THE FIRST TREE

By LaRue Watts

The Christmas tree that I recall
May not have been the best.
In hindsight, it was rather small
And somewhat under dressed.
It occupied a poorer time
When I was six or seven
Yet, Grandma made it all sublime
And pretty close to heaven.
With just some glass, a box or two,
And not much more of note,
"One string of lights will have to do,"
I still can hear her quote.

My gram and I, how did we start?
By sewing popcorn strings,
With berries as another part
And chains of paper rings.
She added cookies, newly glazed
And hung them on the tree
And I was dumbstruck and amazed
By what my eyes could see.
When all, at last, was said and done,
The tree was wondrous.  And...
I knew, midst all the work and fun
Why we called Grandma, Grand!

I LAUGH

By LaRue Watts

I laugh.
Not as much as I could.
Not as much as I should
But, I laugh.

It may be at me
and a costly mistake
Sometimes, you see
They are easy to make
So, I laugh.

I sigh.
If the day is too long.
If the day is all wrong
Then, I sigh.

It's only a sound,
Not giving up hope.
And therefore, I've found
It is easy to cope
If I sigh.

I dream
For a way yet to be
For a day all will see
What I dream.

A dream where men love
And keep hatred at bay
And the good from above,
Will shine on each day
As I dream.

When we reap what we sow,
Ignoring  the chaff,
You'll see how we grow
And I'll  laugh.

CLOSURE

By LaRue Watts

A year's gone by.
The pain is less.
I sometimes cry
But must confess
My days of missing what we had
Have softened through the year.
I've somehow found the taste of glad
And not the salty tear.
So, like a balm
It soothes my plight.
Now, all is calm
And all is bright.

THE REAPER

by LaRue Watts

Of all the doubts I've ever had,
Of all the feeble fears,
I find but one to be so sad,
It often brings me tears.
Have I been kind and given care
To every fellow man?
Have I been thankful I could share
My maker's earthly plan?
These questions sometimes haunt my soul
And make me cease to try.
Has my life been entirely whole
Or just a passing-by?
When happiness and joy appear,
I revel where they're shown.
But still I have that saddest fear
Of meeting death alone.
And it will come one day, I know
I'll hear the reapers call.
And into that dark night I'll go,
Where sorry covers all.
So eye to eye, when I'm with him
As portals we pass through.
I plan to chide him, "Why, so grim?
Let's share a laugh or two."
If I can wrest the slightest smile,
I'll best this avatar.
Amusement's always been my style.
Now, lead me to my star.

AMERICA TODAY

by LaRue Watts

Oh, pitiful for specious lies
With not a whit of shame,
But only fits of majesty
To feed his egos aim.
America.   America!
God rid this place of he,
Who sees no good
In brotherhood
Or decency, I plea.

ON OPERATING

To say "going under the knife,"
When surgery's impending
Brings naught to me but strife
So I "go in for mending."

JUST A THOUGHT

by LaRue Watts

The residency
Of this presidency
Spawns depressions
From transgressions
And so I shout
"Get him out!"
I insist.
Resist!
Place the blame.
Extinguish the flame.

WISHES

by LaRue Watts

"Wish I may, wish I might."
A silent prayer we made
When we were ready for the night
As down our heads we laid.
We threw some coins into a well
For wishes hoped to be.
And rubbing genie lamps could tell
Us we were granted three.
And everyone has always known
To wish upon that turkey bone.
But wishes now have come to mean
That malcontent is on the scene.
Should we wish for a better day?
Come find a star and wish away.

ON TURNING SEVENTY-SEVEN

by LaRue Watts

I just can't wait
Till I'm seventy-eight.
And doing fine
Hitting seventy-nine.
I'll Warren Beatty
When I turn eighty
At eighty-one,
I've just begun.
Now, eighty-two
Will see me through
To eight-three and on.
At eighty-four,
I'll still want more.
When I arrive
At eighty-five
With all the best to be
I may just pull a fast one and revert to two or three.

LOSING TOD

by LaRue Watts

When we were young, he was my guide.
He showed me visions, far and wide.
He forced my instincts to take hold
And brought me heat where I'd been cold.
He nurtured talent, drove me on,
He made each loss feel like I'd won.
We were as soul mates, meant to be
And that has been his life to me.
Now, in reflection, I know Tod
Was just a synonym for God.
If all of life is but a test,
Sleep well, my friend.  Enjoy your rest.