Gift

Purposefully

Opening our hearts

To give gifts of

Love –

A smile, a greeting, a

Token – helps to sustain

Community, self-respect

Held high above.

With many thanks to the Elwha Elders, teachers, students, and families for hosting this meaningful evening.

When in doubt, ask a ...

Lives

Immersed in

Books are

Rich indeed

And she,

Rare friend and mentor,

Instilled in me

A love for the quest and the

Need to read.

Happy Birthday, Molly Giles, wherever in the Universe you are.

Tabula rasa

Not

One

Thing

Has less to

It than

None, but with room for

Growth, it can become some.

Growth

Press into the ground with

Loving hands

And feet those

Naturally-knowing seeds;

The floral being is ever so grand.

Predatory

Ruffian raiders were

Excited to

Invade

Villages bordering Scotland and

England where many folks already endured

Rough lives; those robbers made

Savagery a common word.

I heard this word while listening to Susan Fletcher’s novel The Highland Witch.

Warm and fun

Sliding all over

On wool-

Covered feet, the laughing

Kids’

Spirits were certainly upbeat.

Thanksgiving Day fun

Believing the invented

Answers true, the players

Laughed; the next one

Drew a card with

Even crazier clues,

Read the nonsense,

Declared the points,

And

Started to

Hoot on the didgeridoo. 

Let's talk...

The Meleagris gallopavo is

Usually present this day,

Roasted, maybe stuffed,

Kind of displayed at the

Epicenter of the family feast with

Yams, green beans, and pumpkin treats.

Maritime warning

Finding their way

Out on the water when thick,

Grey mist rolls in,

Harbor boats are

Offered

Regular warnings;

Not to hear them is grim.

Blab

Bellowing out an answer, or

Letting the whole world know an

Undisclosed

Reality, is that

The way to go?

The San Juan

Somewhere

Underwater, a crew of 44 

Brave

Menacing conditions;

Atlantic storms

Render rescue a nearly

Impossible mission.

Nonetheless the world hopes the plan

Eventually comes to fruition.

In honor of, and with heartfelt thoughts for the crew of the Argentine submarine San Juan.

Dignified

Newsworthy, known should be those

Of honorable living,

But their quiet integrity offers

Little sensation to people giving

Ear to the social hype of this nation.

Undignified

Scandals involving sordid behavior

Have reached

A new high of trying to mask

Malevolent past exploits;

Everyone’s been living a lie.

Just don’t call me ‘Late For Dinner’

Measured by a need to

Eat, food is prepared    

And bowls are filled;

Late comers might not be thrilled.

Snail spinners

Some shells

Present this

Interesting twist,

Right or left

Around an axis.

Lots of different gastropods exist.

Too soon

Despair

Engulfs her;

She sees no

Possible way

Out.

Not thinking straight, she

Decides to

End the pain.

No one understands.

Too late.

This is for Ashley Ann, a 15-year-old student, who died Monday, November 13, 2017.

Amazing aperture

Have you seen this

Orifice that can change its size? It

Lets light rays shine right through,

Especially to the back of your eyes.

Dauntless jaunt

Take the

Road, the air, the sea

In adventurous spirit and

Please, take me.

Theseus in the labyrinth

Clues, like a practical ball of thread, might

Lead someone

Eventually from a place of dread, that is,

When all is done and said.

Thank you, Veterans!

Daring is

Essential for

Devoting years

In service to one’s

Country in spite of

All the          

Tears of

Ever-loving family trying to

Deny their fears.

Hot from the cauldron

Cook pots

Hold the

Optimum

Wonderful

Dish of

Edibles from land and

Required clams and/or fish.

Lip (or tongue) service?

Can they genuinely

Orate on

New legislation when the

Gender in power

Rules over

Everything in this nation? At least it

Sounds like coming together might

Start the conversation.

Tiny instruction packets

Sow, grow, harvest,

Eat;

Enjoy what

Develops from dreams

So sweet.

Put a lid on it already!

Viciously

Insulting

The equally

Unmindful

Pyongyang leader,

Every

Rational

American can see,

Threatens to

Ignite more

Violence and

Endless hostility.

The ripple effect of calm

Edging toward an

Alleviated state, and

Sharing it, helps

Everyone feel great.

Spelt like this...

From Umbria in Italy comes

A kind of hulled wheat, a

Relict crop, that’s great to eat; it’s

Really delicious, this nutritious

Option, this popular good-for-you treat!

Thanks for the great dinner, Kristinä and Jackie! And for the word.

Speaking out

Hear this passionate,

Anxious cry to

Remedy such

An ancient injustice;

See the good in

Seeking parity,

Mindful of

Everyone’s

Natural right

To dignity and fairness.

For many years I have thought the book The Chalice and the Blade by Riane Eisler should be required high school reading. We have witnessed in the past weeks the beginning of a shift to accountability among those who have long believed they have a natural right to dominate and intimidate half of our society. The cycle of this behavior can be broken. It takes courage and determination. Power is the tool of insecure people. Compassion will ultimately rule.

November snow

When cold and snow blow

In from the

North, nature

Takes a break,

Every day

Resting till the sun pulls it forth.

School began two hours later than normal today.

Ocean mammal

What are these creatures

Huge

And grand that

Lunge through deep seas,

Evading land?

Thank you, AmeriCorps Environmental Educators, for sharing this great learning experience with Roosevelt fifth graders.

Living out loud

Woodsy hinterlands

Invite free spirits to

Live and learn, and perhaps

Dreams and demons to discern.

Inspired by the film Into the Wild.