The artists are coming
Hope they like split-pea soup
We vacuum the floor
Scrape up the goop
Mighty nice folks
Styles all their own
Believe in themselves
Like to be shown
We will show them
The least we can do
They know our world
And trust in us, too
We have their work
All over the place
And the wonder
How it is that we would grace
Our wall with their art
We were inspired by what
They do. It fits into our scheme
Like a monkey belongs in a zoo
They are impressed and take
The time to look at every thing
That will be fine. They leave
In a day or so and promise
They will come back for more
I think they liked the soup
Stanski
December 2, 2019 ^
Day: December 2, 2019
A CRY FOR NORTH DAKOTA
The funeral party was small
Only a few who scattered
In different directions
After the cemetery service
This was usual in the Dakotas
Rural areas with few farmers left
They were broken people
Afraid to leave for now
So they stayed with hopes
For next the year
And prayers for a mild winter
Spring came and plowing began
Fragrance from the earth was good
Spirits were high, but things went wrong
Drought put an end to wishes
A funeral atmosphere without a body
These were the planes; arid soil
And desolation; isolation
No more springs for this broken family
Another house on the prairie doomed
Time went on; newcomers arrived
New times; machines; irrigation
There would be success along with failure
Life would unfold for better or worse
Stanski
November 22, 2019 ^
KNOWING
What you should do and what you do
May not even make a difference
What you mean and
Where your heart is
Is what really counts
Do you live by others expectations?
Are you driven to conform to a structure?
Structure can inhibit your creative spirit
Taking away your ability to salute or
Respect in your own original way.
Throw out these shackles and
Be true to yourself and your God
Nothing matters more than your being and
Your honest expression
When you have this
You have everything you need
For your complete contentment
Creative processes will flow like spring waters
To drift away from this idealism is to reject
The true spirit of your life and living
Structure means nothing
When compared to integrity
Using talents at the highest levels of ability
Adds luster to your body of work
This will manifest your gratitude
For all your gifts
Including the gift of life
Do what you do
Be gracious
Take your bow
Stanski
December 2, 2019 ^
PONDERING
I like to weed and need to, too,
but now is not the season;
I like to read and read good books
and for this I have a reason.
Just water these plants;
Mop up the floors;
do you think it’s time?
The bigger thoughts,
the big ideas,
They may have to wait.
Right now is the moment
for thinking it through
It’s the time to write down a plan.
I’m going to work on this for quite a while;
So I can find out who I really am.
I hope I can! I hope I can!
Right now I feel like an air borne bird,
Not knowing where to land.
I’m not looking for an easy path,
But for the road to home
I’ll be alright when I get there
And will no longer have to roam.
The feeling is there; I have it now:
The music, the sun and the moon;
And the sweet moan of ecstasy.
Stanski
December2, 2019 ^
UNPLUG
You have heard the call
The troubling call to make the choice
Unplug or carry on
The brain is dead
You feel that way, too
But, yet, it’s up to you
Shoes are on your feet
Life is not so neat
You make the call, “unplug”
The final call, “unplug”
We, so smug, can tell you
You were right or wrong
While not looking at ourselves
As we make similar calls
To a lesser degree of course
But impactful and final
At least for today
We say no to opportunity
Sorry, I can’t help
Now is not the time.
Sorry!
It will have to wait
We don’t have the time
We don’t have the money
It’s not convenient
No eye contact made
The minor unplugging
The taking away
The breaking down
Denial!
Death by a thousand cuts
Oh, yes!
We all know this guilt
Pull the plug
Stanski
December 2, 2019 ^
Steve Haarman 