There are geese near the building in which I work. I get to see some interesting behavior and sometimes wait for them to cross the street.

The March of the Geese

Geese cross the street
in a long line
taking whatever time
is needed for the group
to get to the other side.
Cars sit on the street
in long lines
halted by the birds,
who continue at their own pace
oblivious to the anger and frustration
that simmers around them.
Perhaps, we should take a lesson
from the geese.

This poem came from playing with a word. I thought of several definitions of the word turnover and how different they are. I tried putting them together and got the following.

Fluctuations

Sweet as fruit-filled pastry
Comfortable as rolling over in bed
Disappointing as a fumble on the goal line
Uncertain as lay-offs at the office
Devastating as complete upheaval
Which turnovers will touch you today?

This deals with the idea that grief can ambush us at anytime. It doesn't matter if the loss is recent or happened many years ago. When you least expect it, something will trigger the grieving process.

Pop-Up Grief

Notes reach the ears

and freeze the soul.

Dates bring despair

by their mere arrival.

Pictures draw tears

before they come into focus.

Grief pops up

like an annoying ad

on the internet

and insinuates itself

into the intended action.

No click of a mouse

will close down this pop-up.

I have a friend who is a great advocate for girls and women in sport. I have heard her speak to women about seeing themselves as athletes even if they didn't play sports. I guess you could say she promotes "getting in touch with your inner athlete" or drawing on the postivie qualities that we believe athletics promote. This poem came from that idea.

I'm an Athlete

Being an athlete is not tied to play.
It's more about how you approach each day.
Teamwork helps you get along
and provides support when things go wrong.
Resilience means you can come back
anytime life gets off track.
Determination is the strength to try
and trying yields lessons that can help you fly.
Confidence teaches you to see
the best you that you can be.
So, whenever you hear "Are you ready for this? I have to ask."
Just say "I'm an athlete; I'm up to the task."

I do find that the news can be a source of inspiration. Sometimes a comment or word combination I hear will lead to a poem that is independent of the original story. Sometimes the tone of the discussion will lead to commentary. Less frequently, I end up writing about a specific event. I wrote the following last year upon the death of Senator Ted Kennedy, who had come to be referred to as the "Lion of the Senate".

The Lion's Share

The youngest wasn't groomed to lead.
He was last in line; there would be no need.
Order was turned upside down by tragedy.
He became family patriarch in his thirties.
He guided those who were left behind.
He built the legacy; he had the time.
Now, he can rest with the others,
no more fights to be won.
The lion's share of the work is done.

This is my first, and so far, my only attempt to write something with a certain beat. I also used alot of repetition. I'm not sure if that's cheating or not.

Change the Rhythm

Change the rhythm
Need a new beat
Change the rhythm
Want to retreat
Change the rhythm
Life is not neat
Change the rhythm
Feel more complete
Change the rhythm
What are you waiting for?

This is another poem about growing older. I think this post and the previous one show you can write about the same theme more than once and come up with very different pieces.

Questions of a Lifetime

How did I get to this place
where the future is shorter than the past?
Didn't Mom just send me off
to my first day of school?
Well, maybe it was high school.
Should I be working on
college or job applications?
No-AARP membership or estate planning.
I hear the news anchor announce
the ending date of a new project.
Is it even possible I will see the completion?
When did I lose so many
friends and family members?
More than 20 years ago, less than 10?
It happens too frequently now.
How did I get to this place
where hindsight is longer than foresight?
By living my life.