Day 211: Money

Money
By Batsheva 6/30/10

What does money really mean?
It buys cool things
This I have seen
But does it make folks happy?
For a minute or a few
But very soon they're seeking
More exciting things to do

Once you've spent some money
You want to spend some more
And once you've made some money
You can't imagine being poor

But the things that bring true joy
Can't be bought and can't be sold
Love and friendship can't be purchased
With a mountain made of gold

Day 210: Sleep

Sleep
By Batsheva 6/29/10

Some people do not like to sleep
Some sleep most of the time
Some folks think sleep is just a waste
While some think it's sublime

Some folks use lots of pillows
And some use none at all
Some people need a snooze alarm
Some rise at rooster's call

Some folks remember all their dreams
And some remember none
Some must sleep in total dark
While some sleep in the sun

Some have nasty nightmares
And wake to their own screams
While other folks are blessed
With only sweet and pleasant dreams

But whatever your sleep story
I promise this is true:
If you get the right amount of sleep
You'll be a better you!

Day 209: Decisions

Dedicated to my SiL2B, Hillary (Hey, that rhymes!), who, 6 weeks out from the wedding, still hasn't chosen colors for the wedding party yet! Well, technically, that's not true. She chose them, but then had to unchoose, and rechoose. . . . Decisions, decisions. . . .

Decisions
By Batsheva 6/28/10

Sometimes life is so confusing
It's hard to tell
Which choice I'm choosing
What do I want at my core?
Is it A or B or C or
None of the above?
I don't know exactly
Just what it is I love. . . .

But at least I know who
And I guess that will do.

Day 208: New Moon

It's not actually a new moon yet, but my full moon poem really stunk, so I thought maybe this would redeem it.

New Moon
By Batsheva 6/27/10

I'm not sure why they call it, "New"
I don't see anything
Do you?
The sky is black
'Cept for the stars
And maybe Jupiter or Mars
But there's no moon
That I can see
Not new
Not old
Where could it be?

They say it's there
But there's no trace
Almost as if
It's been erased
But I believe it will return
With one good lesson
We can learn
That when there's nothing
Left in view
That's the time
To start anew

Day 207: Flower Garden

This one is for our wonderful neighbors who have a beautiful flower garden and seem to enjoy sharing it!

Flower Garden
By Batsheva 6/26/10

Peonies and pansies
Hyacinths and hollyhocks
Orchids, oleander
And a sea of purple phlox

In my garden I have lilies
Every color, shape and size
Irises and tulips
It should come as no surprise

Buttercups and violets
Roses in every hue
Daffodils and Daisies
But there's always room for you!

Day 206 (Delayed): Full Moon

It was a full moon yesterday. Go figure

Full Moon
By Batsheva 6/25/10

A big white dinner plate
Suspended in the sky
I look at it and wonder
Just how far it is up high

For ages it was a mystery
That big white dish of moon
But astronauts can talk
Long enough to make you swoon

And tell you every single thing
You'd ever want to know
About the moon, that big balloon,
They've been to it, and so. . .

They can tell you that it's
238,000 miles high
And the reasons why they went there
If you've ever wondered why

They can tell you what it's made of
Now there really is no doubt
That cheese was never something
That the moon was all about

But the coolest thing these astronauts
Will tell you, I have found
Is how it feels to look up at Earth
Instead of looking down

Day 205 (Delayed): Thursdays

OK, these last two delays were really unavoidable, if embarrassing. Sorry.

Thursdays
By Batsheva 6/24/10

Thursdays are the worst days
'Cause you know you've got one more
Before the happy weekend comes
A knockin' at your door

But try to force a smile
Since it really won't be long
Less than 48 more hours
'Til you sing the weekend's song!

Day 204: Help!

I wish I could give an attribution for the story in the middle of the poem, it's not original (only the rhyming form of it is), but I can't remember where I heard it. If anyone knows who wrote the original story, please let me know.

Help!
By Batsheva 6/23/10

We all need some help now and then
Every John or Jane or Jen or Ben
No one can do it all themselves
Whether baking cakes or hanging shelves

~~~~

Now let me share a tale quite swell
'Bout places known as Heaven and Hell

In Hell it seems that folks are faced
With banquet tables beautifully graced
With all the most delicious food
But this does not create good mood
For though the delicacies are there
There's a problem with the silverware
Every fork and spoon is five feet long
And this seems really very wrong
They cannot eat food with their hands
As this is one of Hell's demands
But waiters won't be getting tips
When flatware simply can't reach lips

And so they're starving down in Hell
Tormented by treats they see and smell
And yet in Heaven it's quite sunny
Which you'd expect, though this is funny
The circumstances you'll find there
Are the same
Down to the silverware
There's just one difference you'll discover
In Heaven
They all feed each other

~~~

And so I'll say that when you're stuck
Pride will leave you in the muck
First do your best all on your own
But if you can't solve it alone
Don't be ashamed to give a yelp
And (politely) holler
Help!

Day 203: A Boat

A Boat
By Batsheva 6/22/10

A boat can sail
The wide, wide sea
Or down a narrow river
Or speed around
A great, great lake
With items to deliver

A boat can carry people
And all kinds of
Different things
And on the water
Some can fly
Although they have no wings

A boat can be as big
As a sort of floating city
Or small enough
To be a toy
So very itty-bitty

But of boats
One thing is always sure
Although this fact does stink
There's no boat
In the whole wide world
That can never, ever sink

Day 202 (delayed): Silence

OK, I hereby vow to do my absolute best not to delay any more of these. I know it's just crazy at this point.

Silence
By Batsheva 6/21/10

Shh!
I need some quiet here
It sounds just like a riot here

TV's off
Music too
No offense
But how about you?

At last they're gone
I'm all alone
Now to unplug
That ringing phone

And though I know
It may seem dumb
I've even shut off
The AC's hum

And yet something
Is still not right
A buzz is coming
From the light

Now that's off
I'm in the dark
But still I hear
A distant dog bark

Now my heart and breath
Sound like wrestling giants
In a very quiet space
There's no such thing as silence

Day 201: Father's Day

What can I say? My dad is a gardener. The metaphor comes naturally. This is for all the fathers out there, but especially for mine and my daughter's.

Father's Day
By Batsheva 6/20/10

Some men may toss a seed
Onto a piece of fertile ground
And hope that some day on that spot
A thriving tree is found

Other men may cast a seed
Accidentally without care
And by some kind of miracle
A tree takes root right there

But the best of men who plant a seed
With love and patience tend
And nurture it so joyfully
A task that does not end

They watch that little sapling grow
A sturdy trunk and root
And know their loving efforts
Soon will bear the sweetest fruit

Day 200: Two Hundred

Two Hundred
By Batsheva 6/19/10

Two hundred is very nice
It means you have one hundred
Twice!

Day 199 (Delayed): Popsicles

Again, sorry for the delay.

Popsicles
By Batsheva 6/18/10

Ice cold
Sweet and licky
As they melt
You get all sticky
But I think
They're worth the mess
Without them
Summer would be less. . .

Funny
Sunny
Silly
Popsicley

Day 198: Summer Free

Summer Free
By Batsheva 6/17/10

Summertime means I'm free
My summertime is just for me
I'll delight to spend each day
Just to sleep and eat and play
Like a happy butterfly
Or an eagle soaring high
I do exactly what I wish
Even swim just like a fish
Yes, the greatest way to be
Is summer free

Don't get me wrong
I do like school
I'm no anti-learning fool
But if you want the truth
I cannot lie:
My favorite thing 'bout school is called
July

Day 197: Anticipation

Anticipation
By Batsheva 6/16/10

I can't wait!
It'll be great!
I can't wait!
It'll be great!
I can't wait!
It'll be great!
I can't wait!
It'll be great!
I can't wait!
It'll be great!
I can't wait!
It'll be great!

And suddenly it's over
Come and gone, must say goodbye
It's not that it was very bad
Plenty of good times were had
But now they're done
And I may cry
I need someone to hold me
If only they had told me
Anticipation
Is a lie.

Day 196 (delayed): Salad

Salad
By Batsheva 6/15/10

Some people don't like salad
And I've often wondered why
It's really quite delicious
If you just give it a try

Take all your very favorite foods
And toss them in a bowl
And then you'll have a salad
That will satisfy your soul!

Day 195 (Delayed): Heavy Load

Sorry for all the delays. Rough couple of weeks. My friend, Gray, posted a picture of a turtle in a road today, and I've been feeling like I'm carrying my house on my back lately. . . .

Heavy Load
By Batsheva 6/14/10

There's a turtle in the road
And he bears a heavy load
But there really is no way
To lighten it
For if you even try
That turtle might just die
And the least that you would do
Is frighten it

See, that turtle in the road
Really needs his heavy load
Without it he would suffer
Quite a lack
He never said his life was breezy
Do you think it would be easy
If you carried your whole house
Upon your back?

Day 194: Gum

Gum
By Batsheva 6/13/10

Oh how I love chewing gum
It's minty-sweet
Or fruity-yum
Whether it's for blowing bubbles
Or chewing 'til
Your jaw has troubles
Nothing could be quite as fun
As a piece of gum--just one--
Unless it's two or three or four
This gum I truly do adore

Yes, chewing gum is such a blast
I just wish
They'd make the flavor last

Day 193 (Delayed): Needs

Needs
By Batsheva 6/12/10

When you don't need money
You win it
Or someone offers you a loan
When you don't feel like talking
People call you on the phone
When you don't really need love
It manages to find you
And when you aren't hungry
A banquet sneaks right up behind you

So take my advice
Just follow my lead
Tell the whole universe
That there's nothing you need
You have all you want
Could not ask for more
Soon all of your dreams
Will appear at your door
Believe your world is
Riches, love, and laughter
Next thing you know?
It's Happy Ever After!

Day 192 (delayed): Bad

Wow, I really have been bad. Two days late is unusual. For the first few months of this blog, I never even missed a single day. I won't make excuses about the ton of stuff I've had going on for the last few days. The real truth is in this poem.

Bad
By Batsheva 6/11/10

I've been bad
It's true
As if nobody knew
But bad is a very
Easy thing to do
If you've been bad before
Then it's never a chore
To be bad again
'Cause bad loves an encore
Yes, the more that you're bad
The more bad is a cinch
The more likely you'll go there
When you're in a pinch

Day 191: Alone Time

Alone Time
By Batsheva 6/10/10

It isn't that you don't matter
It isn't that I don't care
It isn't that we don't often have
Many wonderful things to share

It's simply that there are times
When I just need to be alone
No hanging out
No playing games
No talking on the phone

Just some time to be with me
And only my own mind
It helps me think more clearly
And relaxes me, I find

So please don't take it personally
And please don't take offense
It's just something I do
You could try it too
Then maybe we'd both be less tense!

Day 190: Pickles

No, this is not a true story. It's a metaphor. :-)

Pickles
By Batsheva 6/9/10

Pickles can be sour
Pickles can be sweet
But either way
I have to say
They're what I love to eat

I'll eat them in the morning
I'll eat them right at noon
I'll eat them after school
Or at night beneath the moon

I'll eat them in a sandwich
I'll eat them with some toast
I'll eat them with my ice cream
Although people say that's gross. . . .

Now

I'm sitting on the potty
And I'm trying not to cry
'Cause I ate too many pickles
And I feel like I could die

You could say I'm in a pickle
(Though that would make me mad)
Who knew all those yummy pickles
Could make me feel so bad?

So I wish someone would help me
Since I've tried with all my might
To find some kind of off-switch
On my pickle appetite!

Day 189: Head Rain

Head Rain
By Batsheva 6/8/10

It's raining in my head, you know
Although it's dry outside
It's raining in my head
And so
I guess that's why I cried
'Cause sometimes the rain
In my head
Leaks out
That's when you can tell
Without a doubt
That it's raining in my head
Even when it's dry outside

Day 188 (delayed): Yum!

Again, I apologize for the delay. The inspiration has not been much forthcoming lately. This was a combined effort by my 7-yr-old daughter and myself. It was her idea!

Yum!
By Lily and Batsheva 6/7/10

Little Ms. Frog
Sat on a log
Eating her bugs all day.
Along came a spider
And sat down beside her.
So she ate him up right away!

Day 187: Escape

Escape
By Batsheva 6/6/10

I can't find my way out of
This place
So dark and gloomy
But maybe you could join me
Because
At least it's roomy
And if you do
Perhaps we two
Could flee this bleak landscape
And find a light
We'd make things right
Together
We'd escape

Day 186: Hope

This funk is really getting me down, so I'm trying to climb out of it, but it isn't easy. Good thing no one is actually reading this blog (I know my followers are followers in name only). No kids' stuff today.

Hope
By Batsheva 6/5/10

Slather me with hope
And wash me clean
Of all the vile, filthy things
I've seen

And when my heart's enraged
By mind and eye
Wrap it up in hope
And hear its cry

Day 185: (Delayed) Oil

OK, I know I wasn't going to write anymore political stuff here, but physically, I haven't been feeling well for a while now, and emotionally, the happy upbeat kids' stuff just isn't there right now. And if I see one more photo of a pelican covered in oil I may just collapse.

Oil
By Batsheva 6/4/10

Elegant bird
Covered in oil
You did nothing wrong
It makes my blood boil

The dolphins are dying
Their world's in turmoil
Simply because
We're so thirsty for oil

This oil's like blood
That flows through the earth
Now we've opened a vein
What's our planet's life worth?

Day 184: Purple Rose

Well, this poem is for the mother of a friend, who turned 87 today (the mother, not the friend). She's just an amazing woman with purple hair and clothes to match.

Purple Rose
By Batsheva 6/3/10

There's a purple Rose in Canada
A unique and vibrant flower
That isn't growing older
Only better by the hour

Four score and seven years
This Rose has grown here on this earth
And her color hasn't faded
Since it blossomed at her birth

So today's a day to celebrate
Let's drink a toast and smile
For that lovely purple rose
That grows
In Canada
With style

Day 183: Just Half

Just Half
By Batsheva 6/2/10

I'm only just half way through
There's still a big job left to do
When you're just half way done
It isn't much fun
I can't finish this poem, can you?

Day 182: June

June
By Batsheva 6/1/10

June, June
What a wonderful tune
Oh how I love the month of June
It seems like everything's in bloom
In June

It's warm by day
At night it's cool
But June's greatest gift
Is the end of school!

Day 181 (delayed): Weekdays

I've been pretty ill for the last two days. Sorry for the delay. And yes, I know this is lame.

Weekdays
By Batsheva 5/31/10

You can't be weak
On weekdays
When you have a job to do
Work or school
It makes no difference
Things are expected of you

Monday gets things started
Yes, it gets you on your way
Oh, Monday gets you moving
Right on in to old Tuesday

Then Tuesday keeps you going
Until Wednesday does appear
Wednesday is the peak of the week
And it's all downhill from here

Then you roll right into Thursday
Which is just terrific news
For Thursday leads to Friday
That's when no one sings the blues

Because Friday is the very last
Of all our working days
It brings us to the weekend
Two fun days that we all praise

So let's hear it for the weekend
For when it's done, my friend
We'll start the weekdays over
At the end of the weekend