I hear the thunder of the approaching storm

Lightning decorates the predawn sky

Weathermen talking with an aura of alarm

Dangerous hail and floods threatening damage to the farm

The family is sleeping still

As I worry and sit by the window sill

My garden is barely ready for harvest

Will the hail destroy all the rest?

As the storm arrived

My concerns were of many deprived

Previous floods of a season of extremes

Already have accumulated to overflow the streams

Last year at this time we had no rain

Yet the news was still of the resulting pain

From unmade crops and suffering livestock

Nothing but worry done around the clock

Still I sit here in the comfort of my home

Safe, cool, dry, fed, and never alone

Helpless against the storms all around

Fearing what could fall next on the ground

Suddenly the storm is over

No hail fell on the garden or clover

The squirrels are out in such a scurry

No damage done here except for the worry

Words swirling through one’s head

Only to fall in a heap dead

A hurricane of thoughts circling aimlessly

Memories of which are cast aside unwillingly

Efforts are made of the words to catch

Scrambling for meanings to unlatch

Struggling to put in order

And neatly enclose with a border

Words heavy laden

With philosophical leaven

Overwhelmed with emotions

Desperate to share intellectual portions

So much is forgotten

And becomes rotten

In a huge grammatical collage

As unattainable as a mirage

Happy to gather a little bit

One meaning is a happy hit

One successful sentence out of so much to share

Makes all the confusion much easier to bear

A focus leak

Of which we so often speak

This likely may be

An infamous battle of Alzheimer or  *A.D.D.

*Attention Deficit Disorder

Chickens peck, scratch, and rest

While the coop wire protects them all around

Not a care or worry they carry

Just eat, squawk, lay eggs, and scratch the ground

Feed thrown through the wire

Falls like golden rain to the earth

Anticipating the treasures from the heavens

They scramble madly for their treat of worth

Oblivious they seem of the opportunist squirrels

Who laboriously gather the wire-clinging grain

Briefly trapped between the beams

And the heavens from which they did rain

A cardinal redbird makes a fast red swoop

To grab his straggling feast there

As the squirrel retreats to hide his treasure

Not at all of the bird aware

Focused on their grain each day

Each to the other was oblivious

The big picture is only revealed

When oblivious is replaced by obvious

Black lies, White lies, Gray lies,

Or lies of omissions

Hurt and stink

As foul and lethal as automobile emissions

All reek of deceit

Falling on their victims feet

With as much power and velocity

As a hurling block of concrete

So why is it so cool

Each other to fool

Putting best tricks in a pool

To carry home to the barstool

No one wins

Justifying the sins

Most often the loss is kin

And one’s very own skin

The north winds raced across the field picking up speed

Greeting and pushing the trees aside

And swirling around the corners of the house

In a playful arrogant rush

The horses darted in and around the cooling wind

With equal mischief and excitement

Kicking up their heels in the air

In direct rebellion and competition with the changing elements

The whistling interruption of the hyper air

Synchronized to the exuberant beat of the horses hoofs

And joined hands at the opposite horizons

Partnering with the sky’s stampeding gray clouds

It was an aggressive and expected announcement

Of the arrival of an old and dear friend

An Appropriate and suitable escort for

The welcome introgression of the seasonal change

Deep and abiding love is so difficult to grow

For first a seed of interest must mutually exist

Between the minds and each accepting soul

Both must be focused and willing to embark

On a treacherous path of life

To be conquered together before the dark

The dangers disabled by the team along the way

Combine to form and strengthen the pillars

Upon which love is able to flourish and stay

Clutter is all about

In anger it makes me shout

There is stuff everywhere

All I can do is stare

Can’t we do without just one time?

It is no fun waiting to buy in a store line

Where is that thing that yesterday I just bought?

I can’t find it anywhere – I put it there I thought

To the store again I will run for another

I guess the last one has already turned to more clutter

Our lives are filled with special moments

All of which are a treasure

Happy, sad, or filled with torments

Are not the means by which we measure

It is the lessons learned today

That one takes and applies to the heart

Experiencing adversities along the way

Enable one’s character to build or tear apart

Today I choose

Productivity over idleness

Happiness not sadness

Smiles sure to overcome frowns

Quiet meditation rather than imposing sounds

At least one good deed or unexpected kindness

A sincere act of forgiveness

To resist temptations of sin

And learn from the places I have been

Today I choose

Not to loose

But to win

I stood in my favorite place this morning

Underneath the predawn sky

As the wind played with me

Bumping, pulling, and tugging sly

A silver sliver of the moon stood strong

While a single star played and danced

Darting in and out of the clouds

Teasing the night that allowed the glance

Rushing to make room for the morning sun

The dark cloud silhouettes journeyed fast and far

Morning soon would steal away

Remaining visions of the moon and solitaire star

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath

Of the cool and busy air

Giving sincere thanks to God

For this moment He so lovingly allowed