Leaves on the ground, jump,

playing in the gentle rain

on this sunny day.

by:  Paula D. Nevison

Walking My Dog

He's the one with injured feet,

but I'm the one gimping along.
His toenails clicking across the street,
trying, almost unsuccessfully,
using all the restraint he has,
to keep from pulling me along.
Of course he has to stop and pee
on every bush and tree he sees.
His alert eyes searching all around
in case a squirrel or cat is found.
He sees some children laugh and play.
He looks at me to join the game,
but we continue on our way. 

by:  Paula D. Nevison 

My “Old Lady” Friends

Every Tuesday I knit with my “old lady” friends.

We've been knitting together since I can't remember when.

They are as old as my mother, some older,

so that's how I've always identified them.

While we sit, and visit, and knit,

my granddaughter

plays quietly with her toys at the table.

So, somewhere between when I met them and now,

I guess, somehow, I joined the crowd.

I need to rethink that label.

by:  Paula D. Nevison

Knitting at Panera Bread with Friends

Broccoli cheddar soup

with some carrots,

a tube of yogurt,

and Sierra Mist

(no high-fructose corn syrup).

She's not an amiable.

She's a 4 year old with an imagination,

who will sit and play quietly,

after she eats,

for almost two hours.

We brought Polly Pockets,

a carriage, a castle, a car.

I wove in the crochet ends,

and visited with my friends.

She took them, those ends,

her favorite play things, by far.

My old lady friends compliment her,

and sometimes give her a hug.

They think she's adorable.

She is. They're right. :)

by:  Paula D. Nevison

A Late Gift

A paper princess castle, and mini plastic princesses:

Princess Aurora, Ariel, Snow White, and Belle.

When you're four years old,

that is the best game in the world.

Of course, I totally agree.

I may be old, but I'm still a girl.

How do you upstage a princess game?

With a bike in a box (training wheels included),

Princess Elsa, and Anna, adorned.

It finally came today!

The puzzle of pieces assembled by Uncle Joe,

we went outside to play.

by:  Paula D. Nevison 

Drive Carefully

A dog died.

Not mine.

But a dog I saw,

then went back to help find.

A little Chihuahua mix

hit by a car on Hillcrest.

Lily said, “Mom, you don't have to cry.”

Couldn't help it. It died. I cried.

Too many distracted drivers on the roads.

by:  Paula D. Nevison

Pop-Up Magic Castle Game

When I was young,

my grandpa played games with me,

specifically, Monopoly.

We played for eternity,

happily, or so it seemed to me.

Now I play with my granddaughter,

Pop-Up Magic Castle.

It has princess dollies

that move around the board,

land on rocks, or villains,

and when lucky, land on gems.

Then we get to pick tokens,

and move ahead six bonus,

until a princess

goes up the paper steps

into the castle to win.

Then we start again.

I finally understand

my grandpa as the man.

by:  Paula D. Nevison

Good News

I got a call.

It woke me up.

"We got your dog.

Come pick him up."

It was the pound.

Our Duke was found!

by:  Paula D. Nevison 

New Year's Dinner

New Year's dinner,

all the kids came over.

We actually all got along.

At least until midnight,

when my baby got uptight

after being picked on all night

by her sister-in-law.

I call the evening a success,

after Christmas Eve's big mess.

Dead dogs, then jail, and “Come outside,”

was said by eldest male.

No fight broke out at grandma's house,

though emotions bubbled over.

I postponed our Christmas dinner.

Nobody came. It was not long enough.

Too many feathers had been ruffed.

New Year's brought a brand new start.

Just long enough to scab the heart.

by:  Paula D. Nevison