In A View from My Window, Marjorie's poems run the gamut from childlike innocence to adult maturity on through older age. Themes range from skepticism to deep faith, from playfulness to dead seriousness, from admonishing the wayward to acceptance of people in all condition of life. In the collection of poems, no topic is too mundane or too minute to expound upon e.g., a ray of sunshine or a garden gnome. Marjorie writes poignantly about excessive eating and weight gain, loss of loved ones, relationship problems, loneliness and despair, as well as exuberant joy in nature, friends, family, travel, and memories of bygone days. Upon reading the poems, one can tell that Marjorie enjoys life, even with its heartache and uncertainty, and that she is a keen observer of people. Marjorie Curtis was born and raised in Aliceville, Alabama. She presently lives in Greenwood, Mississippi.

A View From My Window

By Marjorie Patricia Brooks Curtis

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2012 Marjorie Patricia Brooks Curtis
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4567-6930-7

Contents

Light& Airy......................................................1Putting Food In Its Place........................................13Not By Bread Alone...............................................19Dearest Friends& Family..........................................33Do As I Say .....................................................43Backbiting & Biting Back.........................................53Life Is Tricky...................................................59Aliceville, Alabama A Nice Place To Be From.....................71Thy Inner Self...................................................77Poet's Story.....................................................87Observing People.................................................93Extraordinary Times..............................................109Blues Makes Me Happy.............................................113

Chapter One

Light
&
Airy

A Window

I want to live my life in front of a window.
I want to see my neighbors when they mow.
I want to see the light, the rain, and the snow.
When the sun shines or the wind blows,
I want to know.


Thank God for My Yard

Thank God for my yard and
thank heaven for my home.
Thanks for the plants in my garden,
watched by the garden gnome.

Thank You for cheery windows
that make worries scamper away
and for the view of distant fields
that frame the trees that sway.

Thank You for the clutter,
I've got projects going galore.
I'll happily clean it spotless
to make room for more.

Thank You for those few friends
who come by to share.
And in all my comings and goings,
I'll always keep You there.


Amazing Places

I will be in amazing places as
I have been before. With waning
confidence to venture, I will
lie in the grass — a sticky
seed waiting to attach to a
savvy traveler with sympathy
for one born without a sense of
direction.

I will see rolling hills and
quaint little quilting towns,
upstate New York and bask under
the Tuscan sun.

My face will appear at weddings
and be a fixture at family events.
Graduation? Where? I will be there.


Idle Longings

Oh, to see you one more time
to stand close, to touch.
I know it's not true love
but I desire you so much.

Oh, to see the glimmer in your
eye—an excited ready man
with anticipation of a
rendezvous close at hand.

Oh, to have you think of me
when you are gone away
and to have you make plans
to rush back to me some day.


Happy in My Skin

People laugh at me,
the way I rip and run.
As long as someone's laughing
I know I'm having fun.

People talk about me,
the half baked things I do.
As long as someone's talking
my personality's shining through.

Some people wish me well,
some are waiting for the fall;
and I remember as I go along
that the Creator made us all.


The Next Best Things

Lonely ladies know the best thing,
nice work if you can get it.
But it's mostly for the young and frisky,
so why sit around and fret it.

You can enjoy the next best things – loud
sultry Delta blues everywhere,
catfish cooked on the back porch, and
dear old friends who're always there.

Support your clubs and organizations,
attend to your church duties dutifully,
and you'll see that the next best things
can fill your heart with glee.


Being With Myself

I enjoy being with myself
for I best know my mood.
I know when I want to jump up and down
and when I want to brood.

I know when I want to sit
and watch the rising of the sun
and when I want to go out
and have some rollicking fun.

I know when I want to eat
an opulent festive meal
and when I want to nibble
and do a healthy deal.

I know when I must step up
and solve the problems that I see
and when I can sit back
and just let it be.

I know when I want my surroundings
very neat for my peace of mind
and when other things more
important demand my time.

I know the best times are
when friends are around
but I'm not afraid to be alone
when things are looking down.


Biological Clock

At some point as we get older, our biological clock ticks
Louder and louder ...
Tick – a new joint pain
Tock – stronger glasses
Tick – a strong odor
Tock – tooth loss
Tick – hurting feet
Tock – stiffness
Tick – fear of travel
Tock – hair loss
Tick – slowness of recall
Tock – unsteady gait
Tick – loss of night vision
Tock – perplexity with technology

But we are so happy to be retired,
we throw the clock out of the window and enjoy our
flexible schedule, our grandchildren, disposable cash, and
old friends.


Procrastination

There's with me a feeling that life
would be a breeze and all would be fine
if we would get up off of it and
do things at the proper time.

But each morning's new resolutions
fade away as the day begins
and the lazy decide to wait
until tomorrow and do it then.

Each nine stitches taken
when one might have done
bring fresh vows for action
when a good time comes.

There's no self-pity or excuses
however, we often wonder why
some tackle tasks promptly while
others put them off with a sigh.

Chapter Two

Putting Food
In Its Place

Eating in Restaurants

It's all about being out,
not eating until you pop.
It's about enjoying God's bounty
and knowing when to stop.

It's about having friends
who want to share your company.
It's not about cramming it in
until little stars you see.

It's about seeing old pals
or relaxing with your kin.
It's about nourishing the body,
loving life, and staying thin.


Saying Goodbye to Deadly
Brands of Comfort

Bitter sweetness is saying goodbye
to friends who've comforted us in despair.
Friends like Sara Lee and Mrs. Fields
who are waiting eagerly to be there.

With sugars, nuts, and just enough fat,
oh, they have their special skills.
But, Sara and Mrs. Fields, so long,
your brands of comfort kill.

Your familiar satiety and stupor
have consistently seen us through,
but forgive us for getting rid of
the obsession we had with you.

We are thrilled with our new true friends:
apples, pears, or occasional nuts.
A brisk walk and healthful eating have
produced more favorable results.


Changes

I glanced at the mirror
and almost wanted to cry.
I heard a little voice say,
"Change your ways or die."

To excesses I say, "No Thanks,"
I had better pass.
To recklessness I say, "No Way,"
my body too must last.

To the future I say, "Right On!"
Let the good times roll.
Things get better and better
as I get old.

...