All-embracing

Early philosophers

Chose

Little gems of doctrine from

Every system, assembling a

Compendium of diverse

Thought – their conclusion: Variety

Is the spice of life,

Centering on inclusion.

Thank you for this word, Amanda S., and Happy Birthday!

Wintry mix

Granular pellets of snow, little balls of

Rime,

Accreted crystals

Unidentifiable with time – this kind of

Precipitation

Exacerbates conditions at

Low and high elevations.

Foil

Timely opposition to

His highness’s lowdown

Ways is blowing into

A

Raging twister of legality and emotion

These days.

It's true

Broadly grown throughout the world, this

Ever loved source of protein is

A venerable

Nutrient, with spices swirled, that helps

Sustain our well-being.

I just finished reading Jennifer L. Holm’s excellent historical fiction Full of Beans. Ten-year old Beans shares the effects on his life of the Depression and the New Deal era restoration of Key West. These are desperate times, especially in his town. It got me thinking about community spirit and the elements that bring people together. Thank you, Beans, for your inspiration.

Itchin' for a fight

Because he believes

Effectiveness is achieved by

Letting go of all reason, by

Leaping into a fight, he’s

Indeed a great leader, a real

Crowd pleaser; they’re proud

Of his courage and might. He’ll

Start a war without a thought; consider

Each cause his power has bought.

Six more weeks

February’s the month when

Out of his hole comes a wise old

Rodent named Phil.

Everyone

Claps

As though he can

Say whether winter will be with us still.

Thus he predicts six more weeks of chill.

POV

Hear the tale, keeping

In mind the teller.

See the evidence

To discern the facts.

Open your mind to

Reckon the whole of

Yesteryear’s rose-colored wax.