Month: November 2022

I loved you

    once in silence

And misery was all I knew

Trying so to keep my love

    from showing

All the while not knowing

   you loved me too

Yes, loved me,

   in lonesome silence

Your heart filled with

   dark despair

Thinking love would flame

    in you forever

And I’d never, never know

    the flame was there

Then one day we cast away

    our secret longing

The raging tide we held   

    Inside would hold no more

The silence – at last was broken! –

We flung wide our prison

    door

Every joyous word of love

    was spoken

And now there’s twice as

    much grief

Twice the strain for us;

Twice the despair,

Twice the pain for us

As we had known before

Uncle Charlie

Copied by Steve Haarman

November 30, 2022, ^

Pain

Agony

Suffering

Depression

Constipation

Disillusionment

Loss

Grief

Aches

Pains

Dawn

Light

Music

Flowers

Sunshine

Art

Gardens

Life

Forgiveness

Vision

It all works out when you open up to possibilities with a good attitude.

Stanski

November 30, 2022, ^

Gray mornings may have us depressed

Rough inner edges have to be smoothed

I think about this and reflect on life

While waiting in my pew before worship

Rain causes some to arrive late

They are here now being respectful

Just a mid-autumn Sunday

Late in the season of life

Happiness and sadness are intertwined

Today’s message is uplifting and sober

The Holy Spirit is with us

The congregation sings robustly

Sun shines through the stained glass windows

Somewhere there is a rainbow

Hearts are lightened

Angels rejoice

Stanski

November 29, 2022, ^

It is a long road home and

I have been traveling that way

for quite a while.  No one has

given me a salute as I pass by,

mostly because they don’t know

what I’ve been through.  Many

know that I am a human angel

and many more do not know

and if they did they would care less. 

My job has been to observe and influence. 

There are times when my just being present

has prevented evil things from taking place. 

It is not a glamorous job but can be very draining. 

Sometimes I think that dying would be

an easier route, but I disavowed that

possibility a long time ago.  I keep moving on,

feeling worn and ready to lie down. 

My time for that has not come so I must

gather myself together and carry on. 

Those who know me will understand

and offer encouragement, but as I said,

I have never received a salute.  I would

like to rest, but I know I have work to do. 

This will take me to places I am not familiar with. 

My directions were to go and never question why. 

I felt like throwing in the towel, but I am not one to

quit when things looked bleak.  I had been doing

this for quite a while and the prospect of carrying

on surely looked bleak, but I proceeded and

completed my mission.  When I finally reached home

I became restless for the road again.  This was after

I recovered from all the strain.  My body and soul

were ready to continue my task, but the higher authority

told me to lay back for a while and really mend. 

I would be called when I was ready so I took

the long road home again and this time I stayed. 

I like the arrangement, but will be ready when I am called

Stanski

November27, 2022, ^

Soft-spoken, like angels at work

Little ladies who have lived their lives

Always there when help is needed

Some have husbands at home

Others have been alone for a while

Usually, find something to laugh about

Chatter, murmurs, and giggles

Together they put on a lunch

Looking out for each other

Nothing was heard but words of kindness

When I stick my head into the room

I say hello and watch them glow

They want to know everything

Questions from voices that ring

I’ll ask them if they’re in the choir

Oh, we don’t have time for that

And they practice in the evening hours

We don’t like to be out that late

They all agree to this apparent fate

Maybe someday we’ll put on a show

Looks like you’re putting on one now

They just laugh, then we say goodbye

Life goes on and will for a while

I walk away knowing how lucky I am

Just to witness these angels time and again

Stanski

November 26, 2022, ^

We are alert

There are dangers

Opportunities

Choices

Evaluations

What prompts action?

Does our truth apply?

Let’s study history

Our knowledge is feeble

We can say words

Rivers flow

Some north and south

Others east and west

They carve their own path

Influenced by natural forces

Earthquakes

Volcanic eruptions

Flash floods

Fatal fires

Who holds the power?

We are here

Lottery winners

Still proclaiming victimhood

Able to claim rewards

Marching to a downfall

We watch the priest walk by

Identify with the Levite

Amazed at the Samaritan

Giving without regard

Whom do we want to be?

Five ducks

Fly in formation

Change positions

Get lost in the clouds

So much like we

Stanski

November 24, 2022, ^

When I went to grade school

So many years ago

You didn’t need to put signs

On the doors telling you that

This was the nurse’s station

Or the kitchen; janitors room

You knew where the girls

And boy’s toilet rooms were

You just knew from day one

Everyone was woke in that regard

Today we have an upside-down world

People are doing crazy things

All in the name of Wokeism

Here are some examples:

Student journalists demand college

Cancel the “What is a Women” event

Maxine Waters hopes that her good friend

Sam Bankman-Fried is okay during

The FTX hearing

“Symbol of hatred”:  Pitzer College

Student demands removal of U.S. flag

Alec Baldwin denies rumors that

He fired a missile into Poland

These are just a few, but enough to make

You long for the good old days when

There were only two genders

Stanski

November 23, 2022, ^

A listless day was given to us

Shades of gray from ground to sky

The sun is like a good friend

You miss it when it is not about

Snow was still on the roads

Ice was beneath the white flakes

It was slippery so much care

Was needed if you were driving

Two ships were on the horizon

They were moving slowly

The temperature was seventeen degrees

I had much work to do and

The cold was disheartening

The year’s end was near

So many things held dear

Would have to wait for a while

This was not my style, but

A serious injury had slowed me down

So when the day began, I knew

I would not be a fan and my plans

Would have to be put aside

With icy roads, I would not

Be able to take a ride into town

I will wait for a nicer day as

Work for me is here to stay

Stanski

November 22, 2022, ^

Let me think, while I sit here,

about something of substance.

We think spring, but it isn’t spring-like. 

Instead it is cold;

there is a lot of snow on the ground;

the sky is gray;

it is misty and bleak.

Many will take a thanksgiving break

then came back happy for a day or two,

but later became depressed

because this weather has been vile

Too much snow and too cold 

We need a change and soon

Problems are creeping up;

roof leaks;

falling trees;

icy roads and accidents;

slow business for the shops;

heating systems breaking down;

running out of wood to burn

the wind causing drifts

snowbirds sending happy cards

speaking loudly of warm days

Housework is piling up

No one has the energy

We need the sun;

gentle breezes;

soft warm rain;

robins and ducks;

flowers and weeds;

anything to cheer us;

but, we shall wait;

it will come

Stanski

November 21, 2022, ^

Tom was tall – he glowed

A Renaissance man

Helped us move into

His self-built casita

Had stories to tell

About sadness and joy

Welcomed us as brothers

Shared our wine

Only met today, but

Found we had much in common

Close ones lost and

Dealing with it, aided

By angels at every crossroad

Never being told

You are a victim, so

Act that way, but

Rather you are needed

To lead the way to

A higher plain of

The Holy Spirit

Purification takes place and

The need to pass it on

As though this is God’s purpose

So we chat and drink,

Sit in awe of each other

Knowing if one hour can lead to this

What about our tomorrow

As we speak only of today

Tomorrow will come

With much more to say

By Steve Haarman aka Stanski