Steve Haarman

I open my door and smell

the fresh breeze of fall. 

It is so similar to spring when

we have so much to anticipate. 

The autumn leaves are still colorful.

From red, yellow and green and

every color in between, I gasp at

the beauty which nature has given us. 

We have a heavenly Father,

Who has given us these gifts. 

As we look around, really searching,

we cha find example after example of

people who have been left out in the dark

and are depressed, suppressed,

hungry and thirsty.  We thank God for

the wonderful day; He tells us to

take care of our brothers.

 Some are at a loss at how to do this. 

They don’t have to look far to

find those who need help. 

It is up to us to be humble enough

to admit that we have excessive gifts

and then take these gifts and give

them away to those in need.

It is not about us.  It is about them

and those who volunteer in agencies

that seek to provide what is needed

to those who need it. 

Contributions of money may be sent

to organizations who use all of the money

to help those worldwide seeking shelter,

clothes, food, and water.  We have heard

that this is our duty time and time again

and we by our own volition

should repeat out efforts often. 

When you see a beautiful flower,

think of those in need and act.

It will make your day much brighter. 

It will add to the beauty of the world.

Stanski

November 8,2020

It is funny to me now as

I sit alone in frustration

Over things of which

I have no control

I can’t sing out

Honey, grab your stuff and

To the coast we’ll go

Where my garden awaits me

And the songbirds sing

The gentle wind off

The majestic ocean and

The sun and the blue sky

Will shake me from this funk

Grab your stuff dear

We will disappear

It is our time of year to

Put aside this malarkey

Get down to real issues

Where no one will interfere

The place where we feel

That God is near and

Everything, no matter what

Will be fine beyond

Anything we can have here

Away we will go until the fall

I can almost hear the call

Of the church bell there

Won’t it be grand to be back

And leave all this behind

At least for a while

Reality gets in the way

We have been so lucky dear

But, I have to state clearly

I have not such a place to

Run off to so when I feel that way

I just stay here

Where God is always near

Stanski

November 7, 2020 ^

I sit with a blank mind

Close my eyes

Think

What is there to say?

I am not angry

There is so much to do

So much potential

I have heard all the excuses

Listened to the loud voices

Then waited

All blow; no go

Typical

Not my first rodeo

The big shots dance

Think it is romance

Never show up

With a fistful of cash

They talk the talk

Interfere with my walk

So dismissive

Of ideas

That are clearly good

Would benefit many

Cost them no money

But they know better

Would rather argue

Bring in a lawyer

To defend their position

Good things go undone

They are always the spoiler

What they like

Is telling others

What to do

Then want the credit

But never step up

Or roll up their sleeves

Then speak gently

About their ideas

And nothing gets done

Isn’t that just the way

The way to nowhere

Stanski

November 6, 2020 ^

Park by the river

Cool place to go

Small stream of water

Adds to your glow

Rocks out there

Causing rapids and

Putting on

Quite a show

You like the sound of water

The music is familiar

But never the same

Hypnotic causing

Wanderlust

Calming

Keeping you sane

The conflict of

Man and nature

Tension

Like a game of chess

The good, bad and ugly

Exciting

I must confess

Springtime

Finds the water

Overflowing its banks

Summertime

Shrinkage

Makes it difficult

To fish

Dam it in the winter

Making a skating pond

Fear, joy, confusion

We can carry on

Our friend

Our foe

We stop

It flows

Cool water

Stanski

November 5, 2020  ^

Oak trees

From acorns

To majestic form

Burly and tall

With birds and squirrels

Green leaves

Change reluctantly

In the autumn

To brown

Refusing to fall

Cling almost

Desperately

Friendship, too

Starts small

And grows

Despite storms and

Ongoing problems

Relentlessly clings

To what is

Almost afraid

To let go

Hopeless

But then again

Solid

Dependable

Tested

Rested

Stanski

November 4, 2020 ^

A poet thinks about where he is and where he has been

There is much to dwell on especially when we consider

how conditions change, sometimes dramatically, in lives

Even over a short amount of time

Awareness of what is about him now and when as a child growing up

To remember how things were, things that happened and

various situations that exists and existed is reached

in the mind and an emotional impact takes place

Life is shaped to some extent by these experiences

The poet by nature is aware and observant and

knows from within that he must speak for

himself and others who have stories to tell

A poet normally does not have an agenda

but tells the story of what is relevant, usually

in the speck of time in which he exists, allowing

his life’s events to form the words that tell the story

It is like a seed beginning so small, nurtured in

The usual way and through time blossoms into

Something lovely to observe; minor miracles

A poet is responsible for many of these

Stanski

November 3, 2020 ^

As we sit conversing

On this early morning

Watching the light paint

The tall birch tree

My spirits are lifted

The brush of God for sure

The coffee’s aroma

Arouses my sense of need

To accomplish something large

Rather than waste my day

In some mundane way

What am I going to do?

I point upward

I read “Jesus Calling”

He speaks in the first person

“Don’t forget My presence”

When I dwell on this I will discern

Easily the things I have to do

The path unfolds before me

When day is done I look back

How did I manage all of that?

The birch tree is still lit

This time from the west

Stanski

November 2, 2020 ^

Hungry for months

Probably years for

Fulfillment of the inner being to

Quiet all of the fears

After sitting down to a dinner

And eating until we’re filled

Then walking away feeling empty

Wondering about God’s will

Leaves fall from the tree

In keeping with the time of year

Letting go of so-called possessions

Which we hold so dear

Enticed by the aroma of coffee

Thrilled with the magic of wine

The afterglow of fine cognac

Are you sitting with the Divine?

Candle glow and singing waves

Have a connection with the flow of time

How easy it could be to free oneself

From the prison to the sublime

Empty oneself of foolishness

End service to false idols

Put energy into serving

Change the “I can’t” to “I will”

One must empty to be filled

Listen for your direction

Prepare in a joyous way

This is your resurrection

Stanski

November 1, 2020 ^

Music is playing in the coffee shop;

contemporary and not too loud. 

I have been enjoying my purchase,

black coffee, and have used my time

to answer mail and write checks. 

Manistique High School, across

the street has only had a half-day

today so the shop is busy and

making frappes is a noisy process. 

I was lucky to arrive a few moments

before the crowd.  The students are

lined up and many are waiting

outside for their turn.  They are

patient and trying to keep

social distancing in mind. 

It is a day in a fairly peaceful city. 

People respond properly to the

Chinese Virus Restrictions although

not without question.  What was life

before the deadly distraction?  

Drug use was a topic which now

seems to be of less concern. 

Human needs are still being met. 

There are hungry people who

need to be fed and efforts are

made to meet this ongoing situation. 

We can do it and in the process

become a better community. 

We can train those willing and

move them to employment. 

We have solutions to many problems. 

It is implementing them

which is important. 

Politicians believe in politics. 

Volunteers believe in the

exceptionalism of people. 

Music can lift our hearts and spirits. 

What will left the desire to improve. 

We can be the Shining City,

an emerald amongst pebbles. 

Do we have the will? 

That is the question.

Stanski

October 31, 2020 ^

I listen to Leonard Cohen singing

“Hallelujah” as I drive into town. 

It is cold and gray and the wind

is bone chilling.  I look at small

brown trees sticking up in

the air about twelve feet. 

They have no leaves so

it looks like a line of poles. 

There is seasonal water in the sloughs

along the edge of the road. 

Soon trees appear with yellow leaves

which are blowing in the wind. 

I am in a mellow mood just above

being depressed.  I am thankful

for life, but not for the Virus. 

Everything seems ajar, almost surreal. 

I think about China and what God has

in mind for those whose evil has

shattered the world. 

I think of His possible manifestations,

one of them being to let us work

our way through this and

in some way give courage

to the suppressed Chinese to

overcome their dictator and

resolve the socialist issues

and become a peaceful people

and a reliable partner on

the world stage. “Hallelujah”,

“Hallelujah”, the music and

song play on and I think

we will play on doing what

we do, hoping for the best. 

The gray clouds open for

a minute and the sunshine

fills me with hope. 

They close and take

the sun with them, but

I go on knowing that I must do

the things I do with gratitude.

Stanski

October 30, 2020 ^