Friends and Failure

I had a sister who thought her only friends
Were those who followed her to her bitter end.
I am more inclined to celebrate
Those who help me be first rate.
Sob sisters seem to come by the scores,
Knocking down each others doors.

I like people who seek my best,
And put my strengths to the test.
Those who cheer for me when I win,
And when I fail, help me begin again.
These are the people who set me free,
From my past fears and self-pity.

Possible Possession

I believe my ambitions may be possessed
Or is it the technology with which we are "blessed?"
Three times I have made an attempt to format my book;
Twice, the software gave it a new look.
I finally think I figured out the format problem
But, through hardware glitches, I'm stymied again.
Will the computer problems ever relent?
Will I ever see my work in print?

Savoring the Soup of Living

Living large is more enjoyable when done in a group
Life doesn't all have to be steak dinners with wine;
Sometimes we like a bowl of soothing, homemade soup.
The soup that I like the most is a shared project;
Even the most humble meal is a celebration
When made by friends with no egos to protect.

We don't want constant complainers or team work saboteurs
We want only those who are committed to the team;
There's enough injustice we are forced to endure.
We want only those willing to share their strengths,
Those who are ready to do whatever is their part
Without each team member's buy-in to the whole soup,
The project is off to a disastrous start.

I know this isn't political or very nice to say,
But we really don't need any team members
Who will simply sit by themselves and pray.
Babies need tending while the parents stir the pot;
We need no preachers, comedians, or entertainers
If that's all the talent you've got.

I like working on teams where everyone is heard,
Where we must all wait our turns to speak
So we don't miss out on each other's words.
Today you may be required as the officer in charge,
If this particular plan needs your expertise,
This is your place in today's living large.

We also need people who are willing to sweep the floors;
We need people who will wash dishes well,
And those who will stand guard and lock the doors.
The people who run the errands are no less valuable
Than the people who write up the plans;
We all have our own weight we must pull.

It is always my hope that when the soup is done
The whole team will sit down to supper,
Nobody will feel the need, or have to, run.
We praise each other, give thanks for our gifts,
Savor soup, and bask in shared glory;
A job well done together is my pure bliss.

Sights of Summer

My little family is back at the pool;
Granny in her pink hat, looking cool.
The baby boy jumping into her arms,
Knowing she'll allow him to come to no harm.
The young mother teaching her daughter flips,
Not once does her ability slip.
Then she throws her daughter as far as she can,
The child squealing with laughter since it began.
Another mother shows up with camera in tow,
Her pre-teen daughter has a summer tan's glow.
I will miss the people having such fun
When the winter doldrums have begun.

Rhetoric and Retirement

There is a saying that talk is cheap;
That's because most talk isn't very deep.
The talk about our neighbors and the weather
Is about as valuable to me as a feather.
I prefer talk in which I learn something
And talk that, to my fears, give wing.

I have never been good at small talk,
And from angry words I tend to walk.
Are bits of truth hidden within
Casual words of women, and of men?
Or are words simply a way to kill time
Free of the need for reason or rhyme?

I so look forward to time with dear friends
Where words are usually a means to an end
Of seeing each other all the way to our souls;
When with these friends, I feel more whole.
This cannot be done well in a social setting
Something, we who do lunch, keep forgetting.

Over salads, it's hard to suppress the urge,
Our deepest feelings and thoughts to purge.
When the door has been opened, how do we end,
And once again, into the outside world, blend?
I'm trying to remember that retired friends and I
Now have time together to laugh and to cry.

We no longer have to hold in our true selves
That, for years, we had no time on which to dwell
Months don't have to pass while we live away
Wishing for more time together to have our say.
Now we can parcel out our triumphs and travails,
I hope my sense of urgency will soon pale.

The Cajun Cure

I've been feeling a bit disconnected;
This has caused me to feel dejected.
We finally hit upon something, I was sure,
Would, once again, make my soul seem pure.

Yesterday, we returned to my roots,
On the bayou with my Aunt Toots
Also in his eighties, Uncle Roman,
Laughing at surprises for which they can't plan.

The greatest gift they always give,
Is joy in having purpose for which we live.
Next time we take a trip to down below
My aunt's going to teach me Grandma's gumbo.

Grandma and her husband owned a general store,
But, for much of their lives, they were very poor.
They threw away nothing, every scrap was used;
The flavors of the meat scraps, Grandma's gumbos infused.

There was chicken, bologna, salami, and ham,
And always a roux, browned with loving hands.
The rest of her secrets, she never did say,
But the finishing touch was a spice called filé.

I will learn to make it, with Aunt Mabel's advice,
Then we'll sit down to a supper of gumbo with rice.
My cousins will come to share a few laughs,
The finishing touch on a Cajun repast.

Hiding from Homicide

A lot of days, all I do is hide
So I'm not tempted to commit homicide
Against the many who get great joy
Bringing forth tears from small girls and boys,
Thinking they are preparing them
To hold their own as women and men.

Even on the sportsman's field
Their are rules, to which we yield.
Players are matched by size and age;
This, for the cowards, should set the stage.
It is easy to win when there are no rules
And the youngest and weakest play the fools.

Justice dictates that there be fair play,
Or the biggest bullies always win the day.
Many of us are simply overwhelmed by life;
Communities should share each others' strife.
We can act as referees and partners for each other
If we look upon all as sisters and brothers.