Author: stevehaarman

Force the issue, push, push, push
Frustration has that special feeling
Oh I’ve been here before and
Hold my feet before I hit the ceiling
Five minutes early or ten minutes late
Balancing acts would meet the circus grade
Like riding a pony standing up
Selling popcorn by the delicious cup
It keeps on turning now you’re standing still
Hope eternal there’s no swallowing a pill
Classified stupidity has had its way
No use pretending you’ve enforced your will
Tap on the drums listen for a beat
Reconcile with yourself you’ve met defeat
Handle it well then take a seat
About-face planning your needs will meet
Expectation of others don’t hold high
Sort out possibilities you think you can achieve
 Don’t give up a chance for anything
You are the one who has to believe
Look at the perspective of reality
Your intentions tuned is a very must be
The ultimate goal is your dignity
Can you relax now that you see?

Stanski
May 11, 2022, ^

Some laugh at conservatives and their views,

especially on the sanctity of life, big government

regulations and such.

However, the hotbed of disruptive living, hatred,

racism, shootings and killings are

to be found in liberal cities of America. 

Baltimore is a recent example. 

The headlines in the news

shout out horror stories of

unlawfulness and violence:

   Street anarchy in Baltimore

   Residents fearful amid rash of homicides

   City gets bloodier

   7 year old boy, mother are fatally shot in the head

   Police say mobs gather around officers when responding to calls

   MD Sheriff:  Cops “have been eviscerated, disemboweled”

   Audio:  Police Commissioner privately apologizes to his officers,

   “People have given up on us”

This is not criticism; it is reality and happening now. 

We, who are safe for now, sit in wonder. 

There is no wonder, however. 

This is the true face of liberalism. 

Socialism never works for long. 

When is fails and cities go

Bankrupt, or nearly so, we have the chaos. 

The confusion is predictable. 

Violence is probable. 

Will there be a change? 

Not really. 

More taxes and controls are put in place. 

Less money is taken in and

the regulators are arrested for graft.

When will we ever learn?

When will respect supersede blame?

Stanski

May 10, 2022, ^

I remember waking that long-ago morning

I will never forget

One of those things that happens

Giving feelings of regret

We had been to our property

That bordered Brook Creek

Our group of children,

Parents and grandparents

Having a wonderful time

Picnic and all, including some wine

Traveling down to the water

Required a little finessing

Worth all the effort

The stream was a blessing

Places where warm tributaries

Blended with the cool

Just a lot of fun splashing around

Until it was time to go

That was when grandma

Trying to help the little ones

Slipped and hurt her toe

She thought it would be all right

I only hoped it would

Time went on and her problem remained

That’s when I started the, “what if”, game

Nothing would change what had happened

No one was assigned the blame, so

There was no pleading for forgiveness

I wish it hadn’t happened

It really made me sick, but

Sensitivity to things like that

Is part of my astrological makeup

The dear lady passed away

Close to being one hundred

Has been afflicted with dementia

For almost twenty years

I have not seen her in all that time

She wouldn’t even know me, but

I will never forget her or

Waking the next morning

Wishing it all had been a dream

Stanski

May 9, 2022, ^

The boy read his answer to

the teacher and classmates. 

It was in the form of a poem. 

His statement was accurate and

it flowed as you would expect had

Walter Whitman wrote the work. 

I told him later when

he passed it on to me

how outstanding the work was. 

He was stuck on how to present it and

his group of three were

not making progress. 

He started to write

the facts collected and

they fell into a poetic pattern

that continued to the end.

It was a beginning he said and

told me that the grade was good. 

He struggled with effort in the past so

this was a boost to his confidence. 

I told him we were always beginning and

it would be wise to continue this effort. 

A few weeks later he wrote

a report on marijuana. 

It included the history,

the pros and cons of its use, and

a comprehensive statement on

where we are with it today in our country. 

He received the highest grade in

the school and he was amazed. 

It would have been a hundred

except for a few grammatical errors. 

I could only tell him, after

I offered my congratulations,

he should keep beginning every day. 

Don’t miss out on a single opportunity.

I think he will.  He knows what it takes.

Stanski

Many 7, 2022, ^

Many 7, 2022, ^

Those who know all the answers

Walk proudly with their dogs

Happy with their joyful feelings

About how the world is wrong

They will write their message

For everyone to see

Putting blame on everyone else

Except, of course, the humble “me”

They are not the ones who

Turned the world into a mess

I’m sure they clean up after their dog

That would be my guess

But the poor are starving

And it’s not their fault

Babies are being killed

Soldiers committing suicide

Patients over pilled

Hospitals closing their doors

Bankers locking up their vault

Someone else should be doing things

To make everything right

They better hurry up, too

This world is in a plight

I say look in front of you

At the things you can control

Do everything to improve things

Even paying others toll

Leave a bigger tip at the dinner

A dollar just won’t do

Don’t want to be a cheapskate

Just because you’re a fool

Try some real thinking

Put away emotion

Keep your nasties to yourself

Stop causing unneeded commotion

Stanski

May 6, 2022, ^

A drive to Escanaba

No moonlight, but

A bright earthy day

Autumn colors arousing

Tamaracks were burning yellow

As though candles lit in celebration

I am on my way to visit a friend

He is in dialysis and sits

For many hours racked with pain

Arthritis, neuropathy and body breakdown

No one offers morphine

He does not ask

Patient and steadfast he waits

Incompetent aids, though idle,

Fail to help him when all he needs

Is a position adjustment

It is a time for action and

I walk to their station

They stop their chit-chat as

I ask for their help, but

Hear complaint that

They were just there

He needs an adjustment

Compliance is halfhearted

His countenance speaks

“Can you believe this,

How can they not care?”

There is no response I can give

Looking around I see litter

I patrol and clean the area

The idlers are still talking and

When asked where to put it

They point to a waste basket,

My friend bids me goodbye

While leaving I wonder

How long will his waiting last?

Stanski

May 4, 2022. ^

Many dreams diverge

Optimism slowly leaks away

Disappointment evolves

Depression sets in

Ghosts of the past return

What of them and

Their fractured lives

No importance to you

Your plans are already broken

No one is aware of the glory

You missed by remaining humble

These are old dreams

New ones are in order

Graced by passion and

Goals worth seeking

Tread lightly though, because

There is always a cross

You can dream it away, but then

You miss the true meaning of life

Stanski

May 3, 2022, ^

A worn path

Led to a dune

Then more dunes

Up and down

And finally to

The inland sea

Red fire hydrant

Attracting a dog

A Dalmatian

Sirens scream

Interrupting

The dog was trained

Children laughing on

A park bench

Engines roar by

Bells ringing

Smoke is seen

By the inland sea

An odd-shaped lot

With many buildings

Crippled now with the blaze

Scorching every flower

Lining the beginning of

The worn path

Resolution cries

What went wrong?

Our focus is out of sync

With what matters

Maintain properly

Buildings and souls

Stanski

May 2, 2022, ^

March went out like a lamb

The month was erratic

Precipitation every day

Or so it seemed

April took over for March

Rain and cloudy every day

Except for Easter which was

Sunny, warm, and beautiful

The other days except for a few

Were gray, cloudy, and windy

Now we are into May

Rain and wind with no sun

Waves are relentlessly

Attacking the shore

The color gray is boring

And very depressing

There appears to be no letup

Forecasts call for cloudy and rain

One good thing is the absence of snow

The ice in the lake has melted

Now we wait for gardening weather

Then we will be dealing with ticks,

Mosquitoes and deer flies

Will we ever be at peace?

Windows and doors are closed

Be it feels like a sharp breeze inside

Landscaping work is about to begin

Tools a sharpened and ready to go

Just when we thought we’d start

The rain came pouring down

We are not giving up

June will soon be busting out all over

Stanski

May 1, 2022, ^

There is no blame

There is no shame

But all the same

So natural, to play the game

Sometimes sad

Health so bad

No one glad

Was not a fad

When I review

Everyone knew

That we were true

We even grew

Expect revision

Justifiable decision

Life newly arisen

Release from prison

Too many miles

False smiles

Denials

Trials

The truth remains, too

White conquers blue

Stories of rue

Coming from who

No more tension

Invention

Retaliation

With intention

All will be good

As it should

Knock on wood

That we could

We sighed

Also tried

Often cried

We will abide

Stanski

April 29, 2022, ^