a poem in my pocket

I pray blessings upon each of you, my dear grandchildren, as you go back to school! A new school year can be exciting and scary, learning can be fun and hard work. Do NOT worry but DO listen to your teachers/parents because they want to help you. Let me know if I can help you or your parents with anything.

Pay attention to your studies with your eyes, ears, and hands (even nose and mouth, if possible). Be brave to try new things and be determined to practice old things. If you work at it, you will get better at any skill. It is good to be smart and know a lot of things. It is even better to be wise and know how to live well.

May you be a good friend, especially to your own sisters and brothers. If you are kind, others will usually be kind back. But sometimes others are unkind; that is when you must learn to forgive, like Jesus forgives us. God is love and He created a big, beautiful world for us to live in so go learn about living in God’s world!

time for new school year
hope teacher’s interesting
ready… study…learn!

emptied of family and

furnishings except for

an ornate pool table

with matching chairs

in basement; listen —

sounds of billiard balls

clacking against each

other, stripes vs. solids.

ghostly echos of former

husband vs. wife, each

of different pattern, who

clacked loudly to break;

left single family home

for two separate shelters.

as new occupant peels

off wall-lettering upstairs:

“bless this home with love

and laughter,” she wonders

about — the children.

Laura Bloomsbury hosts dVerse poetics tonight with “house” theme…