Insight

When I see a beautiful flower,

I cry,

Not because of its beauty,

But because I SEE that beauty

Then my soul rejoices,

Not because of seeing alone,

But because of the Source of the

Gift of that seeing.

Over the Hill

For: Diane

They say you'll be wrinkled and ugly and gray
They say you can't help it - just happens that way

What once was a twinkle now looks like a stye
I think it's because of bags under your eyes

The waistline just rises (you lose it you see)
Flat hips drop the seat of your pants to your knees

Your hemline will lower (remember - no thighs)
At least it will cover those"Old folk" knee-highs

It saves lots of time when you start to get dressed
There isn't a soul left you care to impress

The kinfolk will gather and won't know your name
'Cause us over forty - we all look the same

The mind will go next but don't fret it they say
I don't think you know it - just happens that way.

Welcome home, baby sister
We know how you feel.
You're "last but not least"
To be over the hill.

X-mas

I think I'm altogether, then again--

I lose my mind

Amid the strains of music

That I hear at Christmastime

There's "Peace on Earth - Good Will to Men"

I'm filled with joy and love

As I remember God who sent His Son from up above.

And then along comes Santa Claus

Rewards upon his back

Knowing that I wasn't good - yet opening up his pack

And then they will play "Silent Night"

Which brings tears to my eyes

But soon the sound of jingling bells

Will drive that from my mind.

I want to bow my head in prayer and sing

"Oh Holy Night"

But when I close my eyes there's dancing sugar

plums in sight.

I think we need to start anew and re-arrange

our lives

And pack up all this "Santa Claus with all its

little lies"

I think it's time we dared, don't you, to take a

firmer stand

A stand for truth and honor, time to be a better

man.

I think the young want us to see

What they already know

They need parents to grow up

They grew up long ago.

Time

Daddy's shadow touched the pages

of a book I read last night.

Mama frowns at me from mirrors

as I smooth my wrinkles out.

Someone else's child is sleeping

in my toddler's bed again,

And I sigh at the reflection

of my daughter's favorite grin.

Now this stranger in my body

goes through motions of my day.

Father Time has paid a visit

while I looked the other way.

Last Born

When she came home for a visit

and we embraced,

A part of me wanted to hold my last-born

in my arms,

stroke her hair,

and sing lullabyes to her like when she was a child.

And when on into the night, she endlessly chattered-

A part of me withdrew to observe

my grownup daughter in her new habitat-

with new lifestyles, new friends-

So much a part of her, so distant from me.

And when we said goodbye,

My heart cried;

And later on, in solitude,

my eyes formed a duet with my heart,

and the part of me that longed to hold her,

let her go...

Were I Sixteen

What would I do... Were I sixteen?

I'd build sandcastles, splash in streams;

I'd romp the hills and meadows green,

Were I sixteen.

I'd watch the stars come out at night

And wish on every one in sight.

My dreams would soar on angels' wings,

Were I sixteen.

I'd make my plans for future years

And have no time for wasted tears.

I'd spend my time on special things,

Were I sixteen.

I'd pick someone to be my friend

And bare my soul for nights on end.

I'd take my chance on hurt and pain,

Were I sixteen...again.

Tomboy

Boys were allowed to trot after

their pa-

Even go barefoot and wear overalls,

Swing on a grapevine

(…they smoked now and then),

Cuss up a blue streak and not call it sin,

Fish in a creek

Sometimes skinny-dip, too.

All of the things that I wanted to do.