1st principle of life

Some say a flip of the coin

Random chance

Who you are born to

Luck of the draw

Horoscope sign?

DNA

Man or woman

Religion or racial status

Rich or poor

Will dictate one’s success in life

Not quite

Don’t bet yet

As the 2nd principle is that life is not fair

Illness, loss of income, death, little family support

May shred any perceived advantages

Does seem like a rehash of the 1st principle

Probably right

So no matter who you are, where you are

Seems as if we are swimming in a primordial soup

Periodically even I become discouraged by this thought

Yet, yet, thank the Lord there is a third principle

Any chance there is a life jacket

A lifeline or life jacket

That will sustain us

Just one

You

All of us,are fighting to be on Page 1

Have the most money, the best children, the one true God, the right political party, ad infinitum

No real winner in this life, so just a thought

Bet on you

You are the only one

Peering within

To demand, secure in a fight to be you

Bet on you

FXC frankxcameron.com 1/3/2021 Copyright

Actually I owe you a lot eldest child

Your impending arrival spurred a matrimonial event

Though there were those who labeled you challenged

They hardly knew that was not an impediment to you

Finishing school, riding a bus, living on your own

Same job for over thirty years

Home on week ends

Raking leaves, vacuuming, eating meals

Cell phone, FaceTime, Zoom

Sharing your life with us

You have always been there for us, siblings, nieces and nephews

You have had boyfriends but none I needed to have a talk with

Yes, we used to worry but now just enjoy you

As your Grandfather used to sing to you

KaKa Katie!

Frank X Cameron frankxcameron.com 12/25/2020 Copyright

In this very room were creations made for

Children yet to be born, holidays to be celebrated

With fingers once smooth and nimble

Now gnarled and bent

So hard to grasp the depth of one’s feelings

Dreaming, creating proper attire

For cherished loved ones

The spigot of imagination never slowed by time

Only age would tamper production

Dare say fifty years ago, twenty year from now

This room will look the same

As the artist never ceases to imagine

Her models in their newest attire

Around all of us

Are gifts like the seamstress

Christmas year round

Frank X Cameron 12/25/2020 frankxcameron.com Copyright

Now

When this stay at home period began

There seemed to be an element of surprise lurking

Fear became exponential as the unknown stalked

Change of routine was mandatory

New safety precautions instituted

Yet pockets of blessings resided in the corners

Of our new sequestered lives

Time seemed to be the new creation

One in which we could learn languages, games,

Renovate our house, explore, ‘Zoom’ etc.

Develop culinary skills,

Even reinvent our bodies

Exercise equipment to augment our muscles

Was a prerequisite

Forget raking leaves as a muscle builder

Sitting high on a recumbent bike

Or striding confidently on a treadmill

Would produce a well tuned ‘fighting machine’

And the smart apps that would lead us were limitless

Tried a number of them

Found one that was almost

A guarantee to turn the biological clock around

Religiously chased this dream three times a week,

Five times a week then seven

When on the dash of my bike the app flashed

‘You can achieve more health benefits if you ramp up you exercise to 300 minutes a week’

300 minutes a week?

The current pace tempted an early eternal entrance

Maybe this was a ‘transition’ app

Not to be opened before Christmas

Should probably leave well enough alone

And fix dinner

FXC frankxcameron.com Copyright 11/30/20

Hear tell mostly from girls even women

Of the joys, fun, pure delight

Playing with dolls growing up

Sexist though it may be, I understand

Not exactly sure why one would play with inanimate objects

But I suppose boys dressing up as cowboys seems the same

Thought ‘Barbie’ had retired

Seemed my offspring dabbled but then abandoned

Dolls particularly ‘Barbie’

But then she was resurrected by the pandemic

So much time to use

Even iPads and game consoles did not

Satisfy the urge for pseudo interaction

And with two day or even next day delivery guarantees

Facebook, Etsy, Amazon, eBay, etc., etc., could deliver

Copious amounts of dolls, clothes, houses, furniture

Filling up rooms, whole rooms

Yet, this is America lest we forget

The America with horses

‘Barbie’ needed a horse

The horse needed a barn

‘Barbie’s World was now festooned with gates, farm animals

And ‘Barbie’s Barn’

FXC frankxcameron.com Copyright 11/29/20

Wax and wane

Such an apt description of life

But never more so

Than in one’s latter years

Wait a minute?

Later years has a definite number

But that begs the first introspective question

Seemingly there is no rhyme or reason

To longevity

Known those who smoked until 81 before leaving

Others’ lives shortened in vehicle accidents

You read the same headlines

So how does one sense they are in their later years

A few indicators

You are now the eldest in a large extended family

Doctors visits now occur as frequently as a spring rain

Close friends slip away unexpectedly

Difficulty facing the mirror each morning

Even more resistance to accept the image

Grandchildren run circles around you

But now you cheer rather than chase

Alas there comes that quiet reflective moment

That moment your body sets you down

To rest and think

Forever is not really forever

And that’s okay

Love you

Frank X Cameron 11/24/2020 Copyright

frankxcameron.com

Actually 1492 or 1650 would do

Any number of older white men could tell you

That it was important to make a strong America a United States of America

So many had come from so far to procure religious, political, and financial independence

This is America, created by taking it from the Indians

The land worked by those enslaved

A devastating Civil War

And yet just as it has always been

So today these same goals are America‘s capitalism goals

No power on earth or within can’t stop us from achieving our goals

Though we are a nation of immigrants we resent and resist any more immigrants from coming into America

Women got the right to vote in 1919 but will always fight for equal rights

Persons of color no matter how “American” they are have always been discredited

These issues were true during the founding of America and are still bubbling in our political life today

Don’t really have any hope for change

50% on each side of the question

Let’s just pray!!

FXC 11/10/2020 frankxcameron.com Copyright

It often seems that life goes full circle

And yet unbeknownst to us

That circle had been closing for a very long time

A lifetime even as we now look back

This particular round shape currently under consideration is

FOOD

Quite right as there are as many divergent issues about food as there are about politics and religion

Thinking to yourself or reminiscing with a good friend

Actually you could be discussing food with anyone

As food is an acceptable topic around the table

And yet there needs to be an order to the discussion

Just a suggestion

Early memories of food

Family traditions about food

Likes and dislikes

Current alterations to the culinary experience

So why does this matter?

Well some people are tired talking about the weather

Politics and the pandemic are steeped in anxiety

Food is potentially more appealing

Food will always evoke visceral memories

My father ate Limburger cheese and drank buttermilk

That should cause your stomach to curdle just thinking about it

All of us have those type memories or very pleasant reflections

Seems like every family has their own history at the dining table

From saying prayers, please and thank you

To discussing the days events

And for such a gathering there were always rules

Eat everything on your plate, if your late for dinner you don’t eat

But only after children have left the nest

Do discussions start about what was served at the table

Tuna fish casserole, hot dogs with sauerkraut , skillet liver,

Ad infinitum are the examples along with the varied reactions to those memories

Nonetheless we have all moved on

Some dishes were modified, some never copied

And not all have had their personal chef through life

And so it is that though political, health, religious topics permeate

At the end of the day for better or worse

Just one question

What’s for dinner?

Frank X Cameron 10/29/2020 frankxcameron.com Copyright

Did not recollect

Ok I forgot

The annual rite of Christmas

The captivating story of Santa Claus

The reindeer, the midnight ride

Little children understanding

The need to be good

To be rewarded with presents

So often now Facebook, Amazon, Google, etc

Already know what we want

But who exactly knows if we’ve been good

Don’t look in the mirror

Worst liar in the world looking back at you

Just one candidate to decide

Whose been naughty and nice

Yes it is Santa Claus I was told

By an introspective four year old

As she gazed through a Christmas tree display

Santa knows if you’ve been bad PaPa

Didn’t want to tell her

There was a long line of people

Who know if I had been bad

Let’s leave them outside of this conversation

FXC frankxcameron.com 10/12/2020

So indecisive about

The existence of God

Yahweh, a Supreme Being

Life tosses us in so many directions

Good, evil, apathetic

It would seem we cling

To our upbringing or rebel

But ultimately we don’t know

Whether coming or going

Most seem to feel they are the righteous

But the young, the very young

Seem to understand

The purity of goodness

That reaching out with kindness

Is an undeniable eternal gift

Thus my grandchild

Like yours

Can make a cupcake with help

Give it to you

Reaching up eyes searching

Saying

“PaPa I made this green cupcake for you because I know green is your favorite color”

I don’t even want to ask how many hairs on my head

Yes, yes your eyes, your thoughts

Refresh my faith

I love you dear child

FXC 10/2/2020 frankxcameron.com