The Turkey Vulture, a Haiku

 Five scavengers sail

 across the clear blue expanse

 seeking their next meal

Sleepy Potato

 I love my sleepy potato, Lou Lou

And Oscar and mommy and daddy too

Her cheeks are so chubby, her toes so tiny

She's even got a soft little hi-ney!

The tickle of Oscar's hand, the parents' soft touch

No wonder she loves you all very much !

 white blossoms float down

on a cruise to the pond below

ripples slowly fade

- By Shirley & Michele

 

blustery spring days

white hot sun and wind

dance across my face

by Shirley & Michele

 Fall

The sound of the wind

And the crackle

of the fire

By Michele Baird and Shirley Robertson

Summertime, piney floor

sun streaks through dust mite beams

Fluff dozes in the corner

 Haiku by Michele Baird and Shirley Robertson

cold spring rain falls in warm sun

teardropsful on early daffodils 

a bee settles for a drink

Haiku By Michele Baird and Shirley Robertson

eagles alight treetops

stern gazes stabbing distance

plummeting, talons extend

pushing, stretching, towards the sun

the snake scales skyward

but clouds are all he finds

Haiku by Michele Baird and Shirley Robertson

snow melts icy water

vapor rises

a sunbeam cracks the sky

acorns in the squirrel's nest

leaves flutter the breeze

owls watch from afar

bubbles drift past smiles

at Coney Island

music floats along behind

 Steps by Leann Snider

How many steps have I taken

Upon this path I chose

The long steps of youth

When life was like a rose?

Beautiful and blooming

Face turned to the sun

Smile like a dreamer's wish

And all I did was run.

How many steps I've taken

When I felt I could take no more

When tears made me stumble

When my feet were tired and sore.

When those endless sunny days

Turned into darkest nights

When my soul got too weary

And just took off in flight.

The steps of youth, forgotten

Slowed to give me time

To watch where I was going

To make sense of what was mine.

Now the steps are shorter

The footprints fade away

Someday they'll be but echoes

Like stars that fade with day.

How many steps have I taken

How many more to go?

I know I will keep moving

On this path I know

With stardust running through my veins

And magic in my eyes

I step to new horizons

Until my spirit flies.

Christmas, 2015

 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all around, except for the news, there was nary a sound. The children were grown, except maybe for Missy who snooped for gifts-all of which turned up missing. That's because Santa had not yet flown by; radar locates him over Russia, up high. In the fridge there were goodies, like deviled eggs and fudge, which Blue clearly wanted, with his nose and a nudge. And mama in her leggings and I in my cap had just settled down for an afternoon nap. When what to my sleepy eyes should appear but a fat little man without any reindeer. His timing so bad, it could only be Gene, our nap interrupted and our sugarplum dreams. When all of a sudden a barking arose and Blue came a-runnin', all a twitter, his nose. This message he wants all of you to hear: Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Song of the Dove

Crescendo on second syllable hollow Hoo ....... Hoo ....... Hooo

By LeAnn Snider

5/5/2020

One More

Sun's going down 

On another empty day

Trying to find the light

On my empty, broken way,

Birds are singin' round me

And the sky was blue and bright

But my soul it feels so heavy

Like the darkest hour of night.

Everybody's laughing 

There's a party going on 

I feel like Debbie Downer

In a place and time that's wrong,

Pass another shot, dear

But you know that I don't drink 

And my spirits slowly drowning

And I think I might just sink.

Give me one more shot, lord

And one more setting sun

Give me one more chance

To find my own true one

Give me one more twilight 

To wish upon a star

Give me one more lifetime 

To find out who you are.

Give me one more easy day

One more chance at love

Give me one more silent prayer

Or an angel from above

Give me one more secret

Whispered in my ear

Give me one more lifetime 

To find you far or near.

Sun is going down

On another empty day 

Trying to find a heartbeat 

That will light my broken way,

Trying to find a balance 

Between what I have and what could be

Give me one more chance, lord

At finding what is me.

Burnt summer air
A sparrow perching on a branch
Coffee in hand
Welcoming the morning

Elderly Gentleman

size 13 crocs /
white socks /
in the doctor's waiting room

Used Bookstore

ammonia
choking off my breath
cat piss

The Flute Concert

Eerily creeping upward
From the dark recess of the mind
Lilting desolation
Solitude hangs in the air
Still as death
Emerging on the other side
Poured like silk on wounds
Healed over by time

the wind / runs its fingers / through your hair

A scrap of paper dancing on the road kicked by the wind

small whirly-gig like seeds spin to earth to become tall trees