Two woman, Anita Holzberg and Ann Wainwright met over the internet with Bill Costley,
their common friend, whose wife Carolin had been Ann's good friend. Starting in
June '09, Anita sent a Cupcake poem to Ann's website cakecakecake, after seeing
the photo of cupcakes. The poem was about her grandson's first birthday party. Ann
liked that and it was the start of a wonderful exchange of poems from Anita to Ann and
Ann with color, photos, and lay-out savvy, presented them to the blog. Now, in 2010,
the two women so alike in spirit and interests, have started BetweenFriends, a new blog
site where they can combine ideas about their worlds. Ann lives in Northern UK
(Teesside). Anita lives in Northern California, Sunnyvale, (Silicon Valley where all the
computers are.) We share our lives on this blog and hope you will comment and share
yours too, dear readers and enjoy the "ride".

Monday, 4 October 2010

G-d for sale - Anita Holzberg


starling remarks
before the dawn
before the lawn becomes green
before the sea of memory takes over
before the clover grows
before the pots of flowers open their
mouths
before the intention of living
stirs one's mind and spirit

beyond belief
in tune with the wind on the leaves
on clotheslines
on birds flirting with sky
on telephone wires
who hires
G-d?
G-d for sale
no bargain here
He makes us work for what we have
no sentence too great

beyond
what we can fathom
in our slightest movement
beyond life as we know it.

Anita S. Holzberg/poet/teacher/songwriter

Never Land - Anita Holzberg


Never land
is far beyond the horizon

Never land
walks
in mind and spirit

soft shades of morning

Never land
is what we create

ourselves

A mind that is engaged in living

open
free like doors
swinging
can we ever be
near
Never land?

P.S. Nirvana is a hope

a set of intentions

for finding Never land

Maybe its easier than we imagine.


Anita S. Holzberg/poet/teacher/composer

I ride the great white river - Anita Holzberg


I ride the great white
river
time is on my side
I ride the great white
river
I abide by nothing

memory goes into her box
success walks on tenuous feet
success is in the eye of the beholder

I walk into the great white
river
the waves play as trumpets
the melody stays in my head

Dare to live!

Anita S. Holzberg

Brain waves come like silk - Anita Holzberg

Hollow not
brain waves come
like silk
after being brain dead
to reality shows
grabbing every waking moment

brain waves
like sea waves
reverberate with the tides
the ebb and flow
follow sounds
in the universe
deep underwater dreams
emerge
in the dark yearnings of the heart
black thoughts
transpire
the world we treasure
is the deep longing
the upside down world
where the heart fights for survival
like fish we come
up for water
sometimes that is not enough
food, sustain ace, drops of water
mouth on the open sea
seagulls dart over
seemingly nothing
is happening
so quiet the deep
sea
the mind in struggle
makes little noise
on the shadow of the
earth's crust.

Anita S. Holzberg
Sometimes that is not enough,
food, sustenance, drops of water

soft rain does not fall - Anita Holzberg

soft shadows
obscure not
soft rain does not fall
in a few weeks it will
the shoe is on the other foot
fine wine
and cafe that it brewed to perfection
glances
parting hours
stable remarks
a place mat
remembers what was said here

the night falls
company leaves

P.S. In the rhythm of
we pursue those we love.
the table rocks
with remembrance.

Anita S. Holzberg
October 2, 'a0



Sunday, 3 October 2010

A bit of piano from Ann (Lady Gaga's 'Paparazzi')

After the Rainbow - Anita Holzberg

After the rainbow
there is peace
After the rainbow
there is peace
You came back to me
You my very best friend

There is singing all around
And the little bird without words
sings my song.
and that little bird without words
sings my song.

Saturday, 2 October 2010

For Corinne/ because Space and Memory - Anita Holzberg

space and memory
encounter
the counter of the mind

space gives memory grow-power

I leave that space
become something else
like a fallen leaf
a long steamed rose
in the pool of the past.

Anita's poem of Space and Memory



A poem by Anita Holzberg

10 zucchinis make havoc with the field
of their dreams
Lemons lurk on lemon trees disguised
by tall green leaves
Lettuce wilts on 115 degree plates
on a LA patio
Purple plums rise as fall comes
almost too soon here
Pastry chefs stand to reason
with chocolate pumpkin raisin cake
Wedding Chefs learn quickly to create
dreams skillfully and soon
Popcorn of every variety: kettle corn,
garlic, just popped hoot
Pumpkins pop orange their flavor
and colored candies float far
Avocados green as the season sprouts
good fats into sky
Food freaks and nutrition experts
allude to new attitudes now

Anita Holzberg

autumn - from Ann

Thursday, 30 September 2010

Freedom~Anita Holzberg

Its all about the web

that vast net that catches us

makes us work

for whatever we have



clouds claim our spirit when

it does not move ahead



Its all about climbing out

the butterfly metaphor

I found my freedom

again



some might call it resilience



I call it



God.

In the Waking - Anita Holzberg

In sickness
and in health
I come to thee

the heavens
have my name

solace and saniety
replace
days and nights
of
when movement stopped
as the clock
ticked to oblivion





Ahora, the mind walks
in another direction

un lumiere petit
shines
within.

Tuesday, 28 September 2010

Babies - Anita Holzberg

Babies          
make their imprint of the earth's floor
encumbered by life's frailities
they survive
they find shelter and food
their Mama the core
Even in romote Mongolia
A baby in a pail of water
walks out of the pail
the co
ws and chickens
his playground

Amazing
photography no words
Powerful beyond cultural
boundaries'




Monday, 20 September 2010

Lu - by Anita Holzberg

Lu
face sparkling
walked down the hall
the walker, her new found friend

Great friends for 20 plus years
the happy times
the sad times
ran a design business together

Great friends show up and keep up
the smiles
the chatter about everything
" Hard to leave"
"Keep up the exericse"
I say
"Your make-up looks great!"
Keep that smile on your face."

Tuesday, 31 August 2010

A poem from Anita

Brilliant sun
over the shoulder dreams
tomorrow night
a reading of my work
before the poet community

Chances are
after poetry
there is always something
brewing
coffee at Starbucks
speaking French
fresh apple pie

Creativity runs through my fingers
and through all of us.....
Honor it!

Sunday, 29 August 2010

Anita's poem

The fog rolls in
the temperature dips
Monday and Tues near 100
30 degrees cooler
We salute the end of August
the kids go off to school
the lazy hazy days of summer fleeting
I visit some wonderful gardens
3 woman together in straw hats
the petunias and begonias brimming
these trimmings
bring their own set of joy!

Anita S. Holzberg



Friday, 20 August 2010

Anita Holzberg

Cream colored clouds
purple morning glories
excited voices
the end of August phrases
In the haze of fog
I begin my day
coffee smells so so good
as it streams through
my home.

School begins -Anita Holzberg

I watched Misaki
my 5 year old Japanese neighbor
go off to Kindergarten
her smile as wide as the new day
Her day victorious

Thursday, 19 August 2010

By Anita

In the winds of change
I walk the diving board
I memorize trees
I do as I please
summer is fleeting
It will remain in my heart.

Wednesday, 11 August 2010

Tuesday, 10 August 2010

Anita Holzberg

Imagine 10 poets on a deck
spouting images into the balmy summer air
the tuxedo cat hiding but hearing the words

They came from Pasadena, a city near Los
Angeles and brought a new way of looking
at love, city, hip hop and relationships

My group of poets more conservative and more
studied
gave the balance

Their thoughts echoed deep into the night.

Monday, 19 July 2010

birds

i like birds.
i like the way they can fly.
and eat.
they are cunning
and they can fight
but they are fair.
unlike us.

Saturday, 17 July 2010

Wednesday, 14 July 2010

Tuesday, 13 July 2010

success smells sweet as roses - Anita Holzberg


Success walked in
along a trim hedge in my yard
50 poems are out there
blog and e mails
Amazon.com
with all that fan fare
I heave a sigh of relief
"Hard work never killed anybody,"
said my mother
a woman for all seasons
that made us walk to school
in snow
never a clone
I salute all that
followed me here
the music plays more
than ever!

Anita Schiffman Holzberg
July 13, '10

Sunday, 11 July 2010

My new CD for sale - from Anita!


Hi Everyone
I have done a CD of my poems.
Take a listen to the samples and piano
music by me on Amazon.com under
my name ‘Anita Holzberg’ and ENTER IN.

It is my best work yet.
It spans the years 1988 -2010. Love
poems, Poems of Memory
and Loss, Friendship, Family, Nature,
and Poems of Promise. Enjoy! Comments
would be appreciated.

Hugs. Have a wonderful summer.

Anita


Summer 2010 - Anita Holzberg

In orchid moments

their faces so delicate

their stems so strong

In orchid moments

the summer sun

touches my shoulder

my arms feel her rays

the hustle and bustle

dissipates in my garden of hope

as root beer floats

the swimming pool

close.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

Anita Holzberg


Underscoring
the human in h u m a n i t y
I exit the Oakland train
a policeman helps me with my suitcase
a cafeteria manager
pours me a cup of hazelnut coffee
and throws in a plain old fashioned donut
at 65, my smile still turns heads (joke)
I fold up laundry for a friend over 70
he sings my praises
the hibiscus blooms bright red near my door-step
my garbage cans are taken in by someone
Under wraps
I see h u m a n i t y
waffled -eyed dreams
march in
the day
and the summer breeze
never ever the same.
Anita Schiffman Holzberg

time for a little nap!

My new felt rose cushions

Thursday, 8 July 2010

Places I Frequent - Anita Holzberg

                Oh, memory
I have ceased to answer thee
Martin's photo swept away in the
last de-cluttering
his book, his cowboy photo
a shining star hits the dust

I must
remember that today belongs to today
my trip to the UPS store that
carried my package in
that opened my chest of pots and pans
to send back
that found me a 9 in green fry pan to keep
and packed it up
for shipping
lickety-split

Those women were not clacking bimbos
but professionals of paper and packing
one a chef at culinary school
the other church going

from South Africa

little trips I make now
to those who care for Seniors
with a cane
I find these trips empowering
and heartfelt among
dash and din of a day's routine.

Tuesday, 6 July 2010

Waves - Anita Holzberg


Ice cream
cobalt blue sea
seagulls hang over
surf
come up
sometimes rough
beauty is in the sound of the
waves.

Poem for June by Anita Holzberg

Time the great marker
sugar-coated occurrences
wind that does not stop

One white rose appears
then one red
and then a third one--orange

I tell the garden to be my barometer
when the small beaked hummingbird arrives
when the bushy black tailed squirrels ride
my telephone wires high
when summer simulates spring
when curtains ring.




two roses
one white,
one red
meet beyond the wooden shed

each ones' song
out into the universe

June tune.


Anita Schiffman Holzberg
June 29, '10

New thoughts - Anita Holzberg

In shadow
in darkness
in unfathomed silences
the word proceeds the music
the hum proceeds the phrase
the ditto proceeds what we see in
Nature
the chime precedes our deepest joy

(I know this, because I have been there).

Anita Schiffman Holzberg
July 1, '10
July flys

A classic Button pose!

freshly baked brownie muffins baked by Ruth!

Peace -Anita Holzberg

P e  a  c e

comes q u i e t l y

the anger extinguished

the fluorescent bulb lasts

longer

throw the clay on the wall

watch it stick

the tread of humanity

rests

in the resting.

Friday, 18 June 2010

Monday, 14 June 2010

Saturday, 12 June 2010

Lessons Learned at Twilight - Anita Holzberg

Twilight   the time between dusk and dark


between nodding and unwinding

between cat's meows and dogs bow-wows.

doggo gnaws on a tasty ankle bone

Friday, 11 June 2010

Home made cheese scones

Finding Peace - Anita Holzberg

In peace I come
to the river
laying down my arms

In openness I come
my heart is listening

In solitude I come
as the clouds roll over
as the sun still not here
the birds wait also

In mirth I come
the snails wiggle
the bunnies hop
the stems of nature always changing

In peace I come
like the running brook
I find the separateness
to be....

Anita S. Holzberg
Searching for Peace
June 10, '10

a small rockery in a dog basket for my friend Betty

Anita Holzberg


In the interim
sky begets sky
old memories surface
I walk up the mountain
as a cloud or two
floods.

Sunday, 6 June 2010

Saturday, 5 June 2010

Hi from Anita

Hi! On this glorious hot/almost summer day
Through my mail shoot sat a package from
Ann. Wow, English tea. How special! The flavors
of the tea where very different than here. We have
black tea, and zen tea (green tea), and herbal tea.
Because of the anti=oxygen's and health craze,
herbal tea and green tea are high on the list for us
here in Sunnyvale and the Bay Area. The Bay area
are all those towns in the San Francisco area. I am
in the South Bay.

At any rate, tea is really big now.
I enjoyed my cup of typhoo tea (square tea
bag) with milk and sugar. It had somewhat of a spice
to it. First I made it straight up...and then remembered
that milk might be good and sugar too. I can use stevia
a natural sugar. I too am into the health craze.

So now, as I sip my tea, I think of you Ann,
drinking the same tea....only a few miles as
the crow files across the Atlantic.

Cheers, mon amie.

Thursday, 3 June 2010

June Fancy - Anita Holzberg

Now, is the time for silence
the bird whispers
the trees bloom
the roses are in here.
the month of June.

Wednesday, 2 June 2010