Diction: Task Medley

Catching up on assorted tasks,
From grocery shopping,
To food preparation
To sewing patches and mending shirts;

These ordinary chores
Take on such beauty
When seen through opened eyes,
When light shines through the disguise,

For then one sees
How marvelous the mundane is,
That we can go through such motions
As if they were devotions;

Each tiny effort
That we make,
Is like another miracle
Of form and action shaped,

Then delight infuses all we do,
Creating each moment anew,
In every movement of the hand
Is such music to the mind;

Knowing getting involved and standing back,
Are just complementary modes
And nothing serious to hold
But only a game that takes a little knack.

What a great way to strive,
When what we need to do to survive
Becomes a celebratory act
Of reveling in being alive;

So often I’ve dreamed of a day
When I could work only for fun
But now today what I formerly thought tedious
Has been transformed into
A multitude of means through which to express joy.

Diary: Beneficial Recollecting

The mind is sleepy
And caught up in reverie,
Memories percolate and drip
Like water from melting ice,

Thinking back to former times,
Winter holidays spent in warmer climes,
When Grandmother tricked me
Into going clothes shopping;

I was really mad
But she had a way with me,
She was so clever
That I also admired her ingenuity;

She bought me a suede suit jacket
With matching shirts and pants,
Then we walked back to the hotel
Where the family was staying.

The jacket I have still,
Although it no longer fits me;
It should probably go to Goodwill
But I hesitate to part with it.

It’s amazing how we continue to hold on
To reminders of days long gone
And to our recollections of people who
Are no longer present.

These remembrances may comfort us,
Or anger, disconcert or dismay
Depending upon their nature and our reactivity
But either way may be difficult to let go of,

Their hold can be quite strong,
Can even oppress us,
But such reminiscing can also be learned from
And this wisdom applied skillfully
Can bring many benefits.

Devour: Drinking in

Relief and ease up well,
As rest replaces restlessness
And energy is replenished,
Making way for further exertion,

Meanwhile nature arranges a blizzard,
Reveling in the chaos
Snowflakes come out and play,
Performing a celebratory dance upon the wind,

And after watching this show for a while,
I put on one of my own,
Moving about the kitchen
Measuring out ingredients and chopping vegetables;

As the snow piles up,
So do the contents of my cooking pot,
My colourful answer to
The weather’s gray and white display;

We work together at our respective tasks,
Spontaneously, joyfully,
And as the stew comes to completion
The snow slows to a trickle,

And sitting comfortably with my tray
I take time to observe the frosty display,
Fluffy drifts blowing
Creating spirals in space;

Then I turn to tasting the results of my efforts,
Savouring the many flavourings,
Appreciating the varied textures
And the simple satisfaction of a carefully prepared meal;

But soon now I will join the outdoor festival,
Donning my winter gear
And stepping lively,
Inhaling deeply the invigorating air.