Acquiring Art

Buying some art to hang up on a wall
Does require some courage and daring.
You have to be sure that you love it enough
It won’t cause you regret or despairing.

If you choose with your heart, disregarding your head,
You’ll forgive yourself after a while;
‘Cause each time that you look at the purchase you’ve made,
It will, hopefully, bring forth a smile.

I don’t buy art too often – my walls are all full;
But when something just grabs me and yanks,
I will sometimes give in and when it’s hanging up,
Every time I walk by, I’ll give thanks.

What’s amazing to me is how one person’s choice
Of a painting or sculpture or rug
May be viewed by another, no matter how close,
With a frown or a sneer or a shrug.

Taste is so private it can’t be explained
‘Cause it comes from a place deep inside;
If your gut’s saying no you won’t get it to change –
Doesn’t matter how hard you have tried.

So acquiring art should require no thoughts
Or opinions that should be discussed;
Just lead with your heart and your soul and you’ll find
The approval you know you can trust.

Smile in the Sky

A smile was hanging in the sky
When I glanced up last night.
It seemed so like the Cheshire cat,
It filled me with delight.

I rarely see a moon like that
Back east, where I reside;
And if I said I didn't care,
You'd know that I had lied.

For how could anyone not love
A sky that holds a smile?
Few sights that Nature tosses out
Can really so beguile.

I think it was a waxing moon,
So soon it will grow large;
But it would stay a smile forever
If I were in charge.

Cacti

Nature cleverly provides
Each creature with protection -
Teeth or claws or brains or strength;
It's fodder for reflection.

Plants have means as well to keep
Their enemies at bay.
The cactus, for example,snarls,
You'd better stay away!

No matter what the shape or size,
Each cactus, like a knight,
Has armor in the guise of spikes,
Prepared to jab and fight.

Some thornish spears don't look so sharp
But do not be deceived;
If man or beast should venture close,
He'd surely be aggrieved.

Sneaky succulents they are, though -
They possess the power
To lure an unsuspecting soul
By sprouting quite a flower.

Such gorgeous blossoms' vibrant hues
Attract and then bequeath
Some pain to victims who forgot
There's danger underneath.

We must admire cacti.
They defend and then survive;
In unforgiving places
They do more than live - they thrive.

On a Pink Jeep Tour

Climb aboard and click your belt;
Your guide is set to drive.
Then off you go, just hoping that
You'll make it back alive.

I totally expected
To be petrified, at least;
Instead I just had so much fun,
All worries quickly ceased.

Our leader, David, bounced us
Up on rocks that were so steep,
They seemed impossible to scale -
Except in a pink jeep.

And as we climbed, each vista was
More gorgeous than the last.
To me, this landscape's beauty
Cannot really be surpassed.

Our guide, so fearless and laid back
Was filled with lots of facts;
His charming personality
Made everyone relax.

He posed us in the perfect spots
For photos so amazing,
Our smiles are proof of our sheer joy
At where our eyes were gazing.

I've heard about these tours before
But didn't understand
That I could be transported to
The heart of Red Rocks land.

And man, that heart is beating -
It's spectacular and strong.
Was this the highlight of my trip?
Say no - and you'd be wrong!

Birthday Time

A tree trunk adds another ring;
Some wines gain more cachet.
Medicines inch toward the date
They must be thrown away.

Humans love to celebrate
As each year flutters past,
Especially since we don't know
How long the ride might last.

We cannot ever quite believe -
It's hard to really gauge -
The mirror, though, confirms that yes,
We really are this age!

Today's my birthday - like a tree,
I've got a brand new ring;
A necklace, too, and time ahead
To proudly flaunt my bling.

I'm in a gorgeous setting,
My husband by my side.
Today will be as special as
The heavens can provide.

I'll speak by phone to loved ones
And enjoy a yummy meal.
It's birthday time and happy is
Exactly how I feel.

I check out my reflection -
Yes, this aging hardly flatters;
But I'm alive and kicking and
That's all that really matters!

The Grand Canyon

Grand is insufficient
For the grandeur it exudes;
Yet so is every adjective
Whose power it denudes.

Everybody's seen it
From a camera's point of view;
But expectations don't compare
When it's in front of you.

The vastness and the colors
Simply cannot be described;
Inside you feel such calm
Like an elixir you've imbibed.

'Cause what the pictures don't convey
Is what was most surprising -
A stillness and a peace profound
Not found in advertising.

Just being there reminds us
That to Nature we succumb;
A banquet's on display
And each of us is but a crumb.

Breakfast on the Terrace

Every morning should begin
With chirps and Nature's twitter.
Sometimes it's the simple things
That sparkle, gleam and glitter.

I'm a city person, but
I've always known I've pined
For breakfast on the terrace
Leaving urban stress behind.

With such a smooth beginning,
I can tackle what life deals.
Of course, that's just a fantasy,
But that is how it feels.

Just gazing at the mountains
And listening to the birds,
I feel a calm so deep
I cannot put it into words.