Big square states

Minnesota is not square. I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

When I worked

On the East Coast,

Only once

On the East Coast,

The middle of the country

Was referred to as

“The big square states”

Until the West Coast,

Which of course

Was California

Or north

Of California.

I grew up

In a big square state

Which was

Not square.

At a distance

It takes time to figure out what to do in the face of tragedy...hurricanes...tsunamis...earthquakes. I read people saying these are signs of the "End Times." This is not the first time the "End Times" have been predicted. Here in the Midwest things are relatively quiet. We will see what comes to pass. In the meantime we pray and figure what we are called to do in this meantime.

We watch from a distance

But not too far.

It is quiet here

In the Midwest.

No storms

No hurricanes

No tsunamis

No earthquakes.

We watch from a distance

But not too far

To care

Not too far

To pray

Not too far

To know we are blessed.

Others

Are scared

And wet

And covered in rubble.

We will need

To figure out

In the quiet

At a distance

What it means to know

We are blessed,

To know

What to do.

What happens after Z?

Praying for family in Florida. I do wonder what happens after 26 storms are named, or if 26 tropical storms have never, ever, been identified in one year.

They all have names

From the list.

What happens after Z?

I assume

It starts

All over again.

WXYZ

Have been lost

In the wind and rain,

In the floods,

In the eyes,

In all the weather,

Which cannot possibly

Be a result

Of global warming.

Which can never ever

Be explained.

Vanilla milkshake

Taking things one step at a time, with assistance. We all need assistance,

Back into fall

Yes

A new season

New old shoes

They sort of fit

My feet.

My beloved makes sure

I only take it

One step

At a time,

Although I

Would move faster

Than that.

Still

This is what

My beloved is for:

To sit outside

The therapist’s office,

Take me for

A milkshake, vanilla,

When I am done.

One milkshake

At a time.

Threes and fives

I understand decorators say pictures should be placed on walls in threes and fives, Objects on shelves in threes and fives, It's a feng shui thing, along with keeping ones back to the door. I am a fan of ones and twos on occasion. My back is often to the door.

She says everything

Should be

In threes and fives.

We have a lot

Of ones and twos

So we can pay attention

To them

More easily.

Feng shui

Says threes and fives,

Keep your back

To the wall,

Face to the door,

Or at least have a mirror

So no one

Can creep up on you

From behind,

Even if the door

Is locked.

Threes and fives.

Face the door.

Variable

How to predict what is connected?

The weather has been

As variable

As my moods.

They rarely

Go together.

I wish I could tell

Which was which:

Cold and rainy might mean

Dull and cloudy;

Warm and sunny might mean

Pleasant and cheery

A smile for everyone

I encounter.

No

They rarely

Go together.

If it were only so

I could predict

What is coming.

As it is

It feels almost

Whimsical.

Remembering

I try my best not to lose things in a ditch.

I remember most things.

Other things I count on

Other people

To remember,

Remind me,

When

They are important.

Perhaps it is this way

With others.

I like to think

I remember things,

Important things

For others

Lest they lose them

In a ditch

In a stream

Give them away

Before it’s time

For them to go.