Author: stevehaarman

THE WAY IT WORKS

I am operating left-handed

In a right-handed way. 

It May sound confusing, but

This is a painting and I want it to

Be intriguing.  It is not easy

To be outrageous, but I have

Clients who are breathlessly

Waiting for the result and

Then the real fun begins as

They try to outbid each other

For something they think is

Priceless.  They also want to

Be the collector with the most

Pieces of my work.  They are

In anxiety about how I do them

So quickly and uniquely

I acknowledge the good question

Comment on it and then leave

The moon is optimum

For me.  It is almost full and

The shadows caused by the light

Reflected gives a dire feeling

This time of the year.  I am

Satisfied and thinking about my

Next project.  Art is personal

And everyone has their own

Take on it.  I am driven to do

My very best when I am

Aroused by someone’s work

We should all be driven by that

Way, but that is just my opinion

I will rest now for a while and

Then go on with life

Stanski

August 10, 2022. ^

The dream is over

I am fully awake and

What I dreamt is still

Vivid in my mind

A large canvas

Deep brown apparently

But upon closer observation

There is much going on

Two people walking into

The woods without a

Care in the world

They are amazed by

The flora and fauna and

See a few non-threatening

Animals.  They are amazed as

They look at each other and

Overwhelmed as they

Encounter another couple

They have a picnic together

Drinking wine, red and white

And depart before dark

They agreed to meet again

We changed directions and

Ran into a series of people

All interesting and remote to us

Some would say that all of this

Was not visible on the

Brown canvas but if you have

An open mind and a soul

It would all become obvious

You have to look, but it is

All there.  Dreams are not to be

Debated.  Please dream on

They make good stories

Stanski

August 9, 2022, ^

No one believes me, but

So what?  I am driving a

Caddy while they are

Happy with their used

Fords and Chevys.  It

All started the summer

I decided to spike the

Lemonade with a bit of vodka

The formula was simple:

The juice of 8 lemons, 4

Tangerines, 6 ounces of

Vodka, Ice cubes, and water

A simple sign said:  “Juice

Stand; feel good before

You get home.  Four dollars”

I was usually blessed with

A dollar tip.  Now and then

An older sophisticated

Gentleman would hand me

A ten and say keep the change,

You have changed my life

My carefree uncle signed

For all the permits and

Was in charge of procuring

The ingredients.  Before long

I had ten stands and

An enforcer who lets everyone

Know that the lead pipe

He carries is to keep

Everyone in line.  My lawyer

Wrote up contracts and

Before the summer was

Half-over we had a happy

Community.  The next year

We expanded into three

Communities, then six and

Finally twelve.  I did not

Sweat the fine points

A corporation bought

Me out and set up franchises

Across the country.  Of course

My enforcer made sure I got

A cut of the profits and everyone

Was happy.  We lasted eight years

Before the war closed

The popularity of the business.

You can imagine.  It was a

Good run.  I invested elsewhere

And my nest egg kept growing.

I was interviewed and wrote

A book named “Don’t Forget

The Vodka.”  It became a best

Seller and was the talk of the town.

Looking back I can say that I

Squeezed a lot of joy out of life

Stanski

August 9, 2022, ^

I step outside and feel the air

It is not too bad, but I grab a jacket

After crossing the road I walk into

To woods.  I am somewhat leery

For I know there is a bobcat on

The prowl and has been spotted

More than once in the last few

Months.  I zip up my coat which

Gives me some security, but only

In my mind. I focus on the ground

And can see a lot of beauty but am

Not fully relaxed to enjoy it as I

Should.  Usually when I stroll through

The woods the branched brush off

All the problems I seem to carry with

Me.  I look for light and see sun rays

Filtering through the branches

This makes me feel better and I

Continue my trek through and over

The ten acres of land.  The two

O’clock train comes rumbling over

The tracks on the far side of the woods

Its first peal makes me jump.  After

Two or three more I settle down

The number of cars is over two

Hundred.  It is like counting waves

Soon the line ends.  No more click

Clack.  I see some deer and delight

At what nature brings us in spite

Of our unintentional disruption of it

There is a whole trove of white flowers

Which gave the appearance of snow

They gave out a fragrance of spring

Nothing we do can compete with what

Comes naturally to us if we just take the time

To look and listen.  I think about how we

Are just a dot in the forever universe.

We have worth but tend to waste or

Misuse what has been given to us

We never seem to learn.  I head for home

Stanski

August 6, 2022, ^

When one looks about it becomes

Obviously apparent that we are all

Different in many ways and the same

In others.  This can be disappointing

At we would like others to think about

Life as we do.  We have the feeling

That if left in charge we would have

Or could have a perfect world.  But

This is not the case as we have been

Given free will and our need to be

Important and above it all exceeds

That of others.  We see and know of

People, even whole countries, who are

Suffering from thirst, hunger and disease

This bothers us, possibly, but at the

Same time we have a lust for vacation

Homes, travel trailers and all the things

That go with them.  We see advertising

For things we already have and because

They look nice we want them, forgetting

About those knocked out by flooding,

Hurricanes, tornadoes, fire, and war

We see pictures of our world’s children

Suffering from malnutrition and dying

From starvation and lack of water, but

Can’t get the idea of a new boat, a trip

To some Caribbean island, offering

Luxuries beyond our comprehension,

Out of our mind.  We are not required

To change our life style, but have a

Choice of coming to the aid of those

In need.  We have to make our own

Choices.  It is up to us to decide if we

Want to serve others at the expense

Of giving up things that we would like

For ourselves.  Which is more important

When the time comes for reflection

Are we going to be happy with our

Decisions or wish we had done moved in

A different direction.  Only time will tell

And none of us knows how much time

We have.  Act wisely, my friends.  Give

Of yourself for others.  There will be no

Regrets if this is done.

Stanski on August 5, 2022, ^

A beautiful day

Sun is not too hot

A gentle breeze sings through the trees

I stoop and pick some wildflower

Then add two or three more

I find a stem of leaves and

Then another variety of flowers

After a short while, I have

A lovely bouquet

Wandering for a little longer

I return

These are for you I say

Handing her the harvest

Why?  What is the occasion?

The flower shop was closed

Now I understand

They are beautiful she said

Putting them into a water-filled vase

And so are you, I replied

The sun was still warm

The breeze was ever so gentle

Angels about danced in delight

Stanski

August 2, 2022, ^

One look around

You become a judge

Not too much effort

Obviousness prevails

Some people care

Others do not

I see a garden with a flourish

Another with rot

Some make a pretty picture

Others a patch of despair

I think about indifference

How long can it wear?

Too many weeds

Not enough rain

Weathers hot

Lost are the dreams

The proud ones smile

Rock on their porch

Make no judgements

Leave that to us

Soon will be the frost

Then what will it matter?

Another year and wait until next

The crux of all the chatter

Stanski

August 1, 2022, ^

Someone wondered

How much sod

Had to be removed

In order to make a garden

Quite a bit was the answer

I handed him two shovels

A wheelbarrow and

My very best wishes

Stanislaus Kuperski the Firski aka Stanski

July 23, 2022 ^

I am exhausted, but

There is much to do

No quitting at this time

More time to renew

So I look at options

Choose a path to travel

Get the show together

Before it begins to unravel

Angels do no waiting

They have their orders

Proceed with every duty

Regardless of hall or corridor

Dark angels get in our way

Encourage us to slow down

Set up obstacles and roadblocks

Smile at our stumbling frown

But light overtakes this darkness

We pick up our pieces of courage

What once seemed impossible

Is nothing more than a mirage

I take a breath of fresh air

My load now seems lighter

I pick up my tools and begin

My day seems so much brighter

Stanski

July 30, 2022

Poems are not alive

Until they are written

There can be no rushing

Nothing can be forced

Sometimes they trickle

Like water over rocks

I imagine that sound

Peaceful, almost tranquil

A signature of rhythm

Captured on paper

An artist might paint it

The picture is vivid

I feel its life

And jot my words

Amazed with the process

Powers that occur

But do not question

Accept the gift

Little paper boats

That are kept adrift

Then captured down stream

Before they can move

Out to the sea and

Lost for eternity

Stanski

July 28, 2022, ^