"Play Pretties"

 

Tinker Toys

Visits to my grandmother’s house brought much simplicity,

Among many things, was the selection of toys she had for us to play,

The options were two, unlike the variety offered the grandchildren today,

My grandmother always brought out the same can with the metal lid,

She placed it in the middle of the floor and said:

“Here’s you some play pretties to play with children”,

Then turn to my Mom and say “well then”,

The can was filled with Tinker Toys, wooden, with lots of spools and dowels,

Different lengths and colors of wooden dowels,

It was amazing how long we could work on a creation,

The adults could talk while we invoked our imagination,

The only other “toy” she offered us was a box of dominoes,

Even if we didn’t know how to play, the possibilities were numerous,

We could set them up in a long row to create a “domino effect”,

Or build with them to make fences and towers, but with quiet respect,

Not much noise was allowed from our play on the hard floor,

“Children must be seen and not heard”, the adults would implore,

When those two toys were played until boredom had set in,

The other option was the porch swing which could be seen from the den,

We would swing and swing until time to go home,

Then back to the city Mom would drive us, with no cellphone,

It is hard to remember how we all survived then,

Without electronic games or a huge toy bin!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  1/18/2021

Write with all your Might!

 When I Write

When I write, I feel light,
As light as a feather floating out of sight,
Yet focused, like a camera lens on a subject,
The blur becomes crystal clear; all is perfect,
When I write, I feel free,
As free as the wind blowing in the trees,
Yet with a direction, an intention, a moment to seize,
The wind is not harsh, it is a gentle breeze,
When I write, I feel heard,
Like a song from a distance mockingbird,
A different song that I never knew before,
Is whispering in my ear and I am eager for more,
When I write, I feel at peace,
Like a breath of fresh air, all stresses release,
A calm, an exhale, a sigh of relief,
A renewed spirit; a stronger belief,
When I write, I feel a place to reside,
A comfortable home where I can confide,
My thoughts, my fears,
My hopes, my tears,
It is a warm and inviting place,
Similar to a heartfelt embrace.
When I Write.
Tammy Harvey
Written: 1/16/2021

One of our Flowers

 

A Mother’s Love

You don’t know what you don’t know,

That is why babies are so innocent,

So real, so unfiltered, so honest,

They don’t know all the heartache,

There is nothing fake,

Although all are born with a sinful nature,

It has not revealed itself,

Babies are purely helpless,

Reliant solely on the love of a caregiver,

They cry because they need something,

A need, not necessarily a want,

Oh, the innocence of the baby,

So pure, so sweet,

It is love-at-first-sight when first we meet,

But there is an innate desire for independence,

It should not worry or offend us,

While they conquer the world in their own way,

We are there to guide them, lest they go astray,

They learn; they grow and soon we will find,

They are now a part of all humankind,

On their own, no longer “ours”,

Yet in the gardens of our life, they are one of our flowers,

To grow a helpless baby into a kind, loving adult,

Is to be truly blessed as a result,

I am blessed with three young men,

Whom I still love now, like I loved then,

Tammy Harvey

Written:  1/16/2021

"Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever."- Unknown

How Do I Respond?

 

My Shalom
If I stand and scream at the top of my lungs,
If I wring my hands until they are properly wrung,
If I bite my nails with extreme trepidation,
If I pull my hair out in frustration,
If I stomp my feet and shake my fist,
And I cry my eyes out while doing this,
If I fret and fret because I don’t feel brave,
And if I worry myself into an early grave,
Will it help the situation that I’m in?
Will it right the wrongs, the hurt, the sin?
No. No. It will not, the damage is done,
And I know I’m not the only one,
Pain is universal. It chooses not favorites,
Life includes unforeseen, difficult hits,
How we respond to it, that’s the key to relief,
It takes a lot of faith and a sincere belief,
That the best is yet to come,
If I don’t lose heart and don’t succumb,
Don’t succumb to the worldly view,
But focus on heavenly skies of blue,
For earth is only my temporary home,
Heaven is eternally my Shalom.
Tammy Harvey
Written: 1/4/2021

"My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world."- Billy Graham

 

A Natural Twist

 

Prickly Little Pinecone
The pinecone can give your fingers a tiny prick,
It’s not too hurtful, just a little stick,
Oh, but I want to hold it anyway,
These conifers need to be on display,
Uniformly intricate, I use them to decorate,
My holiday cheer is amplified, and I can hardly wait,
To place them on my mantle, my table, my tree,
A lovely touch of nature is truly not lost on me,
All sizes and shapes; they really are,
Long-leaf pines produce a pinecone as large as a quart jar,
While thimble-sized cones adorn hemlock trees,
I love collecting each of these,
The short, broad ones and the long, slender, as well,
Are delightful right on the ground where they fell,
While annoying to some who must pick them up to mow,
I understand completely, but you must know,
The thick pine-needled cushion of the forest floor,
Is another thing about pines that I adore,
Also, the fresh smell of pine is an aroma so dear,
I want to enjoy that fragrance all year,
So, a pine-scented candle is on my Wish list,
To give the holidays a natural twist!
Tammy Harvey
Written: 12/13/2020

Be Prepared

 

In an Instant

Be prepared.

In an instant life can change,

In a blink of an eye,

In a heartbeat,

In a flash,

All of a sudden,

Without warning,

In short order,

In a split second,

Before you know it,

In an instant life can change,

Be prepared.

 "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail."- Benjamin Franklin

Tammy Harvey

Written:  1/4/2021

Crisis Mode

 

Not Taken for Granted

Good health is no longer being taken for granted,

Seeds of doubt, from a world pandemic, have been planted,

We no longer feel we are safe and sound,

We must live carefully; the consequences are profound,

All of the world is stricken with the same crisis,

We can meet the challenge, or it can paralyze us,

How often did we get up and go anywhere, anytime without regard?

Now with uncertainty, our choices are really hard,

Unemployment and eviction are adding to the pain,

Will we survive this disaster before we go insane?

The death rate is growing at an astounding rate,

With a surge upon surge, the hardships are great,

People are dying without family and friend,

Caregivers are comforting them at the end,

What a burden they must bear! They are so weary,

Good health is a blessing, but it comes with responsibility,

Take necessary precautions and don’t pitch a fit,

Our lives and others are depending on it!

Thank God for a vaccine that is giving us hope,

But still we must mask, keep our distance and use hand soap!

Good health is no longer being taken for granted,

Seeds of doubt, from a world pandemic, have been planted.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  12/21/2020