lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown
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Reflections on Life through poetry, essays and photos.
lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown
7h ago
This gorgeous wild orchid was viewed on the terrace of a friend.
For Cee’s FOTD ..read more
lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown
16h ago
(A Hint)
Our words to “define” for this Friday Are:
1. Sardoodledom Traditional time of leisure for the highest official during the Russian Empire.
2. Callithumpian The brutal hazing of freshman students from California by ruffian seniors in Texas.
3. Turdiform What Shitologists study
4. Persiflage The whipping of an intruder with one’s pocketbook
5. Palpebrous Easily pinched and fondled
6. Chary My favorite kind of pie
7. Malapert Herb’s mom8. Dowsabel The loud ringing of the bell in the stock exchange that signals a brilliant trade.
9. Maquillage The result of a fig ..read more
lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown
1d ago
I grew up in a tiny prairie town in South Dakota, population 700 when I left it, 500 now. I’ve talked of this place many times on my blog, published two books on growing up there, but just today, someone on the town’s website published these newspaper stories from 1922 which I found fascinating, as many of the people mentioned were known to me. Judge Parish lived across the street from me and many of the other family names are well known. This may not be interesting to anyone other than my sister Patti and friend Jim, who read my blog and who grew up in Murdo as well, but for ..read more
lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown
1d ago
Click on photos to enlarge.
For Thursday Doors
  ..read more
lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown
1d ago
Forgotten Dreams
All night long I follow scripts written by some hand
perhaps belonging to a self that consciousness has banned.
Fresh from dreams, I feel released from tasks committed to
as I remember other jobs that I’m obliged to do.
Who knows if dreams are showing us those things we could have done—
those things we have forgotten with the dawning of the sun.
If only I remembered that world that fades away,
perhaps I’d face a very different sort of day.
Instead, I slip into the role my life has led me to,
like forcing naked feet into a more confining shoe.
I wonder if these dreams wer ..read more
lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown
1d ago
If I Were Water and You Were Air
I used to be restless water—
only the froth and currents
of a moving life.
Now I am still water,
sinking down to where
I can be found
by anyone willing to stand quietly
and look.
Is it true that moving water never freezes?
Is it true that still waters run deep?
Is it true that we are wed in steam?
“What if, caught by air,
it never lets me go?” I ask.
“But even water
turned to air
must fall at last,” you say.
“And what if I fall farther from you?”
I say. “Or what if I never again find banks
that open to contain me?”
I used to be swift flowing water.
Now I am a ..read more
lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown
2d ago
Click on Photos to Enlarge.
Beholding Beauty
You are more beautiful than you think you are,
but we don’t tell you because
it is such a pleasure to see you unaware of it,
doing everyday things in such graceful ways.
You are the Burmese cat, stepping high
over the small sculptures
on the wall where he is fed,
his tail curving into a delicate hook.
You are vibrating leaves on the hibiscus tree
adding the contrast of green
to the one exquisite yellow bloom
with its fuchsia sunset middle.
You are a child whose violet eyes
open wider to each wonder––innocent,
never knowing yourself to ..read more
lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown
2d ago
Here is an offering non-floral for Cee, suffering from the pollen in all those flower!!! I share your pain. The Jacaranda and Primavera trees are in full-bloom here. Achoo ..read more
lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown
3d ago
This is actually a true story. When I was at the beach a few years ago, I had a house right on the beach and it got so I never knew who I would find on my porch when I woke up in the morning. In the end, they set a number of my poems to music and recorded them.
Make Your Own Kind of Music
One and two and three and four.
Four little music makers pounding on my door.
One beats a rhythm, one toots a horn––
wild and sweet––sort of forlorn.
One hums a tune behind his teeth––
a sort of descant underneath
the melody on the steel guitar.
The gulls reel in from near and far
to add their screams ..read more