The path may not be easy
Take it if you will
It is the way to success
And totally uphill
You may laugh and ask why
Wouldn’t some other road do?
Which is the one you would choose
If it were left to you
I have been where you are now
And have heard the same
Those who were helping me
Heard the same refrain
You have to take the advice
If you want your slice
By Steve Haarman
November 26, 2012 ^
A bright sunny day as we
Are halfway through
September. The sun is
Bright and the clouds
Are lit up by its reflection
Ducks and geese are
Traversing the calm water
There seems to be little
Human activity. Many of
The snowbirds have left
For the south and the
Winter season. The true
Yooper stands firm. They
Enjoy the seasons and
Beauty offered by this
Paradise of the north.
Many come and are
Impressed by the ambiance
And confess that they
Had no idea of the beauty
They behold. From the
Canadian Locks to Menominee
One encounters three of
The great lakes and
Numerous waterfalls
Lakes and hiking trails.
In the winter the snow
Machinists enjoy as often
As possible. There are
Many things to mine for but
The climate change advocates
And stamping many good
Ideas with a “No”. That
Means many jobs and
Openly acknowledges our
Lack of knowledge and
Absence of critical thinking
The story of mankind
Some day we will wake up
And then enjoy to the fullest
God’s gift to us.
Stanski
September 13, 2022, ^
I am happy to know Jesus
And his willingness to die
For us to give us redemption
When I wake up I say, “Jesus,
Jesus, Jesus, stay close to me
This day. Bring opportunity
To me to help others and to
Utter kind words regardless
Of the situation. I want you
For my brother and friend
Never forgetting that it would
Be you lowering yourself as I
Could never on my own rise
Up to your level of being. I
Can try to imitate you and
Walk cobble roads greeting
People and teaching them
The good news. This and the
Knowing that you approve and
Even promoted the idea of
Going to the fringes to serve
Those in need and when I
Think that solutions are
Impossible I rejoice because
I have you holding my hand
And then I move forward
Turning wasted time into
Fruitful accomplishments
I rejoice and find the quiet
Joy of knowing that I tried
Found some success and
Will hopefully wake up
Tomorrow and repeat what
Is becoming my regular
Routine. How many ways
Are there to rejoice; I think
That every success through
You is reason to rejoice. I
Will keep coming to you, my
Brother with gratitude and
Thanksgiving. The gift of life
Is precious and I rejoice.
Stanski
September 12, 2022, ^
We see them all the time
Their vision needs to be
Only thirteen inches
Beyond that is not necessary
They walk down the street
Communicating with each other
Not with words from their mouths
But messaging each other on
I-phones. 5G or whatever.
Potentially harmful but life is short
Well, here is where I live
See you later, OK?
I’ll message you tonight
See you then
Hi, Mrs. Jones. Doing fine.
You look good. I half to run
A call is coming in
Stanski
September 11, 2022, ^
SELF IMPORTANCE
Importance is good
It should be earned
Not purchased,
Just because I can
Write some pretty good
Poetry doesn’t mean it will
Be published because
There are many poets,
Some much better than me
Who are never published
I have a lovely family
They love art but do
Not trumpet their work
They do not walk waving flags
Laudations come their way
But they take it in stride. If they
Became noted I would be
Very happy for them
I would never compete
With them for the most
Honors and I would never
Self-publish and include them
In the process to show how
Generous I am. I have a lot
Of poems, muses and
Meditations and could publish
Hundreds of books, but why?
I have nothing to prove
I seek goodness, my goodness
To others to help lift them
To their potential. I am
Observant and helping those
In need is one of the most
Euphoric things I can do.
I love to sing, but have
No recordings. “Over the
Rainbow” is one of my favorites
And if I have offended anyone
Then “Sorry seems to be
the hardest word”
By Ray Charles and Elton John
Does it for me.
Stanski
September 8, 2022, ^
It was due to rain
But then it cleared
My phone rang with news
Men would come and work
Overgrown shrubs would
Finally be removed
The benefactor wanted change
Something much simpler
Requiring less upkeep and care
An elevated garden featuring
Hydrangeas and Hollyhocks
Supported with perennials
Ground cover and rocks
A few sprinkles came
The work went on
No thunder or lightning
Would put asunder
What we had waited for
Clear days are useful
Especially when
The sun is there to lift you
But the gray and cloudy
Have their own beauty
And much is accomplished
No place would you rather be
This work completed
Complimented landscape
That still remained
Trucks and heavy equipment
Can be a very good thing
All the mess was removed
And the planted garden was
Ready to prosper with
The now falling rain
Stanski
September 5, 2022, ^
The house was empty
Except for me
What had been merriment
Only a week ago
Was now almost a grim silence
The weather, too, had taken
A turn. Whatever tilts in the
Heavens tilted toward winter
The morning is cold and quiet
The lake has a glaze of smooth
It has been an awkward year
Spring had to fight to show up
And then was rainy and cold
Summer was gray with only
A few days of sunshine
The lake water was not often
Warm for swimming. When the
Sun was right the kayaks had
To fight the waves. There were
No complaints though; everyone
Was having fun. We ate well; had
Our fires and the week went by
Like the snap of fingers and then
The packing and trip to the airport
All of the anticipation and now
The goodbyes. Tears and sadness
The hard-to-swallow process
The talk of moving here became
A dream again. There are hopes
But doubts prevail. We have
Ways to find contentment
I have to wait for my body
To heal. I has been almost
Seven months since I fell
And tore my quadriceps and
Three months since I fell again
Delaying the healing process
Time heals all wounds
I hope so
Stanski
September 1, 2022, ^
The storm was over
The rain had vanished and
Was replaced by the sun
A beautiful day to say
Goodbye to my children
They had been visiting
For over a week. The
Flight was to Sacramento
So they would be occupied
On the trip for most of
The day. We had a good
Gathering and many laughs
Were had. Memories
Surfaced, happy and sad
We would not trade our
Time together for anything
The years go by quickly, it
Seems, so we will see them
Sooner than we can know
Some are talking about
Moving here, but talking
Is easier than doing. I
Hope they do make the move
I tell them that when they
Move here I will move to
Santa Fe. They do not
Believe me, so they will
Have to move here to
Find out. Adventures are
Awesome and New Mexico
Lake Michigan has a lot to
Offer. The house is quiet
Except for the Television.
It is like going from day to
Night; from summer to winter
And you ask the proverbial
Question: Where did all the
Time go? I will get used to
The quiet, but will surely
Miss them.
Stanski
September 1, 2022
TODAY’S HAPPENINGS
Last night a peal of thunder and
The lightning storm stirred our
Inner kid and put on a
Remarkable show. Today
Started with rain but then
We had beautiful sunshine
I had physical therapy and
Then acupuncture in the morning
We stopped for coffee and such
Then came home. My aching body
Felt better, but I know that I
Have a long road ahead to
Recovery. It is frustrating but
The dude shall abide. I have
Many cheerleaders. But no
Pom-poms which is good
Yesterday I received a prayer
Shaw from my church. I am
Thankful for it and for the
Kind thoughts
I am grateful for the many
People in our community
Who I know and care for
Life is a funny in the way it
Throws curve balls. I would
Like to hit this one out of the
Park but I have to learn to
Walk on ice first. I sang
“Blue Moon”. It made me
Think that I am still waiting
For the only one my arms
Could ever hold. I prayed
Please adore me and when
I looked the moon had
Turned to gold. I wish.
But someone will come along.
Stanski
August 29, 2022,^
Oh how easy to blame someone
For your own stupidity and your
Willingness to go along just because
Everyone else is and now three of
My best friends are pregnant but to
My shame I got away with it and
There was no joy about that but
Regret for my friends who were
Lost in the moment and found out
Later that nothing was worth the
Few seconds of ecstasy and the
Many hours a regret will never make
Up for the moments, we thought we
Were on top of the world. We had
Been warned but evil overtook goodness
And now we hope that the light will
Overcome the darkness which prevails
Oh we’re not the only ones does little
To overcome the misery we find
Ourselves in. the friendships break up
And the blame game begins and soon
We are alone to think things over
By ourselves. We are on a diet of
Despair wondering how we could be
So foolish and now have consequences
To pay. Maybe we were lucky; maybe they
Were unlucky, but soon the world will
Be blessed with three miracles and feelings
Will change and light will overcome
All the depression. People will no longer
Look at me as if I were the guilty one
And I can jump back on the Merry-go-round
Of life remembering not to roll the dice
Stanski
August 28, 2022,^
Steve Haarman 