Windshield Wipers

Most of them go side to side
In rhythm and together,
To keep our visibility
In wet or wintry weather.

But some go from the corners in
And meet right in the middle,
Like bows quick-drawn across the strings
Of cello, bass or fiddle.

In “Wheels on the Bus,” the sound they make
Is “swish swish swish,” although
Reality must disagree -
But that’s the way things go.

No matter, they are useful tools
When driving in the rain.
Without their help, a rainy road trip
Sure would be insane!

Ah, Youth!

Younger people slake their thirst - 
No reason to endure it - 
With water or another drink
As quick as they procure it.

But older folk will agonize
Although they may secure it,
'Cause if they drink enough to quench,
Their bladders just can't store it.

Though young and old alike may share
A quenching-thirst ability,
It's only older ones who care
'Bout where's the next facility.

Neck and Neck

In competition, neck and neck
They held each other's pace.
The crowd was rooting silently
The whole entire race.

The both of them so well-prepared,
They'd practiced and they'd trained,
So every possibility
Their brains had entertained.

The final minutes soon approached
And I was thrilled to see
Both Vanya* and Gokul* were winners
Of the Spelling Bee!


*Vanya Shivashankar and Gokul Venkatachalam
were declared co-winners of the 2015
Scripps National Spelling Bee last night.

Writing a Poem

This is what I need to write –
A pencil and a pad
And someplace where the background noise
Won’t drive me friggin’ mad.

Of course I need a topic
Which will get my brain in gear
Or else from my surroundings,
Inspiration may appear.

The first line leaps like lightning
From the pencil to the page.
The rest proceeds more slowly
As the thoughts and rhymes engage.

But the ending, ah the ending
Is the toughest nut to crack,
The point where many chuck it all
And let the words go slack.

So oftentimes I’ll read my poem
Again and yet again
Until I find a way to end
And then I’ll say – amen!

Garlic Knots

A garlic knot, when nice and hot,
Is something that I like a lot.
One little bite brings pure delight
And ramps my taste buds outta sight.

The oil does ooze and helps infuse
Each bite with flavor as one chews.
It makes a mess but nonetheless,
It’s worth a stain on shirt or dress.

A health food nut will spew his gut
On why such knots are evil, but
He might just find he’d change his mind
If on one garlic knot he dined!

New Sneaks

My new striped sneakers might be cool
Or creepy, I can’t tell.
The price was right and socks or not,
They fit me very well.

With rounded toe and laces black
And soles both thick and white,
They make my feet resemble boats
Yet still, they look all right.

I hemmed and hawed inside the store
And then made my decision,
Expecting that my spouse would look
At them with some derision.

But he was undecided, too,
So this was his reply:
“Pharrell* could wear those and on him,
You know they’d look real fly**.”

They’re on my feet right now and there
They will reside a spell;
But still, they might be creepy -
After all, I’m no Pharrell!

*Pharrell Williams
**cool (not my husband’s exact words, I must admit!)

Happy Days

Good friends, good food, good weather - hey,
What more could one desire?
(I guess I'd add close family ties
Or else I'd be a liar!)

But hanging out with those you like
Or even those you love 
Is what the stuff of happy days 
Appears to be made of.

An anecdote, a sip of wine
And some camaraderie
In comfortable surroundings
Is the perfect day for me.

How lucky if you have the chance
To laugh, relax and schmooze*
And for the icing on the cake -
It's nice to have some booze!

*converse