Fourth of July When Life is Simple poem - Libations Friday 25 June 2010

*** An amusing Fourth of July poem that celebrates living.







Fourth of July When Life is Simple







Grand Dad used to say, “Life is simple.”
I thought silently, “Yeah, when you’re 90.”






Grand Dad used to say, “Life is good.”
I asked him if it was good all the time.







Grand Dad used to say, “Life goes up and down.
Learn to appreciate it all, even when it doesn’t look good.”







Grand Dad sat on the porch steps, slicing the watermelon.
It was The Fourth of July, his favorite holiday.







He pulled out his pocket knife and poked out the large seeds,
Throwing them hard to the ground and far away into the grass.







He said, “This is how you handle problems when they come.”
We sat in the shade for a while, thinking, and poking the seeds.







Then he put his mouth to the sliced fruit, biting hard into the sugar.
He smiled wide and satisfied, as watermelon juice dribbled down his chin.







“And this is how you engage the sweetness in Life.” Grand Dad said.
And he took another big bite. And, then, so did I.







Now I knew what Grand Dad knew.
Sometimes, Life really is that simple.



Denny Lyon
Copyright 21 June 2010
All Rights Reserved


*** With special thanks to nothingprofound, a fellow blogger, a fun guy who posts aphorisms on his blog, Aphorism Of The Day, that tickle my mind, one of from which this poem sprang (Life is simple... 18 June 2010).


*** For more Fourth of July posts see also:

63 Quotes About Freedom and Liberty: Happy Birthday, America!

How Do We Live Freedom and Liberty? Libations Friday - 2 July 2010

Fourth of July Fireworks Cartoons - 3 July 2010

Dennys Photo Gallery: Fourth of July Watermelon

Cake Tuesday: Red, White and Blueberry Shortcakes

Cake Tuesday: Red, White and Blue Independence Day Cake



Photo Credits


Fourth of July fireworks at Pismo Beach, California by puliarf @ flickr

Watermelon quarter close up by ccharmon @ flickr

Pink watermelon by Esther Gibbons @ flickr

Watermelon keys by Torley @ flickr

"Flutter-bye" on watermelon enjoying the sugar by puliarf @ flickr

Watermelon slices by moreno0101 @ flickr

Watermelon on ice by quinn.anya @ flickr

Watermelon seeds by Muffet @ flickr

Watermelon on the sky by mfrascella @ flickr

Eating watermelon with gusto by Jonf729 @ flickr



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets
Dennys Global Politics
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
Dennys Art Sanctuary
Romancing The Chocolate
Comfort Food From Louisiana
Unusual 2 Tasty
Dennys Blog Feeds
Dennys Funny Quotes
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd



denny lyon, Dennys poetry, Fourth of July poems, life poems, spiritual poems, the social poets, art photography, photos of summer, Fourth of July photos, watermelon photos, life poems, Libations Friday, poetry blogs, America poems, social commentary

Posts Roundup at Dennys 14 Blogs - 20 June 2010

*** Check out news, political opinion - serious and funny cartoons, recipes, science and health news, poetry, funny posts, photography, spiritual thoughts and great quotes.




Cup of coffee from Brazil by il Quoquo @ flickr




The Social Poets:


Dark Humor: BP Oil Spill Cartoons - 19 June 2010

Stepping Through Life poem - Libations Friday 18 June 2010

BP Gets Their Moneys Worth From Apologetic GOP Texan Barton

Funny Quotes From Big Oil and BP Congressional Hearings - Cheeky Quote Day 16 June 2010

Foreclosure Violated Military Act: Yet Another Reason Not to Live in Texas

Roundup of Late Night Funnies - 14 June 2010

Funny Video: Obama Embarks on AssQuest 2010

Funny Colbert Video: BP CEO Tony Hayward Is an Evil Box of Priggish Entitled Baking Soda

Funny Colbert Video: BP Perplexed Stock Value Sinks

Funny Video: Colbert Doles Out Advice For Helen Thomas

Posts Roundup at Dennys 14 Blogs - 13 June 2010




Dennys Global Politics:


BP Problems: Political Cartoons 19 June 2010

Kevin Costner Blasts Big Oil, GOP Apologizes to BP - News Headlines 17 June 2010

Obamas Oval Office Speech, CEO Weigh in on Obama, Reality of BPs $20 Billion Escrow - News Headlines 16 June 2010

BP On Hook for $75 Billion in Claims, 1-Man Mission American Ninja Faulkner Hunts bin Laden, News Headlines 15 June 2010

BP Nightmare Well, Congress Ready to Nail BP, Kennedy FBI Docs, Obama Gets Oil Spill Help - News Headlines 14 June 2010






Beautiful Illustrated Quotations:


How Does Tenacity Figure in Your Life?

Destress: 3 Great Encouragement Quotes

Have You Ever Thought About The Process of Success?

Hope Transforms Our Lives in Tough Times






Romancing The Chocolate:


5 Tasty Sweet as Candy Chess Pie Recipes

8 Funny Posts to Enjoy

Muffin Monday: 3 Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipes



Comfort Food From Louisiana:


7 Simple Ingredients Brisket and Southern Corn Pudding

Muffin Monday: Mushroom Dill Muffins From Louisiana Mushroom Farm




Unusual 2 Tasty:


Muffin Monday: Savory Feta, Roasted Pepper Basil Muffins From Sur La Table




Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd:


Funny Video: Colberts Sound Advice on How to Get a Job

Murphys 15 Laws About Sex





Dennys Funny Quotes:


Oops and Hunh?! Cartoons 19 June 2010

Funny Family Quotes

Joke: When A Bunch of Nationalities Are Stranded on an Island





Visual Insights:

BP Oil Slicked Animals: Outrage Cartoons - 19 June 2010





Poems From A Spiritual Heart:


Hope Transforms

Jazz Music




*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Stepping Through Life poem - Libations Friday 18 June 2010

*** Thinking about how a long list of small decisions can create our lives.








Stepping Through Life






It starts with one small step
One inch over the line, to the line.
People think it’s one defining decision.
It isn’t; it’s one small step for each decision.







It can go both ways.
Those that turn back and
Look upon their lives with remorse
See where they went wrong.







Those that reflect upon time and
Look back at their decisions
Know how their lives developed and
Rejoice where they went right.







People can delude themselves easily.
Politicians think they will delay
What the people need until they get
The money they need to stay in office.







Leaders forget to lead while
They take care of themselves first.
The people suffer needlessly and
Lose hope while forced to wait endlessly.







It’s human nature to put off today
What we could maybe do tomorrow.
It’s what we promise ourselves,
Thinking we will finally do better.







But when the day arrives to do better
We have taken so many steps over the line
We become hard-hearted and uncaring
And so it becomes our legacy.







Why not look at your today to decide
What you can do today for today?
Why wait until you think circumstances are better?
Choose the best of your life today and make it your legacy.



Denny Lyon
Copyright 21 June 2010
All Rights Reserved




Photo Credits


Spiral stairs photo by Eustaquio Santimano @ flickr - light house, Amédée Island, New Caledonia. Originally built in France by Napoleon III, but was later transported to New Caledonia.

Castle steps by stevoarnold @ flickr - Framlingham Castle, Suffolk, England, UK

Wheel of life photo by Tim PopUp @ flickr - Sheffield, England, UK

Stepping out of darkness by pigliapost @ flickr - Aurora, Turin, Italy

Stepping stone reflections photo by raggio(ALL4HIM)productions - Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Ocean steps by soupboy @ flickr - Gandy, Florida, USA

Otley Steps by Tim Green aka atoach @ flickr - Otley, England, UK

Bridge steps by Jan Tik @ flickr - Portland, Oregon, USA

One giant step out into the ocean of Life by notsogoodphotography @ flickr - Maldives



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!