More Short Stories and Poems

Stephen W. Dillon

Description

This book was written for my mother, Louann Goodnight Dillon. It is another collection of poems and short stories from different parts of my life so far.

Sujets

• Poetry

Informations

• Publié par: Xlibris US
• Date de parution: 01 juillet 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781796042771
• Langue: English

Extrait

MORE SHORT STORIES AND POEMS
STEPHEN W. DILLON

Copyright © 2019 by Stephen W. Dillon.
 
ISBN:
Softcover
978-1-7960-4278-8

eBook
978-1-7960-4277-1
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
 
The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rev. date: 08/31/2022
 
 
 
 
Xlibris
844-714-8691
www.Xlibris.com
797459
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
Getting Started
The You That Could Be
CHAPTER 2
Poems
Late Afternoon Light Show
Yellow Chairs
Shark’s Tooth
The Shadow
I Was A Branch
Snowflakes
Super Blue Blood Moon
Snowbound
The Great American Solar Eclipse
Thinking About Dad On Father’s Day
Camp Chesterfield Seminary Week
My Hide-A-Way
Noise
Retirement
It’s Not Gone (Yet)
Going Home
CHAPTER 3
Growing Up
Christmas On Lingle Avenue
Snakes
Indiana Beach
Guns
Yellow Chairs
Frozen Custard
Ping Pong
The Beatles
Flying
The Beard
CHAPTER 4
Life In General
Dead Chipmunk
Farmers’ Market
Hammock
Feather
50 th High School Reunion
The View
Safety Deposit Box
Early Morning Hike
A Farewell To Ernie Collins
CHAPTER 5
America
Native American
A Great America
Voting
CHAPTER 6
Trump
What Is The Definition Of A “Crazy” Person?
What Should We Do About Trump?
 
Acknowledgment
CHAPTER 1
GETTING STARTED
 
THE YOU THAT COULD BE
YOU AWAKEN WITH A QUIET MIND, KNOWING THAT YOUR
DAY WILL GO SMOOTHLY AND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS
WILL BE IN YOUR BEST INTEREST.
YOU MEDITATE AND EXPERIENCE GREAT CLARITY OF MIND AND FEEL RESTED AND AT
PEACE.
YOU TASTE YOUR BREAKFAST AND KNOW THAT IT IS GOOD
FUEL FOR YOUR BODY.
YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE.
YOU SHOWER AND DRESS AND LIKE
WHAT AND WHO YOU SEE IN THE MIRROR.
YOU EXPRESS LOVE TO YOURSELF.
YOU OPEN THE FRONT DOOR AND FACE A MAGNIFICENT WORLD THAT SUPPORTS YOU.
A NEW ADVENTURE AWAITS.
YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE GROWING.
YOUR SPIRIT BECOMES STRONGER EVERYDAY.
YOU FEEL DEEPLY ABOUT FAMILY, FRIENDS, CHILDREN, ANIMALS, AND THE PLANET.
YOU CHALLENGE YOUR MIND EVERY DAY.
YOU WALK AND EXERCISE, DRINK PURE WATER, AND FEEL GOOD.
YOU ENTERTAIN AND ENLIGHTEN YOURSELF WITH GOOD MOVIES,
BOOKS, AND STIMULATING CONVERSATION.
YOU HOLD YOUR INTEGRITY DEAR.
YOU DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU WILL
AND KEEP YOUR PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE SIMPLE, HONEST, AND LOVING
SO THAT OTHERS MAY FOLLOW YOUR EXAMPLE.
YOU VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME AND YOUR SKILLS
HELPING OTHERS LESS FORTUNATE THAN YOU.
YOUR ROLE MODELS ARE OF THE HIGHEST STANDARDS: BUDDHA,
JESUS, MOTHER TERESA, MAHATMA GANDHI, THE DALAI LAMA.
YOU TRUST YOUR HIGHER SELF.
YOUR INTUITION IS ALWAYS ACCURATE. YOU ALWAYS KNOW WHAT TO SAY AND WHAT TO DO.
YOU KNOW THAT ADVERSITY, SUFFERING,
AND DEATH ARE PART OF THE WHOLE OF LIFE.
YOU DO NOT JUDGE OR CONDEMN
WHEN OTHERS ATTACK. YOU SEE ONLY A CALL FOR UNDERSTANDING.
YOU LOVE THE MYSTERY OF LIFE.
MIRACLES ARE EVERYDAY OCCURRENCES.
THE PLAN IS UNFOLDING, AND YOU ARE A PART OF THE BIG PICTURE.
YOU KNOW THAT LOVE IS THE ANSWER TO ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
THIS IS THE TRUTH OF WHO YOU REALLY ARE.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS AN ILLUSION.
YOU ARE LOVE.
By Dan Millstein
Visions for Prisons
CHAPTER 2
POEMS
 
LATE AFTERNOON LIGHT SHOW
I was sitting quietly with the dogs
on the deck this afternoon, when
I suddenly saw a piece
of light zip up into the air
and then run down in a slowly moving
line and disappear, only
to return again and do the same dance
with different rhythms, up and down
in the air, over and over, glistening and flashing
the bright white light on the invisible spider’s web.
YELLOW CHAIRS
I smiled when I first saw them.
Bright, dazzling yellow like the sun.
 
Just made you happy to sit in them.
Comfortable, and lots of fun.
 
We got them from Dillon Hardware, of course.
Like everything else in the house.
 
Eight pieces all together in 1962.
Down to four now, time has run its course.
 
The bright yellow and white stripes looked like a sunbeam,
with sturdy white painted aluminum frames.
 
I was a pilot flying my plane, or driving the Indy 500.
We could all climb on and play lots of games.
 
I sit in one now
and remember the past.
 
And how I cleaned them each week
so they would last.
 
And last they have,
although time has shown
that bright metal surface
of scratched-off paint,
and the dark areas where mold
has grown.
 
I can’t imagine a time
without my chairs.
 
And all those memories
of bygone years.
 
I still smile when
I see them.
 
Bright, still yellow
like the sun.
 
Just makes me happy
to sit in them.
 
Still comfortable, and lots of fun.
SHARK’S TOOTH
Where do you think it is?
The shark that lost its tooth.
I don’t want to give it back.
I just found it on the beach.
 
I think this shark’s tooth is a
really special find, better
than a shell or a starfish.
 
I don’t want to give it back.
I think the shark’s tooth is
pretty. I will wear it on
a cord around my neck.
 
I wonder how long sharks
have lost their teeth
on this beach?
 
I hope they will always
leave their ivory gifts for us,
and never want them back.
THE SHADOW
The shadow that magically
follows my hand across
the page is my only friend tonight.
 
It will always be right
with me, as long as the
light is shining on me.
Steady, like gravity.
 
It comforts me like a
blanket on a cold night,
it feels warm to my fingers, it
sticks with me like a magnet.
 
The shadow is strongest
when the light is brightest,
like at noon on a summer’s day,
or during a full moon on a winter’s night.
 
Or inside with a really bright
light or candle casting shadows,
like puppets dancing
on a white wall.
 
It is good to know that my
shadow will always be with
me. At least, whenever the sun or moon are
shining or a light is burning.
It’s time to stop writing,
turn out the light,
and say goodnight to my
close and faithful friend.