Steve Haarman

 Here is what I think
 I said to my sister,
 When she asked what I thought about
 Keeping a running record of family maladies
 “Everyone’s final chapter ends in death”
 The rundown is not necessarily important
 To everyone else
  
 Some don’t know the others
 And some don’t care
 Some have trouble keeping up with themselves
 Others don’t like their private concerns known
 They may detest prying
 However well-meaning and innocent
  
 The journey of life is the important thing
 The dignity of each traveler cannot be dismissed
 To me life is about living
 I do what I do and I have my reasons
 My redemption is my own
  
 We must all live for ourselves
 My care for others is my choice
 Keeping this private is part of my dignity
 And when I die, goodbye
  
 I think of our aunt Clemmie
 And how she died of ALS
 But I don’t dwell
 What is, is and cures will come
  
 In the meantime
 If you’re making a list
 Put me down for
 An ingrown toenail
 A little earwax
 A mild hemorrhoid
 And morning breath
  
 Stanski
 December 8, 2019 ^
  
   

 The guy is an absolute animal
 The announcer declared this
 He is an expert
 His father is a zoo-keeper
  
 The game goes on
 Many declarations
 Many redundancies 
 Many unbelievable exclamations
  
 This is football
 College football
 Conference championships
 Fans are fanatic and excited
  
 The outcome is important
 An invitation to the final four
 A possible national crown
 Incredible stakes at hand
  
 Players or animals from
 All over the country
 Are on the field this day
 Recruiting is an enormous job
  
 Injuries play a big part
 Key players are missing
 Their backups usually shine
 Pieces are interchangeable 
  
 They all use their legs 
 To get into the end zone 
 This must come as news to
 The uneducated listening 
  
 The coverage is important
 Emotions are high
 The clock is and enemy or ally 
 Will the best team win?
  
 Stanski
 December 7, 2019 ^ 

  
 Right now the dune grasses sing
 The notes come off as sun-flash
 Dancing in tune with the wind
 Nodding and glowing in noon-time light
 Day just starting will soon be over
 Late fall answer to summer solstice
 No claims on me this day
 I have songs to sing
 Music waits for me to
 Put on my Fred Astaire's
  
 My melody comes from the horn of
 Grover Washington Jr., who, if nothing else,
 Echoes the beat of the breeze
 We keep everything in harmony here
 Nature is our ally, our soul-mate
 We look for signs and they are given
  
 Tamaracks tell us change comes in degrees:
 Still green are some; others ground brown
     and
 In between, the sun’s gift to us is
 The radiation of white, yellow, orange and gold
 No artist can match the choreography
 Canvases weep because they cannot hold this majesty
                                                 
 The grasses still wave as though loving the dance
 When the sun settles in the west
 They will become a Technicolor production
 The wind whispers, too:
 Seasonal change at hand
 Prepare
 Give thanks
  
 Stanski
 November 12, 2019 ^

 Let’s talk this over
 I don’t want trouble
 Can’t we just agree?
 I’m okay with
 The leader dog
 It’s the other one 
 Who gives me misery
  
 It knocks me over
 As I walk away
 And weighs about
 A hundred pounds
 And it has its jaw  
 Around my shoulder
 Before I hit the ground
  
 I say good dog,
 Nice dog, good fellow
 But I know he knows
 That deep inside
 I reek of being yellow
  
 Then other people come
 Wonder if I’m okay
 I’ll be all right
 Just put the dog away
  
 I wake up sweaty
 That was a really bad dream
 I drink a little coffee and
 Hope there Will be 
 No more dog nights for me

 I think of the week
 All of the snow
 My broken snow-blower
 My sore shoveling shoulders
 Is that where dreams come from?

 
  Stanski
  December 7, 2019 ^

  
 OUR COUNTRY IS 
 A LAND OF POSSIBILITIES
 A LAND OF PLAINS
 A LAND OF MOUNTAINS
 A LAND OF LAKES, RIVERS, 
 OCEANS AND INFINITE SKIES
  
 IT IS A PLACE FOR DREAMS
 HAVE THE DREAMS
 DREAM BIG AND KICK DOWN
 THE BARS OF YOUR CAGES
 CAGES YOU BUILT FOR YOURSELF
  
 THERE ARE NO LIMITS
 DON’T LIMIT YOURSELVES
 OBSERVE OUR GLORIOUS WONDER
 AND BEGIN
  
 
 Stanski
 December 7, 2019 ^ 

  
 The weather is lovely
 Direct sun is hot
 Air conditioning a must
 This as a modern era
  
 Hotels going up faster
 Then roads leading to them
 Lots of trucks on the road
 Everyone is in a hurry
  
 So much time on people’s hands
 How much is wasted
 Not for me to say
  
 Television watching is
 A prime indoor activity
  
 Many older folks have dogs
 Walking them two or three
 Time a day is a necessary inconvenience
  
 They do get exercise this way
 After that refreshments and a nap
 Life goes on; this is living
  
 Snowbirds paradise; everyone
 Convinced that it beats cold
  
 A week is a treat, then
 Back to snow blowing and survival
  
 Soon ice-mountains will appear
 The cycle begins again
  
 Stanski
 November 26, 2019 ^ 

 Doubtful at times
 Other times synical
 The English seem normal
 Follow procedures, but
 Bring in someone from Cockney
 And all the stories and directions change
  
 Emotion becomes a lost element
 Reality is now the kingpin
 Banging on the side is real
 Alibiing and excuses emerge
 An affair may be crying out
 Or possibly a cover up
  
 Police keep trudging
 Looking for the truth, because
 This is a life and death matter
 Soon the truth emerges; people dead; arrested
 Others involved have destroyed relationships
 Never to be reconciled 
  
 New evidence opens 
 New cans of worms
 Improbable avenues are opened
 Incidents from the past become pertinent
 Lies and distractions mislead police and detectives
 The worst is expected to come
  
 Clues come together at last and resolution is close
 But working with a pathological liar 
 Is not an easy assignment
 Especially when another life is at stake
 Time is of the essence 
 British intuition takes over
  
 Cockney determination
 Individual instincts persevere
 A confession is given
 But too late to save a life
 That is the way
 The determined keep working
  
 Stanski  
 November 24, 2019 ^
  
  
   

 His name was “Big John”
 Friends called him that
 People he didn’t know 
 Knew the name
  
 Then he was killed
 Murdered by a young man
 He was off duty at the time
  
 Many hearts were aching
 The sixteen year old son
 Of a deputy sheriff was guilty
  
 He had driven away
 After the murder, but
 Then returned to the scene
  
 Turned himself in to the
 Relief of many
 A sad, sad situation
  
 Life in prison for a terrible error
 “Big John”, the loved one, still dead
 There exists the element of wonder
  
 Why does this happen and why so often
 Emotions are so unpredictable
 Accountability may be very dismissive
  
 We go on with our lives
 Those mourning are left broken
 Hopefully we will soon wake up
  
 Stanski
 November 25, 2019 ^ 

 The man was soft spoken
 Gave a report on the finances
 Churches need money
 Fifty thousand a month
 Air conditioning is not free
 Parking lots do not maintain themselves
 Money owed on prior extravagances 
 Landscape looks nice
 It is not free
 The Diocese needs their share
 This fiscal year began in July
 We are $36,000.00 behind
 I’m not pushing he said
 But let’s see what we can do
 It is a beautiful day today
 Let us rejoice and give thanks
  
 Stanski
 November 25, 2019 ^
   

 They play football
 Run the ball
 Pass the ball
 Catch the ball
 Kick the ball
  
 They score
 Make first downs
 Then perform
  
 Become clowns
 Spikers
 Spinners
 Bowling alleys
 Choirs with conductor
  
 Dancers:
    Singularly
    Line dancers
    Idiotic mumbo jumbo dancers
  
 Runners
    On the field
    To the sidelines
  
 Jumpers
    Up into the crowd
    Into each other’s arms in celebration
  
 They block, tackle and make interceptions
  
 They are heroes, get injured, rewarded, and retired
  
 We complain they are overpaid
  
 But watch them anyway
  
 Stanski 
 November 24, 2019 ^