In the Card Store

I went into a card store
Just to buy a simple card,
But I never realized such a chore
Would turn out so damned hard!

There were many cards that played a tune
And some meant to be funny;
Yet none of them appealed to me
And all cost too much money!

Cards for Boss Day – what is that?
And lots for Halloween;
I’m sure there must be cards to honor
Each day in between.

I saw some cards congratulating
People for divorce,
And cards expressing sympathy –
For dogs and cats, of course!

There were lots of candles, calendars
And costumes by the crate;
Confetti, crowns, balloons and bows
To help you celebrate.

The only thing the store did lack –
It failed, in this regard –
Was a simple, touching, inexpensive
Plain old birthday card.

I spent close to an hour,
As necessity demanded,
But despite my best intentions
I departed empty-handed!

Hot Coffee

Coffee should be HOT, HOT, HOT!
Man, I hate when it is not.
Often, what I find’s the norm
Is coffee in the pot, served warm.

Drip pots don’t hold heat so well;
Trust me, I can always tell.
Thermoses are not that good
At keeping heat in, like they should.

Urns for crowds can be all right
If you indulge right at the light.
Percolators pass the test –
Electric ones stay hot the best.

Still, for brews that warm you up,
The only way to drink a cup
Is at the moment it is made –
For then, its joys are all displayed:

Aroma, depth and steaming heat –
A drink to make your day complete.
It should be hot as hot can be;
If not, then I’ll say – none for me!

Ready

Sometimes one is ready
And the other one’s not quite.
You have to find a middle ground
Or there could be a fight.

It might be just a small event –
All set to watch a show?
Or something more substantial,
Like vacation – when to go?

Even bigger fish to fry
Need unity, not “maybe” –
Like readiness to wed
Or when it’s time to have a baby.

When one is ready but the other’s
Otherwise engaged,
It’s likely that an argument
Is waiting to be waged.

The problem can be solved, of course,
By compromise and giving.
Negotiations, back and forth,
Define the crux of living.

Eventually there comes a time
When patience, calm and steady,
Enables those involved to realize
Both are finally ready.

Progressives

My glasses are progressives
So my vision can adjust;
Whether I am close or distant,
I see everything I must.

Yet a thought came to me suddenly –
How special it would be
If progressives had the power
To cross decades when we see.

Tilt your head into your childhood,
Focus straight into the now;
With a slight alignment left or right,
Last year would pop up – wow!

Just imagine all the prospects
If, by staring, we could get
To a vision of the future time
That hasn’t happened yet.

Now, I’d spring for such progressives –
They’d be magical, indeed;
But I guess they’d only work
If also, they would help us read!

The Roots

Though you are there and I am here
By choices we’ve elected,
You’re with me still, inside my head,
Because we are connected.

I feel like you’re right next to me
Amidst the park’s lush greenery.
I walk the route we always take,
Delighting in the scenery.

I’m not alone, though no one else
Is strolling by my side.
I picture every step you’d take
To match me, stride by stride.

I like to know at times we move
In opposite directions,
Our separate selves made stronger by
The roots of our connections.

An Empty Wall

I need an empty wall or two
To hang the things I find.
Sometimes, just for lack of space,
I leave those things behind:

Ceramics at an artists’ shop,
A crafted metal tree;
A painting in the softest colors
There could ever be.

Some photographs set in a frame,
A poster of the city;
There isn’t one more inch of room
And really, it’s a pity.

Somebody once suggested that
I take some objects down;
But that suggestion, sad to say,
Was countered with a frown.

I love each item on my walls
And so they shall remain;
But if I had an extra wall,
I’d add to my domain!

My PIN

I wanted to reserve a book
But I forgot my PIN.
The library reserving site
Just would not let me in.

I typed my bar code, typed my name,
Gave several PINS a try;
But every one I entered
Simply would not satisfy.

I finally gave in and called;
A human did reset it.
I gave some numbers on the phone
But really, I don’t get it.

If PINS are such a secret,
Why was I allowed to share
My new number with a stranger?
That seems weird beyond compare.

Still, he helped me to reserve my book,
So now I can begin
To remember my new number
Next time I am asked my PIN.