What's Up, Doc?

My last post and first of the new year was my OLW, Faith, post.  remember how I was a little afraid to claim that word?  I really wanted it as a reminder of how God has seen us through so much in the past two years, and having clear, calm faith was hard to come by at some points.

Well, I've tried to focus on Faith ever since that post.

Having taken a serious fall on January 9th - a tumble headfirst down the stairs of my apartment over the garage.  I broke my right ankle and right wrist, and damaged tissue in my left wrist. It meant i would have to use a wheelchair carefully.  I had one good limb. My ankle required surgery for pins.

I have tried to stay positive and trust that all would go well, keeping my faith strong throughout the ordeal.  I have since then been in the hospital for 3 nights, a rehab facility for 2 weeks and a respite care facility for 9 days.  I have now been at my daughter's staying in her livingroom for 5 days, and looking forward to 4 more weeks here.

I have kept busy with poetry writing, ukulele, and on-going rehab.

Laura Shovan has her birthday month of poetry challenges/nudges and here are a few that I have written which have kept me focused and faith-full this month so far.

An Acrostic to go with Jessica Bigi's image:

A "how to poem" featuring water given as a prompt by Lisa Vihos:

How to Make a River

Wait for a rainy day,

This may take awhile,

So while the sun shines

Gather small sticks in a pile.

Wait for a rainy day.

If it hasn’t happened yet

Put your boots by the door -

You don’t want to get feet wet.

Wait for a rainy day.

If clouds form, then drops,

Give it time to gather steam.

Watch for puddles catching plops.

Wait for the rain to quit.

Put on boots, grab a stick.

Start at the top of a gravel hill,

Puddle to puddle join them quick!

Don’t wait any longer,

Set the tiny sticks to float.

Start at the very first puddle,

Let each stick become a boat.

Wait for the river flow.

As puddles start to drain

Your stick boats on a journey

In your puddle-jump river of rain. 

Then

    Wait for 

         a rainy day. 

Another’s 

     around 

          the bend

With boots 

     and sticks 

          and puddles

The rivers 

     have 

       never to 

           end. 

By Donna JT Smith

And this, in response to Susan Michelle Brisson's photos of frogs:

Creatures in the Night

I opened the windows
To let in a night breeze.
“Close the windows, Mommy.
Please, close them, please.”
“But it’s warm up here, hon,”
And I turned down his bed
“I don’t want them open.”
He repeatedly said.
“Why? What is the matter?
It’s so warm tonight.”
“The creatures will get me.
They might even bite!”
“There are no creatures out there
That will get you,” I said.
“Yes, there are. Shh! Listen!”
And he jumped into bed.
Then I heard the sounds of
Sweet peepers singing
He’d misheard me say creatures
So the thoughts they were bringing
Were visions of armies
And armies of creatures
With certainly scary and
Alien features
No talking about it.
I tried to explain.
But he already had “creatures”
Raging wild in his brain.
So I closed all the windows
No breezes for sleeping;
Tomorrow we’d talk
About frogs and their peeping!

By Donna JT Smith

I just got my staples removed yesterday, and I'm working on putting a small amount of weight on my foot always in the boot, increasing weight gradually over the next 4 weeks.  I have a walker now to supplement the wheelchair and scooter use - house is getting crowded!

Foot up and nap now!

But you can go read more poems to celebrate Valentine's Day and Poetry Friday at TeacherDance with Linda.