Author: stevehaarman

I said – don’t be afraid
The plans have already been made
She gave to me that look of sly
Enough to make me cry
I don’t like it there
And never have except
Of course my children
They have kept me alive
There in Cincinnati 

Look for things to do
You could always go to the zoo
I live in one she grinned
Now I suppose I’ve sinned
You’ve always been a straight shooter
Her look couldn’t have been cuter
You know the jive; you’re still alive
Show your brass; kick some ass

The Spirit will keep you standing
She had the look; you know the look
When she said I know a few who need kicking
She brought the flowers
The sunshine and the storm
Her disposition altered from
A light rain to lightning and thunder
Then her laugh brought her back
And she came with the sunshine and flowers

Truth did not elude her; the score
Was known before someone spoke it
She managed her battles with no regrets
Put on the right face when fate was imminent
When death took her mate she endured
Carried on – she was still the mother
Not only to her children, but
To all who knew and loved her

I said – don’t be afraid
The plans have already been made
Then angels came and made their claim
We wonder if it will ever be the same
It will take courage to lay down and rest
It will take courage to do our very best
Life will go on; we’ll sing our song
And quietly listen for her infectious laugh

By Steve Haarman aka Stanski
May 19, 2021 ^

The inland sea is gray today
The waves semi-violent 
They strike the shore
With impunity while
The nearby trees are
Barely moving
There is a rumble 
Coming from the sky
What wrath are
We beholding
No one can answer this
For it is only nature
These forces are gentle
Compared to some

The world itself 
Is in an uproar
With the China Virus,
Flooding in Europe
And in China
Protests for freedom
In Cuba and Hong Cong 
Plagues of locusts
And dictators
Terrorists claiming 
New territories
Iran providing weapons
Russia doing the same
We must be insane

Here, we suffer
The consequences
Of having dictators 
For Governors and
Having a compliant media
Bought and paid for
And Big Tech controlling
The freedom of free speech
Deciding what is acceptable
On their platforms
There will be a price to pay
Freedom has its price
Anyone who stands up
Will be shut down

Here we have no leader
Yes, we have an occupant
Suffering from dementia 
Or some form of it
The ones pulling the strings
Have turned us from
Strong to weak 
The virus didn’t help
But decrees signed by him
Opened the border 
At great costs
Shut down the safe pipeline
Stopped fracking on 
Government land

Reversed regulations
Shutting down businesses
De-funded the police
Watched civil unrest
Across the country
Many shootings with
Countless deaths
Looting of stores
With no consequence 
Unequal justice
Breakdown of morale
Lack of courage
Uproar in the military
And on and on

School closings
Openings ambiguous 
Mask wearing disputes
No coherency 
No leadership
Good men trying, but
To no avail
Control important, but
The giant awakes
People become aware
Peaceful arising
We have paid the price
We are standing up
Will not be shut down

Stanski
July 24, 2021 ^

Sunshine very bright
I sit down to write
Still early in the day
Chipmunks chasing in play
A Red Squirrel jumps around
Trees are there but it likes ground
In the woods beams of light
Brings out undergrowth it highlights
The trees are tall
None are perfect and
They intertwine with each other
Some have dead branches
And other natural scars
Lichen grows and glows on the bark
Nature plays its music
Taking you on a dreamy trip
We humans grow and intertwine
Get in each other’s way at times
Have imperfection and broken limbs
Not being perfect we commit our sins
We freeze; swelter; show up for more
Isn’t that how life should be?
If it’s good for you then also for me
A world in peace; can’t you just see
But this is denied by the need to control
The barking of orders, repeatedly,
Which are bound to fail with an end 
Result which seems like hell
No one rises and chances to rebel
This may bring death; incarceration 
The press is silent; no one can tell
A state of equal misery in which to dwell
So we must take a different route
No feats or heroism do we tout
Silence in leading is the thing
Listen – the liberty bell’s ring
The answers are clear, but
It is the implementation
Like the trees; we must grow
To make a strong nation
Remove the imperfections
Cut the dead limbs
When this is accomplished
We can live free again

Stanski 
July 19, 2021 ^

We have, but

What do we have?

What of real importance?

Some will claim earthly possessions

In reality they are mostly frivolous

Shelter, food, and water

Are important elements

We do not need much more

In earthly treasures

What we have that counts

Is our care for others

Our love for others and

Willingness to sacrifice

And give what we have to others

The fullness of life comes from

These gentle acts of giving

When we realize this and

Come to grips with it

We find what we are looking for

The priceless gift of joy

Stanski

July 22, 2021 ^

Quiet prevails in the waiting room
Lunch hour taking place
I wait in peace and
Think of the needs of others
There are many hardships
Along with many blessings
We have to differentiate or
Wind up in a mental mess
We all have more than we think
Good health is most important
Consideration for others is powerful
It is even transformational
Lifting someone up from dread
Can be a life enriching experience
I think about potential calm
The loveliness of the peaceful feeling
Early morning communication with nature
Listening to the sounds; the music
Then the planning to provide 
This theater of dramatics to others
Not easy, but it is doable if
The recipient is open to receiving
Prophets are never welcome 
In their homeland and advice from a friend
Falls into a similar category, but
There is a spoken word that must be said
A crying baby often needs attention
We approach gently, with grace
We teach to listen; to search for light
To meditate on the source of this
There is a crack in everything
That is how the light gets in
So we look until we are successful and
Find the place where we may enter
We are attempting to renew life
For others and ourselves in the process
I hear my name being called
Time for my appointment
Time to take my counsel and perhaps
Offer the same to my caretaker

Stanski
July 21, 2021 ^

Step inside yourself
Stay a while and dwell
Think of where you’ve been
About where you intend to go
Many things are on your mind
Maybe regrets; maybe ideas
We are given so much time
How are we using your allotment?
Who do you care for and
What is important to you?
Is it looking out for others?
Helping them when you can
Or are your own plans more important
The things that you needed to do
All of these are understandable
What is it that brings you joy
The looking out for yourself
Or the giving of yourself to others
Life is a precious gift
Some call it a miracle
We love to see happy people
And appreciate those who care
Our world is full of misery
It would be great to have hope
Politicians are seeking control
They have destroyed our economy
Opened our borders to predators
Destroyed our energy independence
They are mostly self-serving
Do not know what giving is about
Cheer on the “peaceful” protesting
Smile as we lose our precious gifts
While others refuse to sit on the sidelines
They step up and lay down their lives
As firemen, policemen, volunteers and
Front line workers in the Covid-19 epidemic 
What do you prefer?  Life as a coward
Or death as a hero?

Stanski
July 20, 2021 ^

You hear the pounding
Watch the fingers move
Must be similar to war
May the strongest stay in grove
And who has the say
Those with the biggest guns
Or are tactics to be the key
Do we have to watch or listen to see
Sounds tremble; strings speak
We are on edge; peacefulness we seek
What inspires the meek and mild?
Thunder is driving the masses wild
Placation is not the object here
Arouse them and then hold them dear
You can feel the tension rise
Who is being idolized?
Exhaustion from an impossible pace
You wonder - why the race?
The real players never seem to mind
They take every advantage they can find
A challenge from the maestro 
Some would label him a swine
But up and coming replacements
Are calling the encounter just fine
There are no drum beats
None are needed as there is
Balance in the score
Aficionados are seeking even more
But as in all combats
They have to come to end
But this rendezvous with Beethoven 
Has been exceptionally grand 

Steve Haarman aka Stanski
July 19, 2021 ^

I have been walking the line
Everything going down just fine
I learn all the road will bring
Before I have my cognac and wine
Tomorrow will be up hill both ways
I’ll carry my shovel and pick
The foreman knows that I work hard
And seldom if ever call in sick
First heat from the sun, then
The wetness of afternoon rain
We are ahead of schedule by a few days
Still made progress in spite of all
No one in their saintly mind can complain
I’m trying but that’s nothing new
Not bragging only telling you
Man, the mountain is tall
Long shadows though won’t make me fall
People ask me what is the reason
Striving for the best no matter the season
I’ll pound the road until I’m tired
Excellence, excellence is all I desired
I think I keep my eye on the task
When finished I’ll have time to bask
Until then the chore remains
Perseverance, perseverance; I know I’ll last

Stanski
July 18, 2021 ^

We learn to forget that
Our perfect offering is
Not always perfect
There is a crack in everything
That is how the light gets in
And we need the Light
The Light that overcomes darkness
Our world appears dark 
At the present time and
We cannot see or understand
The evil that exists about us
Our country has gone from
Great to weak in only six months
We need the light to come in
We have so much potential, but
The timid have allowed 
The powerful to take charge
And control us and deny us
The rights we were endowed with
We do not solve anything with inaction
So we will work on our offerings
As we listen for God’s whispers to us
That is how the light will get in;
How we will overcome by
Placing Him before us
So we may come alive again
Work according to His plan
Be strong in faith
Ring the bell again
Listen to its peal 
Watch for the light to come
Through the cracks to us and
We may attempt to make
Our perfect offering

Stanski
July 17, 2021 ^

I lay prostrate on the ground
Wondering if I should just stay
Or rise up and begin to work
It is difficult, I cry out 
It is difficult, I moan
Then as I remain silent
I hear a voice saying
Yes, it is difficult, but
So was the cross at Calvary
I rise, not in shame, but
In wonder for I cannot believe
How short sighted I have been
All things to all men are not
The same and each has
Burdens of different natures
We may not all lie down and
Deliberate for we must,
Each in our own way
Put to use the talents 
Which have been given to us
To lay idle with excuses 
Will not do
We have been given instruction
And we have the Father, 
Son and Holy Spirit to back us
And be with us in all that we do
I see three lit candles
I hear the church bells peal 
I feel renewed and ready
To take a transformed journey
With determination and courage

Stanski
July 17, 2021 ^