Certain People

Certain people in our lives 
Help ease the days along.
Without them, we might flounder 
And might not seem quite so strong.

They often are unheralded
Yet all the things they do
Allow us, with our challenges,
To somehow make it through.

And when they sometimes disappear,
For reasons of their own, 
We mourn the loss of comfort
And security we've known.

But sadly, our acceptance
Of the truth makes a demand
That our minds make peace with knowledge
That our hearts can't understand. 

Written for Noreen O'Connor, a devoted former 
employee of Abbott House, an organization that runs the
group home of which my daughter is a resident
(she was let go) and Dario Jaquez, a doorman in
my building I've known since 1976 (he just retired).

Without a Warning

Without a warning, you can find
Your life completely changed
And all your daily habits
More than likely rearranged.

An unexpected illness,
Loss of job, divorce or stroke
May surprise and then accost you
While your plans go up in smoke.

Though we know that nothing’s certain,
Still, what bothers me the most
Is one minute you are coasting
And the next one you are toast.

It's a Wrap

I’m not too swift at wrapping gifts
But I make an attempt,
So therefore from critiques I think
That I should be exempt.

I purchase pretty paper
Though I rarely splurge on bows,
Yet sometimes tie a ribbon ‘round
(Where my ineptness shows).

I then attach a card or else
A gift tag to and from,
Just so the right recipient
Knows whence the gift has come.

Since I take great care when wrapping,
The results may make you scoff.
Still, the best part of a present
Is to rip that paper off!

Vacations

Like a snap of your fingers,
A tiny reprieve,
Vacations transport you
But then you must leave.

And as you head home
There’s a list to be made
Of things to take care of
And bills to be paid.

Of course, it’s a comfort
Resuming routines
But moments will linger
On internal screens.

You’ll find yourself smiling
Remembering those
You met on your travels
Or places you’d pose.

Away time is lovely
With memories made
Though the life back at home
Isn’t one I would trade.

Chanukah On Board

Nine hundred plus are on our ship,
A Viking ocean cruise,
And of the people we had met,
We were the only Jews.

So we were quite surprised that on
Our list of day's events,
Menorah lighting made the grade
And what that represents...

Is Chanukah! For every night,
We light a candle's flame
Consecutively; by day eight,
Our freedom we proclaim.

At six p.m. we showed up and
Were pleasantly surprised
To find another couple
And some Chanukah supplies -

A challah,* Chanukiah,**
Yarmulkes*** and kosher wine;
Jelly donuts, plates of latkes****
And a lit menorah sign.

Some pamphlets held the blessings
And a few more people showed.
We sang and lit the candles;
Their electric flame-bulbs glowed.

How wonderful to celebrate
An ancient joyous rite 
With a bunch of strangers linked on board
On Chanukah's first night.

*a special twisted bread
**a special menorah (candelabra) used on Chanukah
***skullcaps worn by men
****potato pancakes eaten on Chanukah

In Tuscany

The cypress trees stand sentinel,
Protecting all the vines
So all who visit Tuscany
Can drink those lovely wines.

A walled-in city dating back
For seven hundred years
Holds ancient secrets filled with life's
Exuberance and tears.

We stroll the streets and marvel at
The remnants that survive,
Imagining inhabitants 
Once vibrant and alive.

We gaze out at the scenery,
So lush and manicured,
With cypress trees on guard
So future tastings are assured.

Splurge

Have a beer and fries with lunch,
Then a piece of chocolate cake.
How much can a person eat?
Though it seems like a mistake...

It's not quite, but just because 
There's a reason to indulge.
When you're on vacation, you
Don't think about a budding bulge.

Try a bit of this and that;
Add gelato or some pie.
If your pants won't zip, at least
You'll have a solid reason why.

Do not fret -instead, enjoy!
You're away; don't fight the urge.
In a flash, you'll be back home,
So on vacation - splurge, splurge, splurge!