to marry me.

We have our differences it is true,

    but with you you bugging me I'd be blue.

You know how to pout like a little boy,

    when I say NO to buying you a particular toy.

You also know how to make me feel glad,

    when all I can think of is being sad.

I don't think I'd have had the courage to

    work through cancer or the stroke,

If you had not been there to tell me

    all of your rotten old jokes.

We married for all the wrong reasons,

    but we can count on each other in all seasons.

We have come to know that it's true.

    wehn we're together we are never blue.

I hope I can be as lucky as you,

    when I turn fifty-two.

But that won't be for a long time

    'cause if I grew that old it would be a crime.

Yes you are lucky don't you see,

    because you had the great sense to marry me.

You have grown a lot since we got married.

    I'm not talking about the extra weight your body has carried.

You are now a more confident fellow,

    who is intelligent and resourceful.

Some who knew you in the past would not

    believe it, but you are truly forceful.

So have a Happy Fifty-Two,

    And alway remember I love you.

SHE-WALKS-SHE-FALLS-DOWN-SHE-CRIES

(February 25, 1993)

She-Walks-She-Falls-Down-She-Cries,

    is a name she was once known by.

Her correct name is Eva Marie Rose,

    my baby sister, whose patience I could always try.

John Wilson gave her this crazy name,

    when she was a very small child.

Trying to keep up with older brothers & sisters,

    as a toddler she fell down a lot and cried.

Her walking has greatly improved as well it should,

    since now she is forty-five.

Because I am publicizing this face,

    I will be lucky to escape her wrath alive.

She now drives a truck an eighteen wheeler,

    to earn her living, if you can believe it.

She and her husband Ray are a team, they drive

    most every day, no matter how crummy the street.

Her four children are Faith, Charity, Grant, and Christian.

    and she has done a great job of raising them.

Her family has moved so many times, I swear

    it's hare even for the post office to locate 'em.

Her hair started to turn grey at sixteen,

    but she has colored it so much,

Information on what color it really is,

    even her hairdresser won't divulge.

I am not her favorite sibling,

    but then why should I be?

I was the the one who often tipped her out of her

    bassinet when she was just a baby.

Eva, you have turned into a marvelous adult,

    which is not surprising to see.

You get all your best characteristics

    from your sister Lou Ann & of course most of all from me.

This poem is to celebrate your birthday,

    but one thing I must know about,

Isn't it time to tell the truth, and end the argument,

    "Wasn't it your turn to turn the light out?"

Happy birthday, little Sis,

    Having you to argue with  is what I often miss.

Many Happy Returns of the Day,

    May your delightful smile never ever go away. 

Phone Message

(January 25, 1993)

Hello,

    This is [XXX-XXXX]

Complaints have been registered

    by both friend & foe,

Saying my "Happy Holiday"

    message had to go.

I'm not a bad sport

    and I won't hold a grudge

I took the message off, but

    on this point I won't budge.

My new message will rhyme

    and I'm happy to report,

I will under no circumstances

    be short.

So hold on to your hat

    and curl up with your phone

Remember leave a non-singing message

    right after the tone.

We may not be home, or

    we're just monitoring your call.

So speak up clearly & leave a

    message once and for all.

Remember this experience

    both foes and friends

And never complain

    about my singing messages again.

If you're still listening to this

    you didn't remember the trick

To go straight to the machine,

    you have to push the asterisk.

Now that I've had my share

    of fun, leave a message quick,

All of this talking and rhyming

    is making even me sick.

Untitled Answering Machine Message

(date unknown)

OH THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL

    AND YOU'VE REACHED THE REINDL HOUSEHOLD,

NO ONE CAN COME TO THE PHONE,

    BUT PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE AT THE TONE. 

WHEN WE FINALLY GET UNBUSY,

    WE WILL CALL YOU RIGHT BACK WE PROMISE.

HUM HUM HUMMING HUM. . . . . . . . . . . .

BY NOW YOU'RE READY TO KILL ME,

    SO I GUESS I'LL STOP THIS HUMMING

READY SET HERE WE GO

    YOU FINALLY GOT THE TONE.

 Jeanne

(August 6, 1993)

She came for a year

    as a LVC volunteer.

She had some interesting times & some fun,

    unfortunately she even met Milwaukee's Cryptosporidium.

She cheerfully tackled each assigned task,

    doing even more than was asked.

Most of the neighborhood children she knew,

    they will miss her, especially Nicole & Matthew.

Chronological age qualifies her as a senior,

     but she is more active than many her junior.

Jeanne & Interim Pastor Ed,

    proved being retired does not equal dead.

So Long, and GOOD LUCK, we will miss you so much,

    Please travel with care, we will try to keep in touch.

Our fervent PRAYER is that God will bless Jeanne and her parish.

    Memories of her Lincoln Park will always cherish.

Lynne

January 8, 1993

As President of the Council for the last three years,

    you have helped me though a valley of tears.

You learned the hard way what roofs were about,

    when the raccoons made it impossible to keep the rain out.

As a co-chair of the Outreach Committee,

    you helped us learn our neighborhood, and city.

You supported Lincoln Park's MICAH membership,

    though some older members thought your mind had slipped.

A VBS teacher extraordinary,

    you used Walter's yarn while he was busy elsewhere.

Communion you take to the homebound,

        and a more caring person will never be found.

As Comptroller for Greater Milwaukee United Way,

    you are one of the reasons they are still active today.

When you go to Madison to stude,

    I hope you will remember this old fuddy-duddy.

Lynne, please give me a phone number to call,

    you know I'll need help, if not now, then in the fall.

My prayers are with you now and always,

    and may we get together soon, in happier days.

Thank you for being a friend,

    I hope our friendship will never end. 

42

(September 12, 1986)

It's a lovely day.

    The rain's gone away.

But I'm a little blue,

    'Cause today I'm forty-two,

This double twenty-one,

    Leaves me wishing for some fun.

But I need a day,

    To just get away.

A place in the sun,

    Where some thinking can be done.

Really it's not fair.

    My whole life's up in the air.

This birthday should be banned,

    Or maybe just canned.

Remember me, I made it through,

    And you can too.