Bundle and Unbundle

Winter Has Come (and Gone)

When all the hardwood trees are bare,

And your breath is seen in the air,

Winter has come.

When the shortest daylight of the year,

Is followed by festive Christmas cheer,

Winter has come.

When snow is blanketing the ground,

And a new calendar year comes around,

Winter has come.

When you bundle up to step outside,

Or by the fireplace you reside,

Winter has come.

The winter is cold; the hot chocolate is sweet,

With a hat on your head; warm socks on your feet,

A scarf round your neck, your outfit is complete,

Winter has come.

Then slowly, but surely, your coat is not needed,

Nor is the scarf and hat; they are superseded,

By a light jacket or favorite cardigan sweater,

To bundle up is nice, but to unbundle is better,

It is a feeling of freedom to no longer shiver,

The comfortable weather of spring flows in like a river,

Soon the grass is greening, and the flowers are blooming,

Winter is gone, I am assuming.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  12/25/2018

Be Crafty

Happy Rocks

Being an *artisan, I have taken to task many handmade crafts,

Some turned out well; some were just for laughs,

I tend to scan Pinterest for ideas to make,

There are millions of them, for goodness' sake,

I saw one I thought was particularly easy,

Stay with me here-this is going to sound cheesy:

White round, smooth, small landscape rocks, available to me,

I needed to craft something with them, imperatively,

I painted each rock a bright color and then,

I wrote an encouraging word with a black sharpie pen,

Words like “hope”, “love”, “dream”, “smile”, “joy”,

Happy rocks I called them, for all ages, girl or boy,

I placed a rock or two in the grass nearby an entrance door,

At the dentist office, the bank, the thrift store and more,

I imagined who would find it, and if they’d reach down,

If they’d smile to themselves; if the rock erased their frown,

When I returned to those places, the happy rocks were gone,

And I felt pretty sure that they had found a second home.

Maybe in someone's cup holder riding in their car,

Who knows just where they really are?

Tammy Harvey

Written:  12/25/2018

*"self-proclaimed" artisan.

A Call for Take-out

Kiss the Cook

Although I have many a recipe book,

I am really and truly not a cook,

Talents, I may have a few,

But cooking is not one, I’m telling you,

I can open a can; heat some soup,

Pour a bowl of Fruity Loops,

Microwave a frozen dinner,

But at 59 years young, I’m just a beginner,

Peanut butter and jelly, yes, no problem there,

A can of biscuits, frozen peas, okay, and be aware,

I can make deviled eggs and an omelet that’s tasty,

It’s got to be simple and it needs to be hasty,

Time in the kitchen I don’t enjoy spending,

And then there’s the clean-up always pending,

I serve mac-n-cheese from a box, and once more,

I don’t like to shop at the grocery store,

I do like to eat though; I really do,

But not what I cook, I’m telling you,

I can toss a salad, grill a burger and make sweet tea,

Fry some bacon, flip some pancakes, but between you and me,

I’d rather eat someone else’s cuisine,

I just don’t have the cooking gene!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  11/22/2018

Dream Small (Josh Wilson)

I have to credit a song I heard on the radio called Dream Small by Josh Wilson.  That song helped inspire this poem, along with the true story of finding a blue jay feather.

The two just seemed to fit together like a glove.

Blue Jay Feather

Walking in the backyard, I find a blue jay feather,

It is February, but we are enjoying 80-degree weather,

The blue feather stands out against the wintry ground cover,

It is a glorious silver lining; a beautiful way to discover,

The wonder of nature; the magical changing of seasons,

I could go on and on, for there are plenty of reasons,

Infinite reasons to find joy in the smallness,

The simple, the unnoticed; they bring me a wholeness,

Remember, “a tiny rock can make a giant fall “,

So, don’t forget to “dream small”,

A journey begins with one step in front of the other,

Encouraging your neighbor, sister or brother,

Magnificence can be seen in a tiny lady bug,

In a dandelion, or in a grandmother’s hug,

Dreams that are big are certainly desirable,

While still including the small ones; undeniable,

When you find the blue jay feather in your day,

You can smile inside and simply say,

One day at a time; that is all,

I won’t forget to dream small.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  2/7/2019

Write On!

Writing is Healing

It heals my heart to write about both the hurts, 
and the joys of my life,

After 33 years, I quickly am a widow, no longer a wife,

But too, I have become a grandparent,

The dichotomy here is quite apparent,

As everyone does, I have highs and lows,

But peaks and valleys, as everyone knows,

Is a part of life, and I purpose that . . .

I can’t really appreciate the mountaintop,

If I’ve never fallen down like a raindrop,

Romans 5:4 states:

Sufferings build perseverance,

Perseverance builds character,

Character builds hope,

Romans 12:12 says: Be joyful in hope,

Patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer,

So, like a domino effect, the chain reaction is clear,

Our sufferings, ultimately produce hope, without fear,

A joyful hope, that coupled with patience and prayer,

Can get us through anything, anywhere,

Writing is healing,

I encourage you to write what you are feeling.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  11/30/2018