When life was filled with stress
and college chaos,
a walk helped clear my head.
High on a hill was a cemetary
overlooking the Mississippi River.
Sitting among those peaceful souls,
Watching the River flow by
brought peace and calm
and solitude that I needed
to heal my introverted soul
Just knowing a river is near,
grounds me
and gives me faith.
The River is my anchor.
The River is .. . .
a constant reminder of God’s presence
in my life: not always visible but still there
wending and winding his way through my life
but always there when I need help.
“I’ve got Peace like the River in my Soul”
 |
| Missouri River in Parkville, MO 2025 |
Big Muddy
Fireflies twinkle in the rosy-hued stream of twilight.
The moon rises, reflecting in the water.
A lonely owl perched in the oak, welcomes the dusk of night,
and flies over the mighty river.
And the Big Muddy sweeps swiftly by:
 |
| Rocheport, Missouri 1993 |
Carrying debris of yesterday’s storm
Flooding banks with upriver silt
Hiding danger below:
Undertows, sawyers and snags,
Wrecked dreams and shattered hopes.
Constant and steady
Big Muddy surges like royalty.
She demands respect as she shoves her way
through Eden.
Peacefully sleeping
With all of my friends
We were ZZZZinnia seeds
So comfy, so cozy—-
Suddenly the roof was ripped off our home
Fingers pinched us
and scatttered us in a row
Spaced apart from the rest.
I prefered being a part of my
family not apart from!
I liked being as we were.
But it was time to change.
Then, we were covered with
dark soil which after a while
felt oddly comforting.
But I am so lonely
Missing my friends,
Iafraid of this new unknown world.
I feel a warmth from above
moving closer.
Each day, inching my way
toward that warmth.
Breaking ground,
I see that warmth is making me stronger
I look around for my friends
And I only see Marigolds
In full bloom
Cheering me on with their
Bright yellow pom-poms
I urge my friends to try
this new arrangement
and one by one they follow me.
With support and encouragement,
We are content:
We are ready to bloom.
I came to McCrite broken:
weary from care-giving,
limping with sciatica,
emotionally drained.
But, here at McCrite, I found love:
the love of a neighbor checking in on me,
the love of a work out buddy who said,
“Have a Good Day”,
the love from a resident welcoming me with a goody bag
that included the Cardinal schedule,
the love of people in the dining rooom inviting us to join them.
the love of friends who prayed for me and Dave
the love of a support group that helped dry my tears
Now, it is my turn to return that love
with a poem or two,
a welcoming smile,
with a listening ear, and
a hug,
with a laugh at breakfast or happy hour, or
a birthday card slipped in the door.
The people at McCrite
found all of my pieces
and helped me re-assemble myself
I’m not the same person but a new and improved version of myself.
thank you.
April 2026
