Month: October 2020

Music is playing in the coffee shop;

contemporary and not too loud. 

I have been enjoying my purchase,

black coffee, and have used my time

to answer mail and write checks. 

Manistique High School, across

the street has only had a half-day

today so the shop is busy and

making frappes is a noisy process. 

I was lucky to arrive a few moments

before the crowd.  The students are

lined up and many are waiting

outside for their turn.  They are

patient and trying to keep

social distancing in mind. 

It is a day in a fairly peaceful city. 

People respond properly to the

Chinese Virus Restrictions although

not without question.  What was life

before the deadly distraction?  

Drug use was a topic which now

seems to be of less concern. 

Human needs are still being met. 

There are hungry people who

need to be fed and efforts are

made to meet this ongoing situation. 

We can do it and in the process

become a better community. 

We can train those willing and

move them to employment. 

We have solutions to many problems. 

It is implementing them

which is important. 

Politicians believe in politics. 

Volunteers believe in the

exceptionalism of people. 

Music can lift our hearts and spirits. 

What will left the desire to improve. 

We can be the Shining City,

an emerald amongst pebbles. 

Do we have the will? 

That is the question.

Stanski

October 31, 2020 ^

I listen to Leonard Cohen singing

“Hallelujah” as I drive into town. 

It is cold and gray and the wind

is bone chilling.  I look at small

brown trees sticking up in

the air about twelve feet. 

They have no leaves so

it looks like a line of poles. 

There is seasonal water in the sloughs

along the edge of the road. 

Soon trees appear with yellow leaves

which are blowing in the wind. 

I am in a mellow mood just above

being depressed.  I am thankful

for life, but not for the Virus. 

Everything seems ajar, almost surreal. 

I think about China and what God has

in mind for those whose evil has

shattered the world. 

I think of His possible manifestations,

one of them being to let us work

our way through this and

in some way give courage

to the suppressed Chinese to

overcome their dictator and

resolve the socialist issues

and become a peaceful people

and a reliable partner on

the world stage. “Hallelujah”,

“Hallelujah”, the music and

song play on and I think

we will play on doing what

we do, hoping for the best. 

The gray clouds open for

a minute and the sunshine

fills me with hope. 

They close and take

the sun with them, but

I go on knowing that I must do

the things I do with gratitude.

Stanski

October 30, 2020 ^

There you are

Not knowing what to expect

There will be music

You’re in the park

Brought your own chair

A little early

Time to settle

The music begins

Keyboard, drums and guitar

The strumer sings

And very well

Has a range

From here to hell

All the songs

Jazz laced blues

Crowd goes wild

People dancing

Children playing

Birds flying

Quite the deal

Toilet rooms open

Being used

Probably because of

All the booze

Poured into mugs

Instead of coffee

Enthusiasm rings

Lots of clapping

Then rock-an-roll

A couple of polkas

Back to the jazz

Then time to go

The setting sun

Has us won

Crimson or mulberry

Extraordinary

Stanski

October 30, 2020 ^

Someone will ask,

How do you write?

I know that

“I don’t know”

Is not the answer

They’re looking for

So, I think for a moment

It’s hard to explain

I say that something

Comes to mind

On its own or is

Prompted by something

I see or hear

One line leads to the next

Then on and on

Until it’s finished

I think of composers

Their creative feelings are

Expressed in music and

Not in one plane like

A well written poem

But in 40 parts or more

For all the instruments to

Tell the story of

Joy and emotion

How powerful!  

I think of this act of creating and

What it means to so many

Fellow beings

I think too of

Real stories about people

Who express their

Courage and convictions in

Actions that have a

Positive effect on those

Cared about and loved

No pretension

No holding back

Except perhaps the tears

I think it’s hard

To explain how

The Creator works through people

Giving them the

Gifts of music, poetry,

Creativity and action

They are accepted

Sometimes without

Acknowledgement and

Used without thanks, but

Often gratitude and

Exuberance prevail

These gifts are used to

Lift and inspire others

Thanksgiving in itself

And so it goes

These things I think about

Stanski

October 29, 2020 ^

She came and took my pen

I don’t know if she thought

That I would be handicapped

Or if she was looking out for

The best interests of those

Whom I was writing for and

Since I couldn’t make sense

Of these things I went to my

Friend Don Juan who offered

To me a pen he had sequestered

In the bouquet of flowers he was

Offering up to Blanche, the Garden Angel,

Who just stood by, not saying a word

But had a certain look on her face and

Then I saw the two canes she was holding and

Advised the reverend Juan to back off

This was my effort to serve his best interests

He was quiet, also, and just looked at me

He didn’t say a word. 

I thought it best to move away and

Leave them to settle things

Thanking him I turned and walked away

I came over and sat down at the table

My other pen had been returned by then, so

My inventory of supplies turned positive

I love exciting mornings like this and

Will probably write about it this afternoon

If I can find my pad and have enough time

Stanski

October 28, 2020 ^

^

QUIET SEA AND THE MOON

The line where sky meets sea

Makes you do a double-take

As straight as it could be with a barely

Perceivable curve for science’s sake

Political correctness an attribute

If we have to be that cute

This line is different every day

Baffling the imagination

Betters would not make a play

No way to make a projection

Today drab-gray converges with light blue

Smudged with just a cloud or two

Not much wind, plentiful light

Peaceful everywhere you look

Sea so quiet has no fight

The calm before the storm delusion

Tonight will reflect

The luster of the moon and

Perhaps, if we’re lucky will echo

The call of the migrating loon

Stanski

October 28, 2020 ^6

^

Sunlight flows through

the stained glass windows

throwing a beautiful mosaic

across the north wall of the church. 

I think of an artist trying

to duplicate the look. 

It is not permanent,

constantly changing as

the earth keeps turning. 

Soon the colors are on

the crucifix lighting it up

making it look almost joyous. 

As nature will have it

a cloud blocks the sunlight

and the mosaic disappears

for a while.  It comes back

a little more to the right

and is soon gone as

the sun no longer

reaches the window. 

The mosaic spoke

and will speak again: 

“Behold the majesty about

you and know Who I am. 

This is My work and it is nothing

compared to what I could do.” 

It is quiet and I think. 

I am alone and there

is no street noise. 

I am not bewildered, but in awe. 

I think of the artistry and try to

remember the shapes and colors. 

They do not come to mind so

I resolve to come back soon,

with or without sunshine,

because I like the feeling

of quiet communication,

along with the color.

Stanski

October 27, 2020 ^

365 AND SOMETIMES 366 DAYS OF WONDER

How you live!

Where does it come from?

It comes from within. 

Deep from within, my friends. 

Can you feel it? 

What is it when you are restless? 

You know that things are not right and

you have the feeling of doing something

and so you do. 

It is you and how you live and

no one can call you wrong

in a way that affects you because

you know the truth. 

You are not alone. 

You have many brothers and sisters and

together they can sing out, “Hallelujah”. 

Some do not like our music,

but we will keep singing. 

We collectively have things to do. 

Everything out there is not right. 

Who can work to correct what is wrong? 

It is we—as we are singing—“Hallelujah”. 

This is how you live and how we live and

it comes from inner inspiration. 

We are individuals with free will. 

We choose the path and our leaders.

We believe that spiritually speaking—

we are on the right path. 

How do we all live? 

Where does it come from? 

We live for others.

It comes from our spirituality

and our music, “Hallelujah”.  

Stanski

October 26, 2020 ^

Shadows on the wall

Reflections of images

Dancing silhouette

Fading when light changes

Imagination primed

Subtle revelations

Notification of possibilities

Being held in limbo

Waiting for action and purpose

Prevailing over idleness

Wondering

Will it come to pass

Repeating

Will it or do we wait

Will other circumstances prod us on

Waiting is dangerous

Exposes the risk of losing it all

Shadows may distort

Hinting at truth can ring hallow

Knowledge put on shelf

Wanting a better time

Wrong road to take

Action now warranted

Heed all warnings

Act

Stanski

October 25, 2020 ^

Learning how to write without a pen;

that was what we had to do.                                                                                                                                                                                                     You think, you squirm,

very uncomfortably.

It’s a funny concept, a serious assignment.                                                                                                                                   

The clock keeps ticking and

the sphere keeps spinning.                                                                                                             

Your mind will open up too. 

Then words,                                                                                                                                         then images are sculpt from

a small layer of your brain tissue.                                                                                                                                

So you have begun and you began or should,                                                                                                                                   

start at the beginning;                                                                                                                                                                       

looking at the landscape you are working with                                                                                                                                     

and now must stay compatible with.                                                                                                                                                               

You gather the tools and begin the first stages of this,                                                                                                                                           

which once seemed a silly, useless project,                                                                                                                                                       

but now embracing it, you think of your finish                                                                                                                                    

and if you see compatible bliss,

you continue on this path.                                                                                                                         

You formulate the steps in between and continue;                                                                                                                                           

you may hit hard-rock or something like it and

have to change your path.                                                                                                       

You know the ending, so you keep taking the steps,                                                                                                                                    

opening up to surprise, accepting change,                                                                                                                                     

moving forward with side-way steps,                                                                                                                                                      seeing the beauty and then

the light falling on it,                                                                                                                             

lifting you, exciting you,

calming you and adding

to your enlightenment.                                                                                                                                                  It can be done;                                                                                                                                                         put down the pen for just this day;                                                                 

gather the clouds,

chase the wind, live the purpose.                                                                           

Recognize and celebrate a job well done.    

                                                                                                                                                               Stanski

October 24, 2020 ^