Resolution

New Year's Resolution

Dating sites don't bring relationships, the sea of attention fills a birdbath the size of the Pacific Ocean called a heart. No, that sounds bitter, there are nice people on there, I'm a crummy picker.

An adult relationship stalls when the one party fails to introduce their children or include holidays or is often sick at the last minute, too many rain checks is a bullhorn.

Years of caring wore my boots, soles have holes and stitches in the sides, they leak rose lake. Work boots need softening. Step on summer rocks and frozen puddles makes leather fit around your bad toes. The nail of the big toe becomes ingrown from repeated pounding. A heifer gave her hide for riding boots. It’s not the climb uphill that breaks a soul, it’s the down curves when sliding on clay kills.

It’s a spell arriving. Butterfly lighting is a trick to make a portrait flattering. Shade wrinkles with light. Recite poetry in the cabin, say the rosary to the cows bellowing on the hillside while I garden, and no longer wear makeup on the weekends or spend money on packaged beauty products. Rose petals, lavender pods and organic herbs are in my secret creams.

Haze grew after your infidelities. Stool too close to a pink sweater in the bar. Incoming nasty messages and hacked places I frequent.

You cried. Things warmed for a moment, then returned to amusement park physics. Everyone said to give it up. But I'm no quitter.

I lied to myself about the joy verses pain scale, then I decided your dip in dots were too expensive and I am cheap. I don’t feel better, the future this opens a place for a partner to come in who treasures me. Time doesn’t heal, don’t let them tell you that garbage. Our minds play tricks to create new wiring and life circuits are busy. I'd pray for wisdom; but, the God I believe in doesn't get involved in changing events in our lives on earth. Free will to love, free will to miss, free to hike on.

 I hold you in highest regard and wish you well.

New Year is a clean start. Time for me to care for myself.

Carole Stevenson

 -  Shared publicly

I know this man. As a woman I am so sorry. It took me 12 years to move Paul McCarthy  on. Eclipse Messenger   You must know there is a third and fourth woman involved - lookup Mary Joe or M J Stackhouse 

Kindness Passes Lightening

Kindness Passes Lightning

Noah works strong, until the blitz

Armageddon shrivels souls in bits

Dose palms of oxy pills hide the pain

Snowflakes shards melt on black coat

Wool  recalls odor of a calf in the rain

Dreams become lost papers on a note.

Megiddo's a hill built upon graves

kindness opportunity rushes silent

lines in the highway flow in waves

holidays forgotten without hot riot.

Linear time  wipes out the past

Drips wear the wonder of crust

Aroma of rising bread  lost fast

A lover's necklace turns to dust.

Witness death of your child

sun on back, ashes apathetic

When nights thin mind wild

bitter peel shrivels lethargic.

Prism reflects from the river

Daily battles keep from seeing

What matters: is being a giver

All religions, good souls being.

Noah works strong  until the blitz

Armageddon shrivels souls in bits

Kindness passes lightening storms

Copyright 12/29/2016 Caroline Gerardo

poetry and photographs all rights 

Holiday Cheer

Get rid of holiday blues

Be simple

Be kind

Make 

wreaths

fir branches, collect 

pine cones, eucalyptus, 

no poison ivy Toyon holly thornless

cactus is gorgeous but succulents are easy

green / red plants, wire, hangers, gloves, fishing line

bunches work same as cooking raw spinach, shrinks down.

Spruce, juniper berry, marjoram, pine essential oils no diffuser?

few drops on a plate cheer your soul

Be simple

Be kind

Hot soup - 

roast pumpkin cut in half 

(seeds removed skin on, soft face up to moon) 

generous olive oil in the pan, sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg

bake until the flesh is caramel brown and the house smells yummy

No pumpkin? Use butternut squash, fine chop: onion and garlic

portions unmentioned, saute in olive oil in big pot until clear 

add stock, salt, pepper, curry, add roasted gourd in the pot 

and simmer. Check and smash as it steams

To put in bowls use a spoon

of Greek yogurt

or go ahead

add heavy 

whipping

 cream 

Share 

with 

great 

bread

Melting Hat Story

Woman waits for her ride,

brown bag covers white hair.

Sorrel melts in the rain.

Linda asks, "You need a lift?"

"No, my friend is in route."

Inside the Pack and Ship store

lights shine on bubble wrap.

Linda enters, buzzer rings.

She's on camera overhead.

"May I ask a favor?" 

Man looks up from his T. V.

"No." he answers.

"See the lady out front?"

"Yeah, she sent a package."

"May she wait inside from the storm?

He looks up queerly, "Sure, You know her?"

"No but thank you kindly, really thank you."

Linda returns to the barrage, shouting over noise

of traffic and hail.

"Come inside. I'll wait for out here your friend."

"She might miss me?"

Linda insists, the old woman explains 

the make and model of the driver's car.

Windshield wipers of Linda's car keep

time with music on the radio. 

The woman now inside the store, 

with the man,

he  leans forward over the counter.

They smile.

Tamale Share Story

Rose waits in line at the mercado for masa. 

Grandmother's gone, but she holds 

 traditions of preparing tamales for 

Christmas Eve. 

The opportunity gathers teenage children 

as a binding party before the holiday. 

Ten dozen tamales 

pork, chicken, and pineapple

The recipe takes 120 ojas (cornhusks) and 

fifteen pounds of prepared masa. 

Rather than mix cornmeal, shortening oil, 

baking powder, and salt by

hand she orders pre-made dough. 

Braised and pulled meats steam at home. 

Daughter stirs the fillings and juices.

The mercado cannot locate the woman in front of Rosa's order. 

"Sold out, perhaps tomorrow, after six, we'll have extra to sell."

The woman ahead of Rosa looks down as if to cry.

"The bus doesn't run tomorrow, I planned to make these

tonight for my Bisabuela in the rest home with extra for nurses."

"Sorry, tomorrow, next in line."

Rosa interjects,"how many pounds do you need?"

"Five, it's okay, I'll buy the dry ingredients and start right away, maybe

I'll have them ready for lunch tomorrow.

"Cut a third off my order." Rosa says.

Caroline Gerardo copyright 12/25/2016

Get Christmas Lights

Get Christmas Lights

Give hope now. 

Generator moans

Girlfriend harass

Good god where?

 Jesus wraps presents

Gentle storage boxes

Gift me Target crates

Gadflies of plastic fills

Greet strangers with joys

Gems of sapphire lights

Golly snap your negatives

Glue of one day remains

Get galactic Grinch gone 

Gadgets waste of dollars

Greet every cell with smile

Caroline Gerardo Copyright 12/23/2016 poem and images 

Gingerbread Man Guards

Eucalyptus, pine and succulent wreaths on gates,

fancy up the chain link stairs to my cabin.

Rains did their best to melt down grosgrain ribbons.

Bobcat tore under the side to try at one of the sultans;

but ginger bread men act as soldiers in the kitchen.

Grandfather's elaborate trains in the basement 

sold off boxes before we made it to the souq.

Did the Shiite militia keep the tracks?

A tunnel appeared to barrel bomb cars.

It's somewhere in rubble now.

Missing days of believers at home.

Mailing letters to Santa, 

tucked under comforter prayers.

This too is passage.

Entropy wears on cells.

.

Noble fir stands tall with

whole ornaments from

calamity of puppies of the past

knocking over trees.

Missing that dog's tail.

A cross guards 

over her in the meadow.

Mother always says, 

"I'm doing my best!"

With and exclamation point, yes.

This too is passage.

Holding heart with cheers.

 Days before Christmas.

Copyright Caroline Gerardo 12/19/2016