Seems life’s lessons of late
Are learned from those just learning language itself
Always conscious of inculcating proper grammar
Pronouns, gerunds, etc.which categorize
Language that we might understand one another
But lessons never printed on a proper grammar book
Seem to be quite clear to the youngest minds
So that is why ‘artificial flowers’
Which I took to be a good explanation
Are now
Pink flowers that never die
FXC frankxcameron.com 4/8/2021 Copyright
So many seasons to play
Seemed different sports would fill the seasons
Each requiring alleged stretching and lifting suggestions
Suggestions which youth might well laugh off
But in the fall of life creeping towards winter
Muscles seem to take longer to stretch
Aches less likely to fade
But the most painful experience is illusion
That one might stop cutting the grass mid November
Then one day pull the chain to mow again in April
Mmmm yes extremely painful
An hour later one struggles to open the garage again
Pushing the disabling equipment away
For whatever reason
No connection made between pain and lawn cutting
The next morning through, over a long cup of coffee
Time permits the memory to peel back
The idiocy of an individual
Who blissfully ended the lawn cutting season mid November
And without thought again pulled the chain In April
Aspirin anyone?
FXC frankxcameron.com 04/05/2021 Copyright
The Remote
The good old days
I beg to differ
In a court of law
Would simply need to parade
The various inventions
That have ramped up the term
Easier
Reflect now
Those of sufficient age
What you might turn to if lost
Yes GPS
Or needed to speak to someone more than 15 feet away
Yeah, cell phones
Still a few would remember the angst of not having indoor plumbing
Don’t want to step outside to bend down for your paper
Read it online as well as shop, worship, gossip, watch movies, listen to music or Zoom
As Wi-fi endlessly streams 24/7
You can even work out to exercise videos
There was a time when a child might be considered raised and and independent
If they were toilet trained and could manually change the three channels on the TV
But now real independence and maturity is measured by the ability
To turn off all this new fangled stuff with The Remote
FXC 4/5/2021 frankxcameron.com Copyright
The Conversation
Eyes focused on the goal
Backs bent pushing
You and I on the back burner
Tomorrow was like a due bill
For the 1st of the month
There would be time
To finally live our dreams
Travel to distant lands
Feel the mist of the cool ocean on our wrinkled skin
Explore a new skill set, or maybe just maybe
Plan as if we would one day actually start the car and leave the driveway
But before that happened we experimented
Slipped out one weekend to Brown County
Three days no responsibilities
Done this numerous times
Usually camping with kids
Now driving by memories
Brought more memories of our simple pleasurable past
But making new memories was going to be harder to imbed
Antique stores once seemingly on top of one another
Now seemed achingly distant
Lunch could only be obtained by further effort
2PM shuttered the day
Of course no acknowledgement by either of us
Glancing away so the subject could b avoided
Resting for just a minute should provide the impetus
To revive these septuagenarian bodies
But hours of restless reading
Just delayed the inevitable conversation
What happened?
Walking for hours, staying up late
Traveling endlessly
Were gone, very distant, even irretrievable memories
Then piece by piece what was past, what could be, and what needed to be
Were sorted out finally!
What a relief
Best three day weekend we ever had
FXC frankxcameron.com 04/02/2021 Copyright
A well versed lawyer familiar
With the machinations of the court room
Would often finish conversations
With the phrase
‘It is what it is’
Which I took to mean
Nothing I could do about it
Over the years though
Often heard the same phrase from others
As if an unknown pallor had descended on all of us
Yet, felt as if the phrase was meant as a cure all
To explain good news, bad news, no news
Finally learned its real purpose
Was to reduce anxiety
A free elixir to alleviate
General uneasiness brewing within us
Well that’s okay
’It is what it is’
FXC frankxcameron.com 03/21/2021 Copyright
Traveling as often we do
To and fro
Eleven years now
So small and petite when our journeys began
There was always a destination in our plans
Life is just a chance
You were my moment to stay in the game
Aging grandfathers can flower in Florida
Letting their little ones visit
Or on the flip of a coin
Find themselves basking in the sunshine
Of their growing protege
Your first name was Princess
So always knew there was an accountability
Of our conversations
Actually my long background
Dealing with women
Prepared me to understand
Time was at a premium
Soon you would be back in school
Friends, sports, dating, career
Our time together but a memory
This past year so long
So much school work, playing, iPads, snacks, traveling
That changed today
School started back
While micromanaging your exit from the vehicle
Extolled your virtues once again
Spoke of missing you
Then your arms wrapped around my neck
Your face close to mine
You whispered, ‘Bye Papa’
Thank goodness I was wearing a mask
FXC frankxcameron.com 03/18/2021 Copyright
Your eyes often transfixed upwards
Memorized by the moving clouds
Creation has always been your strength
Today is no different
Asked to paint clouds on a ceiling
You assembled your tools of creativity
But the vision remains in your mind
You feel the warm wind gently blowing
Cirrus clouds
Your scaffolding is two step stools
Hands gnarled with arthritis
But those white clouds need your touch
To exist
Please though, at 71, don’t fade into your art
FXC frankxcameron.com. 03/06/2021 Copyright
Was contacted by a family member
About our relationship
Fortunately was on good terms with this individual
But got me to wondering about those behind me and to the side
Started the search the usual way parents, grandparents
Became fascinated with the pictures
Couldn’t see myself in any of those tin type looking pictures
Occasionally my mind would wonder
Mentally trying to picture their environment
Always sympathetic to those without indoor plumbing
But I digress
And though I wish there were biographies of my ancestors
All that really exists is conjecture
Came to understand there was strong possibility we are all related
Bad news there
I have not always treated others right
Glad I don’t have to many followers on this blog
Or I would be hearing from them
Even blocked a friend of forty years on Facebook book for his political views
Good Lord help me
Redemption is possible though
Started Zooming with outlying family members
Who I had neglected for years
So, so grateful for a second chance
To once again be called their brother!
FXC frankxcameron.com 3/6/2021 Copyright
A close confidant divulged
That new words are being added
To the Webster dictionary every year
How exciting!
Seemingly the culture is changing
God forbid a lexicon would not be updated
Truly a serendipity moment
As objects I once knew as ‘whatchamacallit’
Now would have a specific name
Each of us has our own personal vision
Of what a ‘thing’ is
Periodically that vision is not able to be vocalized
As the picture of that object in our mind
Like a card in a deck of cards
Gets lost like in a ‘52 pick up game’
The eyes search inward as a roulette wheel
Tries to spit out possibilities
No point, eyes with fixed glaze
Join hands with the mind
Announcing a new name for the irascible object
’Whatchamacallit’
FXC frankxcameron.com 3/3/2021 Copyright
In hushed conversations
Heard rumors
Questions about your memory
Medicines and therapies adopted
To slow the process down
You and I talked
Actually more than we had in years
Talked about memories
Our memories, family memories
Honestly my memory has also lost its zest
Have had other close friends awash in this vacuum
That seemingly erodes
‘How precious memory is’ you repeat to me
Asking me to send pictures, stories I remember
That might light the embers of what is receding relentlessly
This void I’ve seen in others
The bewilderment in their eyes
As if their very existence is being erased
We cling to each other now
Still so calm you are
As always you have been
Starting my search for old pictures of us
To retell our story that we might talk again
When you see my name on
Caller id
FXC frankxcameron.com 2/28/2020 Copyright