ONE MORE

One more story to tell

One more kiss or embrace

One more meal we could share

One more look at your face.

One more hand holding moment

One more day in the sun

One more garden to tend

One more chore to be done.

One more mountain to climb

One more sunset to see

One more road to discover

One more evergreen tree.

One more mist trail to travel

One more waterfall drop

One more river to cross

One more bend to the top.

One more ride to enjoy

One more place to explore

One more dream of tomorrow

Filled with more, than "one more".

One more thought to remember:

That your love will endure

Surrounding me always

Until I see you once more.

Caren E. Salas

Jack R. Robinson 4/29/1930 - 12/29/2019

ALL ALONG

I swear I knew you long ago

In another life, or a different show

Or maybe it was a dream that I 

Imagined in my sleep one night

Like a song I heard from another room

That I wasn't paying attention to

The faintest light on the darkest path

In a memory I never really had

A word, a touch, a déjà vu

Our hearts had met before...I just knew.

I'm sure I knew you far away

In another world, on a different day

Or maybe it was a book I read

And I made it all up inside my head

Like a story I have yet to write

Lost on the pages of my unhinged mind

A glimmer of thought in an endless sea

A past that was always meant to be.

Faces in the crowd, a voice on the phone

An embrace so warm, it felt like home.

It feels like I've known you all along

We've played the same scenes, and sang all the songs

And maybe our souls just awaited the day

We'd finally meet and put on this play

Like the dreams we all shared when we were just children

That we hoped for, but thought, it's one in a million

With a twinkle of stars, and no wish denied

This journey became a hell of a ride.

One for the love of it, two for the show

Hold on to these memories, and never let go.

Caren E, Salas

This is dedicated to the wonderful cast and crew (and really everyone involved) of Long Beach Playhouse's "My Fair Lady" - Summer of 2018. I love you all.

Photo: Long Beach Playhouse

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

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

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

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

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

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.

EVERYTHING

It doesn't always feel like

Everything will turn out well

But let me just assure you

That it will. Just look at us

Together we can make it

Everything will be okay.

Everything will be okay.

Caren E. Salas

REAL LIFE

Unconditional

That's what love's supposed to be

Even in real life.

Caren E. Salas

HONEY

When Whiskey came, he needed us
Because life had been unfair
He was timid, skittish, scared
He needed someone to care.

And he became my constant friend
My shadow day and night
My little grumpy old guy
Always ready for a fight.

Then Honey came, a tiny angel
Four short legs and great big eyes
She touched our hearts, and Whiskey's too
(Which came as a surprise!)


And so it seems she's here to stay
This tender ball of fur
We love Whiskey 'cause he needed us
And Honey...we need her.


Caren E. Salas

HANG ON

His eyes cry out, but no words
Come from his lips. I refuse
To listen. It hurts, I know.
Don't give up, she wouldn't want
You to say good-bye just yet.
Hang on just a while longer.

I try to tell him without
Speaking. Things will get better
You have a new great grandson
On the way that you should meet
And all of us who love you.
Hang on just a while longer.


Caren E. Salas

COUNTING DOLLARS

My love and I walked along hand in hand

Collecting sea shells down by the shore

Counting dollars half buried in sand

Watching the seagulls and pelicans soar.

Collecting sea shells down by the shore

We talked about all the years we had shared

Watching the seagulls and pelicans soar

Oh, the places we'd been, the dreams we had dared.

We talked about all the years we had shared

We stopped just to listen to the sounds of the sea

Oh, the places we'd been, the dreams we had dared

It all stood still for a moment or three.

We stopped just to listen to the sounds of the sea

As my love and I walked along hand in hand

It all stood still for a moment or three

As we counted dollars half buried in sand.

Caren E. Salas

IN THE NIGHT

Trying to stay strong for them

And holding it together

But in the night and quiet

When I'm tired and alone

I just can't hold back the tears

Or keep my heart from breaking.

Caren E. Salas

THE MEASURE

She was a small person
Not very tall, height-wise
But if you measured the size
Of her heart, well!
She was off the chart
And in number of embraces
And the faces of friends
She lifted up, gifts she gave
Unselfishly,
It was easy to see
That her being gone...
Just seems...so wrong.
But I'll remember her smile
And though for a while, I'm crying
I'm trying to love,
As she would,
Live like she could, Dream
Of the peace she now knows.
Because her light continues
To grow as long as we know
What to measure.


Caren E. Salas

THE ARMS OF GOD

For us, time stood still

The moment that the doctor

Said, I'm so sorry,

We did everything we could,

But she's in the arms of God.

It happened so fast;

No time to say our good-byes

Or that we loved her.

But she knew. I know she knew

Watching...from the arms of God.

Caren E. Salas

A Star for Her (#22 prompt: Star_____)

Fallen star

To hold in her hand

Midnight blue

Shining bright

A pendant of Star Sapphire

To hang on her neck.

Caren E. Salas

The prompt was a fill in the blank with "Star..." I didn't want to go with the first thought of Star Power or Star Light, but something a little different..:)

Photo: wanelo.com

ANTICIPATION (#10 - Pick an emotion)

Waiting and wondering
Nervous excitement
A happy panic
Mixed with somber confusion
Neurotic obsession
And willing delusion
A constant addiction
To imminent perceptions
Of future occasions
Filled with great trepidations
Yet euphoric optimism
Knowing and certain
Believing,,,hoping....

Waiting and wondering.


Caren E. Salas

Eyes Closed

The petals drop one by one
My opening night bouquet
Fading into every day
Mere hours remain of this dream
And I don't want to wake up
Eyes closed, let me sleep some more.


Caren E. Salas