Poetry Friday: My Sign

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Happy Poetry Friday, friends. As I have spent week after week reading poems and lurking from afar, this week I decided to answer Christie’s poem challenge and join in on the fun by posting my first Poetry Friday poem today.  As Christie stated, it can be about any bird and any type of poem. I hope you’ll fly on over to her page, Wondering and Wandering, to read more poetry or even join in on the celebration.

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I don’t look for you,

yet you appear.

Appear where I never would suspect.

Perhaps you are looking for me,

or watching over me.

I am unsure.

But when I see you,

I am reminded of our friendship,

our stories,

our laughter.

When I see you,

I smile.

I tell you I’m glad you came along,

I’m glad you’re here.

While you’re not with me anymore,

you’re with me.

My sign,

my sign of the cardinal.

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A cardinal is a representative of a loved one who has passed. When you see one, it means they are visiting you. They usually show up when you most need them. They also make an appearance during times of celebration as well as despair to let you know they will always be with you. Look for them; they will appear!

Image: Birds and Blooms

Thanks!

The journey

Has been long

And enjoyable.

Nothing feels better than crossing the finish line!

Keep on writing is my hope for you.

See you on Tuesday????

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A sincere thank you to Anna, Beth, Betsy, Deb, Kathleen, Lisa, Lanny, Melanie, and Stacey for hosting the Slice of Life Story Challenge again this year. Your dedication is inspiring.

Thank you to all the slicers who joined the community. I enjoyed reading what you shared day in and day out. Surrounding myself with this community of writers has enriched my writing and my creativity.

Last but not least, it is with heartfelt gratitude that I thank those who visited my blog and took time to share comments. Your comments and kind words were my motivation and kept me writing! Thank you for cheering me on and crossing the finish line with me!

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Slice of Life

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What’s Good Wednesday

Dear Miss Cutie,

A brilliant shade of orange,

I seek you out in the grocery store.

You are petite, refreshing, and oh-so-sweet.

Sometimes I find you tucked away

in my lunch bag

with a smile on your face,

knowing the happiness you bring.

So easy to peel

for fingers big or small.

Your tiny little wedges

plop right in my mouth.

Your juices whet my whistle.

No mess,

no fuss.

Thanks for being a perfect snack,

and a healthy treat,

a delight to everyone you meet.

Love,

Amy

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Today’s poem is called an epistolary poem. Epistolary means written as friendly letter. Ode to my mentor text The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary for a plethora of ideas!

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March Is Here!

In March I see,

perennials sprouting from the ground,

a gaggle of geese taking ownership of the yard,

a bouquet of daffodils smiling at the sun,

squirrels scurrying after a short winter slumber.

In March I hear,

the soft whisper of the pale green willow tree branches swaying in the wind,

birds singing a morning song to welcome the day,

spring peepers chirping in the wetlands beyond,

mallards bantering with their mate.

In March I feel,

the days of sunlight extending longer each day,

a spring break to help rejuvenate,

a gentle, crisp breeze upon my face,

the excitement of the warmer days ahead.

March is here!

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A Promise Broken

I knew you would be leaving on this day;

I told myself you’ll be home before long,

before I even know it.

The calendar is marked,

so I know it’s true.

You’ll be home soon,

sooner rather than later.

We had a tranquil Sunday at home.

You did your laundry,

spent some time with the fur babies,

focused on your school work.

It was a quiet morning.

And then 3:00 PM arrived.

We packed your car.

You said good-bye.

I gave you a hug,

said, “I love you.”

As I watched your car back out of the driveway,

I promised I wouldn’t cry,

I promised I wouldn’t cry.

I turned and walked away,

through the garage,

into the house.

Then I ran!

I ran to the front door,

to catch one more glimpse!

Just one.more.glimpse!

I espied your car,

drift, drift, drifting out of sight!

And I cried;

I cried.

A promise broken,

a promise broken.

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Little Win

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

~Thich Nhat Hanh

It’s the morning drive to work,

on the horizon,

a field of grazing cows.

The beauty of the old barn,

but the goats, the goats!

Peering through the barn door,

frolicking in the farm yard,

chasing each other with their tiny gallops,

ears bouncing,

up, up, up,

down, down down!

A smile on my face,

happiness in my heart!

~Little win~

It’s the echo empty house,

silence broken

by the chime of a text message.

Happy birthday, Mom!

We share, we laugh

She reminds me,

“I’ll be home soon!”

We’ll shop,

go out to eat,

we’ll just hang out.

A smile on my face,

happiness in my heart!

~Little win~

It’s the kind words of a colleague,

thank you,

thank you for all you do.

Thank you,

thank for supporting us and our students,

thank you!

A smile on my face,

happiness in my heart!

~Little win~

It’s the rushing around,

errands here,

errands there.

Standing in a longer than necessary line,

hands full of “stuff”,

the kind words of a stranger,

“You go ahead,

you go first,” she says.

“Thank you!”

A smile on my face,

happiness in my heart!”

~Little win~

It’s the smile on their faces,

as they enter our classroom.

Talking,

sharing,

laughing.

But the delight they bring,

“You make me excited about books,

like never before!”

That’s what they said!

Mission accomplished!

A smile on my face,

happiness in my heart!”

~Little win~

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I Didn’t Want To…

It was Sunday morning…

I didn’t want to get up at 5:00 AM,

but I did.

I didn’t want to eat breakfast at 5:30 AM,

but I did.

I didn’t want to put on my running gear,

but I did.

I wanted to stay in bed,

under the covers.

I wanted to eat a leisurely breakfast,

peruse my book.

I wanted to snuggle with the fur kids,

steal a kiss or two, or three,

but I didn’t.

It was Sunday morning…

I was out the door before 7:00 AM.

I ran and I ran and I ran.

I heard a chorus of crickets,

and the cicadas sing.

I caught a glimpse of a gaggle of geese.

I watched the fog fade and the sun ascend.

Then I spotted Geneva,

pushing her walker,

down her driveway,

smiling,

waving,

yelling, “You’re so fast!”

And then there was Robert with his Golden Retriever, Max,

remarking, “You sure are a dedicated runner!”

So I ran and I ran and I ran.

I conquered those 11 miles.

I didn’t want to, but I did!

Finished, fulfilled, finalized!

No regrets, no ruefulness!

11 mile training run for Hershey 1/2

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goodbye, hello

 

goodbye to a fun-filled summer vacation,

hello to the hustle and bustle of school days jam-packed with learning.

goodbye to Maddie once more,

hello to her junior year at college.

goodbye to the ARC ten miler race,

hello to Hershey 1/2 marathon training.

goodbye to our family vacation by the lake,

hello to a beach get-a-way for just the two of us.

goodbye to the fireflies lighting up the night sky,

hello to the cicadas singing in the trees above.

goodbye to summer reading of nine ten, riding freedom, and booked,

hello to the thing about jellyfish, moo, and because of winn-dixie.

goodbye to you again as i start the school year without you here,

hello to the memories we shared and your words that echo in my ears.

goodbye to the sizzling days of the august summer,

hello to the crisp days of september and fall.

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The Two of Us

She reads blogs on her iPad,

while he watches the Ravens on Monday Night football;

she likes to work in the garden,

he takes care of the yard.

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She sips hot tea in the morning,

but he enjoys a cup of black coffee;

at dinner she likes wine,

but a cold beer for him is fine.

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She uses her left hand,

he is right-handed;

she is concrete first, creative next,

flip-flop for him-he’s creative then concrete.

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She questions everything,

but he goes with the flow;

she’ll worry if it will be okay,

and he says of course it will be!

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But in tandem for twenty-five years,

they have found the balance;

she is the yin,

he is the yang;

together forever,

until the end.

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Let It Be Saturday!

This is the day to sleep a little extra longer,

not rely on the subtle chime of the alarm.

Snuggle under the blankets,

allow the sun to rise in the sky.

Let it be Saturday!

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This is the day to go for a run,

add a change of scenery

as my feet pound the pavement.

Get those miles in,

without worrying about rushing the run.

Let it be Saturday!

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This is the day to make my own agenda,

sprinkle in some errands,

a quick excursion to the grocery store,

maybe cruise into T.J. Maxx.

Then grab a bite for lunch.

Let it be Saturday!

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This is the day to bask in the sun,

with a book in my hands,

turning the pages,

getting lost someone else’s journey,

meeting people whom I’ll never meet.

Let it be Saturday!

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This is the day to celebrate,

time with family

a special dinner on the deck

as the sun sets

or an evening outing

to a best-loved restaurant.

Let it be Saturday!

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This is the day we all need

to unwind,

to chillax,

to just slow down.

Let it be Saturday!

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 Join in each Saturday for Celebrate This Week with Ruth Ayres.

It’s a time to celebrate the joy!