Cartoon_The Courtroom

End of Summer Delight

Step outside,
An envelope of delight,
Like a warm, woolen blanket on a winter’s eve,
But, free; unencumbered,
Soft breeze across face and arms,
Legs and toes,
Feel the breeze,
See it in the trees,
Leaves dance in the sunlight,
Bright, brilliant, blue the sky,
Holding cotton candy clouds within,
Some colliding,
Others sliding away,
Like an infant released-
From its parent to run,
And have fun,
Yet watched and followed,
Protected,
Safe within sight of its big cloud family,
It’s a cloud picnic,
Why not?
Perfect day,
An end of summer delight!

Peter Lowell Paulson
August 27, 2011

Peace of Mind

What joy oh peace of mind brings to the soul,
It lightens every burden makes us whole,
The wave of worry washed away and we-
Are met with calm and sweet serenity,

When we befall calamity in life,
Are tossed about with stress and bitter strife,
Full dressed; the plates of armor we must don,
Prepared to face the demon squarely on,

The battle may be weary this we know,
We cannot shrink as forward we must go,
And when we tire and feel as we need rest,
Oft times the beast before us seems his best.

Deep in the squalor we must never yield,
In every life we face this battlefield,
When you feel spent or feel like you are through,
Then ne’er forget the beast is weakened too.

The darkest hour besets before our dawn,
And this is when the final push is on,
Complete the task; the burden’s gone away,
And you will see the brighter side of day.

And now the peace of mind will settle in,
The struggle o’er and joy is found within,
And ne’er dismay a battle lost before,
When peace is found then you have won the war.

Peter Lowell Paulson
August 25, 2011

First Cowboy Boots

A toddler in his cowboy boots he seems the little man,

With head held high, a prideful look in boots of black and tan,

And nonchalant the attitude a look of somber face,

Like he is looking for the horse he left around this place.

He’ll glance at you and then away, he has some business now,

Corral some scattered doggies, rope a steer, or brand a cow,

But when he tires no fire place around to take his nap,

With hands held high he reaches up to sit on grandma’s lap.

With strength restored and antsy pants he clamors to get down,

He’s back to cowboy business that he’ll find in this cow town.
With all the fine provisions that he'll need in open land,
All confident he carries all in one strong toddler hand.

Now as imagination stirs his mind and takes its course,
One day his Labrador retriever may become his horse,

It’s one small sign of manliness you can see its first fruits,

The first time your young grandson wears a pair of cowboy boots.

Peter Lowell Paulson

August 18, 2011

Contracts

A simple little axiom and one that is a must.
Don’t enter into contracts with a person you don’t trust,
Although the legal jargonese may seem so very clear,
The fine print and the loop holed snares could cost you very dear.

There may be sweet and savory offers on each single page,
But every word that’s written must be ciphered by a sage,
Attorneys now are worth their salt and really are a friend,
And you will pay them dearly but you’ll thank them in the end.

And arbitration, courts, reviews are rarely any help,
When you are finally through with them you’ll scream and cry or yelp,
First blush the slimy offeror made deals which proffered sense,
But, remember that the road to hell is paved with good intents.

If you must make a contract which affects assets or wealth,
And you would like to sleep at night and keep good mental health,
First find a lawyer with the finest legal aptitude,
And deal with only good persons or you may end up screwed.

Peter Lowell Paulson
August 17, 2011

Oh, Big Orange Moon

What shade of orange the moon tonight,

Which compliments its brazened sky?

It comforts me with soft pale light,

A tea rose baring petals shy.

A tangelo perhaps I see,

Or bittersweet from far afield,

More pumpkin is this orange to me,

Then what a tangerine would yield.

In troubled world you bring such peace,
I gaze at you and all feels right,
Please hover there and never cease,
A soft serenity tonight.

Oh, big orange moon the biggest yet,

As harvest rounds the corner bend,

Among the trees and fully set,

Bring beauty as the night hours wend.

Peter Lowell Paulson

August 17, 2011

Piss and Vinegar

I saw a friend the other day while walking in the store,
A sailor all his great long life; he’d seen a lot of war,
He was quite tall and lean and gaunt with ready broadened smile,
He said, “I haven’t seen you ‘cause I’ve been sick for awhile.”

“I’m usually full of ‘piss and vinegar’”, he said to me,
He smiled again and closed his eyes, “I’m not yet cancer free,”
“I’ve seen so much on foreign shores; I’ve known such stress and strife”,
“This is the toughest battle I’ve encountered in my life.”

I said that, “I will pray for you,” into my eyes he gazed,
A longing look, a friendly smile, yet he was barely phased,
I do not know if ears have dimmed or did not care to hear,
I only know I saw in him the look of subtle fear.

We talked a while about the treatment that he knew so well,
The regimens continued on which took him close to ‘hell’,
He laughed out loud and smiled so broad when I said, “Listen, Glen!”
“I hope to see you full of ‘piss and vinegar’ again!”

Peter Lowell Paulson
August 13, 2011

When I'm in Your Arms

When I’m in your arms all the world is right with me,
You are every dream I’d dreamed that love could be, endlessly,
When I’m in your arms I am where I want to be,
When you hold me close I can breathe, can’t you see,
You’ve given life to me.

Life can be trying and very uncertain,
Now you are mine I am certain,
I can face everything else loving you,

When I’m in your arms all the world is right with me,
You are every dream I’d dreamed that love could be, endlessly,
When I’m in your arms I am where I want to be,
When you hold me close I can breathe, can’t you see,
You’ve given life to me.

When I’m in your arms all the world is right with me,
When I’m in your arms.

(Note:  Listen to "Love at First Sight" CD instrumental piano song "Falling" (song #9) by Tom Ameen on Avalon Records - Sommerset Entertainment, Ltd.)

Peter Lowell Paulson

August 9, 2011

Hair

Hair is quite a funny thing we cut and shave it oft’n,
It starts at such an early age until we’re in our coff’n,
If you are bald when you are born without a strand or curl,
A cap goes on heads of boys a bow for every girl.

The difference is plain to see for this we seem to know,
Barrettes and ribbons for our girls as pretty locks do grow,
And when the boys’ hair starts to grow before the age of one,
So proud we are at the first trip to barber for our son.

And on and on ‘til teenage years the razor we do meet,
The first black whisker on the chin is shaved so smooth and neat,
The boys they never think of it but girls use razors too,
For girls who just refuse to shave the other girls say, “Ew-w-w!”

And colors, dyes, and highlights too, with these we’re very fond,
If you don’t like the color of the gray you can go blond,
Now if the hair begins to thin or baldness comes again,
There’s toupees, sprays and cover-ups and a Hair Club for Men.

And now that I am older hair has found the weirdest place,
It’s on my back and nose and ears not only on my face,
But I will trim and cut and shave and groom this hair for life,
To look the very best I can for my dear lovely wife.

Peter Lowell Paulson
August 4, 2011