It’s three in the morning No one up but me I’m not alone though At least not in my mind Peaceful and content I think about the day past And the one almost at hand Savoring all the goodness I find While looking forward to more Don’t overlook the struggles That’s part of life, too No music is playing Quiet is all right for now The clock speaking tick-tock Admonishes me Get to bed; get your rest When you’re refreshed, you’re at your best All so true, but then I would miss this opportunity For quiet and thought Plants grow and live alone They do all right and seem content I talk to them and learn, too No one knows what’s best for you Or cares, really, what you do We all have a program If you’re willing to pay You can have your name on it Coffee will still cost two dollars a cup Refills free Stanski April 6, 2020 ^
TODAY I AM LOOKING BACK
The world seems eerie today It is quiet, gray and no movement The feeling is damp with no wind blowing The sun is not flirting with the clouds I decide to think of my ancestors I remember them back as far as my Grandpa’s mother She lived in the country with an old maid daughter She had a hand pump for water in the yard There was none in the kitchen My grandpa never owned a home He always rented and it was kept clean He had an indoor hand pump in one home He always put in a garden and had chickens He loved to prune fruit trees When neighbors left for a few days He would prune their tree, to their dismay They would be angry at him, but The tree bore a lot of fruit Then they thanked him He lived by the railroad tracks and In the summer the smell of creosote was prevalent If you liked it, it was a good smell He lived close to where the Fort Wayne Daisy’s played We could walk to the park and watch them against The Grand Rapids Chicks or the Rockford Peaches My dad’s father was a baker and did a good business He was born in Amsterdam as was my dad They lived on Wabash Avenue and the bakery had living quarters My other grandparents lived later on the same street That grandpa was a janitor at Tokheim’s factory where they made gasoline pumps During WWII they converted over to a munitions factory The baker grandpa died before I was born so I only knew him from pictures I am now the oldest living relative on each side of the family My late sister used to keep up the family tree I don’t know if anyone is continuing this practice It is a lot of fun to dwell on the past and remember Stanski April 6, 2020 ^
THE HARMONY OF TRUTH
I wrote the line It flowed from me Like a swan on a glassy pond I liked the way it looked Did not measure it twice Somethings should not be tampered with This would do for me But then, the critics What would they think? They stood like a stand of birch trees Each mimicking the other Unbeknownst to any of them Their words were similar Could be interchanged and No one would know the difference They looked the same Thought the same Were paid the same By the same sources Their goal was the same To pick apart my words Make me look bad Imply that I was behind the time They saw some movement Someone pulled the curtain open Everyone expected a marionette Whose every movement Was manipulated by wires But what they saw was just me The applause was deafening Who were the applauders? In a split second I figured it out They were the gun toting, Bible thumping deplorable It made sense They liked my words They could not be spun They would endure All would be well Stanski April 5, 2020 ^
. TRUTH Truth is the enemy of impostors! Very well said. Which book is that quote from? No book. I came up with that myself. Any impostor in mind? Who would you think? Any number of deceivers. Yes and you can throw in fraudsters. How about fakes and sham artists? They would fall into that category. It is hard to use common sense when trying to figure them out. They do not work alone and are well coordinated with their lies. The best thing to do is brand everything they say a lie. Everything about them is unreal. Even their protestors are paid protestors. Most of what they do is an illusion. They seek and want control, total control of us all. They are not really prepared to do all that this would entail. Basically they are attention hounds without the intellect they think they have. Truth will not set them free. The Light will expose their darkness. For this we may all be thankful. Stanski April 4, 2020 ^
SHE KNEW WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY
She was wrong and now she had to speak Her knowledge of what should be said Was constantly in the forefront of her mind She had been wrong about this and many things Pride however has a way of ignoring the obvious So then it became easier to walk away She would save her words for later When there would not, could not be rebuttal The story line will be changed as She was an expert at imagining, followed by Her graceful art of extrapolation so that She could dance around the truth She did not have to rehearse or practice Her lips did not move, but remained tightly together But she knew what she had to say Her head turned when she spoke and Her words were muted; could not be understood She would not repeat, but why would we expect her to An image, built in her mind, had to be sustained So waves of sound passed through her lips Zigging and zagging in mumbled utterances She had achieved what she wanted Her persuasion had prevailed and she seemed all set But as would be there were errors which could not be denied Could only be corrected but not by her She wiped out all artistic expression Which did not originate with her Bad decisions created extra work for others She knew what had to be said But walked away proudly, no bow to her head One could only see her tail feathers And in watching, the real story was told Stanski April 3, 2020 ^
TENDER
Acceptance is such a gift, and so are You my friend. Impatience and illusion push us away from recognizing this,but then You come along and teach us to slow the pace and to pare the agenda. Don’t rush things. Everything falls into place almost miraculously when You are with us. Chilling threats become warm invitations. You pull us even closer; the days seem longer and the load is lighter. Obstacles disappear as we walk in other directions. Perceived problems become welcome invitations. How great is that. Trust is in You and joy abounds. Our cups run over with love. We open up and are filled. Dangers disappear from our vision. Our mind lets them go. Oneness with You is what we are about. Being home is being where ever we are when You are with us. Feeling Your presence lifts us to heights not known. Without You we would feel like strangers, but You are with us and our completeness radiates your grace. We are in wonder and can only thank You. Stanski April 3, 2020 ^
HAPPY SITTING ALONE
I wish sometimes That I had other poets To talk to But then They all have Their own language Some of it Is very difficult To understand Just when I thought I had a connection made A rejection slip arrives I understand the end of the game I sit here now At the wood grained table And would be talk seems useless I am in the kitchen The words come pouring out Sharp wounds are remembered I sit on a cushion My body is aching and bruised I am happy though Because I know my place I know my place My truth holds true Will not be defeated I have been here before Mistakes are made Long term regrets; not mine I hear the wailing of once overconfident people I sit here aware Not part of a game I own some fault I moved religiously In the path that was mine Interference did not make me lame I sing out now in my own happy words While I sit here in no place Just happy to know the tune No worry about who cares or why Stanski April 3, 2020 ^
PRAISE TO HIM
Let the whole creation cry This is a mess we’re in One nation worse than another Religion, too All because of sin Selfishness and greed Control and power Have disregarded His plan Destroyed their tower Many tears will be shed Before it’s over When mercy and consolation Come to restore us Refugees stop wandering Time to come home The days have ended When you have to roam Rebuilding life and cities Occupy time for now Peace could be forever If only we knew how We don’t look for it to last Just part of being human Waiting for more heartbreak There is always danger looming History will repeat Just a matter of time Get it together for a while Learn to walk the line Stanski April 2, 2020 ^
THE CRISIS
Days drift off into evenings People are weary of news Everything sounds the same Harping forever on this viral flu Why does this happen to us? Even though it is a world epidemic What did we do to deserve it? This haughty new pandemic All the pundit’s repeat the words Some with a touch of glee Making the President look bad Feel that they are home free It is nice to be a Monday quarterback Point out how the home team lost But these people are ruthless Forgetting the total cost They tend to get the facts wrong Write down what hasn’t been said Some have even been fired The worst a news-person should dread The serious ones crave attention They throw numbers out without caring This delights their fellow beings and Some even say they are daring They shelter us from the truth Claiming that numbers do not lie But what are they comparing them to Just more of their pie in the sky The worst may be still to come Groups are forming to pray Keep us from harm are the words Love us as we love You they say We are your loyal children And promise that we will listen Just save us from any harm We will renew our mission They are reverent and sincere The Father knows they are weak He smiles at what He always knew When in trouble it is Him they will seek Stanski April 2, 2020 ^ .
DREAMING WHILE KNOWING
We know of all the things we should and can do Travel through each day trying to stay cool We walk a tightrope, hoping we won’t fall Keep pushing forward, not ready for a stall Never know what the outcome will be That’s just the chance you take Welcome to the jungle Everything’s real and nothing fake Stay true to yourself in the boondocks or the city Drifting away from your truth would be a pity Reality gets a hold on you like cigarettes and coffee The dreamer in you says no, you prefer tea and toffee Dynamics of each percolate, leaving you queasy Resolution is your goal: Let me down easy Directions will come; all you say is too, tired to listen Groove me; send me on my way I may struggle early; in the evening I’m fine If I keep progressing, it’ll be champagne and wine There are those I know, who don’t agree Instead of going for results they wait and see They want to be sure before they say yes But won’t get anywhere; that’s my guess They know the rules and don’t think it’s fair I tell them what I think, but they just don’t care I’m riding high and stick to what’s true They play it differently, which makes me misty blue Life goes on; you cannot put it on hold Embrace it with gusto, that’s what we’re told Now and then we all need a lift Don’t waste your life; it’s a precious gift Inspired by Etta James “the dreamer” Stanski April 1, 2020^
Steve Haarman 