The Book

Drew made a book.
He is a character
and stands, sits, crawls
on each page.
I loved it!

He also made an airplane,
a dog house, a regular house,
a train, a bridge, a tower,
a crane, a horse where he ropes,
a garden, a park, a tunnel,
out of the same couch cushions.

I have never before had
such useful cushions...
I hope they last through
all this building.

Rolain

My friend Rolain
was just diagnosed with
breast cancer and will
have a mastectomy next week.
She said she thought she
escaped this one although
eight in a three block area
around her have been stricken.
I had my turn in 2002.

We are downwinders from
the bombs let off at the
Nevada test sight.
Dirty Harry was 7 times
stronger than the one dropped
on Hiroshima...but we were assured
we were fine. We ran outside
to watch the bomb cloud rise and spread.
No one warned that we might want
to run and hide.
Since radiation for my breast cancer
the cancer toll for southern utah
has tripled. We expect to hear
of another friend every day.

We are on the edge of death's precipice
and we struggle to stick around
as we are seared by radiation
and frozen by chemo.
Many survive a little longer than
the ones before us.
My sister LaRae did not.
Rolain has joined The Pink Pals
one more trying to survive.
I can lend her my 'cancer hats'
and ratty wig but she is a
hairdresser and will find the best
as she waits to be cancer-free.
We, who have survived,
are never quite sure
we really have.

Silence Screams

Who knows what to say to the victim
In the face of a violent rape?
Or the family?
Silence screams.
A victim cries.
Silent Screams.
Those odd moments when
violence roared...
We crept out the window
over the roof
and dropped to the ground
Her brother screamed.
Her brother screamed.
"Don't tell..."
Silence Screamed.
I rode by when he stood
like death as the whip
sliced.
No one stopped.
No one talked.
Silence Screamed.
My moments under a whip
I blessed my mother
for screaming curses
that her mother didn't
when blows fell.
Silence screams.
Violent moments when
a child is raped
in the name of love
or anger, always with pain.
Destroying trust.
Enveloping fear.
Silent Screams.
Silence Screams.
Confronted by that
screaming victim,
You, unhurt,say nothing,
do nothing, and
Silence Screams.
Madness, Death,
Violence reigns.
Silence Screams.

More Doves

Haiti is overcome by earthquake upheaval.
The doves are hovering, unable to touch base
trying to get relief to millions there.
Help our poor! Help our wounded!
Help rebuild our shaken country!
May the doves fly in with water and food.
Precious life-giving water.
Let no Hawks arise from the dust
to maim and kill and prey upon the
hurt and oh so poor.
Let the Hawks stay hidden.
Let the Hawks not strike.
The doves can come when they
can come.
Haiti, the suffering is profound.
Death is on every corner.
Let the Doves soft wings
soft coo come.
To relieve the suffering poor.

Doves

I thought a picture of Doves would brighten
a winter scene, outside my door.
The Robin stayed this winter
I need to catch a picture.
My generation is older,
We look outside
hoping for spring.
Tom's leg swells and he limps around.
My bones feel frozen so I swim
to keep them moving.
I worry about those creaking bones
closing up permanately.
I think my spirit is impatient
with such non-working parts and
want to push out expanding my borders
while I worry...
Knowing the freedom I wonder about,
My spirit escapes at times and
soars and dips in wonder.
But wait! I am not quite ready
I will hold off a bit more
get more creaky and unsteady
and hold on to this amazing world.
I will exercise a bit more.
A storm is supposedly brewing today,
but only a few flakes fall.
They are light, wispy, and lovely.
I expand as they fall
and love the spot I am in.
I love this lovely spot.

LaRae's Baby Painting

This has always been my favorite painting of LaRae's.
I decided to post in honor of her new great grandchild Taylee Rae.
LaRae painted it years ago when I was nursing
my children (and reading books).
Now her granddaughter is a new nursing mom.
Great grandma and child share the same month
the 12th and 31st..January.
We all look forward to what this little
girl is all about.

2nd edition

Cheryl brought back the Boulder Schools
book for me to check for error one more time.
This is a suggested new cover.
Looks all right to me. Looking again,
the lower picture could go...just have the
school room there. What do you think????

Irene's Crash Site

Do all of you easily recognize
this ledge as Irene's crash site?
The road no longer goes that way.
I wondered if I should add it
to her crash story.
Not having a road...only the
ledge showing where
without the dropoff
would it add to the story?
I am trying to think of
last minute items...what to add,
what not.
For you that don't know
my mother and Grandmother were
on their way to Escalante
to pick up a bull in the
big truck when
the brakes failed.
She said a voice told her to
'put it on the ledge'
as the dropoff on the other side
would kill them both.
She bounced off the ledge
three times then held it there
She said it moved the truck bed
back seven inches.
Grandma's head flew back
into the window and knocked her out
for a bit. Both lived and
were not injured.
Vote. Does the picture stay or go??

THE FISH - LaRae

I am passing this modern fish on
to Steve and Colby,
the real fishermen.
The water broke before I could
put it up, so I have stored
it away...but it is time
to pass on the fish.
It is the year of the FISH in Boulder
they have killed off the Brook trout,
the Rainbow trout, all the odd fish
to be replaced by Colorado Cutthroat
in mountain streams.
What makes them so unique? So special?
I thought the Rainbow was King of Trout.
But no. What do I know?
I just hope the Cutthroat makes
a fisherman's dream come true!
2010 - the year of the FISH.
LaRae's fish is swimming to Boulder
with all those Fisherman's Paradise
Fish.
I hope Cheryl can put it together
or replace the water, so the fish
can swim once more!