TAMALE DAY (Day #22 "_____Day")

My mother-in-law and me. Miss her so much.

I'm not sure how she did it
All those tamales in one
Or two days, meat simmering
On the stove, mixing masa,
Wrapping them in the corn husks...
It was a labor of love.


Caren E. Salas

WALL (Day #21 Construstion/Deconstruction poem)

Brick by brick he built a wall
Trying to hide his heart
Never realizing love
Would break it all apart.


Caren E. Salas

SHINING IN THE DARK (Day #20 What I Learned)

Nothing is certain

There's no guarantee, that life

Is going to give you

All the things you dreamed about

No matter how hard you try.

One day you might wake

To find everything you love

All that you worked for

Dissolve into nothingness

It's then that you must decide

You can just give up

And choose to wallow and whine

Or you can go on

Because who knows what bright star

May start shining in the dark?

Caren E. Salas

photo: nationalgeographic.com

COMPANY (Day #19 an "abundance" poem)

I have an abundance of company
My children and their children and their friends
My friends, my husband's friends and our neighbors
Our neighbors' children who are our kids' friends
Our parents, brothers and sisters, and then
Of course, their spouses and children and friends
And the nurse who visits me now and then
Just to make sure I'm not swimming in stress
Which would be detrimental to my health
I tell her all I need is time alone.


Caren E. Salas



NOTE: I am not at all complaining about my abundance of loved ones. It's just that once in a while I could really use a little "me time", lol

GOOD FOR NOTHING (Day # 18 - same)

Most people are good
Almost every thing has worth
There is a value
To sights, sounds, tastes, smells and touch
...and feelings
   Except for hate.


Caren E. Salas

WHAT I MEANT TO SAY (Day # 17 - same)

I know what I said
I said I'd think about it
I needed some time
I don't know why I said that
What I meant to say was...no.


Caren E. Salas

MY STORY (Day #16 a Message to the World)

My story isn't finished

I'm nowhere near "The End"

I've many more adventures

On that you can depend.

They may not all be wondrous

But I know they will be fun

Because when it comes to living

I've barely just begun.

Since none of us can know for sure

When our role in life is through

It's best to make the most of it

And that's what I plan to do.

Caren E. Salas

STRANGER IN THE DARKNESS (Day #15 - "Stranger _____"

Stranger in the darkness
Goosebumps on my skin
Picking up the pace now
Checking my phone again.

One more block to get there
Should know better than to roam
Out in the dark all by myself
When I could be safe at home.

I'm sure the stranger is someone
Just out and about like me
But I'm not taking chances on
Someone that I can't see.

Pull my keys out of my pocket,
Quickly open up my door
Get in and shut it, lock it tight
Not worried any more.

Well...much.


Caren E. Salas

APPARENTLY (Day #14 Form or anti-form) A Triolet

Apparently we all have way too much stuff

We've collected things and now it seems we just can't let go

Until the day that we say "Enough is enough!"

Because apparently we all have way too much stuff

Deciding what to give away is tedious and tough

We justify holding on to it, but deep inside we know

That apparently we all have way too much stuff

We've collected things and now it seems we just can't let go.

Caren E. Salas

HAVANA (Day #13 poem about a city)

History crumbles away when it rains.
Marble stairways are cracked; streets need repair.
Yet in narrow alleys, doors are open
Friends, neighbors, strangers, dancing without care.
The salt water spray on the Malecon
Doesn't stop the trumpet player playing,
And there's always time for conversation
Over some rum, and maybe a cigar.
Beautiful city, beautiful people.
I hope I will be back again someday.


Caren E. Salas

We met a new friend, Luis, playing his trumpet on the Malecon.

He invited us to his house for dinner with his family - yes, that kind of stuff really happens.

Photos by William Salas

SUNSET (Day #12 a transformative poem)

What once was clear blue

Has exploded with color

Pink, purple, orange,

Adorning the twighlight sky

Blending, fading into night.

Caren E. Salas

LUCKY ME (#11 an "unlucky" poem)

Apparently, I'm special,

One of ninety, out of one

Hundred thousand, lucky me.

Plus, being that I'm female,

Two or three times as likely

As a man to get this...gift.

Although most cases are found

In northern states and colder 

Climates, I live in So Cal.

The age bracket is between

Twenty and forty, but me...

Diagnosed at twenty three.

There's no cure, but it can be

Slowed down a bit, with a shot

Three times a week, oh goody!

Feeling better already. 

Thank God for good insurance. 

Shots are seven thousand bucks.

Still, I'm luckier than some

I have friends and family

And a wonderful husband.

I have four beautiful kids

And if that wasn't enough

Now I'm even a grandma.

I have a lot of bad days,

I have really good ones too

And although those tend to be 

Fewer, I know that I must

Make them count, and knowing that

Makes me luckier than most.

Caren E. Salas

A really good day "Muck Fest" 2014 

For more information on Multiple Sclerosis, check out https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS

GOING DOWN (#10 a "going somewhere" poem)

Yes, that's me!

The airplane circles higher
And higher, until it's time
To step out: Ready, Set, Go!
At first tumbling, no knowing
Which way is up then...free fall.
Straight down, no changing my mind.

Surprisingly, I felt safe
Attached to my instructor;
The world so small beneath me.
A tug, a jolt and then...peace.
Floating quietly dream-like,
Landing on the beach below.




Caren E. Salas





Photo: Skydive Vallarta (in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) Check them out. Seriously awesome experience you'll never forget!! One of the few places IN THE WORLD were you can skydive and land on the beach. It's so beautiful, you'll forget to be scared.
https://www.facebook.com/SkydiveVallarta

I CAN DANCE IF I WANT TO (#9 ____if____)

I don't care

If someone's watching

I can dance

If I want

I will dance while I'm able

Til the sun comes up.

Caren E. Salas

Photo: Bachelder Photography

CAMERAS (#8 "a thing")

Remember when we had cameras?
I know, I'm showing my age
But the kind with film and flash bulbs
Before cell phones became the rage.

We would take the pictures carefully
If we were lucky, perhaps we'd have some
Good enough that we'd want to share
In a frame or a great big album.

But one day we all went digital
You could see the shots right then, how neat!
Keep all the ones that turned out well
And the others, hey, just delete!

And now there's external hard drives to store them!
Thousands of pictures can fit
Until somehow your drive gets corrupted
And as you're watching it crash, you cry...poop!

So call me old if you want to
But I'm printing up all of the best
So my grandchildren's photos might be safer
And not lost like a lot of the rest.


Caren E. Salas

WHAT DAY IS IT? (#7 Days of the Week/Weak)

Sunday: Day of rest

Monday: Already tired

Tuesday: I just can't...

Wednesday: Is it Friday?

Thursday: Will it end?

Friday: Oh thank Goodness!

Saturday: Time for fun!

Caren E. Salas

ENOUGH LOVE (#6 a praise poem)

My parents have been married 

For sixty-four years and if

That's not enough, they had eight 

Children who all got married

And had children who had more

Children...so great grand-children.

And no matter if you are

An in-law or an out-law,

One of their own, or a friend

They'll greet you with open arms

Because there's always enough

Love and hugs to go around. 

Caren E. Salas

Just a few of us

FIGHT (#5 a Self Destruct poem)

Who needs enemies?

My body attacks itself

Every day's a fight.

Caren E. Salas

WHOSOEVER FINDS MY MIND (#4 Whosoever --)

Whosoever finds my mind

If you perhaps could be so kind

As to let me know?

For while it's clear that it's not near

I realize my greatest fear

It'd be the first to go.

If all my parts are a la carte

My stomach, liver, lungs and heart

My mind should be the glue

So keep an eye open, wave and shout

If you should see my mind about

Please let me know, could you?

Caren E. Salas

photo: conferencesthatwork.com

LABELED (#3 a Triangle poem)

Triangles! Yellow, pink or blue
So pretty until they label you
As a recusant, a gay or Jew.

And though you try to run and hide
You won't find many on your side
They'll turn their backs, and say "I tried".

But what if those who turned away
Have triangles of their own someday.
I wonder then, what they'll have to say.


Caren E. Salas



photo: https://www.ushmm.org (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)

SMILE (#2 Disguise)

I put on a smile
And say everything is fine
Because explaining
Isn't worth the energy
When it won't be understood.




Caren E. Salas

RINGS (#1: "A New Day")

White dress
Black suit
Sunflowers
New shoes
Words spoken
Vows made
Music, cake
Champagne.

Rings exchanged,
And love...

Lots of love.




Caren E. Salas



Robert Lee Brewer's first prompt was "A New Day". I thought it fitting to write a poem for my son and his new wife who just got married. It was a beautiful day: a new day for them.

Photo: care of Bachelder Photography.  Used with permission.

I Have Returned...

Sorry about the long absence, but these last couple years have been a roller coaster. There has been good and not so good, stress and excitement. I was recently fortunate enough to see the musical
"Hamilton" and the lyrics of one of the songs ("Non Stop") says "Why do you write like you're running out of time?" (Thank you Lin-Manuel Miranda). This is a feeling I've had for a while: like I'm running out of time. Not that I have a terminal disease of anything, but because between my MS and a increasingly worsening case of arthritis in my hands, it is getting difficult to write and type. Oh, I know there are dictation apps I could use, but considering the MS affects my speech, that will be difficult too. However, as long as my brain is still functioning, I will find a way to create.  I normally  don't like talking about my health, but sometimes I feel like you will be able to understand why I write some of the things I write.  Maybe some of you will be able to relate. 

 
So here I go. Robert Lee Brewer is having his November Poem-a-Day Challenge. His daily prompts push me to keep writing and fight the block.

A special thanks to my husband Bill (a lot of his photos are ones used for this blog) for pushing me to be daring while I still can. Last May he convinced me to go skydiving (tandem of course, lol) among other craziness. I appreciate encouragement whenever or wherever I can find it. I'm hoping you all will follow my poetry journey for the next month and comment when you can. Thanks for reading this.