ELECTION

By LaRue Watts

The animals had an election
To see who would lead them all
It was quite an enormous selection
Of creatures who'd heeded the call.
While many were fond of the lion,
The eagle and stallion did well.
And even the turtle was tryin'
To sell what he had in his shell.
The front runners had a debate
Which narrowed the field by a few
Who argued on matters of state
And turned it all into a zoo.

Now, animal nature is funny,
So two votes were cast for the monk
While three were assigned to the bunny,
The most voters went for the skunk.
When some species spoke of rebellion and such
Impeachment was bandied about
The owl wisely said "You're all out of touch
But I have figured it out.
And what do I say to each one of you
That some will surely find strange?
I think that the simplest thing we can do
Is pray for the winds of change."

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."