The day will be what you make it

Regardless of what it seems

You can choose to enjoy it

Or it can be a misery

If things around you are not ideal

If circumstances have you feeling

A little unreal

Take a moment to breathe in deep

Clear your mind

Then fill it with joyful thoughts

Ones that make your heart smile

Then relax

Or do something refreshing

Go for a walk

Call an old friend

Draw, write, read, dream

Cook something delicious

And it’s okay if you just do nothing

Nothing can be very refreshing

It’s your day

Make it

Whatever kind of day you choose

E.A. Fussell

8.30.2020

Ear up close

And I’ll tell you a tale

About a place

Once prosperous

Now completely felled

Cut down by lies

Poisoned by strife

Streets once teaming

People going about life

Now almost empty

An occasional expressionless soul

All you can see are their eyes

It’s kind of creepy

Like a third world country

No smiles

No hugging

No affection

Look in any direction

The same scene

Playing itself out

Small businesses boarding up

While individuals are holed up

Prisoners in their own home

Believing it’s for the best

Willingly playing their role

In some God awful test

Contradicting explanations

From all sides of the fence

Reason, no where to be found

Common sense, nonexistent

When will it all end

How can a massive tangle of lies

That wrecked an entire world

Ever get straightened out

Think about it

In an instant

The time it takes to click a button

On a tv, radio, or computer

And hear the first broadcast

Of impending doom

Just that fast

A thriving place

Now resembles a ghost town

For what was there before

Can never again be found

E.A. Fussell

08.27.2020

Common sense

Is not so common

Wrestling with

A government employee

Can show you

Just how uncommon

Common sense has become

There is no consequence for them

In shuffling a permit file

Around on their desk

For weeks at a time

As they send

A carefully planned schedule

Tied to a carefully planned budget

Providing hundreds of jobs

And generating tens of thousands

Of dollars in local

Economic stimulation

Strait to the trash can

Using a few clicks

On a computer mouse

Stopping construction

Of several families houses

With no regard

To the havoc they wreak

Or the lives they wreck

Secure behind

Their government paycheck

Meanwhile in the real world

Dealing with the lack of

Basic common sense

Has become a daily event

In all areas of life

Not just with government

Some days

Are easier to deal with

Than other days

Today

Entering the wrestling ring

Brings no joy

Not one ounce

Keeping my head on my shoulders

Is not as easy as it used to be

My tolerance levels are low

And my patience just might blow

E.A. Fussell

08.25.2020

Monday’s already trying

To pull me into its depths

With whispers of my todo list

Emails, schedules, orders to place

But my heart is too full right now

Stressful thoughts it will not allow

Time spent with family last week

And a close friend over the weekend

Laughter, conversations, fun

Have me feeling very thankful

Memories swirl gently around me

Like floating butterflies

There’s my nine year old niece

With her beautiful joy filled eyes

The love of my brother and his

Wonderful wife created this child

That is such a blessing

Laughing, playing, reminding me

There is nothing quite like family

The memories continue to flutter

Like butterfly wings

As the scene changes and

There is my dear friend Patti

Surprising me out of the blue

Saying they’ll be in Galveston

So to the coast I drove

Laughter, pool games, pinball

Classic rock and lots of talks

Yes, after a week filled with family

And a weekend with dear friends

My heart is full

My mind is light and Monday

Doesn’t stand a chance

E.A. Fussell

08.23.2020

I’ve not been arrested

But chains that imprison

Aren’t always visible

And are often unknown

Even by those closest to me

Most of us have them

Those unseen secret tethers

In one form or the other

They may be thoughts

Keeping our minds shackled

To programmed beliefs

That don’t really make sense

When we think about them

If we allow ourselves to think

They may be lost love

Encircling our heart

Keeping us tied to memories

That ripped our world apart

They may be secret addictions

To sugar or shopping

Or something worse

I wrestle with my prison chains

Of thoughts and feelings daily

Sometimes I think I’m almost free

Then I hear the links snap together

As they tighten

Binding around me

Reminding me

There are some things

Of which

I may never be free

E.A. Fussell

08.11.2020

Monday horse
You tried to throw me off
First thing this morning
Right out of the gate
With an unexpected issue
That had me running super late
By lunch I had rallied
Was still hangin’ on
But you continued tossing and
Tumbling me with various
Construction challenges
All throughout the afternoon
By email, text and phone
Two feet in the stirrups
And one hand on the horn
I managed to hang on
And made it through the day
Feeling tossed and torn
As I pulled into my driveway
I was thinking it’s almost over
Then I remembered
It’s day one
Of ninety
On my new fitness plan
So I grabbed the reins a little tighter
As up to my home gym I ran
When the timer bell finally rang
At the end of my exercise
I thought to myself
Monday horse
You sure gave me
One helluva long
Eight second ride

E.A. Fussell
O8.10.2020

If I were graffiti

I’d spray myself all around

The ugliest parts of every town

Spreading a message

Positive and bright

For those who find it hard

To even try

Believing in themselves

Or anything good

I’d brighten the saddest

Neighborhoods

Encouraging young and old

To embrace life

To be brave and bold

To follow their dreams and vision

To have lots of fun

And live a life filled with passion

E.A. Fussell

07.31.2020