Neighborhood Walk (A Poem by Cathy Gruman)

Early morning walk to the coffee shop
through my neighborhood, just a few blocks away
This time passion tea with slices of orange
Coffee’s on the shelf for a while,
results of this are pending.
And as I walked I thought about my neighbors
of whom I do not know
Street to street I walked
iTunes snuggled in my ear,
with a mix of songs I like to hear
Each street had its own special glow
Pretty houses with green, brown, yellow, blue, gray, red and orange
and sidewalks lined with flowers and rocks
English gardens and desert landscapes
chairs on porches neatly swept.
I sent good thoughts and silent prayers,
for their happiness and lessened tears.
My son’s window I tapped with a pebble
The curtains opened
I saw his smile
he stumbled to the door from his sleep.
with tousled hair and open arms, we embraced and said I love you
then I continued down the street.
I should mention that it made my day.
I stopped at a yard sale and bought a hand-made pillow cover
from a fellow who held a “Diva Yard Sale” sign
It had yellows, blues, greens and cream in between
We spoke a while, he shared his dreams
Just neighbors, nothing in between.
Then we parted with a smile
And as I walked up to my place
warm thoughts of my neighbors were on my face.

My Trike (a Poem by Cathy Gruman)

that's my trike
grrrrrhhhh
don't let my low growl fool you
you're sitting on my trike
grrrrrrr.....
you're bigger than me
but i'm watching you
and when you move
i'll move
faster than lightening
and snatch it back
let's walk to the duck pond
i'll drag my trike
grrrrrrhhhhh
you can walk with me
but don't touch my trike
i'll ride it when i want to
put my feet on the pedals
when i want to
i'll ride it backwards
and drag my feet
if i want to
slowly we walk to the pond
to see the turtles and the ducks
hold my trike while i play with the ducks
but don't go anywhere
because i'll find you
grrrrrhhhh....
you're all surrounding me
but back off on my trike
or i'll strike.

Snowflake Day (A Poem by Cathy Gruman)

Snowflakes falling
tires treading
we're tromping on this february afternoon;
through the streets our boots will take us
to where we find our vegan treats.
Store facades and buildings stand
to greet us in this new land.
The snow keeps falling on our face
as we're tromping through
with giddy awe of this new place.
A cup of coffee we will find,
the lack of soy puts me in a bind
and you start to wind.
Artwalk studio
lots of fun
for a while
then I'm done;
keep on looking is what you do
so i go outside to tie my shoe
but it's cold so i come back in
my feet are wet
so I whine again.
Vegan store
Eureka!
We go inside
in our new diets we will abide
casing the store
we look around
alas, a wall of "sweets"
we love this town.

On "Purpose" (A Poem by Cathy Gruman)

His will
my will
uphill
downhill
you
me
yours
mine;
where will i be tomorrow?
Everything i am is thine.
If i say no
will you say yes
should i go
should i stay
if i take that step today
will you stop me
for my sake
or yours,
or his or hers or theirs?
Can i depend on you
and you alone;
and should i pick up that stone that was just thrown
or leave it be, silently.
Every now and then i hear your voice;
it's in my heart
and it's my choice.
Some will say to do this or that
they see my life from where they're at
pretending not to hurt or cry
everything's fine,
they won't whine
because if they show some fear or weakness
perhaps the truth might hurt and they will be found out;
so a smile they keep
pretending along
singing and dancing the same boring song -
"How are you?" "Oh, I'm great, thanks!"
"I am this and I am that"
But, could revealing pain and shame bring possible triumph
in this walk through hills, valleys, walls, fences and windows without a frame?
Does a soft petal have the same impact as a "bull in a china shop?"
Now back to You from that aside.
Occasional hurt is fine, i say
as long as you pick me up even when I do not pray,
and there is a purpose for everything under the sun;
it's what you've said
and what you meant -
to some absurb
but others peace,
and knowing that if i go this way or that
with a soft and open heart
i will find my way
as long as of you I am part.

Sea of Faces (a Poem by Cathy Gruman)

a sea of faces in this room
taken aback as i see a similarity between them and me
beyond their hair and makeup
their coats and hats and trendy shoes
with no gratuitous smiles
because they know it's what's inside that counts;
if they keep going, victory is near
lay it on the table
without fear
a beautiful sea of faces
transparent
honest
vulnerable
glowing truths preside
as all their fears begin to subside.

"A Side of Humankind" (A poem by Cathy Gruman)

he learned a new side of people this day
when he was walking to the dime store with his ten cents
a kite he was going to buy
to take it out and fly
he was seven
off he went to get his kite
the kite he grabbed
the merchant paid
and he headed out the door
across the way a bully stood
and eyed this little boy
walking innocently
ready to go out and fly.
And as the bully crossed the street
the youngster had no fear
because up until this moment
he had only good people near
love and security are what he'd known
so his instincts were properly shown
the bully grabbed his kite and broke it in half across his knee
just laughed and walked away
as his eyes welled up
the tears began to flow
the shock kicked in as he lost his innocent glow
he never knew until this day
that there was more to life than play
some people laugh, some cry
some things are happy, sometimes sad
he had even seen his dad mad;
these things he knew
they were familiar,
but in this moment
all he felt was why.

I'll be back soon

Hi all, I'm stuck .... can't seem to get those words out. hmmmmmm..... i'll say something soon.