300 miles away

Heard of your acrobatic display

Reaching, reaching

On tippy toes

Over overflowing gutters

For leaves

From a bygone winter

While using a long rested ladder

No recorded evidence

Of this feat

Cell phone cameras all around

But not for this remarkable

Event

By an individual not far removed

From my years

I envy you as my children

Have removed all my ladders

Hope this note

Does not alert yours

And your days of senior aerobics

Come crashing to an end

Before you do

FXC 4/25/19

Copyright

Life events

Change one’s direction continually

Births, deaths,

Annotated by birthdays, graduations, marriages, divorces

The playing cards we our all dealt

Seem to have been distributed so haphazardly

You and I are no exception

“In good times and bad, in sickness and health”

Has always applied

Those times and days will not end till we do

But today we again contemplate

US

Too many times we have listened as loved ones

In their waning moments have spoken

Of ones they have missed and miss

And now we miss them

It has to be today my sweet love

That we make our lives

As we want them to be

That we commit to each other

As we did so many years ago

Let’s not let another day go by

We might regret

Let This Day be Our Day

FXC 6/23/19

Copyright

So today Sunday June 23rd

Is the longest day

4:30 AM eyelids opened

At least inside my head

Then realized my day has started

Just the way it is

Delicious hot coffee

No one interrupting my thoughts

Seemingly endless time

To over plan the day

With activities that can’t possibly be completed

Or afforded

Have no desire to share this time

Know of people

Actually in close proximity

Whose longest day does not start till 10

At least that is AM

Often wondered if a longer day

Would allow more work or even more fun

It is nice if the weather cooperates

Creating the possibility of a well lit morning walk

Nonetheless it does seem as if extra effort is required

To squeeze just a little bit more

Alas the template of a day that begins at 4:30

Will return a body to that same position

At 8:30 PM

Making for a regular day

If the blinds are pulled

Trying to fool Mother Nature!

As the eyes slowly close and

Put an end to the Longest Day

FXC 6/23/19

Copyright

You would think

That tears would dry up

When understanding

You had to go

And yet

My heart is still entwined

With your smile

Your voice

Your sweetly wrinkled face

I know too well

This had to be

That the gift of you

Would be unwrapped

On your final day

Mostly through wet eyes

Gratitude flows

And happiness

That your beautiful

Beautiful journey

Begins another

And yes, yes

I will always love you

Mary Becker!

FXC 6/17/19

Copyright

Wandered into the splash park at the zoo

Grandchild in toe

Or maybe it was the reverse

Beautiful summer like day

When my name was vigorously called

And then called again

My eyes quickly located you

You who I immediately recognized

Despite not haven seen you in 27 years

Hugs yes more than one

Golly you bring back such joy and happiness

You were always like that

A flat out good person

Caring for others

Thinking of others first

My vision of what a human should be

There are those who think only of themselves

Disregard others

You define the good in life

Thank the Lord for you

FXC 6/7/19

Copyright

There is a class of people

Never are alone

Always have someone to talk to

Basically a built in best friend

TWINS

A marvel of creation

A matched set of these

Live kitty corner to me

Young, yes 6 is really young

Riding bikes up and down the cul-de-sac

Jumping into the mud puddles in torrential rain

And inevitably curious

Questioning as if with my age I had inherited wisdom

For instance one afternoon

One of the twins

Okay, okay so I can’t tell them apart

Asked me if I thought he was a blur when he rode by

I assured him he did indeed look like a blur

But when I started my daily walk

Questioned him if he thought I might be a blur

To which he replied

“I don’t think so”

Probably good thing

I don’t know which one said that to me

FXC 5/28/19

Copyright

So many times

Sat across from you

In this very room

Playful banter and teasing

Fifty years is a long time

To share the joys and sorrow of life

Many struggles, many dreams

Though our circles were concentric

Similar goals

But now time has intervened

To try to steal you away

That just can’t happen

This is your room

Where you hold forth

With both wisdom and love

Shared generously

You came back today

You will come again

To stay where you belong

To hold and embrace us

I love you Mary Becker

FXC 5/27/19

Copyright

So many times

Had visited the dentist

Never really paid much attention

To the staff at the desk

But one day managed to look up

And notice a delightful vision

Wavy, red hair on a radiant smiling face

Presumed everyone received the same smile

But over time I wandered maybe, just maybe if

That smile was meant for me

No real conversation was ever engaged

Just daydreaming on my part

Wondered how to engineer

A possible word or two with her

Nothing really brilliant came to mind

Knew forever I could really stumble

Trying to start a conversation

But my need to just hear her voice

Overwhelmed me

This appointment I would say something

Maybe “Hi” or something original like that

Passed her on my way to the dental chair

Finally it was time to schedule my next appointment

But at the desk she had disappeared

Embarrassed myself by scanning the whole room

With furrowed brow I asked

“Where did everyone go”

Consolidation of jobs was the response

My rising idiotic passion was deflated

As I realized

She had just walked out the door

FXC 5/27/19

Copyright

Never know it, to look at you

Sure you have children

With treated hair

But 69

Not possible

I’m 69 and creaking

Your face hasn’t changed

In my memory

I call Julie and the same wistful smile

The same demure eyes look in my direction

Always assuring of your love

Forget the past 50 years

Too much time has gone to remember

Only this moment

This embrace

Holding you and never letting go

17 when I met you

Our grandparents weren’t even the age we are now

Too much to comprehend

We know now how much life doesn’t make sense

And yet when I hold you

On your birthday

So tightly

It is perfectly clear

We are such a matched set

I love you Julie Becker

FXC 5/19/19

Copyright

Tell me you are 25

And know what a hip flexor is

That would reveal that you

Are a medical student

That was about the age

Of the medical professional

Treating me for hip flexor issues

Didn’t even know I had hip flexors

Or what they were for

Until twenty years without riding a bike

Decided to get back on my Fuji Touring bike

A model of efficiency and beauty

Standing next to the bike in shorts stretched full

Gave the order to my right leg to lift over the bar

Nothing moved

As if the signal was never sent

The connection lost

That is impossible

Finally was reduced to laying the bike down

To straddle and pull the bike up

Well now the confidence was gone

If the leg would not rise over the bike

Doubts arose as to the legs pumping the bike

Scanning the area behind the garage

To make sure no one had seen this lunacy

Laid the bike down again to get off

Very unceremoniously

Back in the garage with the bike

Now the search to discover

The possible ailment

Had one trusted discretionary source

My second daughter

A vegetarian and certified health nut

Needless to say I had my diagnosis

And enough yoga poses to last a lifetime

Am I back on the bike yet

Not quite but I have hope

As my condition confirmed by my

25 year old medical professional

Oh yeah

Your hip flexor

Runs from your lower back

To your femur

Something like that

FXC 5/18/19

Copyright