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Appreciating Life
by Jean Calkins
from Win Place Show, Volume 4 (2004)
When reaching senior years, each day we rise
becomes a day of subtle compromise.
We dare not wait for anniversaries
to recognize our lives have boundaries.
Each day is a new gift, significant
in its own right. Life has begun its slant
our energy has found excuse to flee.
Each grandchild born becomes a precious thing;
our flights of fancy need supportive wing
to find their way to ultimate release.
Each dawn begins a search for perfect peace.
As limitations slow activity,
We find new meaning in simplicity.
When hills turn into mountains, still we climb
the necessary barriers of time.
Each birthday is a challenge issued us
to reach another. We may fume and fuss
beneath the added burdens we perceive,
while showing an unwillingness to leave
our questions for descendants to define.
Their answers might pursue a different line
than we would choose. Each day I will renew
my passion to continue as I view
formidable illusions of this plane,
until I feel I’ve nothing more to gain.
When Iris Bloom
by Jean Calkins
from It Ain’t Over (2011)
When iris bloom, my heart takes flight,
All too aware that winter’s blight
Has flown, to welcome spring revived,
Grateful beauty has survived
That period of endless night.
Like flags they fly, a splendid sight
I somehow feel that all is right.
The time of beauty has arrived
When iris bloom.
I cannot help but find delight;
There’s nothing here that’s slightly trite.
The finest season has arrived
Deleting months through which I strived.
My dreams and wishes all shine bright
When iris bloom.
The Four Cats
Four men were bragging about how smart their cats were.
The first man was an Engineer,
The second man was an Accountant,
The third man was a Chemist, and
The fourth man was a Government Employee.
To show off, the Engineer called his cat, “T-square, do your stuff.” T-square pranced over to the desk, took out some paper and a pen and promptly drew a circle, a square, and a triangle.
Everyone agreed that was pretty smart.
But the Accountant said his cat could do better. He called his cat and said, “Spreadsheet, do your stuff.” Spreadsheet went out to the kitchen and returned with a dozen cookies. He divided them into 4 equal piles of 3 cookies. Everyone agreed that was good.
But the Chemist said his cat could do better. He called his cat and said, “Measure, do your stuff.” Measure got up, walked to the fridge, took out a quart of milk, got a 10 ounce glass from the cupboard and poured exactly 8 ounces into the glass without spilling a drop.
Everyone agreed that was pretty good.
Then the three men turned to the Government Employee and said, “What can your cat do?”
The Government Employee called his cat and said, “Coffee Break, do your stuff.”
Red Duck??
A Kindergarten teacher handed out a coloring page to her class. On it was a picture of a duck holding an umbrella. The teacher told her class to color the duck in yellow and the umbrella in green.
However, Bobby, the class rebel, colored the duck in a bright fire truck red. After seeing this, the teacher asked him: “Bobby, how many times have you ever seen a red duck?”
Young Bobby replied with, “The same number of times I’ve seen a duck holding an umbrella.”
Colophon
impressions by hal is published for the sole enjoyment of NAPA members, and anyone else with nothing better to do, using Microsoft Word 13 pt. Garamond, and published on a Model 3770 Risograph, at Olde Harold’s Copie Shoppe in Pennsboro, WV 26415. The editor is Harold L. Shive, at greater uptown Pennsboro, WV 26415. Any comments will be entertained.