Month: June 2020

It would seem at first glance
That there is plenty to worry about
And maybe there is, but then
What does worry every do?
The problems still exist
If we are lucky they go away
Now we have civil unrest
Bought and paid for by
Those who hate this country
Historical monuments destroyed
By people who do not understand
What they represent or why
They were erected in the first place
 
We have the China Virus spreading
And continuing to kill and
Systemically affect people
Then the blame game by those
Who have the media
Carrying their water for them
We have unrelated shootings in
Major cities across the country
With life being snuffed out
For reasons that cannot be explained
People afraid to go to places
That have always been safe
But are now havens for murder
 
Leaders by fiat close down churches
And small businesses which leave
Some doomed to go bankrupt
We see anarchists destroy $800,000
Firetrucks paid for by our tax dollars
We have leftist judges supporting abortion
In defiance of the U.S. Constitution which
Says that God endowed us with certain
Inalienable rights among which are
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
What does it matter?  Why worry?
In the end there will be one Shepherd
It would be good to be in His flock
 
Stanski
June 30, 2020 ^

There was a beginning
Mostly I don’t remember
Excitement or indifference
Were prevailing factors
Now it is over
Life as known for so many years
Destined and now have come to an end
It was not and is not easy to grasp
Wouldn’t this go on forever?
It seemed so, though never tiring
Compassion for others and
Meeting needs here and
In the community
Never short of friends, but
Sometimes suspect of a few
It is part of my character
I stumble a little in my mind
Like walking and falling off balance
How can what is be no more?
Hours slipped into days and weeks
Months and years are like yesterday
I can go forward, only not here
Walking away from everything I know
And what I considered my own
It is all temporal
I have spoken of the soul many times
Also of the mind and the heart
A trinity in their own right
Like faith, hope and love
Now I must wave off the mundane
Leave that of consequence to others
Line up my mind, heart and soul
Come to proper conclusions
Know my own mortality, but
Pray for longevity beyond my dreams
Let me have enough time to do
The things You have entrusted to me
I have probably had the time
But also know that I am human
I have the propensity to waste some of it
Maybe it is ego, but others sought my presence
Who am I to disappoint
Well it is time to go
It has been very nice
 
Stanski on June 28, 2020 ^

The air is soft this morning
It has a right to be
It is Sunday
The Day of Rest
We are alone
In our thoughts
We see a little dust
In the sky by the sun’s light
It floats gently downward
We wonder who we are
And why we are here
Those who have left us
Are not really gone, but
Are within us and
We feel them and have hope
That they recognize us
We can hear their laughs and
Remember their idiosyncrasies
Did they ever disappoint as
We feel we are disappointing to some
They don’t know and we will never know
We would just like to get a grip
On this very thing called life
We work until we are sore
Then forget what we were after
Or our efforts are destroyed
By someone else’s demands
And we stay for abuse or
Walk away with tolerance
Looking for our next foolish deed
As gardeners we know that
The weeds are going to keep coming
So we work with them or around them
The animals of the kingdom nibble away
At our prize collection of flowers
We trim and spray and remain happy
We think again about the day
About our loses and recollections
We feel happy for what we know
And sad for things that broke down
But this is life and it keeps repeating
Many times to unseasoned joy
 
Stanski
June 28, 2020 ^
 

A whole day ahead and we sit
And figure who owes whom a letter
Who had dinner last time and
Who was rude and insisted
That they were right and no one
Had a chance to get in the last word
 
This stuff happens and no harm
Is meant and usually there is no jealousy
No one really cares and life goes on
Someone gets a new car or moves
Into a new apartment and that is that
Life keeps moving and just stay alive
 
Down deep we reflect on ourselves
We know how we are doing in
The areas where it really counts
Not letting people down when
They need us the most, but standing
By and offering that helping hand
 
Sincerity is what really counts
No one wants affirmation that is
Not genuine or patronization
We all look for the truth from friends
We remember these incidents and
Recall the worthiness of it all in our hearts
 
I go to sleep; it’s been a happy day
Wake up later wondering again
What is important; not these insignificant
Trivial things of life but how we helped
The less fortunate about us or far away
Are we doing anything or all that we can?
 
There will be a day of reckoning and
Even if there wasn’t we could ask ourselves
What truly makes you happy and fills you
Winning a game of cards or feeding the poor
Helping those on the fringe or entertaining friends
The answer is obvious and you sleep peacefully
 
Stanski
June 27, 2020 ^
 
 

Waves social distancing
About six feet apart
People spaced on benches
Wearing prescribed masks
The man pushing the
Ice cream cart wasn’t there
Businesses were not allowed
To open up under new guidelines
Many would not survive
Grocery stores were open
There was obvious mingling
Of the customers as would
Be expected even though
Signs of caution were posted
Cashiers were on the front line
They worked eight hour days
And answered the same questions
Over and over and did their best
Visitors seemed above it all and
Disregarded the safety measures
Numbers were limited, but
They came in crowds bringing
Their children with them
The rules for quarantine were disregarded
Life for them was a bowl of cherries
The U.P. had few cases of Covid-19
Hospitals were empty
Elective surgery was postponed
This was senseless and done by fiat
Churches were closed
Schools were closes
Graduation became an innovative process
Blame was prevalent
It is a sad time and we have much to learn
 
Stanski
June 26, 2020 ^
 

Out the open, screened window
I take a quick look at nature
As usual it does not disappoint
I look at the shrubs and am happy
The deer have left them alone
The repellant I used is working
I suddenly think of the virus
I am set back into some depression
We did not need this now or ever
Condition and situations had improved
Beyond all expectations and then
We were brought to our knees
We were also plagued with disinformation
Which was confusing and contradictory
 
Then a vengeful murder by a policeman
An excuse to break out of confinement
And begin protests across the country
They became violent as evil, paid,
Dark militias entered into the fray and
Provided tools for destruction and fire
Bricks were provided for breaking windows
And looting was encouraged and cheered
Cities wished to de-fund the police and
Little regard was given to the effects of
The virus which was no longer a topic
In the various forms of media
Curfews were established but with
Encouragement were ignored and anarchy won
 
With no police able to act chaos prevailed
People in the way were injured and many
Died in the very neighborhoods that were
Being destroyed; their trauma was over;
Their loved ones were left with the bodies
Looters forgot that these were their stores
The places that they did their shopping
Little ladies cried because they had no
More grocery stores to go for food and
Other essentials necessary for living
The murder was horrible but did not
Justify the hysteria and protests
Something bigger was being encouraged
I fear the breakdown of a nation
 
Stanski on June 26, 2020 ^

When the five o’clock shadow appears
The day is almost over for you
Look back on the hours
What have you accomplished?
Many times the answer is nothing
Just idleness prevailed and
You have nothing to show
Another day of waste
The gift given was not accepted
Sadly there is no remorse
You drank your lunch and
The afternoon was a blur
Tomorrow will most likely
Be a repeat of today and
On and on until it is too late
You look at others about you
To you they are functioning losers
Scrambling to get ahead
Showing up and working diligently
And you keep up seemingly doing nothing
But there comes a day of reckoning
Everyone is held to account
You are no longer needed
The foolish ones advance
You are out on the street
Make the long journey home
Face up to the music
No one wants to dance with you
Life as you knew it is over
Time to get a new horse
You didn’t care and now
No one cares with you
You had your chance and wasted it
Now just a former big shot
Couldn’t call anyone by name
That was always beneath you
What went up came down
And now to unemployment
The office is just uptown
 
Stanski
June 25, 2020 ^

So often we watch as others
Seem to storm to success
We wonder what we are doing
It is not working out for us
We feel we are trying
As best we can and nothing good
Comes from all of our efforts
Something must be wrong
 
When we have a chance to review
We see that we have moved
Forward through a wide door
That is open to many
At the same time and
The effort it takes is minimal
There are hundreds with us
All moving forward at breakneck speed
 
We look at those who have been successful
They have taken their time in choosing
The door that they will enter
It is usually a very narrow door
And does not open very wide
One struggles and squeezes to get through
Not many are able to make it
They do not have the patience
 
The one who struggled also prepared
He knew it would be a difficult event
But was willing to sacrifice because
He knew the reward would be worthwhile
He was willing to take all the steps necessary
And was prepared if failure took place
He persevered until his time came
Then carefully advanced and made it through
 
He was not arrogant, but thankful
He did not forget those who had prepared him
His success was great and he remained humble
He did not seek the limelight
Everything he did was positive
He seldom encountered setbacks
The difficult had been his choice
And he had persevered
 
Stanski on June 24, 2020 ^

What defines success?
Why the paradox?
Two people equally work
Incorporate passion and talent
One is called
The other left behind
 
The chosen can pontificate
But tries to stay humble
The equal keeps working
Wallows in the struggle
 
The one in demand
Gets loose with his work
The other betrays nothing
Passion is not a quirk
 
The chosen is steady
Knows he has arrived
The struggler keeps working
Glad to be alive
 
How many times
Have these stories been told
Who knows tomorrow
And what will unfold?
 
You hail success
But devour passion
Success is perception of
What’s currently in fashion
 
By Steve Haarman
June 2, 2012
 

It is easy to find loneliness
When no one else is around
I listen for the train whistles
The rain clouds that abound
My yesterdays were so fine
But my tomorrows—
   I just don’t know, but
When the sun shines and
Nature sings it song
You know it isn’t all wrong
And somehow I go on
Thankful for the gifts I have
I am a king, just without a crown
 
The day moves along and
I move slowly from thing to thing
I feel melancholy in my slower ‘gait
And my voice lacks that familiar ring
Before this day is over
And I think this is a safe bet
I will witness another gift from above
A glorious (almost resurrection like) sunset
Then I will sing my songs
Then listen to some moody jazz
Slowly sip cognac in candle light
Wait for the stars in the sky and
Maybe for the moon to come into sight
 
Some days I just feel old and
Think it is time to put my pen down
But that feeling lasts for just a while
Even causes me to frown
So much to say, to share with others
And sadly a lot I can’t write about
It is better to internalize some truth
No one needs all of my ‘spiel
l haven’t worn down all my thoughts
And often feel as though their inspired
My self-proclaimed duty to write them
Utter or express in words extravagantly
Words solemn enough to make a hymn
 
Stanski on June 22, 2020 ^