Wednesday, December 14, 2022
sherku: 2 sides
Wednesday, December 07, 2022
Inventory: updated Dec 7, 2022
Four be the things I am wiser to know:
Love, patience, process flow,
and the joy of snow
Four be the things I'd be better without:
Anger, impatience, jealousy,
and clothing inside out
Three be the things I shall never attain:
Perfection, completion,
and the last word on any train
Three be the things I shall have till I die:
Bruises, scars,
and hope for the sky
Wednesday, November 23, 2022
sherku: small things 2
sherku: small things 1
Monday, October 24, 2022
sherku: catching up
sherku: return
Saturday, October 15, 2022
sherku: chocolate pudding
Saturday, October 01, 2022
St Ray's 50th High School Reunion
Time lapse, 50 years in a couple of minutes
to answer the question: What does one say
to someone they haven’t seen in 50 years
I am sorry? Yes, and then …
People want to know, who we are, who we are
So we tell 'em, so we tell 'em
We are the Saints, the mighty might Saints
We weren’t always, folks understood that we aspired to be
And Peter Pan is still my hero, I never wanted to grow up
Yet words like retirement, grandfather, 50 year HS reunion
Are now part of my vocabulary, and it is hard getting used to them
What of the days at McCoy playing pick up baseball,
or Novelty Park basketball, or delivering the Times making some
money to pay for school, books, and the occasional
Ring Ding and Yahoo at Mike’s Corner market
High School commencement was the end
Of one path, other paths opened with college
And beyond; the world of work, family,
Moving about the country before coming home
What is home? Pawtucket is where my story
Started, St Joe’s & St Ray’s were key parts of it
Even returning for a spell as an assistant coach for
track and cross country before corporate moves took over
Now up the road a piece; Franklin is my home base
From which I also found that railroad lines
Used to come down to Valley Falls and into
Pawtucket back in the day when trains were king
Can you go home again? An age old question
But yes, if you want. Aside from visiting
The cemetery and walking among the neighborhood streets
You can’t ever get fully away, the ties are binding
So I’ll quote Rumi:
Out beyond wrongdoing
And rightdoing, there is a field
I’ll meet you there
Saturday, September 17, 2022
sherku: windows two
sherku: windows one
Washing windows
Satisfying
To enjoy the
Clarity
Thursday, September 01, 2022
sherku: hare still
The hare sits still
Continues
To eat grass
Watching I fear not
There is plenty
sherku: summer breeze
The porch door
not fully closed
opens with the breeze
and then breathes
gently closing
sherku: hare
The hare sits
Nibbling grass
I sit reading
Keeping an eye
upon its meal
Monday, August 15, 2022
Diamonds in 42 lines
If she get to know you
Then they really have you
Ah, to be so exciting
It's good to need you so
Comin' up from the park
Don't it seem so far away
The smells of cookin' in the hallways
And he'd hide in a house
But it can't sing and dance
Girl, if it lasts for an hour, that's all right
And the sun gonna rise in the sky
Not a trace of doubt in my mind
And I am lost and I can't
Don't have to say it
If you want me to
Blind as a child
Why, you've become a grown-up girl
Humbled and awed by everything I'd found
Stay close to me
You are the words, I am the tune
Lord of my need, need, need
The boat that I row won't get me there soon
It used to be so natural
Good times never seemed so good
Wish I loved only one
But until I can find me
To forget the day
The blues now and then
Walk with me this day
I'll stay with you my love
Two together, forty years down
And more to go
Note: There is a writing challenge I gave myself to compose this. 42 is the answer to all things per Douglas Adams and his The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books. Our wedding anniversary was on the horizon. Dolores has frequently talked of two key events the year we got married, one was our wedding day, the other was her going to the Neil Diamond concert and sitting in the 6th row. No, she doesn't say which is more important. That's okay. I have had more time with her.
Coincidentally, the Neil Diamond musical "A Beautiful Noise" (https://abeautifulnoisethemusical.com/) was playing in Boston this year (July 2022) so we went and enjoyed it. The playbill listed the 29 songs in alphabetic order (rather than in the order of the musical appearance). 29 is a good number for those who play cribbage. I took time to research the lyrics of the 29 songs. Found the fourth verse, took the second line (see 42 is the answer) and used this listing to craft the poem above.
The last three lines are added to help make this about our anniversary.
For Dolores, my love
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
sherku: incredible
sherku: inspiration
sherku: self portrait
sherku: elusive
Easily
And before
I could write
It down it
Disappeared
sherku: Invasive
Thursday, July 14, 2022
sherku: what day
the day of
the week only
from your pill
container
Saturday, July 09, 2022
sherku: Nason St trees
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
sherku: time will tell
Patience, patience;
Patience can be
Frustrating
Until one
Finally
Achieves
Thursday, June 16, 2022
Sherku: That joy
Joy of finishing
The ice cream
Directly from
The carton
Sunday, May 22, 2022
Town budget limerick
Where every line was tight as a mandolin
But wouldn't you know
People wouldn't show
Cause the finances were maudlin
sherku: people watching
sherku: sign post
Monday, March 21, 2022
sherku: best foot
Ever think about
Which foot you
Put forward
When you start walking?
sherku: pop top
Think about
what finger you
Use when opening
A pop top can?
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
sherku: hearts of kindness
life on the edge
or not, let’s find
within ourselves
hearts of kindness
Monday, February 14, 2022
sherku: curtain rod
Friday, February 11, 2022
sherku: choice
Of the white lines
On the highway
Or stay local
And walk to work
sherku: butterfly
And return
To the island
Of the young
Will you dance
Butterfly
sherku: dance
to rest in peace
I want to dance
Dance in joy
Dance in the graveyard
Really a "foundku" as most of the words are from the song by Irish music group Runa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW22OENmX40
Wednesday, February 09, 2022
one day, every day
I am afraid, I have no more tears
If Hollywood comes to grips with the age gap
Will the Russian tanks back away from the Ukraine
Will talcum baby powder be banned globally
Will the trucker boycott release the Canadian city
I am afraid, I have no more tears
I am afraid, I have no more tears
If Cuban migrants in a sinking vessel can get rescued off the coast of Florida
Will Americans no longer be exposed to toxic BPA at levels far above what EU considers safe
Will Seal candidates no longer die during ‘Hell Week’ training sessions
Will the Texas butterfly sanctuary forced to close after far-right threats reopen
I am afraid, I have no more tears
I am afraid, I have no more tears
If the Olympics are supposed to bring rings of glory
Will the agony of failure and defeat be sold as the price of gold and glory
Will country borders divide us, deny us common humanity
Will the state of emergency bring us to our senses
I am afraid, I have no more tears
I am afraid, I have no more tears
Whether Canadian, Ukrainian, Cuban, or American
Found in Texas, Florida, or globally
Neither trucks nor tanks, nor vessels
Hold baby powder, or butterflies, or have enough time for a study
I am afraid, I have no more tears
Composed in response to the series of articles and headlines at The Guardian.com on Feb 6, 2022 https://www.theguardian.com/international
Monday, January 31, 2022
sherku: dry triptych
Sunday, January 30, 2022
sherku: warmth
Soft fibers
Shades of tan
Carefully
Counted and
Crocheted warm
sherku: rest
shovels, blowers,
plows, backs bending,
heavy breathing
earns a good rest
sherku: all in
The snow, take
A walk, photos
Along the way
Home for breakfast
sherku: blizzard 5
Or that one
Either way
The carrots
Come out just
delicious
Saturday, January 29, 2022
sherku: blizzard 4
Stops and starts
Snow drift bends
And curls to
A point away
From the wall
Upon completion of Jane Hirshfield's The Heart of Haiku
sherku: blizzard 3
Gently falling
Not this time
Small powders
Mad dash left
sherku: blizzard 2
So much motion
I'll wait until
They settle
Before shoveling
sherku: blizzard 1
The wind has
Swirled a
Bare spot in
The middle
Of the snow
Covered driveway
Friday, January 28, 2022
sherku: solution
Problem? step
Back, let it
Simmer until
The solution
Pops right up
sherku: Legos
And colors
Ability
To create
Whatever
When it clicks
Tuesday, January 25, 2022
sherku: work rate 3
garlic clove
doesn't take
long but you
remember
it for a while
sherku: work rate 2
and twenty
minutes I can
clear the driveway
of an inch of snow
sherku: work rate 1
is what it takes
me to handle
my dress shirt
ironing
sherku: rice
of rice so small
and precious
white or long grain
a meal staple
Monday, January 17, 2022
sherku: turning
Sunflower like
Turning towards
Light always
Away from dark
sherku: wings
sherku: guardian
To give you a
Pat on the back
For doing what
Needs to be done
sherku: pebbles
Saturday, January 15, 2022
sherku: syllable quintet
Compose the phrase
Build to the
Sentence and
More to the
Full story
Paint spots not
Pointillist
Impressionist
Threads woven
Tapestry
For all time
Translating
Images
And wonder
An attempt
To bring you
Along the ride
Breathe rhythm
Of heart beats
I just wanted
You to know
That this is
Me trying
You show me
Many colors
In the tapestry
I can't see
with anyone else
Inspired by conversation at the writer's group about syllables and sherku; at the same time informed by video of Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift albums on Disney. A fun way to spend a cold day!