January 24 Ready for the Storm

It would appear that nerves are frayed on many levels today and the forecast of 2-24 inches of snow and ice has put locals on edge.  

If they forecast storms

With epic potential 

To upend life, people will run

To stores in panic

To clear out milk, bread, eggs,

As if their lives depend on it.

Inside my home, I have books ready

Along with flashlights, tea and dark chocolate.

January 23 Storm's Coming; So is Spring

There is a storm heading our way and the mixed emotions, valid concerns, and pure excitement seem to be bubbling over.  As for me, I am going to park my car at the end of my driveway and wait for spring in 56 days.

Doom,

Prepare,

For the worst,

Ice, snow coming.

Shovels and blowers

Flying out of the shop

Milk, bread, soda, chips, flour,

Binge watching til power goes out

Snow plowers, shovelers preparing

For the brightest of days ahead for them.

While at Shop Rite the crowd is wild with

Panic, excitement, mixed with fear

While hope for a snow day loom

Brightly amidst the fear

Of a zoom day or

A clean your room

Or a change

In the

Storm

• 

January 23 Celebration of Life

I am pretty sure none of us really want to go to events that focusing on loss; yet, I found myself deeply reflective and divinely inspired as I listened to his children, grandchildren, and friends talk about a gentleman who celebrated learning, loving and life.

We only get one opportunity

To fill up the "dash" between

Our birth and our goodbye.

Embrace your family,

Learn a sport (or two),

Master an instrument,

Start a business,

Pick up a lifelong hobby, 

Like chess, puzzles,

Give generously,

Uplift others,

Solve problems,

Advocate for those

Less fortunate, in need.

Adopt causes,

Welcome challenges,

Enjoy a good mean

Celebrate with friends,

Eat dessert.

January 22 Arthritis Relief

 Days of cold. Not everyone is complaining. A nonet for my grand dog.

Lay in this gnarly blanket of cold

Feel the relief, arthritis be gone,

Forget about your aches, pains

Nestle into the cold

It's the spa you need

The best skin care

It's outside, now,

Enjoy

Snow

January 21 Supply and Demand

Today was the coldest in a long time in these parts. This weekend is looking like the snowiest.  I guess some of us had gotten a bit smug about handling winter weather and a reminder was needed!

"Get ice melt," I reminded myself as the crusty old remains

Slid onto the walkway days before they forecasted 

"A really big one is coming," sending everyone 

Scrambling for chemicals or even beet juice before

"I have to clear the walkway," became a reality again.

Yet supply and demand still rules hardware stores, so

"I'm sorry but we are out," after so many mild winters

We have less, and now there is more snow and more ice!

A

SOL25 January 20 If I Could

I am sharing with writing friends from the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Group today. I am struggling with threats and abuses of power that weigh heavy on my heart.

If

I could

Live again

I would not fill

A single day with

Anger, hatred, spite, scorn,

Jealousy, grudges,

Virulence, dread,

Resentment

Mean words

If

Only I

Could

Ethical ELA: January: Collective Nouns

This morning's Ethical ELA post asks us to write a poem considering collective nouns. I admit to doing an AI assisted search in order to come up with a list of flying animal collective nouns. 

I tried to run from the

Murder of crows flying above the

Parliament of owls watching the

Flamboyance of flamingos staring at the

Cloud of bats hanging ominously while the

Convocation of eagles watched in

Eagle-eyed fascination as the

Swarms of bees took flight and the  

Pandemonium of parrots mocked them all.

Sweating, panicking, dreaming of

Collective nouns.

Vin

January 19 To Forgive

On this day remembering Martin Luther King, there is no shortage of quotes reflecting his wide ranging thoughts on people and their relationships including this one from his book of sermons, Gift of Love: 

We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies."

I know

It is hard to forgive someone

Who changes the course of your life.

Who hurt your loved one, your friend,

Who acts in ways that hurt people, 

Who put themselves and their goals 

Ahead of others. 

Though hate eats through souls

Like a cancer, destroys people,

Disrupts families,

Erodes the dialogue of nations,

Changes to course of history.

We can disagree

We can be sad, dislike, 

We can even hate

Evil actions, decisions, 

Behaviors, of other humans 

Without hating them 

Without harming them.

Ethical ELA January 18 Anagrams

This morning's Ethical ELA prompt asks us to consider the power of anagrams to generate ideas and encourage writing. As a teacher of often reluctant beginning readers and writers, I am keenly aware of the challenges spurred by was-saw, post-stop, who-how. Yet, I also see anagrams as funny in stressed-desserts. On this second snowy, stay-home day in a row, I am trying to embrace the forced quiet while remembering the challenge of anagrams for my readers-writers! 

It is quite quiet,

This morn in the Northeast

Where snow has become norm.

She will decide to 

Stop and read a post,

She will dare herself to look out.

Fearing the outlook is

More snow 

As the newsroom said,

It's clear, if she waits, 

It will be up to her waist!

Ethical ELA January 17 Inevitable Change

I am participating in Ethical ELA this morning as part of its monthly write. The prompt asks us to start with the last line of a recently read book. I just finished re-reading the Thirteen Clocks by James Thurber. (thank you CB) The last line in the book is, "The last spy of the Duke of Coffin Circle, alone and lonely, in the gloomy room, thought he heard, from somewhere far away, the sound of someone laughing."  

Alone, but not really lonely,

Thoughts of friends, children,

Writing their own stories,

I settled into the couch with a

Mug of Earl Gray, Chopin on 

Spotify, Homeschooled on Kindle.

The glow of an early morning swim

Mingled with the silent snow falling.

I thought I heard the sound of

Someone, from long ago,

Laughing as she worried about

Embracing the moment, and the 

Inevitable, change.

PS As of today, I have also joined the Stafford Challenge to write a poem every day for the next 365 days or so.  I'll see how this goes.