Poetic Ramblings

A Reason To Smile
 By C.K. Armistead
November 1, 2013

So many reasons
To be sad
These last two
Seasons
Pets lost
Friends lost
A family member lost
Part of town
Eaten
By a storm
But in the midst
Of even the actual storm
I found reasons
To smile
To be grateful
To be humbled
To celebrate this life
Linked by a web
Of electronic signals
I had friends with me
Cheering me on
When things got tough
And in the midst of them
Was the one who
Brought us together,
Connected us
Also wishing me well,
Making me smile.
 At every turn
My friends have been there
Both those I know face to face
And those I have met only
In the ether.
When the chance came
To meet more of them
In person,
I grabbed it gladly.
And I am so grateful
To have had the chance
To spend time with
And hug
And thank in person
Some of those who
Have walked through
These sad seasons
With me.
Especially the one
Who brought us
Together
In the first place.
Thanks, Mr. P.
As you love,
So you are loved.
And I am still smiling.


Blues
By C.K. Armistead
November 2, 2013

The sky was so
Blue
This  morning
As blue as
My Pop's eyes were
As Richie's eyes are
As the eyes
Of my friend
Only seen in person
Once
But so very blue.
At twilight
The blue sky deepens
Deepest blue
Like the Pacific
Like Indigo
Like Matthew's
Eyes
When he looks
At me
True Blue.


Young Guardsmen
By C.K.Armistead
Nov. 3, 2013

When did they get to be so young?
These new recruits just out of basic
On their way to their specialty training.
They're just KIDS.
I have shoes older than these people!
Am I that old? Really?
Makes no sense to me that we
Are sending our children out
To fight the wars of others.
 Seems it's always been this way.
The young pay the price for those
Who stay safely at home.
My own husband
Gave 20 years of his life
To keep this nation free,
So many of us could stay safely home.
While he and his comrades flew repeatedly
Into some dicey situations
Sometimes for practice,
Sometimes with relief supplies,
Mostly just ordinary resupply
Making sure everybody everywhere
Had what they needed
In order to do the dangerous job
Of keeping America free.
They also carried mail. 
Made them really popular
At the more remote places they stopped.
Seems unreal to me that he and I were ever
So young as these kids I saw last month.
God keep them safe
Bless their families with strength and patience
And help all of us remember them
And keep them in our thoughts
And prayers
With gratitude
For their willingness
To do such a difficult job.