A Blue Moon in Autumn

You came to me in winter and warmed me with your love
shielding me from icy winds. 
You didn't want me to catch cold.

In spring we danced in the rain. 
You held my umbrella in one hand as your other hand
fitted into the hollow of my back and pulled me so 
close I could feel the beating of your heart. 
Life with you was sweet. But then . . ..

Summer storms took you far away leaving me 
forlorn and I held my breath until your return
 when autumn leaves began to fall.  Our
 topsy-turvy world up righted itself. 
We waltzed to the music of a blue moon 
and counted the stars in our heaven.

In winter I came to you and warmed your 
frozen feet with my love so that we can 
dance again in spring rains.  This time 
I held your umbrella.  




Friends...

Friends, like violets, forgive the heel that crushes them,
Leaving a wondrous scent of love and kindness behind;
Friends, like tulips, blossom in the coolness of spring,
And last through summer's scalding heat and winter's chill,
Wrapping us in a soft and downy blanket of warmth.
Friends, like goldenrods growing on the side of the road,
Are perennial and ever faithful with their bounty of color,
Generous with their encouragement, hope, and laughter,
Friends, like Queen Anne's lace, are beauty and light,
Shielding us from pathways of dark aloneness;
Friends, like the last rose of summer, are there for us
In times of need and despair, and to share in our joys,
Friends, like thorns of the rose, should be handled with care,
Cherished as if they are one of life's greatest treasures,
Because they are.




I Remember

Each day at twilight I remember you, 
Your star still shines above,
Filling my heart with sadness,
Gratefulness and love.

Your triumph burst upon the earth,
Unwavering trust led you home,
A downy bed became your berth, 
Proof the night is long,

I remember you when sunshine hides my shadow,
And when cotton fields are white with bloom,
When frost falls on the pumpkin,
And grass is wet with morning dew.

I remember you when nighttime falls,
And stars come out to play,
The little dipper winks at me,
And morning is on its way.

I remember you at noontime,
When the plowshare sounds its tone,
Dinner is on the table,
The anvil quiets its drone.

Shattering slumber's dream,
The scream of a train whistle,
Memories awaken and softly drift,
Light and airy as the down of a thistle.

When that bugle blows taps,
When my final sun is down,
I'll still remember you,
In my heart you wear a crown.

Each day at twilight I remember you,
How just, how warm your heart beats free,
In that land beyond the blue,
I know one day you'll welcome me.


Once Upon a Life

Once I was untroubled, lighthearted as a breeze
Then I delved into logic and computers that freeze
Prone to multiple capers, adventures were my lot
Like a tawny cat coined phrases and ideas that were hot
Allegiance to loved ones I pledged with great cheer
Not knowing this machine would so quickly endear
Itself in my life and commence to take over my days
Abscond with my senses, and bury me in haze
Swamped in fog not knowing where to turn
To grant three wishes I hope for a genie in an urn
If only this miasma would clear from my head
This stew would diminish on which I have fed
I might find a way to get out of this steam
And stop teetering around as if in a dream
Find my way back to giggles and glee
That unburden this psyche that used to be me.


Rite of Passage	

Once she was carefree
But now she's grown old
Her eyes shone with brightness
Her hair was pure gold
Her body was agile
But now it is tired
Her walk is unsteady
Her head's come unwired
Her heartbeat was stable
But now it's unglued
She tries hard to smile
But miseries intrude
Her breasts stood up firmly
But now they both sag
Her knees let her down
She's become an old nag
Her brow is all wrinkled
She wears a sad frown
Her teeth glistened like pearls
But now they are crowned
Her arches were high
But now they are flat
And sometimes she wonders
Just where she is at
Her mind was alert
But now it's asleep
It's gone on vacation
No memory runs deep
Her hearing was sharp
But now it is dull
The noises she hears
Are all in her skull
But she brightens my day
And I'm glad that she's here
But when she is gone
Please shed not a tear
For she is with God
And her loved ones up there
And they'll never notice
The gray in her hair.




The Cowboy from Texas

The cowboy from Texas was keen and lean
A horse he couldn't ride had never been seen
Uncle Sam sent him on a mission far away
He'd strut his stuff, or there'd be the Devil to pay

It was in Tabriz, Iran that he met a fine hoss
Many had tried, but none could prove boss
Of the magnificent animal determined to win
"I'll do it or die," he said with a grin

Strong men were afraid to take him out of his stall
Where he was penned in a solid dirt wall
One held his bridle; the horse spun around
Lifting the man high above the ground

The stallion was big and shiny and black
Muscles rippled up and down his back
He snorted and shuffled, then began to seethe
Man thrown to the ground, seemed he'd never breathe

He'd been treated badly; Lord that horse was mean
He'd bite and he'd twist; paw the ground as if schizophrene
At last cowboy found himself astride an English saddle
The stallion whirled and pranced 'til his brain seemed to rattle

He steered toward the gate, but the horse had another plan
He ran 'round the courtyard trying to lose this man
Ran toward the stall; tried to crush him on the wall
Dug his hooves in the ground throwing dirt upon all

At last he decided, well okay, he'd head out the gate
This burden from his back somehow he must shake
Stretched out his powerful legs for three long miles
The saddle slipped, then the ride turned wild

Alone in the mountains just he and the Devil
He couldn't decide which was the lesser evil
To continue the ride or make the stallion stop
If he lost this horse his career would flop
 

His butt was sore; 'twas foolish to let him roam
But this powerful horse didn't want to go home
If he got off the animal he'd be at his mercy
He could imagine back home all the controversy

He cursed the Iranis for treating him bad
To get off this horse alive he'd surely be glad
But there didn't seem to be much chance of that
If he tried he knew he'd hit the ground with a splat

The stallion would treat him like a little rag doll
But somehow he must get him back to the stall
His blister was painful; he didn't know which was worse
To lose his pride or give in to the horse

He had a wife and children waiting at home
He looked at the horse; his mouth was afoam
The energy that he'd spent hadn't calmed his anger
Feeling as though he were a babe in a manger

He lifted the reins, to his neck gave a flick
To his surprise the horse stopped quick
He straightened the saddle; the horse tried to bite
In the saddle once more he took off in flight

And turned on a dime heading straight for the stable
To get off the horse he barely was able
He had blisters on his butt more than a week
But the Arabian stallion never turned meek.


All poetry Copyrighted by Lavonne Boruk
All Rights Reserved