THE CHICKADEE

THE  VISITOR 

by

M. C. Arvanitis 

A feeding dish I offer them,
A place where they can eat.
And when these rascals find my offer
I get a feeling, oh so sweet.
So today when looking out my window

My heart swelled up with glee
For who should come to visit?
This Black Capped Chickadee.

Walking Against the Wind

Growing old is inevitable when one still breathes. Usually it doesn't bother me...just a passive of time...But when I try to walk up our hill to the main road I get frustrated for I've always enjoyed walking. Each year the path seems steeper and my destiny seems harder to reach while the wind pushing against me becomes stronger.

Walking Against the Wind

M. C. Arvanitis

Up the hill where the road is smooth. 

Where believers always win. 

I take two steps forward, one step back.

Walking against the wind.

Pain stiffens my legs. I catch my breath

And push ahead to where I've been.

Before I slipped into this valley low,

But I'm walking against the wind.

It seems only yesterday. I was young

My body danced and with a grin.

I ran, for nothing bothered  me 

Not even this hateful wind. 

I'll reach the top, if I die trying

For quitting is a sin. 

But Lord it's hard to keep on going

When walking against the wind.

~~~~~~~

The Road Home

The Road Home

I traveled this road

As I was told

Without a complaint or worry,

Knowing it led

Not to dread

So I was in no hurry.

I weathered the storms

Faced my alarms

With the faith You offered me

I took the hard road

carrying my load.

Drove each mile willingly

I welcomed the love;

Yours from above

and with my family's care

I have traveled far

In life's chosen car

Spreading the Love we share.

Now my travels are done

The trip has been run.

No more life’s road will I roam.

As God takes my hand

I now understand

This road that led me Home.

(M. C.Arvanitis)

In memory of my brother-in-law, Gene Bechtel. 

THE THIEF

We all have our troubles so when I was told I had breast cancer, I 

panicked , of course. At that terrible word "cancer" don't we all?

But after the first reaction I took over .. after all it was MY life .. and

My body .. and I was in charge. The Power of Mind is stronger 

then any illness. I wrote this to give myself courage and determination 

that this was not going to take me away.  

The Thief 

M. C. Arvanitis

I will not give it a capital ” c “

    For it is not that important to me.

I will not give it my fear and grief

    For it is but an insidious thief

That sneaks, like a coward, in my breast.

    And tries to invade me with its test.

It can push with its malignant strife

    But it won’t stop my dreams of life.

Its reality I acknowledge as true,

    But I’ll stop it now by what I must do.

With higher truths, positive power

    I will fight it from my Universal Tower

With piercing vibes that kill. You’ll see.

    This cancer will have no hold on me.

1/15/06

12/15/11 Five years later I am cancer free. 

Snow on the Roses

(a country song)

Writen after seeing snow on Portland rose bushes.

When Yesterday roses

were blooming so free.

You picked a rose

and gave it to me

With it a promise

that we'd never part

Yesterday's roses

Laid soft on my heart.

Now you have changed dear

Icy winds blow

Your cold heart has turned

my sunshine to snow.

The roses have wilted.

Nothing is right

For there is snow on

the roses tonight

Snow on the roses

Snow in my heart

your letter discloses

From me you will part.

Yesterday's sunshine

has all gone away

and there's snow

on the roses today.

Oregon Beach

Nature's gift

wrapped in wind
Often cold, 

but 

always Beautiful. 

THE MARCH OF TIME

Sunday afternoon--1950  (Nebraska)

Listening to the hit parade on the radio.

Looking out the window towards the road

Watching the movement of a lazy toad

Dreaming of my latest heart throb date.

Wishing he would drive in the farm yard gate

Wondering why the world moves so slow.

Sunday afternoon 1980 (California) 

Listening to the seagulls scream in the sky. 

Gray foam glitters in the sun 

Across my feet then turns and runs

back to its mother wave.  Perhaps this should

Be  where I'll find my home for good

And I think how slowly time passes by

Sunday afternoon 1996 (Texas) 

Listening to the music - old time class. 

Air conditioned room with walls closing in on me.

Wondering if not here where would I be? 

Looking out of the window at the city street

Empty of neighbors who never want to meet.

Wondering why life goes so fast. 

Sunday afternoon 2009 (Oregon) 

Listening to the wind and rain beat down

Making minute rivers on the ground

Standing on the covered deck. I am dry

except for the hidden tear in my eye.

I'm where I want to be .. but I wonder why

I'm still alone, and the days drag by. 

-----------

80th birthday, 2012 - Portland, OR.

         

         78th birthday, 2011- San Francisco, CA

                  Taken at our 50th high school reunion  Creighton, NE.  We were 68 years old.

Ready to go our own way ..  we were eighteen yrs old. 

Taken in Fremont, NE. 

 age five, on the farm in Venus, NE. 

baby picture --  with sister Druella, and brother, Albert. 

Taken in front of the house on the farm where we lived.

1933

When it comes to birthdays, I share mine with my twin sister.  We share a lot .

but sometimes not our view points.

TWIN SISTERS

Sharing womb -- Sharing birth,

Sharing parents and siblings.

Sharing the time of growing up

Sharing each other's laughter and pain;

But yet, when reminiscing in later years

We seem to be telling the story

From a different viewpoint. 

Margaret C. Arvanitis

C: November, 2008

  

Birthdays come and go .. each number a bit larger.  This year I leave this note for

my 76th birthday.  

76th Birthday

I will not wear purple when I get old.

I will not knit nor crochet.

I'll not rock and sing a quiet song

Or sleep away my day.

I shall wear jeans too tight

And cowboys boots and vest.

So save that purple granny dress

Until I am laid to rest. 

 Margaret Arvanitis

C: November 11, 2008

FLY WITH ME

                                                                       Soar in the clouds with the Eagles;

Look for the silver lining. 

A life worthy of living 

Is not made with whining

Look at life from the Eagles' nest;

Look at the world from above

For the life worthy of living

Can only be lived with love.

Fly with me!!

Angels on Halloween

There are angels assigned to us as we pass this way. They come in all shapes and sizes when you need them most and expect them less.

Here is one of my angels' story:

It was Halloween night and I had just arrived at the bus stop
from the little church where I worked as a preschool teacher in the Village,
California. The last parent to pick up their child drove me to the bus stop
where I would catch the last bus of the evening to get back to my home in
Pacific Grove. As he left me off I realized I didn't have my purse. I had
left it in his car. I tried to wave him back but he didn't see me and soon was
out of sight.

I panicked.No purse -- no bus pass ..
Cel phones were not in use, and if they had been it would have been in
the purse. I didn't have the number of my director, nor the quarter to call her.
and I knew no one in the village. I couldn't call my daughter who lived in Pebble
Beach because she was out of town. No way to call or pay for a long taxi ride back to
my home in Pacific Grove. I was stranded .. on the scariest night of the year.
And there was no one around the bus stop to beg for bus fare.

When the bus drove up, my heart sunk even lower. The old bus driver who knew me
as a regular customer had been replaced by a different driver. I crossed my fingers, told
him of my problem and asked to be let on the bus, promising I would pay him when
I rode the bus again.

Yes he was my angel. He let me ride for free. When I got to the transit exchange in
Monterey where I had to change buses to get to Pacific Grove he put me on the
PG bus, paying the driver himself.

I still had a problem, my apartment key was in my purse .. But at least I could
sit on the porch near my door and hopefully be safe for the night.
But when I arrived at my door the parent was waiting for me. Realizing I had
left my purse in his car he had rushed back to the bus stop. Finding me gone
he had checked my ID in my purse, found my address, and driven all the way
 to Pacific Grove with my purse.

My angels were watching over me on that spooky Halloween night.

Sunny Sparkles

In my 40 years of teaching preschoolers I have writen many poems and put to music.
The following poems are a sample of these rhyme/songs.

There was a little caterpillar
As ugly as could be.
She hid among the leaves
In the mulberry tree.

She was long and skinny
And -- ugh -- her skin was GREEN!
She knew she was the ugliest
Insect that one had ever seen.

So she cried sticky tears
And slimmy stuff that weaves
Until she was covered up
and sticking to the leaves

Mr. Sun came by and found her
He needed a sparkling pad
So he shone down on the caterpillar
'Til she was no longer sad.

She felt herself a changing
into pretty -- can you believe?
This little caterpillar discovered
She had wings up her sleeves.

She broke away from her prison,
Now she soars in the deep blue skies.
The Sun caught her in his light.
Now she sparkles as she flies


C l995 taken from my book "Songs for Children"
by Marjorie Arnee ~ (Margaret Arvanitis)
All rights reserved.

The Bashful bee and the Dragonfly

Another of my rhyme/songs poems put to music.

The bashful bee was a sad insect.
His head hung down bending at his neck.
The fear he had of leaving the ground
Kept him from flying away - hey.
Kept him from flying away.

When the dragonfly saw the bashful bee
He said "My friend, just listen to me.
You can't fly when you're looking down'.
Listen to me and you'll fly away, hey.
Listen to me and you'll fly away.

If you lift your head and look up high
You will find that you can fly."
So the bashful bee looked up and found
That he could flay away, hey
And he flew away today, hey.

C l995 taken from my book "Songs for Children"
by Marjorie Arnee ~ (Margaret Arvanitis)
All rights reserved.

Bliss and/or Pain. My views on Amour

Amour (love between man and woman) has been experienced by most of us. It can be total bliss, making our lives wonderful. Or if unrequited it can be like an incurable disease, a powerful deep pain that won’t go away. It can last for a few months, a few years, or for a lifetime. This love is what novels such as Romeo and Juliet are written about. Most of us at one time or other have experienced this kind of love. This tearing hurt must be let out or the disease will destroy peace of mind and body. Writing about it can ease the pain. This is why love poems are written. (many are put to country songs. LOL) The following are some that I wrote at various times in my life.

Growing Love

My love for you has grown
from a sudden revealing glance;
A touch of eyes .. into a magical force
Which transcends deep through the inner most of me.

My love for you has grown
from an abstract indefinalbe desire.
An inate reflex .. Into an universal regard
that embraces all livlng matter In the Universe.
~~~~
(C) by Margaret Arvanitis
If you pass this on please give me credit.

Softly in Your Mind

Put me softly in your mind
And keep me there the while.
When troubles come, think of me
I will make you smile.

Take me when your dream at night
I’ll chase your fears away.
Oh put me softly in your mind
And use my love today.
~~~~
(C) by Margaret Arvanitis
If you pass this on please give me credit.

Reality

What is reality?
What is dream?
What happens when
the dream becomes
stronger than reality?
Does the dream than
Become real?
And reality becomes
the dream
Soon to fade away.

~~~~
(C) by Margaret Arvanitis
If you pass this on please give me credit.

Home

Home

Home is ------
Your sweet aura surrounding me;
The nearness of you,
Whether in thought
or physical nearness.
A soft gentle feeling of comfort
and protective closeness.
With you I am home.
~~~~~

(C) by Margaret Arvanitis
If you pass this on please give me credit.

Cupid’s Attack

Man of steel with his shield held high.
Nothing will penetrate his armor.
Yet he sends his arrows right and left.
Each one satuated with a love potion
That consumes body and soul
Leaving my armor melted and useless.
I’m open again to his attack. Oh God,
Let the wounds be healed this time
With the sweet salve of true love
Instead of the bitterness of hate.
~~~~~

(C) by Margaret Arvanitis
If you pass this on please give me credit.

Bless this Mess

We all have our down times and even though I was blessed with my
children, life didn't always go the way I dreamed it would. I had this
sign hanging on my wall and decided to write about it, predicting a
happy ending. : )

(The first ten years of marriage)

The sink is full of dishes
My time is slipping by
the telephone is ringing
And the baby starts to cry.
My neighbor wants to visit.
I must be nice, I guess.
All I have time to say is:
Three little words; Bless this Mess.

(The second ten years)

The car is running poorly
I'll have to take it in
My check book doesn't add up
I'm in the red again.
The bills are piling upward.
Sissie demands that party dress.
I look up, softly sigh and say
Three little words; bless this mess!

(The next 10 years)

The house is dark and quiet
And I'm setting here in tears
My husband's found a younger one
To ease his aging fears.
I reach into my soul for comfort
Longing for a sweet caress.
The only prayer I can utter is
Three little words, bless this mess!

(the final years)

The divorce was fast and easy
My flight is coming in
And waiting for me with sweet love
Is a very special friend.
My career is starting nicely.
I'm wearing a designer dress
I smile and say thank you, Lord.
You have finally blessed this mess.
-----

(C)1971 by Margaret C. Arvanitis
Please give credit if you pass this on.