When We First Met

 

The Meeting

It seems only yesterday, I attended an employee summer picnic,

Only on the job for one week, twenty-three years young,

Having just moved 7 hours’ drive away from all of my immediate family,

No longer a resident of TN, but a (South) Carolina girl,

Barely settled into my new apartment, alone, on my own, for the first time,

Completed four years of college and yet very naive in life relationships,

From out of nowhere, a highly energetic, bright-eyed, blonde-headed young man appeared,

With the bluest eyes and the excitement of a child, he introduced himself,

He was an identical twin; unforgettable and very personable, but sarcastic,

Sarcastic in a way that was supposed to be funny, but came across kind of rude,

He was bubbling over with questions and truly interested in what the answers would be,

He was an in-your-face, not- much- personal- space kind of guy,

He got my attention like no one had ever done before; I wanted to get to know him more,

He was to be my future husband, the father of our three sons,

That was April 27, 1983 in McLeod Park picnic shelter, Florence, SC,

Fast forward, in the twinkle of an eye, 37 years went by,

There were good times; There were very difficult times;

In 2020, after 33 years of marriage and two years as a widow,

I have felt the loss of a companion, a husband, a provider, my Superman,

Believe me when I say: you don’t know what you’ve got, until it is gone!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  8/24/2020

Photo:  August 27, 2015

Listen

 

Noises, Good & Bad

While a steady drip, drip, drip from a leaky faucet can drive me mad,

I don’t find the tick, tick, tick of an analog clock so bad,

In fact, I quite like the ticking clock.  It has a lullaby affect,

So why does a dripping faucet get me so upset?

Seconds ticking away is so soothing for me,

While the dripping faucet is annoying as can be!

This is a conundrum of little significance I know,

And I should probably “let it go”,

However, a noise, each and every day,

Affects us all, in a distinctive way,

I love to hear the waves of the ocean, crashing on the shore,

And song birds chirping: Give me more!

But the sound of a dentist drill makes me cringe,

Snoring, though rhythmic, also makes me twinge,

A dog barking is another annoying sound,

But a joyful noise is horse hooves hitting the ground,

A baby’s laugh:  I could listen to all day long,

And a steady rain on the roof is like a beautiful song,

I like to listen to music, that is true,

But nature’s sounds are hard to outdo,

A crackling fire, popping while burning, is a delight,

Crickets, cicadas, an owl hooting in the moonlight,

Take time to stop and lend an ear,

You might be surprised at what you hear.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  8/20/2020

It's Knot Over

 

Hang in There

“When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot “, they would say,

This is a popular cross-stitched saying, back in the day,

Whatever does that mean anyway?

Well, if you have had enough and you feel you can’t go on,

This is encouragement to persevere:  Don’t give up:  Be strong,

Tie a knot.  Grab a hold!

Consider the alternative…  Be Bold!

It seems our country has reached their “end of rope”,

But with no resolution in sight, we must have hope,

Hope is the “knot” we must hang onto,

Although many may be too weary to do so,

The rope has been long and scary to descend,

If we put our feet on the knot, can’t we hold on until the end?

Yes, yes we can!  Believe it to be true,

There is hope and a future for me and for you,

Different knots serve many purposes for all of us,

Used by climbers, fishermen, sailors, and thus:

Slip knots, square knots, surgeon’s knots and hitches,

What is the best knot for our country’s glitches?

The Love Knot

Tammy Harvey

Written:  8/18/2020

Hugs on Hold

Healthy Hugs

One of the things I dislike most about this current virus-imposed isolation,

Not to mention postponements and cancellation,

Is the loss of the human hug, the warm and fuzzy human hug,

The kind of hug that is sincere, sweet and snug,

Ones that make you feel loved and cherished,

Who ever knew those all could perish?

It’s one of those things you really don’t miss until it is no longer there,

It’s a greeting, a good-bye, a gesture from people who really do care,

A virtual hug is just not the same; oh no, don’t be deceived,

Although the thought is nice, it is not warmly received,

The warmth of a body pressed against our own in a warm embrace,

Is what makes a hug a hug in the first place,

Arms gently wrapped around, followed by a slow, gentle squeeze,

Should not be threatened at all by a viral disease,

And yet it is, one can not be too careful these days,

Showing you care must come forth in other ways,

A nod, a wave, a smile from underneath a mask,

An elbow to elbow touch, but no hands must clasp,

It is hard to believe, but this much is true:

A human hug has a positive impact on me and on you,

I miss it and I’m not really a touchy, feely girl,

Bring back the days of hugging to the entire world!!!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  7/27/2020

Decisions, Decisions

Recently, I had to decide whether I would attend a wedding on August 8, 2020.  It was a very difficult decision because I really wanted to go, but ultimately I chose to decline.  The pandemic posed just too much risk.  That experience inspired this poem...

Decisions to Make

It’s so hard to decide on what to decide on,

I can think about it all of the day long,

Decisions are so many; and we make them each instant,

Am I being sporadic or am I being consistent?

Do I dwell on the answer much too long?

Am I afraid I will get the answer wrong?

If I don’t know what decision to make,

Am I logical? Am I impulsive? How long will it take?

I don’t know what to choose:  Yes or no, maybe so?

Should I stay right here? Or should I go?

Should I do that now or wait until later?

Should I take the stairs or the elevator?

Should I wear this shirt or that one there?

How do I think I should wear my hair?

Should I buy this or should I buy that?

It’s sunny outside; should I be wearing a hat?

Do I eat this for lunch and have that for dinner?

Should I wear black?  Will it make me look thinner?

Some decisions are trivial, but some are more epic,

Should I go to the wedding during a pandemic?

Should I wear a mask when I leave my house?

Should I be fierce like a lion or timid like a mouse?

For life-changing decisions, it is better to pray,

To the all-knowing God who is with you each day.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  7/21/2020