Tag Archives: parenting

Poetry, Writing

Easter Bunny

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(Poem 91 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

AI Generated image I prompted on Gencraft.com https://gencraft.ai/p/YeAShn

English pagans gave us the name of the celebration Easter from their goddess Eostre.
Germans gave us the egg-laying bunny, the cutest addition, in my opinion.
Jews gave us the lamb and the traditions of Passover to intertwine.
Christians gave us The Lamb to make it all about.
The Easter lilies, we took from Japan, sometime after WWI.
An Ottoman Sultan’s sweet tooth may have brought future jellybeans in the form of Turkish delight.
A Russian invented Peeps in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
New Yorkers started the Easter Parade, strolling down Fifth Avenue in their spring fashions after church.
In Malta, they carry Mary through the streets.
In Ireland, they eat a special breakfast.
In Spain, they celebrate for an entire week.
In Italy, they eat bread shaped like a dove.
In the Vatican, the Pope gives a blessing.
In Australia, Easter Bilbies are all the rage.
In The United Kingdom, you must have hot cross buns.
In my house, it’s a Cadbury Cream Egg.
All over the world, through time and place, may your Easter be blessed by family and good fortune.

@Home Studio – 91st poem of the year

Runner ups for the AI hands photos to accompany my poem:

Poetry, Writing

The Tree that Holds up the Moon

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(Poem 77 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

AI Generated image I prompted on Gencraft.com https://gencraft.ai/p/a1SThn

The tree that holds up the moon
had to be reinforced last month.
A branch broke and the light of night
nearly came tumbling down to earth.
We wept and prayed, wished we
had thought of something sooner.
Then the women gathered their
tools and began the tedious work
of stitching the bark strong where
the wound remained from the
gaping hole the bough left when
she fell away and broke our hearts.  

@Home Studio – 77th poem of the year

Runner ups for the tree moon photos to accompany my poem:

Poetry, Writing

Dragon Kitty

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(Poem 72 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

AI Generated image I prompted on Gencraft.com https://gencraft.ai/p/mXIRYc

Some dragon kittens hatched
in a nest outside my window.
The mother displayed them proudly,
like she wanted to share with me
the satisfaction only one mother to
another can ever understand.
Her eyes glowed red with pride
when we locked gazes and
the silence was filled with our
shared love for our babies.

Runner ups for the dragon kitty photos to accompany my poem:

Poetry, Writing

Balloon Garden

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(Poem 62 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

AI Generated image I prompted on Gencraft.com  https://gencraft.ai/p/DfUnKJ

There’s a pretty little garden
in a pretty little town
where a pretty little girl
puts balloon seeds in the ground.

She waits very patiently
sitting between the rows
and waters them one by one
waiting for them to grow.

When the bulbous little globes
begin to rise and swell
she sings to each and every one
in a voice clear as a bell.

Once they’ve reached maturity
the little girl waves her goodbyes
as she watches them float away
with tears in her eyes.

@Home Studio – 62nd poem of the year

Runner ups for the balloon garden photos to accompany my poem:

Health, Poetry, Writing

Boaz Birthday

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(Poem 56 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

My adorable baby boy
took his sweet time
arriving on this day
28 years ago after a
long few days of labor.
Being the know-it-all
new mother who
planned a water birth
with a midwife in a
birthing center rather
than the traditional
route, we of course,
ended up in hospital.
No drugs, all natural,
no cutting…became
the opposite of all that.
When life is on the line,
baby’s life, that is,
do whatever needs to
be done; that is all this
mother in labor was
thinking, having done
all I could on my own,
for my body was unable
or unwilling to end her
mission of her own volition,
having spent ten months
fiercely protecting,
I had to force her to set
aside her desires, her will,
and trust the saviors in
scrubs provided by
God to save the gift,
so I could celebrate
the man you are today.

@Mema & Grandad’s Back Porch – 56th poem of the year

Health, Poetry, Writing

I Provide

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(Poem 55 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her worth is far above rubies.” Proverbs 31:10

AI Generated image I prompted on Gencraft.com  https://gencraft.ai/p/ozljx8

I provide an excellent income.
This priceless life has maintenance fees.
My husband dreams of being
a kept man, a trophy husband.

He knows I have his best interests
at heart and will provide if I can.
I find good deals on stylish threads
and am willing to roll up my sleeves.

I do the grocery shopping
with my own money, and cook
for four generations sometimes-
dark to dark are often my hours.

I buy land, cars, investments,
houses, furniture, animals,
goods (essential or frivolous),
and keep the lights on.

I am generous with my earnings,
always willing to share, ready for
winter and summer alike;
my home is a welcome oasis.

Our needs are met, as well as
many of our wants; my children
look to me for strength and
guidance as they make their paths.

My beauty is love, peace, work,
and teaching kindness through
craft – creation of story –
words strung together like pearls.

@Home Studio – 55th poem of the year

Poetry, Writing

I Lotioned Your Feet

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(Poem 48 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

My Mema passed away this morning. I had the privilege of spending 50 years in her presence. I will miss her something fierce. She has a husband she was married to for over 70 years, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren, not to mention every other possible connection to people far and wide.

Mema and Grandad

I lotioned your feet, then hands
with white jasmine-scented
Bath & Body Works Miriam gave me
and tucked you in the way you like,
brushed your hair and read you your texts,
then some Bible verses of comfort—
Isaiah 40, the first one that surfaced.

The steady sounds of the ICU create
a strangely soothing white noise as a
backdrop to your labored breaths.
Lydia is here again to hold your hand
just one more time; one of many
one more times over the last few days
because each time could be the last.

The you I know is no longer here,
but the shell remains and deserves
gentle petting and reassurance.
Goodness knows how many times
you had to ‘there, there’ me in the last
50 years, buoying my spirits and righting
my sails with your steady faith and calm.

Boaz sat vigil until I arrived, and your
children and husband will take over after
I leave — we are all branches of a grand
candelabra you have lit with exuberance,
spreading across states and time, thankful to
have been influenced by the life you lived
and the love which from your cup overflowed.

@ICU Room 1 St. David’s Round Rock Hospital & Home Studio – 48th poem of the year

Health, Poetry, Writing

I am at peace with myself and those I love

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(Poem 43 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

AI Generated image I prompted on Gencraft.com https://gencraft.ai/p/JLmvLo

I am at peace with myself and those I love.
No animosity hangs stale in the air,
nor anger brews and steeps in silence.
I have forgiven and released, at least for now,
resentments or regrets I may have nursed.
Prayers of blessing, for protection, of thanks
abound this morning as I start my day.
If I steer clear of them, this love I feel, so pure,
so genuine, might last until lunch time.

@Home Studio – 43rd poem of the year

Runner ups for the at peace with those I love photos to accompany my poem:

Poetry, Writing

May the Lord Listen to Your Prayers

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(To the mediocre musician. On the guitar. A Psalm of Rebekah.)

(Poem 38 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

AI Generated image I prompted on Gencraft.com https://gencraft.ai/p/ZKesVQ

May the Lord listen to your prayers;
may you feel blessed to be alive.

May you never have to wait too long
for packages you ordered to arrive.

May your coffee stay hot ‘til the last drop,
and your Wi-fi connection be strong.  

May your wait-times be short when you’re on hold
and your days off feel pleasantly long.

May the dogs come when you call
and never escape through the fence.

May your children behave out in public
and your dishes be easy to rinse.

May your bills get paid on time in full
and your credit score be high.

May you look at the person you’re in love with
and never wonder why.

May your shows renew and stream with ease;
may no spoilers give away the end.

May you have the best time filming yourself,
taking part in the latest trend.

May the book you’re reading have a sequel,
and you win the game you play.

May your friends all want to come to your gig,
and you have a lovely day.

For simple are the joys that comfort our hearts
when chaos is all around.

And plenty of thanks is our if we notice
the blessings that abound.

(Inspired by reading the Psalms of the Bible) – 38th poem of the year

Health, Writing

Waking up from discouragement…

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My last post was in October.  I reported that I had not written since authority figures in my life slammed me with judgment, censorship, and criticism…not only of my writing, but my discernment as a human being and professional.

Now my job is in jeopardy–not connected to my writing, politics above my station.  I am working from home due to the coronavirus and quarantine and all that bizarreness that is occurring in this world right now.

I have also taken in grandchildren temporarily while adult children fix their worlds.  I’ve had a winter of sickness and slow recovery.  I’ve battled a time of sadness.  And I’ve applied to begin working on my master’s degree.  Big things are happening.

And all I want to do is write…and read…and write some more.  Enough pouting, sulking, brooding, etc.  It is time to get back to finding my joy.  I cannot be derailed by others whose opinions I don’t even value anyway.  It has certainly not been a conscious decision to take a sabbatical from writing, but that is what has occurred.  And it has not been good for me.

Here and now, I resolve to get back to writing.  I declare this time of non-writing ended.   Rebekah the writer is back.