First Marriages - Anita Holzberg

If the world did not wink to us
 if the world did not blink to us
   if time was the barometer
      I would watch it tick
sometimes, I would rather time travel

We spoke about our first marriages
   my only marriage
         and how significant it was
                because we grew up together
          we had kids together
                 we started a life together

Even now,
        when the shoe is on the other foot
             when dancing is as close as walking
                   when life is the unsettled cloud
                        your face launches 
                              I remember who I was
                         in that marriage
                                  who I now have become.

pan de leche - Anita Holzberg

Morning comes

  Hazelnut coffee drips
      pan de leche
             soft bread
      filled with air
           I bite in
        it does not crack my teeth
     the taste is marvelous!
          the texture like clouds
       I highly recommend this bread

       Bread the staff of life
          its ingrained
               to love bread
           daily
                 wheat bread, pita bread, pan de leche bread
             walk into my breakfast
                  I celebrate my bread
                       daily.

If you do not have visions - Anita Holzberg

If you do not have visions
the world is a place
that does not laugh,
does not dance
does not sing
I talked to you about a vision
an action, a plan for yourself
your reaction positive
as the summer breezes come
as the linens on my bed clean
as my kitchen evolves into a celebration
  of spices and sounds 
as my day starts
   with these dancing in my head
as my book is written
as my chance for you not altogether
   understandable
as the day moves forward
   always the vision wakes
and so my dreams become
    a waking reality.

August then and Now - Anita Holzberg

Quiet mornings
  abound
waking to the wonder
of the world opening
like a soft chord
memory besets my thoughts
August,
the month when Emily was born
yellow shorts
the lake
Rachel 2 years old and then some
the New Jersey heat
I prayed for mercy in that hot humidity
Tomato plants on the vine
A garden full of zucchini
I was married to the master gardener
Tuberous begonias lit my path
Spring Valley does not seem so far away
What is 37 years, I say

Those years were amazing

Now, I move into August
the summer sun does not fade my spirit
I walk taller
This knee replacement was good
I make another barbecue
This time, I am the Master Chef
All things will abound here
Friends of the neighborhood
coming together

I stand in the cool pool
Its been a year
I have my pool pass
I am moving on.

Have a beautiful day!

August 1 - Anita Holzberg

Let the summer roll
  the umbrella of sweetness
happy times
  I spend most of my days inside
not looking to be in the sun
  surrounded by wildflowers

    I stop occasionally to pick
         a plum
  that rolled on my deck from the tree
         above it
     eaten by birds
         the purple flush against sky

           I stop often to dry a swimsuit
       or a sundress from the pool

              in my descent to the out-
doors
         summers of the past emerge
               the barbecues
            the lake
                the swimming pool
           barelegged and shorts clad
                diving into the pool
             no cares really
                 the days went quickly
             when we were young
                 no real care about that

We come to mid summer
            or late summer
       the very last month
             hot weather prevails
      and fruit flies hover
            over half eaten watermelon

         the goal is never to underestimate
      the end of summer
          romance
               stir fried afternoons
           students opening notebooks

               the goal is:
       be true to thyself
                let the summer come in
          still one month to go
                in late June I hum
          in early August I harmonize
               with all that has
                   happen
           green eyed trees
                  and leaves of memory
              make it even better.

Nine - Anita Holzberg

Nine geese ride into the wind
  flying 
       against the words of nature
these birds,
        a beauty to behold

Nine herons walk the beach
     I spotted them before
               never nine
what a sight!

nine moons dancing
  nine fingers flying across
a keyboard

Sing!

Anita Schiffman Holzberg 

If you do not have visions - Anita Holzberg

Moons have their own aura
  floating moons
     into rooms
I see your face
     in full view
not hiding behind the Moon

Floating moons
  bring us back to the round-
         ness
the truth of human kindness
      the truth of
   who we are
between sunlight and moonlight
     I ride the great divide
 many moons.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

I Will Know My Name - Anita Holzberg

In time I will know my name
 the name of my granddaughter 
   Evelyn Rose
sweet, innocent, happy
I will hold her in my arms
I will carry her from room to room
I will feed her
and let her hold her bottle

In time I will know my name
Evidenced in truth found
among the papers
among the rafters

In the spot where books were written
years ago I will know my name
my name among my writing

In time I will believe I have written
  throughout my life
and become more from the writings

In time I will know my name.

Introspection - Anita Holzberg

In thought out sequences
I do the dance
of eating less
of braving it out
of taking care of me in
the biting silences
I read, I write, I wash
dishes and remember
how it was
how it is now
If by chance I meet myself
coming and going
I will walk in the way of the meadow
walk in the way of the stream
walk under the trestle of the train
I have been there
almost 70 years
taking chances
in my stockpile of memories
every decision was a chance
every step forward is 
determined by where I had been before
the killing ground
looks good, it really does.

after all the trees sing - Anita Holzberg (Ed by Bill Costley)

After all the trees sing,
violets bloom,  

the sense of wonder asserts
that satisfaction was had

i'ts over
liked warmed milk, luke-warm
in all that we said & stated
it's over, until:

the next chapter writes itself
& the next student appears

the next bff (?) comes into view
I await the next. 

It's become almost a ritual - Anita Holzberg

Its become almost a ritual
I walk in
you there in a wheelchair
I kiss you on the lips
You kiss back

Its become almost a ritual
I talk, you a few words
You nod
I continue

Its become almost a ritual
I tell you how handsome you are
You thank me

And its a ritual
I come home
  you can not be here
 it is like a whirlwind
that has happened
I can not bear it
I immediately get some water
I do not break down and cry
Yes, my beloved was taken from me
I am grateful he did not die
I repeat that phrase over and over

What is it like for him?

Anita Schiffman Holzberg 

I Held on to the Roses - Anita Holzberg

I held on to the roses
  pink, orange, violet, and red
I held on to the roses
the golden touch in my life
the pitter patter
the fragrant rose at my dining room table
the rose that lit my kitchen window
the rose that stood by me in my darkest hour

Sometimes, the rose was her own piece
    my own piece of heaven.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg 

Slowly - Anita Holzberg

S l o w l y
   I taste the wine
S l o w l y
   I write the rhyme
S l o w l y
   I start my day
S l o w l y
   my face dismay
S l o w l y
     I pay my bills
S l o w l y
     I take my pills
S l o w l y
     I put aside sadness
S l o w l y
      I replace with happiness
S l o w l y
      the world does not wait
S l o w l y
       I hesitate
S l o w l y
       I plug into view
S l o w ly
        its me and then, You.

Love Story - Anita Story

noticing fog
  a comforting thought returns
         under the fogged in skies
how much did you love me?

I know it was a lot
   I was the receiver of so much
           I never once questioned it
we were sympatico
          the seasons rolled
we were sympatico
              the words came to the
tip of my tongue
the silences when the TV blared
the silences when we slept in each others arms
or Cocoa in between

How much is lost in time
      your face never leaves mine
your heart beats with mine
even Now.

NICE DREAMS - Anita

Nice dreams
  red velvet cake
I wanted to serve it to you
   I wanted to touch your face
in the sunlight
   I begin again
each morning a revision
another day to get it right
so to speak
to read volumes
to walk in the park
to hold truths in the palm of my hand
How are You?

I Walk - Anita Holzberg

tenacious heart   beating to the rhythm I walk on sand   in bare feet I walk into life   as a brisk day      with the geraniums blooming             with the fierce river rolling                  with the sun in the sky                     like an orange ball                            shining I hear you   when I am in the shower      when I am in the yard            when I start the barbecue                you were here           and the memory is sweet                   I lost you now             but I will never leave you                   I bought you chocolates                           and strawberries                     Tenacious love                            holds the rudder                        through time.

silence is golden-Anita Holzberg

silence is golden
   awaking the small
spaces revisit the dream

silence is golden
  the large spaces 
gather in

silence is golden
the day begins
wings 
surface
I am f l y i n g
amidst the s i l e n c e
the dream comes c l e a r.

Monday starts-Anita

clamoring
  Monday starts
    a blue Sunday recedes
the kitchen counters crowded
   roast chicken pans
   small tangerines
   garlic and dill
     olive oil
clamoring for attention
     the pots and pans unwashed
the latter too hard to do
        it will wait
like everything in my life
         it will wait.

newness dances - Anita Holzberg

newness dances on feet unknown
  a cleared up table
papers gone
      disappear and vanish into boxes
clear cut tablecloth
ready
clean for company ready
as the day progresses into mid-day
no shower, no hair wash
no eyeliner, lips covered
I sit in my pajamas
watching the hours fly
thinking at 4 PM I will go to the park.

Affirmations - by Anita

Subscribe to the NY Times
Sit huddled in a corner
Drink Zen tea at Starbucks
Flee from the enemy
Stand tall every morning
Sit in the seat of angels
Do a favor for someone
Hug a child
Teach a dog something new
Play havoc with the wind
Smell wildflowers 
Weave daisy chains
Be the wind, sun, and shadow
B r e a t h e

WOW Factor - Anita Holzberg

Sweeping away the grains
   Infinite shadows emerge and dissipate
4th of July wonder
Seated among the blooming roses
Friends next to me
Bill a face, not an e mail
I wanted to be the Wow factor
I dressed dramatically
My dress of 5 years ago or more
I wanted to meet new people
and I did.

The Lesson - Anita Holzberg

Not withholding love
  I live it every day
a child comes to visit
  her lesson
is a labor of love
she draws a map
maybe the first map she has ever drawn
It is perfect
It shows all the cities and the Pacific Ocean
I watch this act
I stand in the wings
Learning is about letting the student fly
She flies
She completes the map
  She knows it is good.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg 

the pillow fight is over - Anita Holzberg

When the urge to be surfaced
  when the pillow fight is over
     the struggle with myself ended
   the incredible dream returns

I dream I would work again
I dream I would walk again
I dream I would ride the Bart again

In this sentence there are adjectives
Active verbs
T-shirts ordered that say "Anita's Writers"
coming soon from Vista Print

In the waking
  God on my path
 the countenance, the majesty of moments
   walking with God, God is walking with me,too.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg 

We Never said Good-Bye - Anita Holzberg

We never said good-bye

we never said good-bye
  we never uttered endings
       we never shuttered in the morning sun
           we never gave up on sky

we never looked further than Now
  we are living a dream

your mind returns
   it is a gift upon gifts
I see you today
   a resurrected cloud
          beauty is in the eye of the beholder
I hold you close.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg
Jim returns

1,000 - Anita Holzberg

1,000 dreams dancing in the sunlight
  1,000 windows shining top of the morning
    1,000 mouths singing in the limelight

1,000 feet walking to nirvana

I find you in the smallest hour
  I speak my heart
    my heart that was put in a box
         I open it for you

1,000 friends shouting hello

I am walking with God, too.

In Truth - Anita Holzberg

In truth
  the cat comes in
her paws touch carpet
   her Buddah pose
quiet as the morning is long

In truth
  the fingers ache like needles
     arthritis looms

In truth
   weight gain is about carelessness
       today is a better day

In truth
    time comes, time goes
I see the light of your eyes
I am walking with God and God is walking
     with me
comforting me in those dark moments.

apricots - Anita Holzberg

Round about the orchard
   comes down
      on the ground
  from the tree apricots
       I ate them
     on the tar mat running

I sat there
  juice running from my face
     all gooey
  round about the orchid
juice runs down
   around town.

Fiber - Anita Holzberg

Asparagus doesn't cut it
   green beans come in second
broccoli is the winner
   fiber veggies
I wanted to have more fiber
  I say your name
     the fiber veggies keep
coming
     as the truth about eating
I have my toast and marmalade
     fiber and sweet
keep the wheat bread
      I need the sweet
           more than the wheat.
Keep the fiber coming.

Anita S. Holzberg 

You never said "Good-bye" - Anita Holzberg

Ludicrous remarks
   devil make care moments
I hold your hand
I am here for you Now
I hear you breathe
I always listened for that shallow heart
I am back
  at the gate, next to the wheel chair
       next to the bed
              next to you

Heart beats like mountains
  strong, sturdy
         You hardly speak
body language says volumes

I hold on
  you never said "good-bye"
You never uttered farewell

You weren't checking out
You brought yourself back

I am witness.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

In the stations - Anita Holzberg

In the stations
  Out the lake
On the water
   In house
      under wraps
I speak to you
   Never leaving me
     Never speaking that "good-bye"

In the inopportune moments
  belly up
I sit by my window in my study
Hacking out lines

I am like a fisherman
  putting the lines out and the bait

Ever waiting
   never expecting
       This.

Sweet hearts - Anita Holzberg

Sweet hearts
  putting together
a summer
  a new bunch of rainbows
as I speak to you
with stars in my eyes
as I hold your hand
electric vibes
on this summer June day
you hardly speak
your body language says a lot
I look straight into your eyes
I see love.
It rises on the rafters
and in our sweet hearts.

Dawn Song - Anita Holzberg

In the stillness
  birds weep
    babies sleep
the horizon moves on a continuum
the stars fade out
the sky is renewed

In the stillness
  dreams are found
     under the peace of another
day dawning

the fox and the foxglove are one.

Time Looms - by Anita

As the rivers roll
  as time moves
    June, my favorite month
            7 days to go
    I wonder what July will be like?

As the mountains move
   as the shadows recede
      as time looms into sky
              I see your face again
       I hear your voice
               we take a photo
       I wear a gold jacket
                 my intention is
          to Wow
                 it works
            you come back to me
               its all about the mind
                    returning
               a soft pebble rolls
                       I pick it up
               You are back.

Not So Fast - Anita Holzberg

Not so fast
  the moon recedes
    the planet turns
         the earth goes brown
    the rivers dry

Not so fast
     the greening of America
            solar roofs
        solar houses
             my own house
         curbed for energy

Not so fast
        this world changes
           tablets and iphones
              fast communication
            voids in intimacy

      Not so fast
I cherish my friends
       my writer friends
              who understand me
         in this sea of communication
              glitches
         there still is poetry
              a small voice
             steady and strong
                 not so fast.

In Willows - Anita Holzberg

In willows I will speak to you
   volumes
       as the mid-day sun stays
          as the room in its completeness
                  dictates
          as your going and coming is in
                 a wheel chair
    I still see the semblance of your smile
                your kiss
           as I plant an orange tree today
                  and think of you
           here in my yard
                      sitting
                  with the barbecue roaring
             the breeze blowing
time honored
             I take these times to warp around
                          my heart
              beating still
                          for you.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg 

Love is the Way - Anita Holzberg

In those spaces     In those petite spaces            I find the       space to love you            in the early morning         the beauty of you               graces my life           as the sun rises                  my spirit rises              my heart is home                  find the time to love                  and it will love you back              time is the essence                   love is the way            walk with God, be free to say                     what you desire             walk with love

Keep - Anita Holzberg

Stand in your truth
  ride the high wire
Keep the secrets of a lifetime
   under wraps
Walk in the trenches
Never bicker with strangers
Hold the ticket close
Hold my hand and I will 
hold yours. 

A bunch of lines - Anita

A bunch of lines    words strung        on daisy vines offset by the     light of the moon.

98 Ways to say I Love You - Anita Holzberg

98 ways to say I love you
15 ways to clean a kitchen
11 ways to clean your garage
23 ways to ask for forgiveness
10 sunrises wait for all this to happen

In truth, I did all of the above
In truth, I raised the banner high
My flag still flying, as the wind takes on my sails
I am not afraid
I am not daunted
I am stronger having had the surgery and the fall

58 ways to be grateful

Gratitude is a blessing....

Amen.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg 

true blue black - Anita

In the true-blue black    rising mountains      purple moons            unending sky    the heavens proclaim her glory        star-lit black            in the true blue friendship      I held your hand             and you held mine

And Love has Found Me - Anita Holzberg

And love will find you
  hiding under a rock
    in a shelter
      under wraps
   a comforter with feet

And love has found me
   in assisted living
         the spark of what we had
     always present

And love will be like a tree of remembrance
    whose branches hang memories
            whose leaves, promise

In truth I never thought I would find you again
    Love walks in mysterious ways
         she abounds joy
             at the juncture of pain
                 she lives, breathes,
                       extinguishers fires
                   put out the flames
                     the soft mellow face
                        of love remembers
                                and brings the peace.

Garden Remarks - Anita Holzberg

The journey is far
  endless days and nights
     the beetles and dragonflies
know what we do not

the bamboo shoot that sprouted 
  in the middle of my garden
     speaks her own truths

I turn a leaf
   I followed my heart
      in that moment
divine intervention took place

My friend was the initiator
   blessings to her and Jim

I notice today the trumpet vine flowers
   orange next to the bamboo
       an Asian mix
           in my garden bringing
       symmetry and hope.

In Truth - by Anita

In truth,  the thorn and the rose are one         the bloom rising     a 95 degree day          the sun was streaming on        us     life moves in her mysterious ways          another chance              to be l o v i n g.

Visions - Anita Holzberg

In shadows
  I come
     to this juncture
           this turn in the road
       out of the darkness
   some semblance of light
       beginning like a cat
             open eyes
          mouth closed
            
    In times I feel like the traveler
       always finding something new
           the day barely
                  starts
              the road to nirvana
                   far
         I touch a leaf
                I hold it close
                       nature will be there
                    always
                          to calm my soul.

Be - Anita Holzberg

Find happiness in your sleeve
  your hand that reaches out
     your eyes that digest the images
          of a world fleeting by
         a bird that flies free
             a sun that warms
                  a bamboo shoot that takes hold

            Find happiness under a rock
              in a word
                   in a conversation
                       in which I was heard.

Illusions - Anita Holzberg

On the crown of the soul
I write these lines
illusions
as if the world did not need 
such pomp and circumstance
I write
touched by mountains
cradled by streams
tumbled by the dry lips of understandings

We are images
fleeting across sand
like the firefly
before he had wings.

After Nils Peterson's Poem, Kiss first line, A kiss and my whole mouth red - Anita Holzberg

A kiss and my whole mouth pink
  pink as the sky at sunset
    pink as the perky petunia
      pink as the rose in first plume

A kiss and my whole mouth pink
     drinking in the universe
        thinking pink
            in a world that ceases to
                  remember
          how pink really is.

Anita Schiffman Holzberg

Poem by Anita

Sounds around
  a honking bird
    a meek meow
      the sprinklers
             June
     my favorite month has arrived
         I too have survived
     arrived at happiness
            ever fleeting
      I hold the reigns
         as  the horse of many
      colors presents herself.

Amen.