Goodbye 2022
10 years ago Queen Elizabeth 2nd named 2012 Annus Horriblus - well in some ways that could be said of 2022 with a war and a continuing pandemic….
However the 8th day of chanukah and Christmas Day 2022 met in a blaze of light. And almost real Winter finally hit Naples Florida after 8 years of living here. Both good reasons to feel gratitude and have a laugh.
And we can start fresh in 2023!
THE COLDEST FLORIDIAN DAY
The bight red cardinal wonders why
he flew all this way south
when he could have sat
on bird feeders in Connecticut.
The iguana on the tree
falls to the ground mumbling
To the perching cardinal
“it feels like Christmas.”
The alligator slips into the heated pool
Eyeing the people in the hot tub.
The brown bear thinks to himself.
Finally my coat is perfect for Florida
and the hunters will stay away.
THE SEASON OF LIGHT AND GRATITUDE
It is easy to take for granted
The freedoms so solidly planted.
The Constitution and Bill of Rights
mostly help to avoid the fights
We see now in countries like Iran.
where rulers have another plan
The list is long:
Russia, China, North Korea
Autocrats ruling using fear.
We take for granted freedoms to choose
Where we go, what we do,
What we see, what we hear,
What we buy, what we give,
Here it is just how we can live.
The gratitude we have opens hearts
Making for easy smiles and laughs
We can see natures beauty all around
Go places full of bird songs sound
And others where silence is profound
At times intentionally taking no phone
I can feel truly quiet and alone
Watching silver mullets jumping high
Ospreys swooping to catch them on the fly
Anhingas perched in the cypress tree
egrets and herons still as statues,
staring through the water patiently waiting.
As the sun sets with streaks of gold and red
The waders know they will be soon fed
Their prey does not dread,
that their future is dead.
Ours however is full of hope,
Whatever happens in 2023 we can cope.
Because we have freedom of choices
we can listen and speak our own voices,
As long as we are honest and open hearted
These freedoms remain, they have not departed
REMEMBERING FOOTSTEPS
I love walking:
moors, marshes, deserts
Snowy mountains, rocky hills
Through evergreen forests
Through knee high grasses
Meadows and fields
On paths crossing sensitive tundra
Colorful blooming heathers
Tropical swamps with wild orchids
Buzzing jungles, eyes watching
Every experience, new and exciting
Give more reasons
To feel gratitude
for the choices made
The opportunities granted
The life I have been given.
And for our planet earth
Stepping into 2023
I will do what ever I can
to protect our earth
For all its creatures
and generations to come
FLORIDA WINTER
A frigid storm hit most of the country.
We did not escape scot free.
After hurricane IAN and lots of mold
now we get days, Grey dreary and cold
Soon depressed, turning on the heating
sounds of Floridians like sheep bleating.
The sun stopped rising it seems
like nightmares and bad dreams.
Finally our sun returns, our skin burns
abandon these sweaters and pants
for shorts, T shirts and playing tennis
T’was only 4 days in Florida
Imagine 4 months in Maine
I might just go insane
It’s Time to get out again
as the morning sun glows
Gratitude freely flows
No wonder the Iguanas fell
I bet they are happy now too.
©MartinStrasmore2022