Morning comes Dat 38 - Anita

Morning comes
I sit up straight
No pain 
This is a gift
6 AM
The tragedy of Paris blood bath looms
How secure is anyone anywhere
I watch CNN for hours
The day breaks
For me personally
I must walk as much as I can
There is sadness for the
Attack on Paris
Prayers to the families
Forever in our thoughts
Amen!


from Ann :)

Fall Comes - Anita

Fall comes

Subtle ways 

Darkness earlier
September is almost out the door

Pumpkins and pumpkin lattes

Halloween costumes

Evie's 4th birthday

A darling granddaughter with perfect pitch

A beauty to see

Fall comes quiet mornings

Lay back afternoons

I salute the change of seasons and just be

The Sky Speaks to me - Anita Holzberg

The sky speaks to me

Her voice is heard over the vines

   that climb the fence in my garden

Her cadence is heard with the wind

The littlest sparrow speaks mountains

And the squirrels that run the telephone wires

Come in full view as my day begins

The sky speaks to me

Like a light-- a lantern in morning time

Of promise and hope

I hear the nuances of a new day

I salute the sunrise

Anita S. Holzberg

Round about - by Anita

Round about

The robin sings

The chant can be heard throughout

I take my leave

Time and place doesn't contain me

It is the Stars that illuminate my heart and a fleeting past love that brings the gold.

SOFTLY - Anita Holzberg

Softly the crowd disperses

Softly the day begins with toast and marmalade

And the rivers recede 

The birds return
Time and place kiss the universe

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

A poem by Anita

lodged in a particular time and space

we send messages to sky

the beautiful bird captures it

we are amazed that the universe speaks

like live internet wires without shocks.

Anita S. Holzberg

By Anita - Renovation

Hammering and sawing

 noise and clatter

Out with the old fifty year old windows

 in with the new

I watched and it was like a movie set.

The beautiful new white windows replaced shoddy ones

A patio door all white and gleaming with a screen to feel the breeze

The living room came alive with bigger windows as the green plants of the yard shown through

So beautiful

and the crew that did it...so easy to work with

The house takes on a new look.....shining and bright.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

Lasting Friendship - Anita

In a wink of an eye

I meet you again

Your face radiant

Your laugh lines present

Your heart on your sleeve

In a flutter of a robin's wing

I see you again

Your mood not so good

Your eyes crying

Your forehead drooping

Lasting friendship

 We view colors

 We are the we

We see the nuances of a life

Not too many can we call good friends

The ones I have, I cherish

I support them in their darkest moments

I celebrate with them in their joy

I am grateful for they grace my life

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

ringing true - Anita Holzberg

Ringing true to the curtain of humanity

 Cats have it all

   an independent life style

   a simple need for food and water and stroking

   a purr of happiness

Mocha sleeps on the pillow next to me

I get up several times a night

She stays there

Waiting for me to return

I stroke her and she purrs

Sometimes a paw goes on my arm

That cat is amazing

The life we lead together and a part

amazing!

Starting Out - Anita

When I start a new day

I light a candle

I say a prayer for my returning health

  for my dear daughter Emily

I begin my day feeding my cats

  who a chirping before they get their food

I walk 300 steps and sit down and drink my coffee

I eat a fig bar

I reconsider my options

The greatest gift is the silence I have

Living alone has its advantages

I write a few lines

I discover my soul on these lines

I call a friend in Chicago

We laugh we cry we are like sisters

I begin my day so quiet

You can hear a pin drop in the forest of angels.

Breathe!

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

On This Day - Anita

On this day

I repent not

I wallow not in pity

I pass on negative thoughts

On this day

I follow the lead of my cat

Looking for her patting

Purring with gratitude

Waiting to be fed

On this day

I take a simple life

read "Under the Wide and Starry Sky:

About the life of Robert Louis Stevenson

and his wife Fanny

I read til the cows come home

I do my taxes

I make amends to sky

On this day

I rotate my tires

I eat a fig bar

I simply look at my garden

My geraniums are blooming

The sky is clear

The day is brimming with good ideas

It's going to be a great day!!

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

Often - Anita Holzberg

Often

  I take the high road

         Often

I look at memory

          Often

I remember what it is to remember

           Often

I write a few lines before 6 AM

           Often

I pray as the sun rises

            Often

I ride into the eyes of my grand kids

             Often

I hold clay in the palm of my hands

             Lately

I sit in the seat of angels

       and rejoice!

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

Blueberry Coffee Cake for breakfast - Anita

Hobees in Sunnyvale

I never knew it was here

We breakfasted on once over easy eggs

Blueberry Coffee Cake and hash browns

A breakfast to die for

I took that blueberry coffee cake home

on a week when no carbs was king

I broke my diet and it was good so good.

I focus on what matters

Mocha///Picchu

Emily got a place to live

Yay!

I celebrate the morning and the time

I have to open my mind

Standing tall

I exercise on a wall

I wrap my fingers around some yarn

I paint a picture

I stop to hug the memories of my grand kids in this house

A month ago

Their shouts of laughter...playing ball in the yard, eating cake, playing the piano

Vibrant tones to make my morning.

Celebrate!

How about You?

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

Morning Time - Anita

In the morning time

 I drink my cocoa

  I feed my cats

I write my kids about Passover

I review my life

I stand at attention

I order a work out outfit

I think about returning to the gym

I watch a video of Owen skiing

I see him glide effortlessly

A natural

I take my chances

I order Instantcart

   lox and a roasted chicken

I think of things big and small

I wonder what summer will taste like

I embrace my life

It is pretty wonderful

How about Yours.

Have a beautiful day!

Ode to 70 Years - Anita Holzberg

70 years is not that much

not even a century

not even 3/4 of a century

70 years.....

hum ho hum

I lived, loved, cherished, sweat the small stuff

pondered over life and death situations

talked my way into everything

stood at attention in the classroom

nurtured my dear daughters til they now are nurturing me

married 25 years...now we talk like old friends

lived a lot of places

traveled to Europe 3 times Mexico, Hawaii, Canada

wrote rimes  of poetry

over 7,000 poems but whose counting

published

did a CD for perfection

Hugged my nieces and grand nieces and nephews

laughed with my sister and cried too

sat in Torah class and learned a lot

Played mah jongg every Monday and loved the women

Played the piano and made up songs

Taught Misaki English through science and colors

Petted Mocha my cat as she found a spot on my bed

Fed Picchu for 7 years now in the yard

Held my head high

Cherished my Owen and Evie every day...

The true flowers of my life

Honored my daughters and son in laws for their strength and courage

Sat in my chair and in my garden

I savored these moments with my hazelnut coffee

Walked 1,000 steps in my house

Swam miles with my heart

Danced with my friends who I hold close

With friends like Karen you can go everywhere

Connected with Stephie, my camp friend of 50 years

70 years is what it is

I embrace it and the life I have lived

and Continue to continue

In that fashion and then some.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

A New Day - Anita

In truth

 the turtle does not see her spots

        the monkey does not really laugh

  Picchu's voice is hear over the stillness of morning

  Time the great executioner

     today is my friend's funeral

     He died in a fire in his house

      Tragic and sad

     I go to honor him

     My feet are bad

     But I still go

the salamander slithers

  the frog jumps

  the earth worm moves through mud

the day begins with memory

 the night is over

the black and white sequences of silence

 cover my face

How about You?

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

Restless - Anita

I salute the morning

  quiet time to write my heart

I salute the memory of the Shatz house

   that I visited many times to celebrate holidays

They were my second family, my home

I salute Phyllis whose words and deeds were enormously beautiful

I salute Sol whose brilliance shone like a star in the midnight sky

They are gone now.

 they took me in when I had no where to go

 they comforted me

 I walked with Phylis ten years

We talked about everything

I celebrate Joel and Tami and Neal

They were my family

I want to be there for them

Even now.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

In Truth - Anita Holzberg

In truth the door bell rings but twice

In truth the hurt we have mends

In truth the swinging door returns

We are humble what is G-d's plan

In truth the day will be sunny and cold

How appropriate for a funeral

In truth time will pass and heal all wounds

We stand at attention

Our minds are fixed

We are fully aware of what happened

In truth the day begins with Memory

I loved the Shatz family like my own

I loved their caring and kindness

Take what you can

give what you can

Life is about that

And nothing more.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

Poem for Jim - Anita

The stars are not gone

   The heavens prevail

The time we have is limited

The beauty of the moments

  will not escape my face

The beauty of Jim Becker

  I knew him for 7 and one half years

We sat one night in the camper drinking coffee

We laughed a lot

We covered many topics

We learned how to be together

It was easy

Once over easy

And life was so good

I could taste it

Even Now.

JIM - by Anita

So much to say about Jim

   his humor, his devotion to Catholicism, his playing the clarinet, his dog

            his character of integrity, his ability to teach himself everything and others

  He was my lover, my teacher, my best friend

 Love poems said it all

 We shared a life of milk and honey

 Ate dinner, walked the dog, Cocoa

 In the end all you have is your memories

 I take them forward

 7 and one half years of my life

 In the presence of this man

  Everyday the back and forth phone calls

  Every night the dinners

  Coffee and vanilla ice cream with strawberries

  In the den

  Mr. Lexus loved his car

  And now he has gone to Heaven to be with the angels

  Let G-d carry him to a place of peace and blessings

  He was a blessing!

ONCE - by Anita

Once the moon was yellow and the sky dark

Once the family was here growing up

Once the cat was Misty and Ginger

Once the piano sang its Broadway songs

Once the day begins with memory

The night a curtain for tomorrow

I take these moments....sequences of silence

They grace my face

My wonder now is the present

My wonder now is the beating of the wind rain and shadow

My wonder is the rising sun as I greet each day

One step at a time.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg                                                                                                             

Out of the Silences - Anita Holzberg

Out of the silences

 I take my leave

The world is not awake

My cats follow me and wait for food

I drink my Keurig donut shop coffee

I eat a few Sandies cookies dunking them in the coffee

I read my e mail

I order some magazines

Life is good

The feet are fine

Last night Claire came and put in a laundry

Last night Mocha slept so close I had no room on the bed

In the silences

I usher in peace

I hold these moments precious

Before the day begins

Before the night disappears

Before the sun rises

Before the mind gets cluttered

Before the beating of the wind, rain, and shadow

I am home.

Thoughts - by Anita

riding into day
  no daylight yet
I get a hop skip and a jump on the day
My Mocha by my side
A cup of hazelnut coffee
Songs of yesteryear
My birthday is almost here
I can feel the excitement
24 long stemmed red roses grace my table
from my neighbor and friend
love is everywhere
Can you hear it, feel it ?
I cut the stems
I put them in a bag
The beauty of moments like these
When silence is so sweet
Amen!
from Ann :)

Welcome by Anita

A white orchid blooming in my living room

  The flowers all 7 of them take over a table

A tree planted itself with white flowers

A cloud rolls over in its white and grey tinge

We can paint pictures of our surroundings

As they float by

The mind notices their beauty

Welcome home.

Have a colorful day!

In the Process - Anita Holzberg

As the sun covers

  I walk 300 steps

Mocha on the path with me

I open doors with my mind

Think of dancing, walking downtown in Palo Alto,

   walking to my far corner

Promises and dreams count

I begin my day 

Always looking forward

A robin on my shoulder.

In The Process - by Anita

As the sun covers
  I walk 300 steps
Mocha on the path with me
I open doors with my mind
Think of dancing, walking downtown in Palo Alto,
   walking to my far corner
Promises and dreams count
I begin my day 
Always looking forward
A robin on my shoulder.

Have a beautiful day!

from Ann :)

Rain - Anita

White rain

 wind and shadow

red rain

 soft and fleeting

purple rain

  undulating and ominous

green rain

   springs and memory

yellow rain

   sun-filled and showering

We walk in the rain

Sometimes fierce, sometimes romantic

Like shadows we seek

Undercurrents of a past life

Stream.

In This Morning - Anita Holzberg

Cool sunless dark morning

Fall scurries in

The pumpkins are already in the stores

The squash is going to be a soup

In this morning

When there are no chirping of the birds

When silence pervades this house

I feed my cats

The past rushes in

Gangbusters

Fall was my opening of the first day of school

Fall the Jewish holidays

Fall, resolutions and promises

I promise to live life fully

To catch the shimmer of light

To stand tall

To be a friend to all

To never be a shadow

To become something more every day

What about You?

Anita Schiffman Holzberg 

A Poem by Anita

Footprints

 rain

 cool 56 degrees

time is marching

Fall mornings

September is a month of new beginnings

August 31, my daughter's birthday

39 years young

Neighbors coming today

Appetizers in the yard

Lemonade and brie

chips and bean dip

coconut shrimp

sandwiches from Whole Foods

Mini tarts

Beer and wine flowing

Can I ask for more?

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

clutter - Anita

clutter comes softly

  not all of a sudden

ooh ah the kitchen table can't be seen

ooh ah the kitchen counters are non existent

Removing clutter is painful

One piece at a time

Sometimes don't know where it should go

A 5 bedroom house for one person

All closets packed

Clutter is somewhat shameful

How did I get all this mess

Was I sleeping?

Removing clutter, the spaces cleared

is cathartic

Until we meet again.

In This Moment - Anita Holzberg

In this moment

 when sky begets sky

when swallows touch other trees

time moves us

we are never the same

I don a thicker skin to ward off the deamons

I enter into a peaceful retreat

where meditation and bliss are encountered

In almost 70 years I review my life

so much of it was poetry

4 lovers

2 grand kids

2 daughters

1 husband

   published somewhat

shadows the day with pain in the knee

I keep on going

like a deer stepping slowly

always getting to my destination

How about You?

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

Recolor your life - Anita

If we could recolor our lives

 I would start out in orange and go to green

I would reinvent my many loves

I would stand at another beach and watch

  the waves of my childhood

I would sell my soul to the highest bidder

I would play mahjong til dusk

I would enjoy my sunset years

I would never speak the word, "old"

I would cherish friends as family

I would redecorate my soul

I would find happiness in every day

I would embrace memory and the present

I would breathe freely

This I hope for my dearest friends.