Empty
By John R. Greenwood
Time ticks
An empty tune
Desparate days
Race by
J.R.G.4.16.2010
April 19, 2010
April 17, 2010
Dad's Collectables
I snapped the picture above minutes before Dad left the Kirby Road apartment for the last time. He had converted the closet into a mini workshop. He loved to be at a workbench surrounded by his tools.
Dad’s Collectables
86 years of stuff is a lot of stuff. I have been sorting dad’s treasures for years. I miss you dad, but I still have all that stuff. As I attempt to dig out of the pile of 86-year-old treasure, I scratch my head and wonder, “Where do I begin?”
Tools, Allen wrenches, off set wrenches, metric wrenches, standard wrenches, wood files, metal files, drills, taps, screwdrivers, straight, Phillips, Reed &Prince, punches, nail sets, chisels, hacksaws, pry bars, pinch bars, sledge hammers, shovels, hoes, scythes, picks, come-along, block and tackle, rakes, brooms, testers, levels, squares, miter boxes, rulers, tape measures, bits, paint scrapers, paint brushes, paint and more…
Wire, wire nuts, wire brushes, carriage bolts, lag bolts, wood screws, brass screws, sheet metal screws, fine thread, coarse thread, fasteners, lock washers, fender washers, springs, hooks, latches, hinges, hangers, brads, finishing nails, roofing nails, concrete nails, coated nails, galvanized nails, rivets, rivet gun, scribes, compass, trimmer, awls, chainsaw, roof rake, radial saw, band saw, skill saw, hole saw, keyhole saw, nuts, caps, chalk lines, chalk, plumb bob, plumber’s putty, pipe fittings, and more…
Knives, knife sharpeners, sharpening stones, shotguns, rifles, gun cabinet, antique bottles, shelves, mirrors, chairs, doors, Coleman lanterns, Coleman stoves, propane lanterns, propane heaters, braided rope, clothes-line, nylon rope, string, twine, cable, chain, bungee cords, straps, strapping, metal boxes, wooden boxes, angle iron, aluminum scraps, glass pieces, glass cutters, glass hangers and more…
Fishing poles, fishing lures, fish finders, fishing line, fish nets, tackle boxes, sinkers, bobbers, flies, hooks, swivels, maps, tent poles, tent stakes, flannel shirts, wool pants, wool socks, boots, jackets, hats, bags, wallets, pack baskets, duffel bags, radios, rechargeable batteries, alkaline batteries (AA’s, AAA’s, D’s, C’s, 9-volt), cameras, telescopes, binoculars, magnifying glasses, and more…
Books, magazines, albums, cards, letters, canceled checks, files, instruction manuals (for every tool purchased since 1947), owners manuals (for every electronic item purchased since 1947), television sets, vacuum cleaners, vacuum cleaner bags, end tables, couches, lamps, nail clippers, brush nippers, tins of zippers, scissors, glue, paper, memo pads, stickers, masking tape, scotch tape, electric tape, duct tape, paperclips, staplers, staple guns, staples, and more…
Blankets, pillows, sheets, pillowcases, razors, razor blades, cotton balls, gauze, band-aids, and a kitchen sink (just kidding). What would I do with a kitchen sink?
Honestly, Dad, the most cherished treasures of all are the memories and the sense of humor you passed my way, although the 1026 empty prescription bottles and the 3.5 miles of plastic oxygen tubing, I am confident, will come in handy some day. Dad, I miss you and Mom. Give her a hug for me. Love, John.
J.R.G.8.5.2009
Hate Hate
Hate Hate
By John R.Greenwood
If there is one thing I hate
It is hate
Don’t try to understand
One another
Fear them
Then hate them
It’s easier
It takes less thought
I hate - hate
Such a waste of mind
J.R.G.2010
April 16, 2010
People
People
By John R. Greenwood
Many run the ragged edge
Of hate and dread
Sarcastic word
Or vicious thought
Some so sweet
They light the air
With hope unfiltered
Day and night
J.R.G.4.15.2010
April 15, 2010
A Stranger at the Door
A Stranger at the Door
By John R Greenwood
The days now race so quickly. As a child they would linger on and on. Joy followed every discovery. A new imaginary game of soldier, policeman, or basketball star. Now, as life deepens it can’t be slowed. Ten o’clock at night to four o’clock in the morning is minutes apart. A new day begins with job related stress and have-tos. Goals and dreams meld into a shaky uncertainty- that disappears in the blink of an eye. A vision of something new and exciting is but a fleeting, flickering flash you can not grasp. A feeling of eternal searching envelopes my mind. It is a fuel. It is a curse. It replenishes. It drains. If you could stop and sort it out. Number it. Define it. Put it in focus just long enough to be sure- one hundred percent sure of the direction. But then the journey and the discovery end. For it is this foggy, cluttered road that we call life. Learn to embrace disheveled days and sleep shattered nights. Yearn for rainy days and snowdrift mornings. Open your arms. There is a stranger at the door.
J.R.G.1.29.2010
April 13, 2010
April 12, 2010
The Call
The Call
By John R.Greenwood
Brng…
Brng…
Brng…
Late at night
The silence of black
Broken
The dreaded call
The worst of all
Get here quick-
It’s not good-
Heart pounding
Mind racing
I’ve never thought this far
What if?
She doesn’t make it?
He doesn’t make it?
I never got a chance
to say
Before you leave
This world
I lov
Click.
J.R.G.4.12.2010
Dedicated to one of my drivers who called one night from his route. He’d received a call from a family member telling him to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. I wrote this a short time later in the middle of the night. I have received many of these calls over the years. Each time I do - my heart pauses and readies itself.
April 08, 2010
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