Waking up this morning to a dark and dreary day It was cloudy, so gloomy and dismally gray It's damp in my house, cold air seeps throughout A day for staying in bed, of this I have no doubt
Slipping back down under my covers for a bit longer Hear the rain turning to sleet, the winds getting stronger Weather like this usually turns into a deep freeze The barometer on my porch shows it's just six degrees
Later in the day a dazzling sight of iced bushes and trees Branches were bending and crackling in a frosty brisk breeze Sparkling Icicle chimes was the sound from this splendor Only a gift from the heavens above could be the sender
Author Eileen Clark Written December 2024
We are having an ice storm here in Irvine Kentucky January 2026. This is my yard. I have tools to make my photos look framed like this.
Hi, it is a beautiful winter day here in Kentucky. It is January 9th. and the temperature is 69% ! My three awesome cats are enjoying it to the fullest. Sleep well my kitties, it may be the last nice day you all will see until April.
We have a squirrel feeder on the tree filled with corn and a couple of cobs on the ground near it. Every day at different times of the day, this deer and other ones come to eat. Sometimes it’s a young deer with a parent further away watching and other times it’s just one older deer. They are very cautious looking up and around constantly while eating in fear of a human seeing them.
Trying to keep him safe in the grassy knoll Many predators around hungry and bold I don’t like always having to fuss and scold He will understand more when he gets old
Well I fear Winter is here It’s not gonna be a good year Got nothing for me to cheer Don’t have me a winter coat Got no scarf for my throat Mama says have no fear Papa’s gonna bring home a deer Uncle Joe brewed a keg of beer So ya all can sit back and jeer Guess itis gonna be a good year Author Eileen Clark
It's really fun driving through little country towns The fall seasons are the best for driving all around Colorful decorations cover each house on the streets You can tell when the neighbors are trying to compete
Most use pumpkins of every shape color and size Keeping it cleaver and tasteful would be very wize Others might use corn stalks or even bales of hay Those are the folks that got a little carried away
My cat likes to sit along side ours to catch a bit of sun Among all the decorated house, mine is the perfect one I keep it like this September, October, and November Then let the fun begin again cause here comes December
I didn't do it, that should be obvious for you to see For some silly reason you guys want to blame me Hiding in boxes and bags that's what we cats do Blame other critters for drinking your trout stew
I'm not the bad guy, just tryna stay out of your way There are other cats around, I'll bet it was a stray I'm big, old, and fat, which makes me not so quick So don't try to pin it on me, it's never gonna stick
Well it's needless to say I'm not getting any work done to day Knowing full well my schedule is tight I am certain in this my cats take delight
Yes I have cats, last count it was three As challenging as you think that might be Navigating a wheelchair around them can be intense At the same time writing poems doesn't make sense
Working on three websites for me can be a thrill Making sure the bird and squirrel feeders are full Taking care of my spiritual needs is a daily pleasure  Writing a new poem each day, now that's the real treasure
This little cutie showed up in our backyard Friendly to my husband, me she kept her guard Walking on the grass to her was something new A cage with cement floors she might be more use to
Took her to the vet to see if planted in her might be a chip She had heart worms, hook worms and cancer on her hip Many front teeth were missing, was she trying to escape We'll keep her for awhile, try to get her back in shape
I Posted her picture on Facebook, so what will be her fate If no one comes to claim her, that really would be great It's been several weeks now and I haven't heard a peep It gives me great joy to know this beauty I get to keep
Author Eileen Clark 2025
She is my daughter and son in-laws dog. I wrote the poem for them. They have had her two years now and call her Pebbles. This little bed she is sitting on, Valerie say’s she will pick it up in her mouth and move it to where thay are sitting and sit back down on it, what a gem she is. She is a very happy dog, loves to jump and play and is no longer afraid of woman , she’s a real dog now and she also has a chip !
Each day that goes by, that passes No longer any help are my glasses I’ll keep copying and pasting the tiny print Words turn giant that were the size of lint
I take delight in being a painter and a writer I’ll be smart and make my world brighter Everything that I read I will have to enlarge Telling myself, I will not let this take charge
It’s good we are living in the age of techodology Providing an abundance of tools to help me see Being creative as I am aging stimulates my mind I want to do everything before I am completely blind.
Hello friends, a book of my poems called, “Catching The Sun” is in the process of getting published and should be released in a few months. I am so excited about this because it is a dream being fulfilled after so many years of writing.
Although I’m a little limited in my way of life I don’t often get to lonely or filled up with strife I have a little partner that is always hanging around, He keeps me happy,seldom do you see me frown
He’s watching closely from the back of my chair People that approach me, do so with much care. His secret is well hidden in his soft little paws, If you mess with me, out will come his sharp claws.
I’m not trying to frighten you, so here’s the deal Just me giving you caution, to you I do appeal. It’s better for you to know right from the start, This little guy has secured me in his little heart.
My lavender chair sits in lavender flowers I sit among them for hours and hours So much beauty around me abounds I hear them whispering flowery sounds.
Feeling a soft breeze on my hair and face The Lavender sways with elegant grace Taking in all of the sweet lavender smell Each little flower is shaped like a bell
No other color could this yard chair yield Knowing it was meant for a lavender field Thinking to myself as I look up at the blue sky What a wonderful place to be buried when I die
It’s been a very interesting summer this time around. This morning my daughter saw a family of turkeys just strolling through our back yard. I was still in bed so she knew I would want pictures of them and I was so happy she had taken some. Then you remember I had the deer visiting a couple of times in our yard. Sometimes just one, another time it was mother and baby and other times three would be there, just busy eating the green bushes and tall grass. They had no fear of there surroundings which say’s a lot about our neighborhood.
A beautiful couple of light lavender Gladiolus that I had planted came up, but I got such a surprise. When they were slowly fading away two new ones popped up out of the dirt and they were the prettiest bright yellow, I was not expecting that! My beautiful exotic Canna lily after a long wait just bloomed this week, as you can see it is gorgeous! And last but not least, the unexpected sunflower that came from a bird that must have lost it from his beak while in flight and it fell in my large flower pot on my big deck. What joy that gave everyone in my family, yes it’s been a very interesting and pleasant summer.
Here I am at the ripe old age of eighty-two Can’t say I’m still standing, that wouldn’t be true I use a power wheelchair to get myself around As for my mental state, I think I’m fairly sound
I need some help in the morning getting out of bed The caregiver then makes sure my two cats are fed I eat some eggs or maybe a cheese danish instead Some scriptures from my Bible next will be read
It still seems strange not having far to look ahead It’s not that it wasn’t there right along, often I have said But now it’s right in front of me, so I should not dread It’s a fact, eventually every one of us will end up dead
Author Eileen Clark I wrote this a couple of years ago so I'm really 85 now, it just doesn't stop. Image: Amazon -Farmhouse-Country-Sunflower
It’s not looking to good but don’t worry, it will be back next spring. I am harvesting lots of the seeds and putting them in an envelope marked, Glorious Sunflower Seeds.
Tell me why the Hummingbird holds such a fascination Watching them out the window is my full time occupation They don’t wake me in the morning with a beautiful song I can’t take their picture, they don’t stay still for very long
Yet early spring I hang up my Hummingbird feeder Watching for the first male that is called their leader They are very thirsty from their long migration trip And know that I have plenty of nectar for them to sip
The dazzling ruby throated is incredible to see Thousands from the tropics land in every county Swift moving wings makes a lovely humming tune All of my summer days for certain they will consume
Some bird gave me the most glorious gift A sunflower seed from it's beak went adrift Landing in a large pot of dirt on my deck As it started to grow, I gave  it little respect
Thinking it was a weed, I tried to pull it out Stubborn it was, I yanked it with a hefty shout So have it your way then, water you'll go without Still It kept growing taller in the midst of a drought
Finally there it was reaching up to the sky A crown of glory, thankful it did not die Looking down and showing off it's mighty power Was the most beautiful golden yellow sunflower
Author Eileen Clark June 2025
Authors note: this poem came from actual events and the image is the awesome sunflower on my deck thanks to the birds.
I love to garden as folks well know I planted some seeds, Coleus Rainbow I water every day and it seems so slow I'm waiting for something soon to show
And then I decided to use a special brand Wow! some might say it got out of hand Not so, I think my plants are ever so grand Maybe even the best in the entire land
A friend told me what they all need Miracle-Gro really does the job indeed And with such effortless Speed!
There is nothing more delightful that I could possibly do Then to sit down to a early spring breakfast with you Our table next to a window catching the morning sun rays A wonderful way to have happy thoughts throughout my day By sharing with you a cup of coffee and a sweet warm buttered roll Not only will it satisfy my hunger, it will bring peace to my weary soul
always sad long walks alone Mother’s weighty Eats nothing but salads Don’t sit at table Too jealous of child It gets colder with age Skinny since birth long walks away from home Time changes nothing Gets bigger each year still trying to lose weight Eat salad, stay home, don’t run No new dresses.
I want to thank Dagmara K. Chief Editor | Editing Department, for publishing my work on Spillwords, please go visit and enjoy, best regards, Eileen Clark
A bird the color of black and blue Is very loud like a nagging shrew Always the bully at the bird feeder No other bird is more greedyer They are so shameful and so rude They will even steal your pets food
My childhood days were a little bit rough My father was a mean man, angry and gruff When he was home in my room I would stay Hiding under my bed and softly I would pray
What got me through the early years of my life Was a little blue book that helped me with strife In this poetry my heart and soul I would immerse Yes, I was saved by "A Child's Garden Of Verses"
Now that I’m old, retired and living alone It’s so quiet and lonely, just me in my home So I’ll get a cat, or a kitten might better do It won’t be exciting, but least there’ll be two
Oh, what I’ve been missing, it’s amazing to me So much fun, so much laughter, so much energy And then the quiet moments curled up in a ball On the couch, the bed, my slippers left in the hall
I marvel and wonder upon this little creature As she sleeps I gaze upon her every feature Little pink pads on the bottom of her paws And a tiny pink nose, I believe she has no flaws
The most magic moments are at night when in bed Her warm little body lying cross the top of my head The soft sound of purring tells of no fear ever to be Oh, what I’ve been missing, it’s amazing to me
Grandma has some flowers that I like a lot Thay are in a very pretty white flower pot It has a red handle and red trim on the top She told me she bought it at an antique shop
Explaining to me the value years ago it had  If you didn't have one it could be kinda sad  They were always kept right under the bed Trips to an outhouse in winter one would dread
There is rustling in a field of tall grass The color in the late sun, golden brass Quickly turning in the direction of the sound Catching my breath, feeling my heart rapidly pound
Will they spot me, get frighten and bolt Familer with this behavier from my colt Catching this moment, I try to take it all in Knowing it may never ever happen again
Author Eileen Clark
Artist Eileen Clark ~January 2025
This deer was eating the corn that falls from the squirrel feeder. ~ Feb 26, 2025
Protection from the snow is what the kitten needs Taking shelter underneath the big fir trees He must have wandered off too far from the barn Foolishly thinking it would do him little harm
A big black bird flew down from the gray sky Landed right next to this fluffy little guy You look cold, frightened and quite alone I’ll guide you back to the barn that is your home
Author Eileen Clark ~ December 2024 Artist – Eileen Clark
Can you see the big snowflakes coming down The cold wind is blowing those flakes all around It’s piling up real fast making big snow banks Do I want to go out, I tell my missy no thanks
One paw out the door and I could disappear Buried in the snow until the spring gets here The good news is that my fur is thick and black So you could maybe find me by my big paw tracts
The Paper Boy All newspapers were delivered by boys and all boys delivered newspapers. My brothers delivered the newspapers six days a week. It cost 7 cents a paper, of which they got to keep 2 cents. They had to get up at 6 AM every morning. On Saturday, they had to collect the 42 cents from their customers. The favorite customers were the ones who gave the boys 50 cents and told them to keep the change. The least favorite customers were the ones that seemed to never be home on collection day. Rain, snow, and summer heat never stopped the paper boys from getting the papers to every customers home
At My House My brothers were paper boys in the early forties, they were in third and fourth grade, let’s see, I guess that would have made them about 9 and 10 years old. It was in the city of Hartford Connecticut. They delivered them after school and used a red wagon instead of bikes, we couldn’t afford bikes. We were Irish Catholics living in an Italian neighborhood and that meant trouble for the boys, especially my younger brother because he had bright red curly hair and big freckles all over his pale white face.
You may wonder why that would be trouble for the boys . The Irish and Italian’s did not mix together in those days. The Italian boy’s named Joey, Rocky, and I don’t remember the other boys names would be on the corner when the bundle of papers were dropped off, then folded and placed in the red wagon by my brothers. Rocky and friends showed up just to make trouble for my brothers. They would scatter the papers all over the streets and passing cars would carry them off on their hoods, roofs and trunks never to be seen again. Other times Rocky and friends would wait until the papers were all folded and stacked neatly and ready to be delivered, then the bully’s would push my brothers aside and throw the papers all over the streets. No one could do anything about it and the boys just took it. Well it did escalate to the point where Rocky and friends were waiting on the corner along with, this time untouched papers.
They had other plans this particular afternoon. They wrapped white adhesive tape all over the boys heads and my brothers went about there job delivering all the papers wearing this horrid tape looking like they had white caps on their heads. My mother had to cut most of there hair off and they went to school the next day almost bald. The following day my mom, dragging my reluctant brothers along went directly to the principle’s office to give Father O’Malley a “Show and Tell” complaint. The Father questioned my brothers, asking for names until he was blue in the face because my brothers would not tell, “squeal” on Rocky, Joey and friends. The very next evening the Italian boys were waiting on the corner for my brothers. The news papers were all folded and stacked in a neat pile. As soon as the boys appeared, Rocky and friends placed the folded papers nicely in the red wagon and walked away.
That was it, not a word was spoken, they just walked away! My brothers were never bothered again by Rocky, Joey, and the other friends of theirs or anyone else. An interesting observation, every now and then when my brothers got to the corner where the bundles of papers were left off for them, they would find a nicely folded stack of news papers ready for the boys wagon and they knew they were safe from not just Rocky and friends but from any other bullies that might be around. I’m guessing the word got out, don’t nobody mess with the Irish paper boys because the Italian boys were watching over them.
Artful Poetry 