The need to adult
in order to get from one place to another.
The worry about delays,
the impatience of having to wait.
Wondering if everything goes right
will my expectations be rewarded.
Will the reward be enough?
Or should I let pessimism win
and no longer care that disappointment is inevitable.
I was enjoying waking up to the lush green trees.
The trumpeting of the roosters.
The smell of tropical flowers surrounding the hotels.
Now I see only white
as the snow lands
covering all that I can see.
I must now bundle myself within
layers of blankets and clothes
to even simulate the warmth
I had become accustomed to.
Still, home is home
and I missed it.
The enjoyment shared.
Smiles returned on smiles.
The small moments of reflection.
A period of indulgence.
The warmth of the hug.
A handshake hello.
Eyes tearing up on goodbye.
A small bite of the hearts paradise.
The plane back to civilization.
Or the other civilization I knew.
Where the weather is rated in negatives
Instead of the positive sunny expanse.
The sunburn will heal as the novelty wears off.
Family and friends will be greeted
And I will be home once again.
The water is so clear and blue.
The sand gets between the toes.
Everything is covered by nature’s love.
Sunscreen applied washes off in the waves.
Lying in the sun on the towel.
A memento of the simple times.
A pleasure to be so free.
Time no longer runs standard.
Normal is the new sites and adventures.
The presence of other vacation garbed people.
Decisions made spur of the moment.
Laughter louder as the day goes on.
Skin burnt and lotion soothingly applied.
Water and sand tracked throughout the hotel.
Until the last day and time returns
To the weird remembrance of the original life.
The rain will not stop me.
The sands of the tropics await me.
The waves will crash over me
And I will laugh in ecstasy
Before returning to the shore
Shivering from the cold!
The story to tell
And the pictures that unfold
Will have made the mad dash
A worthwhile Adventure!
Your love poem that was meant for another.
The breakfast table being cleaned prematurely.
A song that reminds you of a previous heartbreak.
Cemetery stones showing the loss of loved ones.
A misunderstanding between friends that takes time to repair.
Anxiety that refuses to go away during the meeting.
The “look” that you thought meant something else.
Nowhere are you safe from mistakes.
I wonder how you would react if I kissed you?
The wrapping ripped and torn.
Ribbons unraveled and turned into cat toys.
Food lethargy turns everyone comatose.
Minimum energy spent as the kids play
Sometimes quietly, more often not.
Food scraps left as an offering to the holiday gods.
A string of lights blink slowly as the eyelids droop.
No broken candles left lying around.
But the holiday spirit lives on.
Walking in the direction of the beach.
The surfers and the swimmers enjoying the waves.
Sunscreen applied.
The heat is abated when the water is entered.
Rest and relaxation rejuvenate the soul.
Saturn's Premier Poet 