November Saturday - with audio

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Looking at the windowsill
Candles fluttering warm light
There is great pleasure being inside
Thinking lazy thoughts
On this November Saturday
These rich and drifting moments
Are a gift from on high.

Trust In Love - with audio

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Trust in love
Love in trust
God is love
Give to love
Love to give
Love and live
There is peace in love
A gentle urging to kindness

Pretty Kitty Kit Cat - with audio

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Pretty kitty kit cat

He’s so little and fat

He’s a pretty kit, kitty kit, kitty kit

Pretty kit kitty Cat

Pretty Kitty Kit cat

Orange and round just like that

Friendly purring on my lap

He’s a pretty kit cat

Pretty Kitty kit cat

At the window mewing this way and that

Eats his food then takes a nap

Pretty kitty kit cat

Pretty Kitty kit cat

Long fur upon his back

His tail it swishes and swishes it swishes

He’s a pretty kit cat

See him crouching in the yard looking pouty

Spying out a lizard or a mousy for his mouthy

He’s eating grass, then goes stalking on a sortie

Finding feral felines for a furry garden brawling party

Pretty kitty kit cat

Chasing string and swatting a gnat

Pouncing on a cricket, stopping to chat

Pretty kitty kit cat

Pretty kitty kit cat

Stretching in the sun laying flat

Scratch his neck with head cocked back
Tell him he's a pretty kit cat, 

for

He’s a pretty kit, kitty kit, kitty kit,
kitty kit, kitty kit, kitty kit, kitty kit,

Pretty kit, kitty kit, pretty kit, kitty kit

Pretty kit, kit-ty cat!

Joy - with audio

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Joy is a bunny hopping about
Inside one's breast

Joy is bubbles of laughter
Waiting to escape a smile

Joy is light turned into breath
Shining out with each sigh

Joy is a brightness unhidden
An uncontainable energy

Joy reaches beyond the stars
Unfathomed, is it's power

The Pine Tree and The Lamp Post - with audio

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Tonight I chanced upon a pine tree
Chatting with a lamppost dressed in black
I'm trimmed straight and lean
The lamp post said
I'm somewhat in between
Said the pine tree, and
With that they swayed and chuckled gustily

Encrypted Words - with audio

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Encrypted words
Flew like Humming birds
In the heart of the Louvre,
Aujourd'hui et toujours mon ami (Today and Always my friend)
Ideas like melodies
Kisses spent in kind
Make admiring minds
Want to see
Flower and buzzing bee
La vision de l'art
Vie, amour, printemps a nouveau... ,

(The vision of art
Life, love, spring anew ...,)

NOTE
There are riddles here, hence the name
 - the main one being
to figure out the end of the poem.
Give it a try. It is not that hard - really.




All right already, the clue for the ending is in
the last two (whoops) three lines of the poem.
Other riddles involve a play on the word Louvre,
and in looking at the history of the word and how
it has been used. In old French and English 
it is similar to or the same as the word for lover
and a kind of window - hence this is a play on words 
and we are looking into the soul or heart of a lover here, 
who is also in one of the most romantic places
in the world i.e, the Louvre. The rest is, well 
the nature of art springtime and love. Thanks for reading. 

Q: - what's missing from the poem?  

A:- "e tu" - (and you) is the final phrase of the poem,

found in the last letter of the last 3 lines. 

So then, - YOU - mon ami, are the missing ingredient!

A Book - with audio

 audio link

A book is to be read
With some tea
And some bread

Hid like a crook,
In a nook,
In a bed

With a fire nearby
A tear in your eye
Like a granny

Of wise quiet mind
Then comes slumber
Gentle and kind

Riding the Wave of Time - with audio

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I sighed and
He said goodbye
Riding the wave of time

Not long forgotten
He rose again in my mind
Riding the wave of time

Having once died
But now lives again
Riding the wave of time

Somewhere in my soul
Connected to this spirit
Riding the wave of time

Collision, conclusion
Lachrymose the eyes
Riding the wave of time 

Laughter heaves the breath
Sentimental collusion
Riding the wave of time 

Ah, what mysterious reverie
Is that singularity memory
Riding the wave of time

Another year older
Some days longer
Riding the wave of time 

So I wonder
Then ponder
What is yonder
Riding the wave of time 

And he is
But is not
Riding the wave of time

In spacious hearts
And outside all
In Him
Gone is the wave of time

Yet flourishing
Brilliant
And Loving
We remain
Beyond the wave of time.

SLIM AND JIM - with audio

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Slim was slimmer than Jim
This matter made Jim quite a crier
He denied the fact
That he was twice as fat
Making Jim the fatter latter liar

Shalom Bayit - (Peace of the Home) with audio

Audio Link

Shabbat Shalom, they said as each came to the door
First came the early birds, and then more chaverim, (friends), trickled in,
Followed by pilgrims bearing gifts of wine
Their faces lifted up our home bringing blessings upon us
The air began to cool down from the 95 degree temperature
As they each began to help prepare for the evening
It was still light, late afternoon and summer

A long set of tables had been placed with chairs set all around
Some guests helped put down the table cloths and I left off to change clothes
Soon it was time to begin and reaching for some red wine
I returned to the tables now beautifully adorned and filled with happy young faces
A calm easy evening breeze blew and the transformation was complete
The air was now afresh with the scent of the nearby jasmine and roses
Twightlight arrived, sending the temperature plummeting to a relaxing 75 degrees

The crickets danced, hummingbirds hovered above the red bougainvilleas
Little birds chirped and the morning doves coo'd
Many of our guests laughed in conversation, some sat quietly, eyes shining brightly
To my right by the fragrant jasmine sat my princes smiling and joking
The strength of my youth, our older and younger son
With their mother coming, going and joining us once again
All the frustration and stresses of the week fled away
The sweetness of the gathering fell upon all like a tefillah and tehillah,
(prayer and song of praise)

The gentle flowing air whispered in the ear
And played the little group of souls like Mendelsohn's nocturn
Alluding to what must have been for him a longing
For something wonderful realized here in this night
In each beating breast, and eyes full of the wonder of life
Songs, B'ruchas, (Blessings), wine, challah and festive feasting
Yai yai yai, yah yah yah, lai lai lai, Maschiach, Maschiach, Maschiach
And HEY! We sang, led by the young teacher, who was inspired by the flower

Parshat Naso, 176 verses to touch the senses more than any other,
Coinciding with the longest day of the year,
Dividing sacred and the profane, the lunar cycle,
Day and night, the Jewish Calendar year of 353 days
First three, then five, followed by seven
A census of Shalom Bayit,  Shabbat shalom and
The number of our guests,
Recounting Aaron's blessing
Hashem Bless you,
Hashem lift up his face
Hashem Shine upon and grant you Shalom

The moon pregnant with desire, but at first shy,
Peered down at the scene from behind the palm branches
Then moving leisurely crossing over stars in the night
Her delight burst forth upon us reflecting a greater glory
O, Tidal beauty fret not, even though you are a world away,
Tonight you are here with us, joining in our celebration
Our spirits welling up in joy as waves within us
Welcoming the bride, hearts overflowing as one
With the hope of all creation among the host
That the creator might dwell with us,
Among us, to make all things new

So it was this night, in the faces of our children,
And their friends, mixed up in the laughter
Kabbalat daughters and sons at rest with us
Here in this brief yet eternal season of time
The Shabbat refreshes and awakens to life
Makes us hope in the coming of the Messiah
To pray for the peace of Jerusalem city of gold
As Hashem makes his face to shine within us

So we ate, drank and chatted passionately into the night
Playing cards, drinking tea, and eating birthday cake
Until it was two in the morning and the stars tearing up,
Pleaded with us: go to bed,  so we said, lilah tov, goodnight,
Shalom Aleichem, Shabbat Shalom, until our guests had departed

Then each one of our little family retired to the inner recesses of our home
Where we sank down upon the pillows and blankets
Falling into unconcerned sleep, safe, contented and at peace
Resting at the foot of Jacobs ladder
With angels in attendance.