Inside the Gates of Heaven

 Riding Horses in the Snow

Tomorrow is not promised, and yesterday is just a memory,
The collection of those memories is a life’s summary,
When faced with a terminal illness, what then did he do?
He remembered fondly a good memory; like it was all brand new,
Since he lived his life to the fullest, he had nothing to regret,
He was thankful and grateful, and considered himself exceedingly blessed,
He was aware of his prognosis, and yet remained an inspiration,
Though much too ill to complete any new aspirations,
We asked him if he could do anything at all what would it be?
He did not hesitate at all and looked right at me,
“I would ride horses in the snow”, was his reply, you see,
Of all the fond memories in his mind, this one he singled out,
It was the simple things; He always knew what life was all about,
In his teens, he had ridden his Appaloosa on the farm across the white landscape,
And the memory of that time in the snow could never be erased,
Photographs of that time are tucked away in a faded photo album,
I feel he gifted me this special memory to hold onto when he passed,
I picture him atop the saddle of a bright, beautiful steed,
With a big smile on his face, as the hooves beat down on the billowing clouds,
Riding down the streets of gold to the field of snow,
Inside the gates of heaven.

Tammy Harvey
Written: 10/13/2020

A Bird in the Hand

 

Say it Isn’t So

Ever wonder where the old sayings you’ve heard for years originated?

Why they stood the test of time and weren’t outdated?

For instance, “it’s raining cats and dogs”,

Why wouldn’t it rain toads and frogs?

How did these sayings come to be?

Like “The apple doesn’t’ fall far from the tree”,

Or “Tighter than Dick’s hatband”,

And why is a bird in the bush worth half as much as in the hand?

“Heavens to Betsy” or “For Pete’s Sake”, I must exclaim,

Are these actual people or just a name?

Why is the old owl always the wise one?

And why is a "barrel of monkeys" so much fun?

How can one be “a sight for sore eyes”?

“Don’t cry over spilled milk!”, they advise,

“Turning over a new leaf” does not compute,

“Fit as a fiddle”: why not “as fit as a flute”?

“Pardon my French” is commonly heard,

Why is certain information told by a “little bird”?

One can see why my curiosity is piqued,

Some of the old sayings are genuinely unique,

Going to “hell in a hand basket”, should be spoken aplenty,

Because it perfectly describes the year 2020.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  10/8/2020

They Grow Up Fast

 This poem was inspired by my youngest grandson who just turned ONE on August first.

Pitter Patter

The pitter patter of little feet,

Toddling at first, before running down the street,

A baby’s first steps are a wondrous sight,

It seems to happen overnight,

First cruising around the furniture, holding on,

Then a few tiny brave steps on his own,

Then one day he teeters completely across the kitchen floor,

Everyone cheers for him as they want to see more,

He has his hands out to each side, like on a high wire,

His steps are calculated, with no lack of desire,

His world just opened up to exciting transportation,

He is wide-eyed and smiling, and without hesitation,

He begins to walk with confidence and more control,

To get from here to there without falling is the goal,

No more crawling; that’s just for babies and turtles,

He has just achieved one of life’s big hurdles,

And climbing is his favorite… just to be off of the ground,

He ‘ll be sitting on top of the table before I can turn around!

He can now stand from a sitting position without pulling up,

And he drinks from a straw or a sippy cup!

This little guy is officially a toddler now,

He even drinks milk from a dairy cow,

It is hard to believe how fast time passes,

Soon he’ll be needing reading glasses!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  9/26/2020

Road Trip Surprise

 

Long Drive- Well Worth It

From my house to my parents’ house is a 365-mile drive,

Recently, I drove that trip unaccompanied, and in 6.5 hours did arrive,

I did not tell them I was on my way,

Or that I was coming for a brief stay,

Thus, they were surprised when the doorbell I rang,

Maybe not a good idea, but from the side of the door I sprang,

Each of my parents are octogenarian, and each has a heart condition,

So, it may have been risky to put them in that position,

But the surprise kept my mother from worrying about me driving alone,

And when I arrived, she was speaking with my sister on the phone,

My sister, of course, was aware of the entire plan,

She also was arriving the next day to complete our clan,

Dad and Mom had 2 daughters, you see,

Eighteen months apart, my sister and me,

It was their 40^th wedding Anniversary when we surprised them last,

With a large party in their honor, now 20+ more years have passed,

Married 69 years in a few months, to be exact,

Unbelievable, yes, but that’s a fact,

We had a great reunion; a nice prelude to fall,

A week later I drove home with no problem at all,

The drive, though long and tiring, did not ruin my spirit,

I’d say the road trip was more than well worth it!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  9/12/2020