February 23, 2018

OH  MY  GOD! 

Sitting there leaning against a wall, 

begging for a green bill or 3 quarters,

you walked right by me.

Sitting there leaning against a wall,

begging for some recognition,

you walked right by me.

Sitting there on the other side of a wall,

blurting out an “Ahem!” or a cough,

you walked right my me.

Sitting there in a chair against a wall

in a nursing home or a prison,

you drove right by me.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

February 23, 2018

Black  History  Month Thought for today: 

“In this country American means white. Everybody else has to hyphenate.” 

Toni Morrison

February 22, 2018

THE  FLOWER 

The flower - praise went to its petals ….

Don’t get proud now. It could happen

to you if you heard from a hundred

people: “Smells beautiful….” “Such

beautiful color ....  Such perfect skin ….”

“Thank you for this perfect flower.

Two weeks later. It drooped. It faded. 

Happens to flowers every time.

She saw her arms wrinkle. He saw

his muscles sag. Poets in a nursing

home - across the street from a high

school - get these thoughts every day.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

February 22,  2018 

Black History Month Thought for today: 

“I had no idea that history was being made. I was just tired of giving up.”  

Rosa Parks

February 21, 2018

Black History Month Thought for today

            

"Miracles happen all the time. We're here, aren't we?" 

Marilyn Nelson (African-American poet, translator and children's book author).

February 21, 2018

I  WOULDN’T

I wouldn’t want to be you ….

I wouldn’t trade places with you ….

I wouldn’t drive like you drive ….

I wouldn’t talk like you talk …..

I wouldn’t hold my fork like you hold yours ….

I wouldn’t hurt people like you hurt people ….

I wouldn’t want to be self-centered 

like you seem to be …..

You’re kidding, right?

Well, all I can say is this,

“If  you were like me,

you wouldn’t be saying

what  you’re saying about me ….”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

ACCEPTANCE

Why can I accept the last

seat in the last row of the

theater or our parish church?

Why can I accept “The End”

at the end of the movie or

the song I love so much?

Why can I accept the standing

up as we leave the restaurant

after a great meal together?

Why can’t I turn back to the car

after we buried you in the brown

grave mouth that swallowed you up?

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018