Category Archives: coping strategy

CHURCH ATTENDANCE–A HYPOTHETICAL POEM

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He rarely attends now,

It’s gone and got diff’rent somehow…

He feels pushed aside

Not welcomed inside,

No one’s been direct with him, anyhow!

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They used to go faithfully,

Found the spirit there strong and free…

The Pastor moved on

And a preacher took on

Things with his own personality.

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With his circle of friends,

For our subject, being close to a pastor ends…

You know his pride

Didn’t like “outside”

But he wanted to attend.

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Then he and his wife

Both saw ill health in life….

Comparison

With others is sin,

And churned up internal strife!

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The preacher/teacher and he,

(Too much alike?) weren’t happy…

It shifted into

“An authority over you”

Which wasn’t as healthy!

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Various dissatisfactions

Led to complaints and  feigned actions….

Poor communication

Led to frustration,

In mutual distraction.

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So now he stays at home

Sundays, with his wife alone…

No need to go

Taken for granted so,

But he’s stuck–this was his church home.

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Socially depended on her,

His wife, for communication stirred…

When she took ill

He didn’t have the will,

To see that his opening up occurred.

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He’s given his life for her,

Literally as it were…

Goes it alone

Reaching out he’s done,

Elsewhere–little left at “home”.

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Options to go elsewhere?

Feels bound by his wife–so there!

Decision paralyzed–

Easier to survive

By himself, ‘though few benefits to share!

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A “hypothetical poem”–which means it is just a poem….!

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–Jonathan Caswell

 

 

 

 

JUSTIFYING MY “0-6-2”

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An N scale “2-6-2”,

The lead set of wheels he blew…

Pictured once

An engine thus,

Converted to an “0-6-2.”

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Most steam engines of this type,

In foreign fields are ripe…

In the U.S.

Mostly tank engines are left,

Them with tenders as hard to find as snipe!

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Some may have come from Birmingham,

Alabama, a modified plan…

No evidence there—

Or up in the air—

The Internet doesn’t do well with “rare”.

–

He thinks Indiana coal fields,

Was where a real engine congealed…

Now he cannot find

The photo in mind,

Not finding a prototype, his mind reels!

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Worse yet, he’s lost his model,

Was it sold or just took a toddle…

Somewhere below

All the other stuff so,

His research continues in high throttle!

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–Jonathan Caswell

Google Image of a live steam model of a European designed 0-6-2 + tender,

produced by ROUNDHOUSE, makers of small scale live steam models.

MID-FEBRUARY HAIKU ASSORTMENT

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(Each individual three-line haiku is considered a poem on its own,

despite perhaps being related to a common theme.–J.E.C.)

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(Additionally, haiku may or may not include punctuation—traditional haiku generally do not  have it –J.E.C.)

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Presidents’ Day off

Waving away package trucks

Skeleton crew on

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American loss,

Long weekends not historic…

Blurred history lost!

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High snow banks turn brown

Road salt stains on pavement grey

Waiting for snow days

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Plow trucks stand idle

Except for salting road ice

No more overtime?

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Winter buds wonder

Is it time to grow and sprout?

Freeze burnt other years…!

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Swans in ponds feeding

Youngsters finally on their own

Mommas drove them off

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Easter candy sales

Set up before the fourteenth

Valentines half off

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–Jonathan Caswell

HE COULD BE SHOT…!

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The Poet could be shot,

Will be, likely as not…

Suggesting bras

Have their flaws,

For the well-endowed are healthy and hot!

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Those “bouncing” videos

Combined with torn muscle throes…

Unless contained

Could cause real pain,

Suff’ring of which somebody knows.

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Foreigners complain that we,

Over-emphasize  effacey…

Of the bra

For every flaw,

It shapes “them” daintily.

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“Lift and separate”…*

Room to breathe is great,

Constricting–yes–

But look at the “bless”,

With others you comiserate!

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–Jonathan Caswell

*A motto of PLAYTEX bras, if I remember!

PRETTY AS A PICTURE

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Is that a cowl neck I see,

This sweater fits her to a “T”…

A classy belt

Accentuates her svelt

Portions, lovely to see!

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This sweater—a camel cream?

Allied with a pencil dress dream…

Opposites attract

Results here distract,

As a wonderfully  well-designed scheme.

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An business woman ideal,

Her male colleagues—take a chill–

Notebook at her side

Sunglasses hide,

Reactions to compliment overkill.

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–Jonathan Caswell

TALKING ABOUT THIS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN…!

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Some observations please,

In the midst of all the sleaze…

Republicans say

“Trump…AWAY.”

Wanting to bring him to his knees.

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Last  I heard an report,

Democratic campaigners were FOUR…

Obama, his wife,

Bill, Hillary and V.P. strive,

All on the campaign tour.

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Other than Gov. Pence,

Trump has no supporting defence…

Mean-spirit guys

Won’t lift their eyes,

Or do anything for Trump hence!

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Your Convention really meant naught,

In selfish cruelty caught…

You’re saying “Go to Hell,”

To the people as well,

Acting like you’re Hillary bought!

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It’s the hissy-fit people I implore,

FOR ONCE..put your egos out the door…

He’s not from your camps

But give him a chance,

In taxes we’ll always pay more!

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–Jonathan Caswell

(An Opinionated Poem)

ESTHER LING

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His friends know that he does,

For things that “was”…

Esther Ling

Was the real thing,

Committed to her cause.

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Opposite from me,

But blogged in sincerity…

Her rainbow flag

A part of her bag,

We were able to be friendly.

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Visits back and forth,

Of a poetic sort…

Her chosen art great

Poetry mates,

In two languages by choice!

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I’ll miss her Shabbat posts,

For her father’s attending ghost…

Few others can

Replace the man

Who loved her and was close.

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Esther, come back to us,

If it’s not too much fuss….

“Hortus closus”

One supposes,

Will be honored for its  human thrust!

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–Jonathan Caswell

Featured image is one from her blog, https://hortusclosus.wordpress.com/

BALDWIN SISTERS

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If you watched THE WALTONS,

You know the Baldwin sisters…

They held an innocent charm around–

But their “formula” would cause blisters (in paint!)!

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Neither sister drove at all,

So Grandpa made money…

Driving the sisters around

To earn enough to treat his honey!

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Baldwin sisters so have I,

But an unmatched dual…

If these two were very real

They’d run on diesel fuel.

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Hard to say what I’ll do—

Paint one or the other…

Maybe I’ll take them home,

Naming one after Mother!

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Collecting all these engines–

Ihope I see each run…

Piling them up on a shelf

Isn’t that much fun!

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–Jonathan Caswell

BECKY**

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**AUTHOR’S NOTE:  Name and circumstances changed to protect…the Author!

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At a doctor’s office new to him,

Was coaxed by a welcoming wind…

Viscerally

His loins agreed,

On something he could not pretend.

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All women his records reviewed,

By “Becky”** he was interviewed…

What can we say

Happened that day,

Or what the man construed?

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Tingling in his loin muscles,

As if something need hustle…

Straight into being

A swell way of seeing,

The feelings he must tussle!

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Becky–older but not old–

Formed in an attractive mold…

Dark red hair

All freckles were there,

Hands slightly wrinkled…but made of gold.

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White lace skirt above the knee,

Smoothed down near constantly…

Lower affairs

Held enticing airs,

Blouse was brown in white polka dot seas.

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Something in the way she asked

Her questions in doing her task…

All anticipating

Answers she was awaiting,

He openness wasn’t masked!

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Highly welcome delights,

Gotten with Becky’s insights….

Tingles remained–

He never complained–

But kept himself in check and aware!  🙂

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–Jonathan Caswell

NEARLY TIME FOR TAPS…

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(One Poet’s Opinion)

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American stars and stripes,

Wave in fading light…

Spotlights glow

So we know,

Out flag is doing alright.

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As for the country we cringe,

What is the next freedom impinged…

Ignored laws unliked,

Disapproval spiked,

The Administration acts unhinged.

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And our leader of the free world,

Hates the country where he’s raising his girls…

They’ve openly proved

Suffering leaves them unmoved,

Unless there’s a news crew to twirl.

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The “Change” is here,

Reaching for freedoms held dear…

Does what he likes–

Avoids open mikes–

Eventually his plan was made clear.

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The ultimate patriotic sin

Is to tear us down from within…

Conquer-divide

While goodies are eyed,

The rest of us thrown in a bin.

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The problem is, both sides

Seem to have similar prides…

Quietly taking

From upside-down shaking,

While laws are broken–each abides.

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Who will call this to task,

Doesn’t seem to be any to ask…

Will any act

Or all are in fact

Willing to put we voters dead last?

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(An opinion piece)

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–Jonathan Caswell